2016-03-23 (W) Drip Coffee Maker

This project was secretly on hiatus for six months. All the work done for the coffee and filter holder has been abandoned. It was too much trouble and way more complicated than it should have been. Interest was renewed when I saw a commercial drip coffee maker I liked and matched the look of this project. The Chemex coffee maker isn’t a cheap coffee maker but it looks nice and supposedly makes wonderful coffee.

If that wasn’t enough to tip the scales my girlfriend said it was a nice looking maker so I decided to make this for her and gift it to her as a birthday present.

With renewed interest and time distance I was able to approach the stand in a whole new way. Instead of the convoluted methods I was thinking of before I decided on a simple platform that the reservoir would slide into. That would be held over the coffee maker by some 1/4-20 bolts with brass tubes over them.

Enough background
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Stocked 1x12 lumber from a previous project was cut into two identical lengths, one for the top platform and one for the bottom platform. The top platform was given a keyhole-shaped hole where the reservoir can slide in from the side.

1x12 cut to length and given a cutout for the reservoir

The hole in the top platform was routed with a round-over bit so it would lock into the reservoir groove. The first round-over bit was too shallow and didn’t cut off enough wood. A deeper bit was substituted and was actually so deep it cut away more than half the depth of the wood and would gradually expand the hole if the sides were routed one after another. One pass on each side was enough to make a groove that would lock the reservoir in place.

Routed on both sides for a round edge

A deep router bit lead to a pointed edge on the inside so it was smoothed with an oscillating spindle sander. This could have been done by hand with ordinary sandpaper and wouldn’t have taken long but this was a new tool at the hack space so it was used instead.

Inside edges smoothed with an oscillating spindle sander

Once inserted the glass reservoir held firmly in place and the platform could be held at almost any angle with minimal wobbling. The largest criteria for this fit was cutting the initial keyhole-shaped hole to the size of the reservoir’s groove, not the size of the lip.

 Water reservoir held by wood

Carpentry on the top was finished by routing the edges with a decorative routing bit. No routing was meant to be done on the bottom which had brass corner protectors purchased for its decoration. These corner protectors were also used on the Desktop Chording Keyboard.

Router used for a decorative edge

A picture was taken of the platforms next to a drawing of the proposed design. So far the design is on track. A hexagon mirror still needs to be purchased which will go under the coffee maker.

Top and bottom piece next to design sketch

To do:
  • Buy hexagon mirror
  • Measure height of coffee maker and reservoir nozzle
  • Cut four brass tube lengths
  • Drill 1/4” holes in bottom platform
  • Translate hole positions to top platform underside
  • Blind drill holes into top platform
  • Insert 1/4-20 sockets with hex wrench
  • Cut threaded rod to length
  • Assemble and test for fit
  • Disassemble
  • Apply walnut stain
  • Apply polyurethane coats
  • Assemble
  • Gift wrap

The rest of the posts for this project have been arranged by date.

First time here?

Completed projects from year 1.
Completed projects from year 2



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2016-02-23 (Tu)

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