Let's Talk Trivets

[OzarkSawdust]

I want to make some trivets...or at least one...more if it goes well 

If I make my own pattern I would think it needs to have lots of slots for cooling. I'll probably do the first one easy and use someone's pattern before trying to make my own.

Is 1/2" hardwood, Oak, Poplar, Walnut, etc. best...or do you need to use 1x ?

Do you put feet on it?

What's the best finish for setting hot stuff on it and still look good over time?

Any other words of wisdom for my first trivet, please.

[Bill WIlson]

Corian makes great material for trivets, if you can find a reasonably priced source for it.

[Scrappile]

Bobscroll has many patterns here that would make beautiful trivets:

https://www.scrollsawvillage.com/gallery/category/21-utilitarian/

[Wilson142]

I personally would put feet on them to dispel excess heat and avoid buildup of moisture. Are you talking 1/2" nominal? I have some 3/4" exotic hardwood I purchased intended for intarsia that may end up being trivets.

[herrwood]

hard woods work work well. Most finishes will not hold up to the heat but there are heat resistance paint like for BBQ's or maybe a stain.

Steve Good has some trivets for free download on his online cat maybe be good for ideas.

https://www.stevedgood.com/catalog/index.php

 

[OzarkSawdust]

3 hours ago, Scrappile said:

Bobscroll has many patterns here that would make beautiful trivets:

https://www.scrollsawvillage.com/gallery/category/21-utilitarian/

Thanks! That should keep me busy for a while. 

[OzarkSawdust]

3 hours ago, Wilson142 said:

I personally would put feet on them to dispel excess heat and avoid buildup of moisture. Are you talking 1/2" nominal? I have some 3/4" exotic hardwood I purchased intended for intarsia that may end up being trivets.

I'll have to check the actual thickness of my stock. I'm thinking it's actual 1/2"...if not I've got some 3/4". 

I've got some stick on rubber door bumpers that would make good feet. Or sink in a wood button like you use to fill a screw hole.

[OzarkSawdust]

11 minutes ago, herrwood said:

hard woods work work well. Most finishes will not hold up to the heat but there are heat resistance paint like for BBQ's or maybe a stain.

Steve Good has some trivets for free download on his online cat maybe be good for ideas.

https://www.stevedgood.com/catalog/index.php

 

I was thinking maybe a stain...or butcher block oil...?

I'll try a Steve Good pattern first. He has one with roses and an initial in the center. I always skip the first 2-3 pages straight to the pattern and print. I went back and looked...he is using 3/8 stick on rubber feet on those. But I can't tell about the finish. 

[Bill WIlson]

According to Bob Flexner, in his book "Understanding Wood Finishing", good old fashioned varnish is the most heat resistant of the finishes available to the average hobbiest.  However, I'm not sure that "heat" in this context is intended to mean the type of heat one would expect to get from the bottom of a pan, right out of the oven or off of the stove top.

Anyway, I would probably lean toward a renewable finish, like a Danish oil.  Reason being, if it gets damaged, I think you can sand and re-apply it a little easier.  This is another reason why I prefer Corian for trivets.

[Ctutor]

Steve Goode has a great trivit pattern.  I use the rose one but there are others in the packet.  I used 1/2 inch cherry and got some plastic feet 1/4 inch from amazon that stick on.  Wroks well

[Wilson142]

4 hours ago, OzarkSawdust said:

I'll have to check the actual thickness of my stock. I'm thinking it's actual 1/2"...if not I've got some 3/4". 

I've got some stick on rubber door bumpers that would make good feet. Or sink in a wood button like you use to fill a screw hole.

I have some small wooden wheels and axles left over from some toy trucks I made awhile back. I think they may work. If you Google clear finishes for trivets, you'll find many suggestions. A lot recommend oil and oil based mixes and I even saw one that used Clear VHT spray finish that withstands heat up to 900 degrees! (it is intended for disc break calipers. lol)  

[Scrolling Steve]

I love trivets and have made many for gifts....mostly used Oak and finished with a couple of coats of  food grade mineral oil....works for me and is easily renewed with a coat every few months...Steve.

[herrwood]

12 hours ago, Wilson142 said:

I have some small wooden wheels and axles left over from some toy trucks I made awhile back. I think they may work. If you Google clear finishes for trivets, you'll find many suggestions. A lot recommend oil and oil based mixes and I even saw one that used Clear VHT spray finish that withstands heat up to 900 degrees! (it is intended for disc break calipers. lol)  

I used the VHT silver spray on the exhaust manifold of a Model A and it held up well for the time I owned the car.

[scrollerpete]

I cut lot’s of trivets and use 1/2” hardwood, oak, walnut, cherry, mahogany and maple as for the finish, I used Tung oil at least 3 coats and so far I never had any complaints.

[OzarkSawdust]

4 hours ago, Scrolling Steve said:

I love trivets and have made many for gifts....mostly used Oak and finished with a couple of coats of  food grade mineral oil....works for me and is easily renewed with a coat every few months...Steve.

I think I have a small bottle of butcher block oil...that would be the same...right?

I was going to bake some cutting boards last fall...but figured out you really need a planer to make them...I don't have one...yet. Scrolling is more fun.

[Scrolling Steve]

5 hours ago, OzarkSawdust said:

I think I have a small bottle of butcher block oil...that would be the same...right?

I was going to bake some cutting boards last fall...but figured out you really need a planer to make them...I don't have one...yet. Scrolling is more fun.

Yes butcher block oil is the same thing !