Making a Wood & Epoxy Globe!

When I first started woodworking, I primarily watched two Youtube channels: Andy Phillip, and Blacktail Studio. Andy Phillip is a woodturner, while Cam at Blacktail Studio makes luxury tables. Wanting to combine two things that I loved about each of them, I decided to do my own take on Andy Phillip's "The Blue Planet" with the trademarked black epoxy and walnut look of Blacktail Studio. Here's how you can too.

Here is the list of supplies.

Wood: Whatever species you think will look best with your desired color of epoxy.

Epoxy: All I know is that you should not use a thick epoxy like I did. This epoxy should work, but I have never personally used it. I also had to purchase UV curing resin later to fill bubble holes, so you could do the whole thing with UV resin if you want to (see Step 7).

Color: I have used acrylic paint for some pours now, and it's alright, but get mica powder or something similar if you want swirls, and some sort of alcohol dye if you want very consistent color.

A lathe: Unfortunately, this project relies heavily on a lathe with little other alternative.

A router: This also includes a quarter-inch and/or eighth-inch bit, depending on how much detail you want.

Sandpaper: Belt sand paper is my favorite to use on the lathe.

Saw: You would be best to have a saw that can cut curves. A scroll saw, bandsaw, or jigsaw will work the best.

Glue: Any woodglue will work.

3d printer: Don't freak out- this is not strictly necessary, but it will make the process easier if you do have one.

The first step for this project is to cut the layers if you do not have a solid piece of wood. I calculated the number of circles with 3/4 inch wood in mind, but the wood I used was thicker, so I had extra on each side. If you do not have extra, I would recommend gluing some scrap wood on to allow yourself some space. I have used a 2x4 before.

For this globe, you will need 10 slices (2 of each size) of 3/4 inch or thicker wood, measuring:

7 inches, 6 and 7/8 inches, 6 and 3/8 inches, 5 and 1/4 inches, 3 and 1/4 inches

Next is the simple step of gluing all the circles together. I ran out of glue in the middle of this, so my glue up was missing a few pieces that I added on later. Don't be like me :)

After the glue has set for a while, ideally 24 hours, you can mount the piece on your lathe and get turning. After roughing the shape of a sphere and getting the middle to exactly 6 3/4 inches, I used my sphere turning jig to make it perfect. If you do not have or want to make a jig, you can just use a thin piece of wood with a properly sized cutout, and match it as closely as possible.

Once you are pleased with the shape of your globe, you can remove it from the lathe and cut off the ends. I recommend getting as thin as possible on each side of the globe so you will have less material to smooth. I left way too much this time, and had to make some quick sphere-holding blocks in order to turn the sphere laterally. Otherwise, you can likely just chisel, sand, or grind the nubs to the proper shape.

Next is the part that makes this project start to come alive: adding the continents. If you have a 3d printer, I highly recommend taking the time to print the stencils I have attached below (It was made based on a model from m6mafia). If you do not, it is not as difficult to eyeball it as you may think. Just grab a globe or Google Earth and take your time, drawing the lines of latitude and longitude for reference.

Once you have traced the continents out and ideally double checked the geography (I think the area above Canada needs some revision on my stencil), then it is time to route out the land or water, depending on which you want to be epoxy. Either way, it is best to start with a larger bit if you have one (1/4 inch is best) and get close to the lines. After that, come in with the smaller bit (mine is and 1/8th of an inch) and do the details. Finally, remove the bulk from the center of the continents. You can cut however deep you want, but over an 1/8th of an inch is probably best.

Pouring the epoxy is when this project gets fun. First, you will need to glue spacers 1/8th inch thick around the un-routed parts of the globe, so it is spaced away from the mold. Once you have done that, form some tin foil along the inside of the two halves of the mold. This makes the mold reusable, but it also makes the epoxy release much more easily. After that, place the globe in the mold, and seal the two sides by applying a liberal amount of hot glue to the edges and clamping it with binder clips, bolts, or whatever else works. Finally you can mix and pour the epoxy. Take your time and pour slowly down one side of the globe until it fills up. Try to introduce as few bubbles as possible by pouring it onto something like a spoon and letting it slide in rather than fall. If you have a pressure pot or a vacuum chamber (I don't), use it to remove the bubbles.

If you do not have a 3d printer, or wish to use UV resin for the whole thing, then you will want to find some cheap clear bowls, cut a hole in one of them, and glue them together like above. The only difference is not to use tin foil if it is UV curing. Make sure you let the UV resin sit in the sun for a very good amount of time before removing it if you go that route.

Next, after waiting the proper amount of time (48 hours for me), place the wrinkly ball back onto the lathe and gently turn it down back to a 6 3/4 inch sphere, or whatever it was before. Take your time and try not to chip the epoxy. I did not use my sphere turning jig for this because I was afraid it would make too many chips.

This is something I had to do a lot of. If you have large chips or bubbles, I recommend using UV curing resin mixed the same color as the other to fill them. I ran into the issue that the paint I used did not mix with the UV resin the same way it did with the normal resin, but it is possible to thinly paint spots to blend them afterward. When using UV resin, you can either use a UV light, the sun, or both. I used the light just to make the resin jelly, and then went outside to cure many of the spots at the same time. If you only have micro bubbles, clear super glue can be applied to the colored resin and you will not be able to tell.

Sanding is as simple as going through the grits. I started with 60 grit, then went to 80, 100, 120, and jumped to 220 for some extra sheen. There is no exact science behind sanding other than making sure to remove all of the scratches from the previous grit before moving up. If you filled holes, there may be some more, minor filling that needs to be done after sanding.

PS: Have some padding between the blocks and the globe. I used gloves and then duct taped the fingers back.

The base design I made for this globe is intended to be minimalistic but still stylish. First, cut out the two cross-pieces out (The measurements are in a picture above). Next, drill a hole and use that as a starting point to cut the middle pieces out. A scroll saw is the best tool to use for this, but you could route it out. Notch the two pieces by slowly cutting more off until they fit together. Cut a circle and glue the cross-pieces down, then remove the excess glue. Finally, you can add some strips of craft foam to cushion the globe and make it a better fit.

The finish I prefer to use is Rubio Monocoat. It can be expensive, but the samples come with enough for this project. I also use mineral oil sometimes to test how it will look while I'm still working on it, but it can be a permanent solution if you are willing to do a quick re-application every couple months. Another option is to apply Rubio and a ceramic coating, which will make it shiny. I opted for the satin look, however.

Application is very simple. Just make sure the surfaces of the globe and the base are thoroughly soaked, let them sit for a couple of minutes, and then buff of the excess. With Rubio you will need to wait around 7 days before it is fully cured, but it dries in around 24 hours.

You're done!

Now you get to enjoy showing your friends and your family the finished product. Find a place in your house or wherever else you want some decoration, and let it speak for itself.