While Matt was recovering from a minor elbow surgery, the chainsaw carving had to pause. He decided to work on some handcrafted coffee scoops during this time. These have been on his to do list, and this was a perfect opportunity to complete a few.
Draw and Rough Cut Blanks
The first step is to to draw your design. A basic coffee scoop from the store is used as a base for the size, and then the wood chunk he uses helps determine the style. Once the outline is drawn it is cut out on the band saw. A drill press is used with the appropriate size bit to drill out the majority of the scoop section.
Hand Carve or Power Carve the Shape
Depending on the type of wood used, the final shape of the scoop is then carved with either hand tools or a power carver. For softer woods like Butternut or Mahogany carving knives and gouges work great, but for harder woods like Black Walnut or Box Elder a power carver would be a better option. This is where you get to add your style. Try changing the shape and thickness of the handle or alter the outside of the scoop from round to a more geometric shape. Make the scoop thinner and deeper, or choose one that is wider and shallow. Let the wood speak to you. You may have a certain width or thickness of wood, so use that as your guide.
Sand and Oil Your Handcrafted Coffee Scoops
Now that the shape is finalized make sure to sand and smooth your handcrafted coffee scoops. He starts with an 80 grit paper, then 120 grit and he finishes with a 220 grit paper. He uses an oscillating spindle sander for the neck of the handle and the outside of the scoop, and then finishes with a micro detail sander. Of course, basic sandpaper will work just fine.
After you finish sanding be sure to oil your scoop. We use butcher block oil, but any food safe oil will work. Rub your oil on, let it sit for about 15-20 minutes, and then wipe off with an old t-shirt or cotton rag.
Some Products We Recommend
- Micro Detail Sander
- Howards Butcher Block Oil
- Howard Cutting Board Oil
- Oscillating Sanderhttps://amzn.to/45BaQ4k
As always, thank you for visiting our site. We hope this helps you in making your own handcrafted coffee scoop. Be sure to check out some of our other posts. Happy carving!
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