Introduction: Spill Proofer

About: I'm an inventor / maker / designer based in Portland, OR. My background is in residential architecture, film set design, animatronics, media arts, exhibit design, and electronics. I use digital design and fabr…

Have you ever knocked over a cup of water and soaked the project you were working on? I did yesterday. I always keep water and a chip brush handy when I'm gluing wood- I like to clean up the glue that squeezes out when you clamp wood while it's still wet instead of sanding dry globs of it after the fact. This quick spill-proofing sleeve will keep your work surface dry.

Step 1: Stuff You'll Need

Tools
  • Tape Measure
  • Combination Square
  • Calipers
  • 2" Washer
  • Hole Saw
  • Palm Sander
  • Saw
  • Drill

OptionalTools

  • Band Saw
  • Chop Saw
  • Disc Sander
  • Table Router
  • Drill Press

Materials

  • Wood (at least 1 1/2" thick)

Step 2: Choose a Piece of Wood

I found this on site, I think it's walnut. You could do this with any kind of wood, but a hardwood like this will last longer.

Step 3: Cut and Square the Edges

Cut a section of the board against the straightest side, This will give you a right angle to start with. Starting with the fresh cut side, cut a 5" X 5" square.

Step 4: Make a Square, Drill the Cup Hole

Measure the cup and choose a hole saw that's slightly bigger than the cup. Draw an 'X' from corner to corner on the piece of wood, and drill a pilot hole at the center. Use a hole saw to cut the cup-hole

Step 5: Make an Octagon

Draw a line perpendicular to the X. The center point should be the same distance from the circle as the square sides are. This will give you a perfect octagon, but it can really be any shape you want. The band saw will give you straight cuts quickly, but you can do this on practically any saw.

Step 6: Finishing

Use a 2" washer as a guide to mark 1" radiused corners with a pencil. A disc sander will give you flush edges, but you can finish the edges with any kind of sander. I also used a table router with a 1/4" radius bit for some nice rounded edges. I left mine raw, but if you really want to get fancy use some danish oil.