Okay, so I’ve been messing around with this Hevea timber, trying to make some battens for this project I’m working on. It’s supposed to be pretty good stuff, sustainable and all that. Here’s how it went.

Getting Started

First, I got my hands on a bunch of Hevea planks. I made sure they were properly dried – this is super important, or else the wood can warp later. No one wants wonky battens.

Cutting the Wood

Next, I measured everything out. I’m not the best at this, so I double-checked (and triple-checked) my markings. Gotta be precise, right? Then I fired up my trusty saw and started cutting the planks into the sizes I needed for the battens. I took it slow – better safe than sorry, especially with power tools.

Shaping and Smoothing

• After cutting, the edges were kinda rough, so I grabbed my plane and smoothed them out. This took a bit of elbow grease, but it’s worth it for a nice, clean finish.
• Then I used some sandpaper, starting with a coarser grit and then moving to a finer one. I wanted to make sure everything was super smooth, so no splinters for anyone.

Finishing Touches

Finally, I gave all the battens a good look-over. I checked for any imperfections or areas that needed a bit more sanding. Once I was happy with them, I wiped them down to get rid of any dust.

The Result

And there you have it! My own handmade Hevea timber battens. They’re not perfect, but I’m pretty proud of how they turned out. Now, time to get them installed and see how they look.