Ornament Challenge 2022 Kickoff
This post is best viewed right here. In case of difficulty, it is also posted on YouTube.
It is time to make your ornament for the 2022 Christmas Ornament Challenge. The time to submit your picture is during the month of November 2022.
This year, there is something for everyone. Grand prizes for the top ornaments selected by public vote and the two hosts in the form of gift cards. Other vendors are providing discount codes for EVERYONE who submits an ornament. The top three craft clubs will receive a free zoom remote demonstration.
This video has all of last years ornaments for your inspiration. Draw from what you see and interpret an ornament your way.
We love to see the pattern of inspiration and people stretching their limits.
For official rules, go to www.OrnamentChallenge.com
For inspiration, go to www.OrnamentChallenge.com
During November, go to www.OrnamentChallenge.com to enter your ornament.
Enjoy!
Woodturning Stabilized OSB Into Amazing Vase
This post is best viewed right here. But, in case of difficulty, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
Before SWAT, I turned a vase in OSB because I saw such a demonstration on the agenda and wanted to be prepared to ask relevant questions. Greg Stehle’s vase used OSB as flat rings. His were not segmented and only the edge of the OSB was visible in the project.
In contrast, I wanted to turn OSB 90 degrees and display the face flakes in the OSB. This required a segmented approach. I tried turning one before SWAT. What I found was that OSB in this orientation tended to flake off. This limited how much of a curve I could use.
After seeing the demonstration at SWAT, I still prefer my choice for orienting the OSB. I completed long outstanding project to setup my stabiling rig and stabilized a couple of OSB boards. Then segmented it as I did on my first vase. This had dramatically different results. Flaking was greatly reduced and the wood was very hard. I successfully increased the flare on the vase. My second vase was again finished with spray lacquer. it is 5″ diameter and 6″ tall.
Again, my wood soft jaws played an important role replacing the need for a jam chuck.
Links:
Woodturning Segmented Vase From Face Out OSB
Three Options For DIY Soft Jaws
Prepare now for the November submission time. Check www.OrnamentChallenge.com for more details and to submit your ornament (in November)
Enjoy.
Woodturning Easiest Scoop Yet In This Series
This post is best viewed right here. However, in case of gremlins, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
This scoop was demonstrated at SWAT by Sally Ault. I missed her demo. so if you have an opportunity to see her demonstration, do it. Meanwhile, this is my version. It is the easiest because there is no offset axis or wildly flying handle. Yet, there is one very important tip. Drill the hole for the handle tenon before sanding the interior or even earlier.
Again, my wood soft jaws played an important role replacing the need for a jam chuck.
The bowl is plum; the handle appears to be mahogany. Both are finished with shellac.
Links:
Woodturning Multi Axis Single Piece Wood Scoop
Another Scoop Of Wood Please – With Bonus Chuck
Woodturning Third Scoop Style Two Piece Eccentric Ladle
In this year’s Christmas Ornament Challenge, our sponsors will be providing discounts and coupons for everyone who enters their ornament. This is in addition to a larger number of grand prizes. I’m still working to line up additional vendor sponsors.
Prepare now for the November submission time. Check www.OrnamentChallenge.com for more details and to submit your ornament (in November)
Enjoy.
Woodturning Tri Winged Christmas Ornament
This post is best viewed right here. In case of difficulty, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
I have to postpone SWAT inspired projects in favor of preparation for this year’s Christmas Ornament Challenge. However, this project draws inspiration from SWAT and from last year’s challenge.
The ornament uses laminated dyed birch from FrogBlanks.com plus just a bit of maple for the center and hazelnut for the finial.
The ornament is 3×6 finished with shellac.
In this year’s Christmas Ornament Challenge, our sponsors will be providing discounts and coupons for everyone who enters their ornament. This is in addition to a larger number of grand prizes. I’m still working to line up additional vendor sponsors.
Prepare now for the November submission time. Check www.OrnamentChallenge.com for more details and to submit your ornament (in November)
Enjoy.
Woodturning Small Goblet – Stabilized (Experiment) Cottonwood
This post is best viewed right here on this page. In case of viewing difficulty, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
I am testing my stabilizing setup. An early experiment was a 2x2x3 block of cottonwood. It is quite a long process to dry wood, vacuum wood, and soak wood.
After all the work, the wood is different: heavy, dense. Also, the grain seems to be popping as if well buffed.
I also used my new soft jaws. These are great. IMHO, they will replace jam chucks. I will wind up with several bases with jaws of different sizes. As I adapt a set, the jaws will become larger until I face them off to start over. When too thin, I will glue on a fresh set of wood pieces for the next go around.
You may want to rewatch my video on the soft jaws.
Three Options For DIY Soft Jaws
Enjoy.
Woodturning Ball In A Ball
This post is best viewed here on this page. However, in case of gremlins, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
I saw this project in an AAW announcement of a challenge. I am too late for the challenge but this is a great project anyway. The announcement included an article by Al Hockenberry describing the process. I would encourage you to read and study the article.
Step 1: Turn a small size ball or sphere. Or cheat and use a golf ball or other pre-made ball.
Step 2: Turn a larger ball or sphere.
Step 3: Hollow the larger ball to barely accept the smaller ball. It is tricky.
For more detail on how to turn a perfect sphere, please see:
Woodturning Perfect Spheres – For Wise Turners
Woodturning Essentials – Octagon Method For Perfect Spheres
Turn A Perfect Wood Sphere Or Ball – No Expensive Jig
Enjoy.
Are you ready for this year’s Christmas Ornament Challenge?
Woodturning Third Scoop Style Two Piece Eccentric Ladle
This post is best viewed right here on this page. But, in case of viewing difficulty, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
This is my third project in my scoop series. In this case, I wanted a ladle with a tall handle. But with a ladle, how do I attach the handle to the bowl?
I pulled out my off-center chuck to solve this problem. Please see my video for more details.
Eccentric Woodturning Off Axis Necklace Pendant
The ladle bowl is hollowed off-center. Then it is returned to the primary spindle access for the exterior. This leaves a wide area on one side that is perfect for the handle attachment.
Then, turn a handle much like a finial.
The bowl is pear; the handle is walnut. Both are finished with shellac. The bowl is just under two inches diameter. Overall, the scoop is about six inches long.
Enjoy.
Woodturning Unusual Jewelry Tray For Wedding Gift
This post is best viewed on this page. In case of gremlins, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
I decided to make something very different for this wedding gift. While, I still like my past style, this one comes from a wild idea that ocurred to me.
I still have a tray-like bottom that can hold jewelry. Then a hollow sphere that can hold more jewelry. The sphere is not attached. Instead, the sphere can be repositioned to taste and for variety. A loose-fitting lid shields the contents.
The sphere is ash; the tray and lid are padauk.
The project requires the octagon process for turning a perfect sphere and my updated soft jaws to hold the sphere while hollowing it.
For more detail on turning a perfect sphere, please see:
–Turn A Perfect Wood Sphere Or Ball – No Expensive Jig
–Woodturning Essentials – Octagon Method For Perfect Spheres
For more detail on the soft jaws, please see:
–Three Options For DIY Soft Jaws
Enjoy.
Three Options For DIY Soft Jaws
In case of technical difficulty, this video is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
To turn my most recent scoop, I needed a set of soft jaws to use in the final stage of turning when I need to hollow the bowl portion of the scoop. Using my standard steel jaws would have damaged the scoop.
I have abandoned 3D printing for this project. Aside from the low strength of plastic in a high stress situation, I would have needed screws to hold the wood to the plastic. That means I risk hitting a screw with my lathe tools.
So, I transformed my 3D design to be a template with all the specs written on the template. I recommend you make your own template to match your chuck.
- Determine what bolt your chuck uses. The original bolt on my VicMarc is an M6 flat head bolt. I find it more convenient to use socket head bolts. Then the bolt sits flat on the surface instead of requiring a taper. Make sure you have a bolt long enough to accommodate your plywood but not to protrude beyond the chuck part it attaches to. So you do not have to figure this all out again, note the bolt spec on your template.
- BTW, the bolts you need will probably not be at a big box store. Check for a local bolt supplier.
- Remove and trace a jaw onto your template. Cut out your template.
For those with a VicMarc VM-120 chuck and access to a 3D printer. I have put my files on Printables.com at this link:
https://www.printables.com/model/256860-woodturning-chuck-jaw-templates-for-diy-soft-jaws
Enjoy.
Another Scoop Of Wood Please – With Bonus Chuck
This video is best viewed right here. However, in case of difficulty, it is also available on YouTube and FaceBook.
Continuing my series on scoops. This one is turned from sycamore. The handle and the bowl is inline with the thread. Turning a scoop in this style requires a major axis shift – nearly 90 degrees.
But how to hold the scoop in this position for work. At this moment, it is a ball with a handle.
I have update my soft jaws that mount to my chuck – that is three out of four of them. Using wood for soft jaws enables cutting a small hollow on the inside edge of the jaws. Since this fits the sphere nicely, the jaws hold the bowl portion securely while it can be hollowed.
BTW, even with the soft jaws, hollowing the bowl portion is a wild ride with the handle whipping around.
This scoop is sycamore. It is 2 inches diameter and six inches long.
The templates and process for the wood soft jaws will be the subject of next week’s video.
For more detail on turning a sphere without an expensive jig, please see:
Woodturning Perfect Spheres – For Wise Turners
Woodturning Perfect Hollow Sphere No Expensive Jig
Enjoy.