Stainless inlay for built in trivet.....Source?

[Peter Quinn]

I'm doing a small butcher block counter for SIL, its going to be next to a stove, considering doing some inlay strips of stainless to make a built in trivet. Anybody know a source for such a thing? I see them all the time in design books, on counter tops of all sorts, but haven't seen a stock option from my regular sources. Any help appreciated.

[Jerry Miner]

Peter--

Any metal supply dealer should be able to provide stainless steel in various sizes (any specific dimensions?)

But why "built in trivet" in a butcher block? Doesn't that completely negate the cutting-board function of the butcher block?

[Jerry Miner]

Here is one online source. Don't know them, just googled "metal stainless":

https://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=17684&step=4&showunits=inches&id=26&top_cat=1

[Peter Quinn]

Peter--

Any metal supply dealer should be able to provide stainless steel in various sizes (any specific dimensions?)

But why "built in trivet" in a butcher block? Doesn't that completely negate the cutting-board function of the butcher block?

nah, it's for a counter top, not a chopping block. It's going right next to the stove, so it's a convenient place to drop pots or put a roaster you just pulled out of the oven to rest or take it's temp but not scorch the top. The butcher block will be edge grain. The built in trivet is a hot new feature in a lot of different types of counters, concrete, wood, solid surface. They sell these little rods with softened ends, you bury about 1/2 the rod into the counter, projection is only about 1/4 on a 1/2" rod, looks pretty cool, but the kits are around $100 for 5 rods, not going to happen on this pro bono kitchen remodel for my wife's sister. I could buy stainless lengths and polish the edges my self, cutting stainless clean to exact lengths is no joy. No point in doing something decorative that looks marginal. A good stainless trivet is around $7. Might just buy one and see if I can break the tack welds with some gentle persuasion. If you google built in trivet there's a ton of examples, sort of like an integral dish drain board. Thought there might be a more cost effective prepared option but I haven't found it. Me spending 5 shop hours polishing stainless is not going to happen. I'm a wood worker.....not a metal worker! Maybe silicone bronze could work, easier to cut?

[Andrew Joiner]

nah, it's for a counter top, not a chopping block. It's going right next to the stove, so it's a convenient place to drop pots or put a roaster you just pulled out of the oven to rest or take it's temp but not scorch the top. The butcher block will be edge grain. The built in trivet is a hot new feature in a lot of different types of counters, concrete, wood, solid surface. They sell these little rods with softened ends, you bury about 1/2 the rod into the counter, projection is only about 1/4 on a 1/2" rod, looks pretty cool, but the kits are around $100 for 5 rods, not going to happen on this pro bono kitchen remodel for my wife's sister. I could buy stainless lengths and polish the edges my self, cutting stainless clean to exact lengths is no joy. No point in doing something decorative that looks marginal. A good stainless trivet is around $7. Might just buy one and see if I can break the tack welds with some gentle persuasion. If you google built in trivet there's a ton of examples, sort of like an integral dish drain board. Thought there might be a more cost effective prepared option but I haven't found it. Me spending 5 shop hours polishing stainless is not going to happen. I'm a wood worker.....not a metal worker! Maybe silicone bronze could work, easier to cut?\
Peter,
When I googled built in trivet images I saw one that was just dots of stainless. You could use stainless screw caps.

[Tom Giacomo]

Maybe stainless decorative upholstery tacks ?

[Jay Selway]

I actually am working on something similar. A 6'x3' wooden sign (made of curly maple) with an aluminum inlay of the text and logo.

I sent the vector artwork to a vendor to water jet the aluminum in 1/8" depth. I then have run the sign through a laser engraver, to run the same vector art, at a depth equal to that of the aluminum (1/8"). Then, I stain / seal the wood. Lastly, I cover the back of the aluminum letters with mounting tape, and inlay it into the engraved wood.

This is the guy I used to waterjet the aluminum (http://www.rapidcreekcutters.com/). He was affordable, easy to work with, and shipped the cut metal to me well packaged. It arrived quickly, and he even took it upon himself to do a nice grind finishing on the face side.

I'm pretty sure he works with all kinds of steel, probably stainless as well.

If you need help setting up the artwork, let me know. Happy to help.

[Jay Selway]

He does in fact work with stainless steel. http://www.rapidcreekcutters.com/images/SKY_COLLECTIONS.JPG,
http://www.rapidcreekcutters.com/images/DUTCHESS.JPG, http://www.rapidcreekcutters.com/metal/2H_TRANSPORT.JPG

[Matt Day]

Sounds like it would be a pain the keep clean to me. Looks like a cool idea, but weigh the +\- with the client before proceeding too far. The rounded bar seems like it would be the easiest to clean over the flat stock or buttons I saw online.