Hello, friends. There was some scrap marble lying around after my home construction. Why not make something useful? So, I made a pen/cutlery holder from it. I hope you’ll like it. It took me seven days to complete the process because multiple epoxy applications and lots of cutting, grinding, and polishing were involved. I am pleased with the result. However, I made several mistakes, but I will try to improve them in future projects. So, let’s discuss everything in detail: how to make a pencil holder from recycled materials.
How to Make a Pencil Holder from Recycled Materials
Step 1: Cutting the Pieces
I began by cutting the marble into 4×4-inch pieces using an upside-down marble cutter. I employed a metal guide with a clamp to make straight cuts. The process was so enjoyable that I decided to make another 3×3-inch version. After cutting, the pieces look something like this.
Step 2: Epoxy Adhesive Application
I prepared the epoxy adhesive using my eyes and hands as measuring tools; who needs a measuring tool? Ha ha! I applied the adhesive to the pieces’ edges. I opted for a basic butt joint instead of a miter joint because the marble is so fragile. I secure the pieces with tape to prevent movement. Finally, I glued that structure onto a base part; don’t worry, we can cut that later.
Step 3: Refining the Structure
After removing the tape the following day, I used a marble cutter to trim the unwanted base material. I was careful not to cut into the main piece. I attached a diamond blade to a smaller angle grinder to smooth out the rough edges and refined the structure.
Step 4: Adding Granite Accents
I decided to add contrasting granite pieces to the holder’s corners to enhance the design. I used 1.75 cm thick granite for the 4×4 holder and 1.5 cm for the 3×3 holder. I marked the slots cutting area, but it will be tricky to cut.
Step 5: Creating a Slots Cutting Rig
I crafted a simple jig using scrap wood by cutting at a 45-degree angle with a circular saw to ensure even cut slots at the edge. After that, I clamped that jig on the marble cutter to form the right angle. Finally, I started cutting the slots into the pen holder to attach granite pieces.
Step 6: Gluing Granite Pieces
I prepared the epoxy adhesive again and started attaching the granite pieces. Some of them were loose, so I used tape. The process was messy, but it resulted in strongly attached pieces after removing the tape the next day.
Step 7: Smoothing and Shaping
I removed unwanted granite pieces from the edge using an angle grinder with a diamond blade. Further, I refined it using a diamond cup wheel to smooth the rough edge and a marble grinding wheel to round the edges and chamfer the top and bottom parts.
Step 8: Wet Polishing
The real magic happened during wet polishing. Using diamond pads ranging from 0 to 6000 grit attached to an angle grinder, I patiently followed all seven diamond polishing pads on both pen/cutlery holders. This time-consuming process produced a polished finish that brought the pieces to life.
Conclusion:
After approximately 2-3 hours of wet polishing, the pen/cutlery holders achieved the desired look. This step-by-step guide inspires you to embark on your crafting journey. Remember to watch the accompanying video for a closer look at the process. If you enjoyed this build, please like, comment, and share. Consider subscribing for more high-quality content. Thanks for crafting along, and I’ll see you in the next project!