This project was both an opportunity to provide a cozy retreat for our cat Shakespeare and a chance to explore more engraving functions on the CNC router and to experiment with epoxy inlays.
This project was not “designed” , so there are no layout drawings. Basic dimensions are 24″x16″x14″ with 9″ holes on the ends and 4″ holes on the sides. The ends are 1/2″ plywood (meant to be Birch plywood) and the sides are 1.4″ plywood. Note there is a 1/2″ plywood piece reinforcing the top.
Materials Used:
- 1/2″ Birch plywood (Home Depot) – 1 2’x4′ sheet
- 1/4″ Birch plywood (Home Depot) – 2 2’x4′ sheets
- EPOXY RESIN CRYSTAL CLEAR 16 oz Kit. FOR SUPER GLOSS COATING AND TABLETOPS Brand: East Coast Resin (Amazon)
- Epoxy Resin Color Pigment (Dye) Popular Colors Kit: ComposiMold Store (Amazon)
- Stain: Varathane – Gunstock
- Minwax Wipe on Poly Gloss (the oil based one, not the water based)
Things I learned in this project:
- Check your wood! While I did some testing on scraps of birch plywood I had gotten previously from Home Depot, the plywood I picked up from the same store was not Birch, but something with a more open grain. I discovered this after I cut the parts and a combination of laziness and Covid quarantining kept me from searching out true birch plywood. A mistake!
- I used a light coat of sanding sealer to reduce bleed out. I should have used a much heavier coat, especially with the more open grained wood.
- After filling the letters with epoxy, a pass over them with a heat gun (a hair dryer would probably work as well), drives the trapped air bubbles to the surface extremely well, greatly reducing any voids in the surface.
- Cats are cats. Despite spending weeks napping in a prototype, so far Shakespeare has largely ignored the final product.