David from With David’s Hands has created an impressive wooden tankard project that can hold two delicious beers. This guide will walk you through the entire process, ensuring you capture all the essential steps and tips shared in the video.
Materials and Tools Needed
- 12 pieces of wood (8 inches long, 1 1/4 inches wide, 5/8 inches thick)
- Wood glue
- CA glue
- 3/8 inch screws
- Wood plugs (matching wood)
- Mineral oil
- Beeswax (for sealing, optional)
- Band saw (or jigsaw, scroll saw, coping saw)
- Router with roundover bits
- Drill
- Flush trim router bit
- Random orbital sander
- Sandpaper (220 grit)
- Angle finder
- Tape
Step 1: Cutting the Wood Pieces
Start by setting your saw blade to a 15° angle. Although the angle finder might indicate 75°, this is because it was zeroed on the table saw surface first. Cut 12 pieces of wood, each measuring about 8 inches long, 1 1/4 inches wide, and 5/8 of an inch thick. These will form the main body of the tankard.
Step 2: Preparing the Bottom
Next, cut a dado groove to fit the bottom piece of the tankard. Then, tape the 12 pieces together so they can be rolled up into the cup shape.
Step 3: Tracing and Cutting the Bottom Piece
Trace the inside circumference of the tankard’s bottom piece, marking about 3/16 of an inch outside that circle. Use a compass to extend this line all the way around. You can use a band saw to cut this shape out, but a jigsaw, scroll saw, or coping saw will work just as well.
Step 4: Cutting the Handle
Now, cut out the handle shape using the band saw. Be sure to sand off any tooth marks and route a 1/8 inch roundover on the edges to make it more comfortable to hold.
Step 5: Attaching the Handle
Glue the handle to one of the 12 side pieces using CA glue to hold it in place. Drill a 3/8 inch hole and add screws to fully secure the handle. Hide the screws with matching wood plugs, which you can cut out using a plug cutter and drill. Glue these in place, cut off the extra bits, and sand them smooth.
Step 6: Forming the Tankard Shape
Next, tape all 12 pieces together against a straight edge. Apply wood glue and then fold everything up to form the final tankard shape. Let it sit for an hour before removing the tape.
Step 7: Trimming and Sanding
Once dry, trim a little off the top and bottom to ensure the edges are perfectly aligned. Sand the entire tankard smooth using 220 grit sandpaper. Route the bottom with a 1/8 inch roundover bit and the top with a 1/4 inch roundover bit. Alternatively, you can route the inside of the top edge to create a thinner lip profile for easier drinking.
Step 8: Sealing the Inside
Use tape to separate the inside from the outside of the cup. Mix up a two-part epoxy that is rated by the FDA as food safe. However, it’s advisable to switch to traditional beeswax for sealing the inside of the cup in future builds, as epoxy is typically intended for indirect food contact.
Step 9: Finishing Touches
After the epoxy dries, use a flush trim router bit to clean up any excess that may have gotten under the tape. Finish up by sanding with a 220 grit random orbital sander. Finally, apply mineral oil to the outside for a natural wood look, which is also food safe.
Conclusion
And that’s it! You now have a handmade wooden tankard ready to hold your favorite beverages. Cheers to your woodworking skills!