Stylish Coffee Cup Trays
Make some small stylish trays, to serve coffee (or tee).
I use Plexiglas (remaining from a former project). You could use real glass too, but it would require more skills and tools. Plexiglas is very easy to cut, but will get scratches, eventually.
I use Plexiglas (remaining from a former project). You could use real glass too, but it would require more skills and tools. Plexiglas is very easy to cut, but will get scratches, eventually.
Needed Stuff
Materials:
- 2 mm thick Plexiglas (acrylic glass)
- Hard wood strips (I used beech) of rectangular profiles
- Hard wood strip of round profile
- Cutting mat, metal ruler, cutter
- Wood, paper, and epoxy glues
- Wood primer
- Masking tape
- Clamps (optional)
- Jigsaw
- Sanding machine (or just sand paper)
- Drill (at best: drill press)
Sketch Some Designs
Make the Long Sides
- Cut the paper sides,
- glue them on the wood,
- saw them carefully,
- drill (beware: not through) [*]
- with a short piece of rounded profile, put the sides together (without gluing them),
- sand them for perfect alignment,
- soak them very shortly in water, to remove the paper.
Make the Board
With the cutter, strongly mark (two firm passes should suffice) the Plexiglas on both sides.
Hold the Plexiglas between two boards (or in a large vise) and snap it firmly, to break it along the mark.
Repeat to obtain desired size.
Sand the edges. Check that long edges are very parallel.
Check size against wooden sides.
Hold the Plexiglas between two boards (or in a large vise) and snap it firmly, to break it along the mark.
Repeat to obtain desired size.
Sand the edges. Check that long edges are very parallel.
Check size against wooden sides.
Assemble
Cut rounded some rounded profile to length (board width plus some extra millimeters).
Glue them to the sides (dip the ends into some wood glue).
Let the glue dry.
Glue them to the sides (dip the ends into some wood glue).
Let the glue dry.
Make the Short Sides
Cut the short sides to length. They must be approx 0.1 mm longer than the Plexiglas width, so that the Plexiglas can slightly slide.
Glue them with epoxy, use masking tape to keep the right position.
Let the epoxy cure.
Advice: from now on, always remember which Plexiglas board belongs to which frame.
Glue them with epoxy, use masking tape to keep the right position.
Let the epoxy cure.
Advice: from now on, always remember which Plexiglas board belongs to which frame.
Sand
Remove the Plexiglas.
Sand the wooden frame (optionally, with a power sander).
Sand the wooden frame (optionally, with a power sander).
Prime Time
Apply wood primer, and let dry.
Slightly sand to get a smooth surface again.
Slightly sand to get a smooth surface again.
Clean and Place the Board
Remove the protective sheet of the Plexiglas boards.
Clean the Plexiglas with water.
Place each Plexiglas into the frame it belongs to.
Clean the Plexiglas with water.
Place each Plexiglas into the frame it belongs to.
Finished Products
Enjoy your trays.
Serve coffee, espresso or tee.
In addition to the cup, there is room for a spoon, a sieve, a biscuit or praline or sugar cube, etc.
To clean the trays, use a damp cloth.
Update: My Mom got three trays for Christmas, and had the idea of using two of them upside-down.
Serve coffee, espresso or tee.
In addition to the cup, there is room for a spoon, a sieve, a biscuit or praline or sugar cube, etc.
To clean the trays, use a damp cloth.
Update: My Mom got three trays for Christmas, and had the idea of using two of them upside-down.