Jay Finkbeiner has been using resin to enhance some of his turnings. This coffee mug uses a unique combination of wood, resin and coffee beans. Here is Jay’s story.
Near the very end of The Beforetimes, just before the lockdown, I was introduced to someone to whom I became significantly grateful for, at such an uncertain time. The quality care, respect for all precautions so early in the Ronaera, and their reliability was so stress-reducing. Her help was precious when caregivers were scarce, the public system was failing people like me, and sense of society, adequate healthcare and watching out for each other seem to go out the window. At least, that was my perception.
It was then that I knew how invaluable the recipient of this little jar was to me and my family. Over the numerous hours we had the opportunity to converse, I learned that she collects coffee mugs, despite not being a big coffee drinker. That was the original plan for this. There was an unintended design modification when I encountered a few little hiccups, saw that the handle I had planned would not have been positioned proportionately because of the design, then realized that the beans would simply look better magnified by larger rounded resin portions of the piece.
The final dimensions were approximately 10 centimetres tall by 7.5 cm wide. If you remember the cap of my lamp I have shared previously, this was the perfect opportunity to use the last nicely figured piece of flame-y Box Elder. Once I trued it up, shaped it roughly, created the recesses for the beans, then glued them in. Next, a bath in resin with a violet blue interference mica powder. It was finished with sanding sealer, EEE Ultra Shine, then finished with my own ob shine juice recipe.

