Grain Pattern Coaster. I Made It at Techshop

Hello everyone! I made a small coaster and have decided to share it with you all. I made it at TechShop. http://techshop.wsAny wood will do, but if you are carving by hand like myself it would behoove you to get something relatively soft.  Here I am using yellow pine, which is simply what was available. You'll need a curved carving tool, a clamp, and some sandpaper.

Start by cutting a slice at the size you desire.  Pick the one you like - here, I chose one with the grain radiating from one side.

Once you have chosen a piece, clamp it to a desk and start carving grooves in between the grain. I chose to do a shallow groove on one side - you can get some interesting results if you go deeper and on both sides. Experiment!

Using a small, folded piece of sandpaper, proceed to make it as smooth as you like. You can go over it with an electric sander but you run the risk of masking the darker shade on the grain ridges, so I chose to do it by hand.

And there you have it! It's simple and straightforward with a neat, functional result. Have fun!