Lessons learned:
- Screwing up the consistency of the slices was the #1 mistake to make. The upside-down epoxy method cost me weeks of build time, and the surface is still very uneven as a result of the aggressive sanding needed to get rid of the leak-through. Sawing off the sacrificial mold was yet another extra step, the non-square results of which contributed to:
- Fixing the trim pieces on afterwards added to the unevenness of the surface. Clamping while maintaining a completely level join was very hard.
- The corners are not great. One in particular has a ~4mm mismatch between the triangle pattern and the trim.
If I was making this again, I would:
- Use the sturdiest, most rigid end-stop possible on the chop saw to ensure even thickness slices.
- Make each side of the hexagon as a complete unified piece - pattern and trim together - all glued at once on a flat reference surface/jig.
- Then the six pieces could be doweled together and glued down to a single thin piece , ensuring a perfect corner.
Also, the interesting cross-section of the legs is not particularly noticeable in the finished product. I could have got away with square or round section and saved myself a heap of trouble. But I enjoyed the challenges and I notice the shape 