Resin Honeycomb Serving Board
![IMG_20200816_121259.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FNG/78UK/KDYJKRR6/FNG78UKKDYJKRR6.jpg&filename=IMG_20200816_121259.jpg)
The idea had 2 goals, to have a nice serving board and to use it to explain my children where the honey is coming from.
The intention was to have an object that resembles a beehive frame, something light that could be easy moved.
Supplies
Materials:
- Polyester/Epoxy resin (3 liters) *****
- Resin catalyst if using polyester resin
- Dyes: Yellow, Red
- Pigments: Yellow, White
- melamine faced MDF
(1) Base: 13 x 11 inches
(4) Strips: 13 inches
- Lumber (Maple, ash or pine): 5 x 13 inches, 1 inch thick
- CA glue
- Wood glue
- 1 1/4 screws (2x)
- Butcher block conditioner
- Polishing media
Machines:
- CNC with 1/2 and 1/8 flat end mills
- Table Saw
- Drill with a countersink and a 1/8 wood/metal drill
- Orbital sander
Other materials:
- Disposable 12oz cups
- Disposable stir sticks
- Wax paper
- Sand paper: 60, 120, 150, 220, 400, 600
- Micro mesh sanding pads: 1500 to 12000 grit
***** Disclaimer
No all resins are food grade, please consider this before selecting your material. There are some options
1) On this web page there is very interesting information: https://resin-expert.com/en/guide/food-safe-epoxy
2) I used a final coat of Butcher block conditioner that is 100% food safe to create a temporary film.
Design
![Honeycomb pattern.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FJL/BIL2/KDYJL5IE/FJLBIL2KDYJL5IE.png&filename=Honeycomb pattern.png)
The design is easy, it is just an hexagon pattern,but, it had to be adjusted to the manufacturing constraints, in this specific case it was the 1/8 diameter flat end cutter.
If I had a smaller diameter tool I might have reduced the general hexagon size, but, the smaller the tool the higher the chances to break it or it could have take a lot longer to CNC the resin board.
The final resin board was planned to have 12 inches long x 10 inches width x 1/2 thickness. If you want to change the dimension consider to recalculate the total resin volume.
I have included the DXF file in case you want to have a guide. Please review the design three times, measure always twice and finally cut or pour ounce.
Downloads
Cut the Parts and Build the Box
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You need to cut the base, 13 X 10.5 inches and four 1 inch strips.
I used CA glue to fix the strips, if you want to do it faster consider using CA accelerator. When the sides were fixed and dry I just put some more CA on the internal box joints to make sure there were no gaps.
Prepare the Resin
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I used disposable 12oz cups, 30 drops of Yellow dye per cup. Once the dye was included I mixed for 2 to 3 minutes. I used 2 cups at the same time.
I had pre-measured the Resin catalyst and once added I mixed it again for 2 minutes.
Start Pouring the Resin
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Depending on the resin you are using you will need to add some scrap pieces under the box. As some resins have strong exothermic reaction they will create a lot of heat !! and if you don´t have ventilation and heat dissipation under the box you will get a concave board.
If you have slow curing resin you don´t have to worry as much about this.
I had something like 10 minutes before the resin started to change its consistency. In order to reduce the amount of air bubbles I poured the resin slowly forming a thin section, please see the second image on this step.
Add More Resin
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4 layers were included for the board. There were a one hour waiting between the resin layers to help with the heat dissipation. If I have decided to pour everything at the same time it is 100% probable to have the board cracked due to excessive heat.
I decided to change the tone a little bit during the second and third pour adding 2 red drops to one of the cups and then I poured on opposite corners. during the investigation I noted the real bee hives have different yellow shades instead of one single solid color.
On the image you can see the different yellow tones.
The total board thickness was 3/4.
Demold the Resin Board
![IMG_20200809_210508.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F5G/6B6T/KDYJL7W2/F5G6B6TKDYJL7W2.jpg&filename=IMG_20200809_210508.jpg)
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I let the resin to set up for a couple of days. Once the surface wasn't tacky it was very easy to demold the board mainly to the natural resin´s contraction. I just twisted the box a little bit and if separated by itself.
Level Up the Board
![IMG_20200810_191719.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F9E/3VMT/KDYJL83A/F9E3VMTKDYJL83A.jpg&filename=IMG_20200810_191719.jpg)
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I used a regular end mill to flatten both sides.
CNC the Honeycomb Pattern
![IMG_20200811_234011.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FQ6/7GBB/KDYJL87K/FQ67GBBKDYJL87K.jpg&filename=IMG_20200811_234011.jpg)
![untitled6.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FLY/46CE/KDYJL88J/FLY46CEKDYJL88J.jpg&filename=untitled6.jpg)
![untitled5.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FHX/AFK6/KDYJL894/FHXAFK6KDYJL894.jpg&filename=untitled5.JPG)
After flattening the board was a little bit more than 5/8 thick. A 1/8 diameter and 1/2 long flat mill was used. The intention was to leave some solid material at the bottom.
More than 12,000 code lines and a few hours later the honeycomb pattern was done. I just had to play around with the CNC clamps to avoid them during machining.
Clean Up the Machined Board
![IMG_20200812_023213.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FXH/98LV/KDYJL8KV/FXH98LVKDYJL8KV.jpg&filename=IMG_20200812_023213.jpg)
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Compressed air was needed to clean up the deepest sections.
Prepare for More Resin
![IMG_20200813_200203.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F4G/IUIA/KDYJL8RN/F4GIUIAKDYJL8RN.jpg&filename=IMG_20200813_200203.jpg)
![IMG_20200813_201219.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FWA/N287/KDYJL8SA/FWAN287KDYJL8SA.jpg&filename=IMG_20200813_201219.jpg)
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I used simple masking tape to create temporary side barriers for the new resin.
This time I used white and a little bit of yellow to come up with a warm creamy tone for the honeycomb cell walls.
Pour the Cell Walls Resin
![IMG_20200813_202716.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FC0/ON74/KDYJL936/FC0ON74KDYJL936.jpg&filename=IMG_20200813_202716.jpg)
![IMG_20200813_203343.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FRO/6LQ2/KDYJL945/FRO6LQ2KDYJL945.jpg&filename=IMG_20200813_203343.jpg)
Pour very slowly the resin. Remember to rise up the box so you have proper ventilation under the box, otherwise you will get a concave board that you will need to flatten later.
CNC to Your Desired Thickness
![IMG_20200815_114606.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FNS/7GEM/KDYJL9DH/FNS7GEMKDYJL9DH.jpg&filename=IMG_20200815_114606.jpg)
I flattened both surfaces again up to the desired 1/2 inch thickness
Sand to Remove CNC Tools Marks and Prepare for Wet Sanding
![IMG_20200815_120333.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F1X/U7HR/KDYJL9IL/F1XU7HRKDYJL9IL.jpg&filename=IMG_20200815_120333.jpg)
![IMG_20200815_123045.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FMQ/1Q35/KDYJL9MS/FMQ1Q35KDYJL9MS.jpg&filename=IMG_20200815_123045.jpg)
60, up to 600 grit sanding paper was used with an orbital sander. Then I used wet sanding pads.
Micro-mesh Wet Sanding
![IMG_20200815_123908.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F1K/27GT/KDYJL9S1/F1K27GTKDYJL9S1.jpg&filename=IMG_20200815_123908.jpg)
![IMG_20200815_124053.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FSO/BB3N/KDYJL9T2/FSOBB3NKDYJL9T2.jpg&filename=IMG_20200815_124053.jpg)
The minute I started wet sanding the final board came to life !
Build the Beehive Frame
![IMG_20200815_130859.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FXE/1MGJ/KDYJL9ZA/FXE1MGJKDYJL9ZA.jpg&filename=IMG_20200815_130859.jpg)
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I used a simple piece of lumber to have 4 sections (1x7/8) for the frame. The length was more than 13 inches for each sections. The table saw was used to create 1/2 dados for just 3 sections (2 laterals and the bottom).
Finishing the Bottom Side
![IMG_20200815_134535.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FFW/1S12/KDYJLACT/FFW1S12KDYJLACT.jpg&filename=IMG_20200815_134535.jpg)
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The lower section has 45 degree joints.
Finishing the Upper Frame
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With a table saw sled I cutted dados to complete the upper joints. You also need to cut the lateral sides to adjust the length.
Upper Side Assembly, Using Screws
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For the upper section I decided to use screws In case I had to remove the resin board from the frame to deep clean it, re-polish the resin, etc.
Polish, Glue Up, Install Wood Screws
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I glued up the lower 45 degree joints and installed 1 1/4 inch wood screws on the upper frame section.
Before using the board a food grade conditioner was applied to have a safe surface to contact the food.
Have Breakfast on Sunday
![IMG_20200816_121727.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FLP/V6HF/KDYJLBZ3/FLPV6HFKDYJLBZ3.jpg&filename=IMG_20200816_121727.jpg)
That´s it, the bee hive serving board is ready !
Just remember it isn't a cutting board, as a sharp knife will dent the resin !