Have mug will travel.

[Brodie Brickey]

Hello all,

I just tumbled to this forum last week. Andy and others have been great getting me settled in. I've been turning for about 3 years now, and my main focus is bowls and travel mugs. I thought I'd post a little piece of my work.

This is a staved walnut mug finished in Watco oil with medium walnut stain. Buffed with hut.

May all of you have a prosperous New Year.

[Ron Journeau]

What a cool way to inject some beauty into the morning commute, hope they sell well

[Steve Schlumpf]

Nice looking mug Brodie! What do you use for an insert?

Oh yeah, Welcome to the Creek!

[Andy Hoyt]

Sheesh - all I did was send a PM. But thanks anyway, and glad you're here.

Nice mug. Walnut flavored coffee - cool!

[Jim Dunn]

Brodie better get a tetanous shot cause of that PM. Just in case:) All kidding aside that is a pretty mug, both on your pic and for coffee.

[Pat Doble]

Great looking mug. I'm going to have to keep my eye out for deals on the plastic ones and 'transform' a couple for the wife.

Welcome to the Creek.

[Jim Becker]

Yes...do tell us more about the insert! That's a really kewel mug! And welcome to the 'Creek!

[Brodie Brickey]

The stainless steel insert is available from http://www.SmoothTurning.com in a couple months you should be able to find it at WoodCraft also.

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Brodie, you're a man after my own heart! I'm not much for Moxie but I sure love my coffee and that's just the ticket. Great job, all it needs now is steam coming from the top.:)

[John Hart]

Welcome Brodie! That's a very classy piece. Hope to see more!:)

[Keith Burns]

Welcome to the Creek Brodie. Great Mug !!! I'd be interested in hearing more details on how you do them as well. How do you waterproof the wood, etc?

[Brad Hammond]

now that is cool!

[Jon Shively]

As others have so eloquently stated, wonderful mug, beautiful work. Welcome to the Creek, jump right in, the water seems to be warm and friendly all the time here. Thanks for the information on the inserts.

[Jerry Vander Till]

This is too cool! Just the other day I was wondering if there was a coffee mug kit available. Being the coffeeholic I am, I can see one or more of these in the very near future.

[Tom Sherman]

Cool mug(coffee that is) welcome to the Creek and the wild side.

[Stephen Hibbs]

Great mug! How reliable are those mechanisms? I've come across so many mugs that leak or have hard to use spouts. I too would like to hear what kind of varnish you use, and if they are dishwasher safe. Once again, nice mug shot.

[Brodie Brickey]

I've never had a problem with the mechanisms. The lid is not the type to hold upside down and not expect some leakage (from the sipper), however there is a silicone washer in the lid which has never failed. I've had other mugs of this model for about two years and it doesn't leak from the side like some others that screw into the insert.

You have the ability to snap the sipper closed and that could leak.


Stephen Hibbs wrote:
I too would like to hear what kind of varnish you use, and if they are dishwasher safe. Do you put your bowls in the dishwasher? I don't personally. I wouldn't put the mug in the dishwasher either. It is easy to clean due to the stainless steel liner. Just rinse and when necessary run the scouring side of the sponge over the inside and set to dry.

For this mug I used a Watco medium walnut oil finish and then buffed it out. I will be trying 3M mirror coat with the next one and a wipe on poly with the one following that. I'll keep you apprised. For long term durability you will most likely being looking at a poly or epoxy finish.

[Jim Becker]

Brodie, thanks again for posting about this great project and the information about the inserts. Good stuff!

[Steve LaFara]

Very nice work!!!

Why couldn't you use acrylic for a diswasher safe mug??? Just a thought.

[Don Fuss]

Brodie, very cool. That's something I would like to make for myself. I'm a slave to the grind and I'd like to be able drink my copious amounts of coffee in style.

[Jim Becker]

Why couldn't you use acrylic for a diswasher safe mug???

An acrylic blank that big would be, umm...well...not cheap. Besides, plastic doesn't have the same panache as a wood mug does!

[Brodie Brickey]

Why couldn't you use acrylic for a diswasher safe mug???
I never thought of acrylic for that. I'm not a huge fan of acrylic pens, but most of that is because I like the feel of wood in my hands. I think acrylic would look much like a plastic liner to the average person.

When I think of this project, I view it as something that most people won't see in their average day. Another plastic/acrylic mug wouldn't have the same panache that a wood lined mug does.

I've got a couple pieces of fiddleback maple at home that will be worked into a mug this weekend. I'll have to see how that turns out. I'm still keeping an eye out for some really nice burl. I'd like to turn the burl from a solid block, it will waste a lot out of the center, but I won't have to contend with abrupt changes in the grain pattern that I'll have with the stave method.