Maple Tray with Epoxy Inlay

This is the last of the projects I made to be given away as a gift to our friends the Walkers for Christmas 2023. It is a small, shallow wooden tray about 10 inches long and 4 inches wide. It is made from curly maple and has an epoxy inlay in the shape of the state of Tennessee at the bottom. Within the inlay, I left a heart at the location of Farragut, TN which is where the Walkers live.

After making the trays discussed here, I knew I wanted to make the project again but with some changes. I was pleased with those first trays, however, there were two things I wanted to try differently. The first was to use lighter-colored wood. The other was to make the state inlay completely filled with epoxy instead of just the outline.

I cut and milled a piece of curly maple from which to carve the tray. I then made a copy of the Vectric file from the original project and began to work on the modifications. I made some slight modifications to the handles, making them a little larger and thicker. I then worked on the vectors for the inlay. I needed to remove the cursive text along the top border of the state and also the vector that defined the inside border of the state outline.

Next, I needed a heart vector. I researched ways to create this in VCarve Pro but in the end, I just used one of my credits at VectorStock.com and downloaded some vector art. I then imported the heart vectors, resized them, and placed them in the correct spot with the state borders.

The last bit of computer work was to define and export the 6 tool paths necessary to carve this project. Then it was on to the CNC machine. I secured the maple blank to the spoil board and ran the tool paths in order.

Once the CNC work was done, it was on to sanding. Most of the sanding was done at my downdraft table using the SandStand from Woodpeckers and the mount that I built for it. I also used my Milwaukee M12 Orbital Detail Sander. This is one of the most useful and versatile sanders I own. Some hand sanding was also required to get into some of the tighter parts of the tray.

Once I was satisfied, it was time to apply the finish. I once again used super blonde shellac. I applied it both by wiping it on with a cloth and using my LVLP sprayer sanding between coats when needed.