I love kuksas and wooden cups so i was so excited when i saw the potential for one in a piece of elm i found after a trimming company trimmed a tree on main street.

What you need:

-Hatchet.

-Drill.

-Woodworking rotary files

-Chisels or just a pocket knife.

-Sandpaper

-Epoxy (the cheapest kind will do)

-Some type of oil to finish it

Step 1: Roughing the Shape

I found an elm branch with a smaller branch coming off of it. The main branch will be the cup part, and the branch coming off will be the handle. The top side was already flat from the chain saw, so i roughed out the outside or bottom of the cup. I used a hatched for this part.

Step 2: Starting the Hole for the Cup

I started the hole in the center of the kuksa with a spade bit, and then i used some chisels to hollow out the rest of the cup. I carved this wood while wet knowing that it would probably crack when it dried. I just thought i would take care of that when i came to it.

Just keep hollowing the hole out, don't go too deep or thin on the walls though. The smaller branch was still long, and i kept it long so i could have a handle to hold on to while i chiseled. The wet wood was great to carve and this was a fun step.

Step 3: Thin the Walls

I used a rotary file and a rotary rasp in a drill to hollow out the inside and smooth the outside. By the way, this does not work very well on wet woods. Actually it only works until the tool gets gummed up with wood, which happens almost immediately.

I waited until the cup mostly dried before i started this step. The bottom of the cup contained the center of the branch so it cracked when it dried.

Step 4: Fill Cracks With Epoxy

The bottom of the cup cracked, and some other cracks developed along the handle. I just used cheap five minute epoxy to fill in the cracks.

Step 5: Lots of Sanding

If this step does not require large amounts of sanding then you obviously did a much better job on the other steps then i did. I just progressed from 60 grit to 1500 grit. You can sand however much you want, but i like the polished look.

Step 6: Oiling and Admiring

I used mineral oil, but if i were going to choose again i would use coconut oil. After three coats it kept its shine. Its finally done. whew what a trip

Make sure and enjoy what you made after your done with it. Go show it off to your family and friends.

Thanks for reading, and please leave a comment on your thoughts and or any input you may have.

I enjoyed making this wood cup and making this instructable, I hope you guys can enjoy it also.