(Coming soon! Congrats on finding this, though… :)

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Rich version: https://cdibbs.github.io/keyholevisions/projects/graces-of-god-coasters

Instructions

For convenience, each of the artworks were placed in their own file. Each file contains the three to four, ~4in (~100mm) diameter slices comprising that artwork. The slices were designed to be cut out of 2mm thick plywood but could potentially work with other thicknesses.

Red lines in the files mean “cut this” while blue lines mean “engrave.” Depending on your software, you may need to load the red first, run that, and then load the blue while being mindful of relative position. At the time of writing, this was true of LaserGRBL, for example.

After all the pieces were cut, I stained them with food coloring and let them dry. Once dry, I wood-glued them together. Fishing line was hot glued to the backs in order to hang them.

Supplies

Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting my work!

• Laser cutter: https://amzn.to/3lVGdTs
• 2mm craft plywood: https://amzn.to/3AXXeAE
• Wilton Icing Colors: https://amzn.to/3G45sLC
• Ziplock bags: https://amzn.to/2Z2Ccnx
• Filtered or distilled water for dyeing.
• Gorilla wood glue: https://amzn.to/3nd3Bvl
• Epoxy resin (non-VOC): https://amzn.to/30xsgmu
• Nitrile gloves*: https://amzn.to/3aSHWTj
• Fume mask**: https://amzn.to/3AV72vp

• 2mm corkboard: https://amzn.to/3lVFzFw

• My epoxy kit came with super thin plastic gloves that tore easily so I got some nitrile gloves instead. ** The fume mask may not be necessary with non-VOC epoxy but I was working indoors so I got it just in case.

Hints, tips, and ideas

Staining

The pieces photographed for the shop were stained with food coloring rather than woodstain. The results were both pleasing and unexpected. If you want to achieve the same effect, here was what I did.

I put about an 1/8 tsp in a small, ziplock bag with 1/4 cup of water and soaked the wood panels for about 15 minutes or until the colors looked right. This is a great place to experiment with plywood scraps and find a color scheme you like.

Back panel: Black. This absorbed as a night sky, royal purple and left the remaining water somewhat bluish.

Middle panel: Brown. This gave the appearance of a darker wood.

Middle panel #2 (when present): Golden Yellow.

Front panel: no color / natural wood.

Otherwise, you can experiment with ordinary woodstains or even paint to create your own effect!

Adding epoxy resin

I found that each coaster required about 30 ml of epoxy to fill in the negative space and give the piece a nice, round coating (the roundness comes from the surface tension of the epoxy). Thus, about 150 ml are required for all five pieces.

I made the mistake of tilting the pieces a little before they had cured and that resulted in some epoxy spilling off the side without me noticing until they were cured. I had to go back and fix this by sanding down the epoxy partially filling the affected negative spaces with some 200 mil sandpaper and then adding extra epoxy.

Description

This is the “Graces of God” collection. Each is based on a story from the Bible and in each one, Jesus can be found (some more obvious than others).

1. sandals-and-gentle-fire.svg Flowers may be the most delicate part of a bush. Yet here they are unburnt by the one who would do no harm. Exodus 3:14-15.

2. bread-and-grain-multiplied.svg 10 + 10 loaves of barley bread and some grain fed 10 * 10 people. The piece depicts the leftovers. 2 Kings 4:42-44.

3. manna-and-quail-from-heaven.svg God fed with honey bread from Heaven by morning and quail by twilight. Exodus 16:11-12.

4. land-of-milk-and-honey.svg What was promised was delivered. Even a whole land. Milk was drawn from sheep and other non-cows. :-) Jeremiah 32:22.

5. outside-the-gate.svg So rarely is Jesus where we expect him to be. Depicted is Jesus sitting on a small hill outside of the Lion’s Gate of Jerusalem. Hebrews 13:12-14