Create a recess that nearly traverses the wood
I would like to start with a box-shaped piece of hardwood and make a (probably cylindrical) recess in it that nearly traverses the wood, leaving only a very, very thin, uniform layer of wood on the far side. Like this:
The thickness of the thinnest part should be similar to veneers.
Is this achievable with a forstner bit? If so what type? Any special setup?
An alternative: leaving a thicker floor in the recess then planing from the opposite side.
Aside: the goal is, roughly, to make an electrical switchplate cover that has an area where the wood is thin enough to be translucent, such that LEDs could shine through, similar to the following (but maybe with only a single digit of <1in height).
Thanks
technique
asked 7 hours ago
lcgerkelcgerke
111
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lcgerke is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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I would like to start with a box-shaped piece of hardwood and make a (probably cylindrical) recess in it that nearly traverses the wood, leaving only a very, very thin, uniform layer of wood on the far side. Like this:
The thickness of the thinnest part should be similar to veneers.
Is this achievable with a forstner bit? If so what type? Any special setup?
An alternative: leaving a thicker floor in the recess then planing from the opposite side.
Aside: the goal is, roughly, to make an electrical switchplate cover that has an area where the wood is thin enough to be translucent, such that LEDs could shine through, similar to the following (but maybe with only a single digit of <1in height).
Thanks
technique
asked 7 hours ago
lcgerkelcgerke
111
New contributor
lcgerke is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
A practical point to note is that regardless of whether you mill this from a single piece as you're asking about or though-drill a block and glue on a piece of veneer (a much less challenging and far faster method to achieve basically the same end) the wood overlaying the hole will be very delicate as-is. I would give serious thought to reinforcing from the rear if you have the internal space, e.g. with a layer of clear resin which won't interfere with light transmission.
– Graphus
5 hours ago
Unrelated to the how-to, have you selected the species you'd like to make this from yet?
– Graphus
5 hours ago
add a comment |
I would like to start with a box-shaped piece of hardwood and make a (probably cylindrical) recess in it that nearly traverses the wood, leaving only a very, very thin, uniform layer of wood on the far side. Like this:
The thickness of the thinnest part should be similar to veneers.
Is this achievable with a forstner bit? If so what type? Any special setup?
An alternative: leaving a thicker floor in the recess then planing from the opposite side.
Aside: the goal is, roughly, to make an electrical switchplate cover that has an area where the wood is thin enough to be translucent, such that LEDs could shine through, similar to the following (but maybe with only a single digit of <1in height).
Thanks
technique
asked 7 hours ago
lcgerkelcgerke
111
New contributor
lcgerke is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I would like to start with a box-shaped piece of hardwood and make a (probably cylindrical) recess in it that nearly traverses the wood, leaving only a very, very thin, uniform layer of wood on the far side. Like this:
The thickness of the thinnest part should be similar to veneers.
Is this achievable with a forstner bit? If so what type? Any special setup?
An alternative: leaving a thicker floor in the recess then planing from the opposite side.
Aside: the goal is, roughly, to make an electrical switchplate cover that has an area where the wood is thin enough to be translucent, such that LEDs could shine through, similar to the following (but maybe with only a single digit of <1in height).
Thanks
technique
technique
asked 7 hours ago
lcgerkelcgerke
111
New contributor
lcgerke is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 7 hours ago
lcgerkelcgerke
111
New contributor
lcgerke is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 7 hours ago
lcgerkelcgerke
111
New contributor
lcgerke is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 7 hours ago
lcgerkelcgerke
111
asked 7 hours ago
lcgerkelcgerke
111
111
New contributor
lcgerke is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
lcgerke is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
lcgerke is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
A practical point to note is that regardless of whether you mill this from a single piece as you're asking about or though-drill a block and glue on a piece of veneer (a much less challenging and far faster method to achieve basically the same end) the wood overlaying the hole will be very delicate as-is. I would give serious thought to reinforcing from the rear if you have the internal space, e.g. with a layer of clear resin which won't interfere with light transmission.
– Graphus
5 hours ago
Unrelated to the how-to, have you selected the species you'd like to make this from yet?
– Graphus
5 hours ago
add a comment |
1
A practical point to note is that regardless of whether you mill this from a single piece as you're asking about or though-drill a block and glue on a piece of veneer (a much less challenging and far faster method to achieve basically the same end) the wood overlaying the hole will be very delicate as-is. I would give serious thought to reinforcing from the rear if you have the internal space, e.g. with a layer of clear resin which won't interfere with light transmission.
– Graphus
5 hours ago
Unrelated to the how-to, have you selected the species you'd like to make this from yet?
– Graphus
5 hours ago
1
1
A practical point to note is that regardless of whether you mill this from a single piece as you're asking about or though-drill a block and glue on a piece of veneer (a much less challenging and far faster method to achieve basically the same end) the wood overlaying the hole will be very delicate as-is. I would give serious thought to reinforcing from the rear if you have the internal space, e.g. with a layer of clear resin which won't interfere with light transmission.
– Graphus
5 hours ago
A practical point to note is that regardless of whether you mill this from a single piece as you're asking about or though-drill a block and glue on a piece of veneer (a much less challenging and far faster method to achieve basically the same end) the wood overlaying the hole will be very delicate as-is. I would give serious thought to reinforcing from the rear if you have the internal space, e.g. with a layer of clear resin which won't interfere with light transmission.
– Graphus
5 hours ago
Unrelated to the how-to, have you selected the species you'd like to make this from yet?
– Graphus
5 hours ago
Unrelated to the how-to, have you selected the species you'd like to make this from yet?
– Graphus
5 hours ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
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This was almost certainly done by creating a through hole and then gluing veneer over it.
A forstner bit won't work - the edges and lead point make for a not perfectly flat bottomed hole.
If you don't want to go with option 1, in a home shop I would use a router/router table to get close to the finished depth, then plane away at the front surface to get to finished thickness.
answered 5 hours ago
aaronaaron
2,038312
#3 can work with sawing as well - leave the block of wood an inch oversized, route the recess, then saw (table or band saw, probably) to achieve the desired thickness. I would guess that it should cause the minimal amount of stress on the thin part (I can easily saw paper thin strips on the table saw), vs. planning.
– Eli Iser
18 mins ago
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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oldest
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votes
This was almost certainly done by creating a through hole and then gluing veneer over it.
A forstner bit won't work - the edges and lead point make for a not perfectly flat bottomed hole.
If you don't want to go with option 1, in a home shop I would use a router/router table to get close to the finished depth, then plane away at the front surface to get to finished thickness.
answered 5 hours ago
aaronaaron
2,038312
#3 can work with sawing as well - leave the block of wood an inch oversized, route the recess, then saw (table or band saw, probably) to achieve the desired thickness. I would guess that it should cause the minimal amount of stress on the thin part (I can easily saw paper thin strips on the table saw), vs. planning.
– Eli Iser
18 mins ago
add a comment |
This was almost certainly done by creating a through hole and then gluing veneer over it.
A forstner bit won't work - the edges and lead point make for a not perfectly flat bottomed hole.
If you don't want to go with option 1, in a home shop I would use a router/router table to get close to the finished depth, then plane away at the front surface to get to finished thickness.
answered 5 hours ago
aaronaaron
2,038312
#3 can work with sawing as well - leave the block of wood an inch oversized, route the recess, then saw (table or band saw, probably) to achieve the desired thickness. I would guess that it should cause the minimal amount of stress on the thin part (I can easily saw paper thin strips on the table saw), vs. planning.
– Eli Iser
18 mins ago
add a comment |
This was almost certainly done by creating a through hole and then gluing veneer over it.
A forstner bit won't work - the edges and lead point make for a not perfectly flat bottomed hole.
If you don't want to go with option 1, in a home shop I would use a router/router table to get close to the finished depth, then plane away at the front surface to get to finished thickness.
answered 5 hours ago
aaronaaron
2,038312
This was almost certainly done by creating a through hole and then gluing veneer over it.
A forstner bit won't work - the edges and lead point make for a not perfectly flat bottomed hole.
If you don't want to go with option 1, in a home shop I would use a router/router table to get close to the finished depth, then plane away at the front surface to get to finished thickness.
answered 5 hours ago
aaronaaron
2,038312
answered 5 hours ago
aaronaaron
2,038312
answered 5 hours ago
aaronaaron
2,038312
answered 5 hours ago
aaronaaron
2,038312
2,038312
#3 can work with sawing as well - leave the block of wood an inch oversized, route the recess, then saw (table or band saw, probably) to achieve the desired thickness. I would guess that it should cause the minimal amount of stress on the thin part (I can easily saw paper thin strips on the table saw), vs. planning.
– Eli Iser
18 mins ago
add a comment |
#3 can work with sawing as well - leave the block of wood an inch oversized, route the recess, then saw (table or band saw, probably) to achieve the desired thickness. I would guess that it should cause the minimal amount of stress on the thin part (I can easily saw paper thin strips on the table saw), vs. planning.
– Eli Iser
18 mins ago
#3 can work with sawing as well - leave the block of wood an inch oversized, route the recess, then saw (table or band saw, probably) to achieve the desired thickness. I would guess that it should cause the minimal amount of stress on the thin part (I can easily saw paper thin strips on the table saw), vs. planning.
– Eli Iser
18 mins ago
#3 can work with sawing as well - leave the block of wood an inch oversized, route the recess, then saw (table or band saw, probably) to achieve the desired thickness. I would guess that it should cause the minimal amount of stress on the thin part (I can easily saw paper thin strips on the table saw), vs. planning.
– Eli Iser
18 mins ago
add a comment |
lcgerke is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
lcgerke is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
lcgerke is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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1
A practical point to note is that regardless of whether you mill this from a single piece as you're asking about or though-drill a block and glue on a piece of veneer (a much less challenging and far faster method to achieve basically the same end) the wood overlaying the hole will be very delicate as-is. I would give serious thought to reinforcing from the rear if you have the internal space, e.g. with a layer of clear resin which won't interfere with light transmission.
– Graphus
5 hours ago
Unrelated to the how-to, have you selected the species you'd like to make this from yet?
– Graphus
5 hours ago