Workers Of Wood

When ever i make cutting boards, I end up with several small pieces of scrap. Recently, I took those pieces and glued them up to make what appears to be a smaller cutting board. I then split them in half, and ended up with 4 x 4 x 1/2 inch squares. These Sandra wanted to use as coasters. I sanded them down and varnished them. But, I would like to cut an indention in them to make a cup for the glass or coffee cup to sit in, so they would look like a real coaster.
My brain stopped working at this point. I just can't seem to figure out how to cut an indention in them as a circle from a square. Each time I run a dry run with gig ideas, they just won't work to make a perfect circle on them.
I hope I made this as clear as possible, I seem to have confused myself all over again.
Any ideas out there?

Bushwhacker (David)

Stick486 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 12:15 pm what size dia indent???
got a holesaw or fostner bit that size???
fostner bit... bore what ya need...
holesaw... make a template and use your router and a top bearing bowl or mortising bit..

The out side is 4 " x 4", so the indent would be about 3 " to 3.5 ". and , no, I don't have a hole saw or a foster bit that size.
If I understand what you said. I should make a circle the size that I want the indent, and place that on top of the 4" x 4" square.
The router bit would have to have a bottom bearing, so it would ride on the edge of the templet.
The templet would have to be larger then the coaster to be able to secure it down while you rout the inside .
BY securing the square with lower profile then the coaster.
I believe I have a picture of this.
After making the templet and securing it down the actual routing would be very quick.

Am I right?

I was doing basically the same thing with scraps.
But I just left them square and put some cork on the bottom of the coaster.
Mine were much thinner than 1/2".

Since you have so much stock to work with could you
make a jig with a cutout circle & cleats to hold the 4x4.
Then route out the center with something like a bowl cutting bit. That will give you a curved intersection between the sides & bottom.
Or you could use a flat bottom cutting mortising bit with either a bearing or a guide.

I'm thinking of a bearing, closest to the shank. The jig would have to be pretty thick to accommodate the bit though.

Stick beat me to it!!

smitty10101 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 2:16 pm I was doing basically the same thing with scraps.
But I just left them square and put some cork on the bottom of the coaster.
Mine were much thinner than 1/2".

Since you have so much stock to work with could you
make a jig with a cutout circle & cleats to hold the 4x4.
Then route out the center with something like a bowl cutting bit. That will give you a curved intersection between the sides & bottom.
Or you could use a flat bottom cutting mortising bit with either a bearing or a guide.

I'm thinking of a bearing, closest to the shank. The jig would have to be pretty thick to accommodate the bit though.

Ditto. Make the jig by using a large Forstner or hole saw bit. EIther use a bushing or top-bearing router bit and clean it out. If you use a Forstner to drill out the hole on the coaster, you'll have a little divot in the middle. Resolve that with a cork insert.

Alternately, get some 3" square tiles and route out a square insert. I've made 5 sets like that. Route out a square to fit and glue it in.

If you had a lathe you could center it on a faceplate and turn the indentation.
I agree with Smitty; an indentation won't necessarily work for all beverage container bases, and a stemmed wine glass could potentially tip over if it isn't right in the indentation.

My wife came up with the same idea. She says that most cups and glasses would not fit in that size indention so she just wants them flat. I made a holder for them added felt to the back sides and all done.

Bushwhacker