Introduction: Handmade Coffee Scoop

In this Instructable I will detail the steps i took to create this handmade coffee scoop. It was a fun process that is sure to get some use in any caffeine addicts kitchen. This is my very first Instructable so any constructive feedback would be very much appreciated.

Materials needed:

Tools:

Lathe

Roughing Gouge

Parting Tool

Drill Press / Drill (Either will work the drill press is just easier)

1/4" Drill Bit

Materials:

Block of your wood of choice 1"x1" at least 6 inches long

Coffee Scoop

Sandpaper - I went up to 600 grit but around 240 is okay.

2 part epoxy

Mineral Oil with beeswax

Step 1: Select Wood and Scoop and Prepare the Wood.

Select the scoop that you want to use, there are many places where you can buy one or you could take apart an old one from your kitchen. I picked mine up at my local Woodcraft store.

As for the wood, you can choose pretty much any wood. I would suggest a hardwood that has been sufficiently dried. I chose a Spalted Tamarind cut roughly to a 1"x1" block measuring about 7 inches long. The length is really up to what is going to be comfortable in your hand when it's done. I ended up cutting some off at the end.

Once you have selected your wood, use a straight edge to mark center. This is where you will drill the hole to secure your scoop. The kit I am using calls for a 1/4" bit and a 13/16" hole. I chose to set my stop at 1" so I could use plenty of epoxy later.

Once you have your whole drilled test fit your scoop and adjust as needed.

Step 2: Turn Your Handle

At this point you should be ready to mount the blank on the lathe. As I do not have a jaw chuck I mounted using the spur and live centers. Putting the pre=drilled hole into the live center and pressing the other side into my spur center.

Once it's mounted start to turn, taking small passes until round. I used a roughing gouge but this is really a matter of preference, if you are more comfortable with a skew use a skew.

Once the blank is mostly round, I used my hand to test the size and mark the area that i'll part off with a pen. This allows me to concentrate on the section of the blank i'll actually be using

Continue to turn the blank until it is completely round and to the desired thickness. Again I stop the lathe several times throughout the turning, testing the feel of the handle with my hand.

At this point you could move onto sanding, but I grabbed my parting tool and added a couple embellishments to the bottom. Then I sanded up to 600 grit, I probably did not need to go quite this high but since I had the paper I did.

Once the handle is sanded, you can use the parting tool to separate the bottom from the waste piece. Be cautious as you get close to separating the pieces as you do not want the handle to be thrown off the lathe.

You will need to sand the bottom and top to match the rest of the scoop.

Step 3: Finishing the Scoop

The handle is now ready for finishing and assembly.

As this scoop is going to be used for coffee and be near food, i chose to use a food safe finish. This one is mixture of mineral oil and beeswax. You simply warm so that it provide full penetration into the wood, wipe on with the grain and wait 20 minutes and wipe off any excess. I did three coats on this handle.

Once you are satisfied with your finish it's time to attach the scoop. I've found that a simple 2-part epoxy is the most effective. You mix equal parts A and B and stir well. I used a Q-tip to pack into the drilled hole ensure to wipe the walls of the hole as well as the bottom. I also coated the tang of the scoop before inserting.

Twist the scoop as you push into the hole, if there is any squeeze out once the scoop is seated be sure to wipe it with a damp paper towel as soon as possible so that the epoxy does not dry.

****Make sure you refer to your selected epoxy's instructions to check for the required cure times. This is how long you will want to wait before using this on your coffee.

Once the epoxy is cured, enjoy your scoop!

Caffeine Challenge

Runner Up in the
Caffeine Challenge