Coffee bean stopper blank?

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mrstampe

Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2008
Messages
5
Location
Pearland, TX
I'm looking for someone who'd be willing to cast a coffee bean bottle stopper blank. This would be used to turn a handle for an espresso tamper (used to press grounds down before brewing). See example below. It's kind of an unusual request, but I think it might be a unique gift for my wife who loves everything coffee-related.

I've never done castings, otherwise I'd give it a try. Any comments or discussion on feasibility welcome. Offers to help with this Valentine's Day present can be PM'ed to me directly. Thanks a lot!


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S

spiritwoodturner

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Personally, I doubt it's practical. I've only done a few, others may disagree, but the beans themselves are the weak point. I've found even CA doesn't fully impregnate the beans, and you'll have weakness where you drill for the tamper, and if it gets knocked around on a counter or in a drawer you'll damage the beans. I really even wonder about the long-term wearability of a pen that I may very well be selling.

I'd like to hear what others think, because I am on the front end of this, experience-wise.

Dale
 

Skye

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Joined
Jan 3, 2006
Messages
3,487
Location
Rock Hill, SC
I'd turn the (dark) wood so it fits into a PVC pipe, leaving about 2" empty at the top.
Slide it into the pipe.
Pour clear resin about 1/2 to 3/4", let it start to set.
Once it's firm, place a small pile of coffee beans in the center.
Fill the rest of the way with resin.
Pressurize, then enjoy.

If the beans want to spread out, go ahead and CA a pile of them together. Just use it where they touch each other, don't dump it all over them.

Worth a shot.
 
S

spiritwoodturner

Guest
I'd turn the (dark) wood so it fits into a PVC pipe, leaving about 2" empty at the top.
Slide it into the pipe.
Pour clear resin about 1/2 to 3/4", let it start to set.
Once it's firm, place a small pile of coffee beans in the center.
Fill the rest of the way with resin.
Pressurize, then enjoy.

If the beans want to spread out, go ahead and CA a pile of them together. Just use it where they touch each other, don't dump it all over them.

Worth a shot.


He's not in a position to do it, Skye, so get to work...

Seriously, that could work. You're talking about making one kinda like Ed D. does, where he has a clear dohickey on top? I suppose one could do that without the wood, just colored resin on the bottom (coffee) and clear with the beans suspended in a clump on the top? Without the beans scattered throughout to weaken it, that could work.

I'm not skilled enough yet, but he could contact Ed D. (YoYoSpin) directly and ask if he could do it.

Dale
 

Texatdurango

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Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
4,649
Location
Show Low, Arizona
Personally, I doubt it's practical. I've only done a few, others may disagree, but the beans themselves are the weak point. I've found even CA doesn't fully impregnate the beans, and you'll have weakness where you drill for the tamper, and if it gets knocked around on a counter or in a drawer you'll damage the beans. I really even wonder about the long-term wearability of a pen that I may very well be selling.

I'd like to hear what others think, because I am on the front end of this, experience-wise.

Dale

I've made a few coffee bean pen blanks then turned them into pens and after applying a CA finish, they are probably just as durable as any other pen I make. I don't think there would be a problem myself.

The Alumiite that I use is very strong material and the coffee beans, once soaked with CA during turning get hard as little rocks. If a hole were drilled for the tamper shaft, it would be the same as drilling a bean pen blank for a brass tube in that both would get coated with epoxy when assembled and form a strong joint.

Mrstampe, You might consider contacting elmostro, a neighbor of yours who has done hundreds of coffee bean blanks, he might already have some lying around.
 

mrstampe

Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2008
Messages
5
Location
Pearland, TX
I'd turn the (dark) wood so it fits into a PVC pipe, leaving about 2" empty at the top. Slide it into the pipe.
Pour clear resin about 1/2 to 3/4", let it start to set.
Once it's firm, place a small pile of coffee beans in the center.
Fill the rest of the way with resin. Pressurize, then enjoy.
If the beans want to spread out, go ahead and CA a pile of them together. Just use it where they touch each other, don't dump it all over them.

This isn't what I originally imagined, but I like this idea. The SS tamper bottom is available individualy, with a stem to be inserted into any handle.

Give me a week or so to see what pops out of the mold...I'll post photos if it works out.

Awesome, thanks for taking this on! If this turns out well and you have a business interest in making more, there are many espresso specialty web sites that sell tampers like the one pictured above for $50-100, or more. What we're talking about here would be far superior and much more unique. Anyway, just a thought...

The Alumiite that I use is very strong material and the coffee beans, once soaked with CA during turning get hard as little rocks. If a hole were drilled for the tamper shaft, it would be the same as drilling a bean pen blank for a brass tube in that both would get coated with epoxy when assembled and form a strong joint.

Mrstampe, You might consider contacting elmostro, a neighbor of yours who has done hundreds of coffee bean blanks, he might already have some lying around.

Beans suspended in aluminite is what I originally had in mind, but the clear resin idea could really turn out well too. Probably favor aluminite idea, though open to creative alternatives. I just picked up a coffee bean pen blank from elmostro and asked him about doing something bottle stopper size, but he doesn't have an appropriate mold for it.

Thanks very much for all of the responses and ideas. I'm looking forward to seeing what we can come up with.
 

micharms

Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2004
Messages
681
Location
Port Elgin, Ontario, Canada.
I've cast stopper blanks with coffee beans. I just made sure to coat the hole with some CA and so far they seem fine. I'm a long way away from you or I'd offer to do the job and also it's too darn cold at this time of year up here to be doing casting.

Michael
(Hoping for the right prediction on Groundhog Day!)
 
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