Shredded CD Bracelet!?

Most used CDs have spent their final years as coasters, or even as bird deterrents in gardens, but certainly few would even end up as stylish jewelry! Armed with some resin, a lathe, and some micro mesh grit, that is precisely what Peter set out to do when a bag of shredded Compact Discs arrived at his doorstep!

Usually the first thing you do with a resin based project is find a suitable mold, and this was no different.

Peter bisected an unsuspecting measuring cup to serve as his.  Along with a piece of acrylic and his trusty hot glue sidearm, he sealed up the mold nice and tight.

Next, Peter dispensed out Total Boat High Performance Epoxy Resin and Hardener with laser precision then expertly swirled together with poise and grace usually reserved for a figure skater. 10/10!

The sparkly cole slaw was made by layering crushed optical disc debris with resin and combining thoroughly. 

Once a sufficient volume of material was created, it was time for a trip to the pressure pot.  This process basically squeezed down the trapped air bubbles until they were no longer visible.  This pressure was maintained until the resin puck was fully cured, at least 24 hours. 

After removing the CD blank (not blank CD) from the pressure pot, it was carefully demolded from the mixing cup cutoff. 

Held in place by a clamp, the resin blank had the center bored out by the drill press.  This will be both the hole for the bracelet and provide a straightforward way to mount it to the lathe for the next step.

Mounting it to the lathe was a simple enough affair, just requiring what is known as a jam chuck.  This is merely a piece of wood that has a carefully shaped tenon designed to fit within the bored hole.

Just a bit of pressure is needed to hold it in place, but additional support from the tailstock never hurts.

Using a variety of Easy Wood Tools, the bracelet slowly took shape.  

Sanding, usually the bane of all makers, is actually one of Peter’s favorite tasks. With resin projects, final sanding and polishing acts like adding finish to a woodworking piece and really makes the piece pop.  It was no different here. Peter gradually moved through the sanding grits on traditional sandpaper and micro mesh polishing pads until the external surface glistened as much as the foil internal surfaces!

Capt. Malcolm Reynolds would be proud of the work done here today!
Shiny!