Mother's Day Coaster
Instruction
Create a heartfelt Mother's Day gift with a 3.5” pine coaster featuring a touching engraving of a young mother cradling her infant child, delicately framed by a wreath of flowers. This project captures the essence of motherhood and makes for a cherished keepsake for any mother on her special day.
For this project, I opted for a straightforward pine coaster to engrave. This coaster is the standard one provided by xTool in their sample package and is available for purchase on their website as well. The image used is sourced from a free provider. When selecting images for inlay or epoxy pouring, I prefer simple designs that utilize ample black and white space.
I believed that this specific image would be perfect for a Mother's Day project. It speaks volumes on its own; no additional text is needed!
Once you've adjusted your laser's focus, it's time to designate the engraving area. Creative Space offers a fantastic tool that removes the necessity of having a camera setup for project alignment. By clicking the "Start Marking" button and choosing the Circle marking mode, you can effortlessly mark three points along the coaster's edge, and let Creative Space handle the rest! Conclude by selecting the End Marking option and pressing Done.
Once you've adjusted your laser's focus, it's time to designate the engraving area. Creative Space offers a fantastic tool that removes the necessity of having a camera setup for project alignment. By clicking the "Start Marking" button and choosing the Circle marking mode, you can effortlessly mark three points along the coaster's edge, and let Creative Space handle the rest! Conclude by selecting the End Marking option and pressing Done.
During this stage, it's crucial to configure your engraving settings. For a standard surface engraving, consider reducing the power significantly and potentially increasing the speed. I opted for a higher power and slower speed to ensure depth in the engraving, as I plan to epoxy pour the finished project.
After the engraving process is finished, prepare your project for applying the finish by cleaning it up. As depicted in the photo, initially, the coaster may emerge from the laser with scorch marks and surface residue. The most effective method to address this is sanding. I utilized 220 grit sandpaper, followed by 320 grit, to smooth the surface. Subsequently, I carefully brushed the crevices and vacuumed away the dust. Finally, I wiped the coaster with a damp cloth to eliminate any remaining fine dust particles.
Following that, I arrange my workspace for pouring epoxy resin onto the coaster. I apply two coats in total. The initial coat, albeit lighter, is paramount. Ensuring that the epoxy penetrates all crevices and eliminating any bubbles is crucial. I utilize UV light to cure the first layer. Once it's dry, I apply the leveling layer and cure it accordingly.
Using epoxy isn't the only method to finalize your project. Often, I opt for multiple thin coats of water-based polyurethane. Either approach results in a beautiful gift suitable for any mother.