Turning A Multi Port Wet Hollow Sphere
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I did not always relish turning a sphere. But that was before I found an easy, reliable process to turn them.
Now the question is how to embellish them even more.
For this sphere, I wanted it hollow but holey – that is hollow through multiple holes.
However, one major issue came up. The Russian olive was very wet and warped. The result? It is not a perfectly shaped sphere. What should I have done given the wet wood? Simple. Rough turn the sphere, let it dry, then return to the process. The only problem is that I tend to be impatient. But, I also saved a lot of money by not purchasing a commercial jig.
The sphere is 3.25 inches finished with beeswax and mineral oil. Then buffed.
More Links:
Woodturning Perfect Spheres – For Wise Turners
Woodturning Essentials – Octagon Method For Perfect Spheres
How To Turn Perfect Hollow Sphere – No Jig
Enjoy.
Turning A Beautiful Bowl – Another Rescue
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I do love turning sapele wood – any way that I can get some. It is rather expensive. So, if I can use offcuts from someone else’s project, I jump at the opportunity. This wood is about 9 inches long and 5 inches wide and 2 inches thick, two pieces. I cleaned up one edge and glued them together. After turning, this yielded an eight by 2 inch bowl. This is a fairly standard bowl turning, a great exercise in disguising a mortise in the base. Turning a sphere is a basic skill that all turners should quickly master, especially since it is so easy and a foundation for so many projects. So, in this video, I take a four inch plus sphere, decorate it with an interesting pattern of grooves and hollow it to lighten it. My bowl is finished with wipe-on poly. Enjoy.Taking Sphere Turning To Next Level
Please view this video from this page. However, if gremlins attack, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
Turning a sphere is a basic skill that all turners should quickly master, especially since it is so easy and a foundation for so many projects.
So, in this video, I take a four inch plus sphere, decorate it with an interesting pattern of grooves and hollow it to lighten it.
My 4.4″ sphere is finished with walnut oil.
Have you mastered this basic skill?
Enjoy.
Turning Large Segmented Tray For Zen Garden
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I first encountered a Zen garden when taking a slump glass workshop. It was intriguing. With an assortment of textured concrete balls, I could make designs in the white sand in the bottom of a large tray.
Immediately, I knew that I had to make my own. It would have to be a combination project: shop-made plywood for a light, strong bottom; segmented rings for the sides; and textured wood spheres.
All in all it is great therapy.
The tray is red oak, 13 x 2 inches, finished with wipe-on poly.
Enjoy.
Stabilization To The Rescue For Severely Spalted Bowl
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I received this wood in a club wood exchange. On examining it, I noted some great spalting color and figure. But also noted a lot of very soft punky wood. I can treat small amounts of punky wood with CA glue. But this had a lot.
I rough turned it. Dried it in an over. Then stabilized it by soaking it in Cactus Juice, a heat activated resin under vacuum for about two days. Then let it soak for another two days before hardening the resin in the oven.
Then I could finish turn the bowl much like a remounted green turning
My bowl is 6 by 2 inches finished with wipe-on poly.
Enjoy.
Woodturning Green Turned Vase From Backyard Red Bud
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Several weeks ago, I turned a piece from an unknown tree harvested from my back yard. It has now been identified as red bug, a beautiful wood. After seeing how beautiful the wood turned out, I decided to turn a small vase from the same trunk.
Turned green, I then let it dry after coating with wood glue and wrapping in paper. When it stopped losing weight, I remounted the vase to finish it again.
Much of the hollowing was through the bottom which was later plugged. After all, why hollow through a tiny opening when I do not have to.
My vase is 5 by 3 inches finished with wipe-on poly.
Enjoy.
Woodturning Wide Sapele Platter / Bowl From Offcuts
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I scored some sapele offcuts from an associate-not large enough individually. However, I could see a bowl or small platter – only larger. While I would prefer turning from a single piece of wood, I decided to glue three pieces together and go for it anyway. The wood is too beautiful to do otherwise.
Size: about 15 inches diameter by 2 inch, finished with wipe on poly.
Enjoy.
Cross Craft Segmented Woodturning Light Explodes Kaleidoscopes
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I find kaleidoscopes fascinating. Last fall, I participated in a workshop with Mark Tickle where I assembled a couple of his kaleidoscopes. Kaleidoscopes transmit light through an object cell containing random shapes and colors. Then light is reflected from a carefully arranged mirrors to produce a random, display of colors and patterns. Different mirror configurations produce different macro patterns while the random colored objects produce infinite detail.
Kaleidoscopes depend on light. As I created my kaleidoscopes, I thought of a supplemental light source that would make my kaleidoscopes pop even more. The design complements this style of kaleidoscopes.
I designed and 3d printed a core which holds a battery and positions LED’s. A segmented cylinder contains the core.
Items of interest:
- 6 segmented rings
- 12 segments per ring
- 72 total segments
- 2 2032 batteries
- 5 white LED’s
- Finish: Watco wipe on poly.
- Size: 4″ x 3.5″
- Kaleidoscope Design: Marc Tickle – www.OnReflection.com
Enjoy.
Woodturning Eccentric Tree – It Grew Up In The Wind
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Inspired by entries in last year’s Ornament Challenge. I am in an eccentric mood. Plus, we had a club demonstration wherein one of the projects was an evergreen tree.
I decided to take the demonstration tree to the level of the challenge tree. This requires a series of offsets to the turning axis to achieve a leaning tree or a tree that has grown up in a consistent prevailing wind, my mother’s “canyon breeze”.
The wood is aspen. This piece is solid, without checks common to aspen.
The tree is 6″ tall, 3″ diameter, finished with shellac.
Enjoy.
Woodturning Trembling Trembleur
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I saw a couple of trembleurs in the instant gallery at the AAW symposium in Portland, Oregon. And, then, Eli Avisera did a demonstration that was very informative. The only significant difference between Eli’s process and mine is that I cheated and turned the trembleur from a round dowel instead of square stock. In my experience dowels have fairly straight grain which is perfect for a trembleur.
Size: about 12 inches long. Main shaft is about 1/8 inch. Started with 1/2 inch dowel.
A 3D model of a string steady cylinder is posted on Printables at:
https://www.printables.com/model/918546-lathetail-stock-string-steady-rest
My disk is mounted to an arbor from Little Machine Shop that I have had for some time. There are several MT2 arbors to choose from. If I were starting over, I’d look at this one.
Arbor, Drill Chuck 2MT Tang to 3/8″-24 Thread
https://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1613&category=
Waxed string is essential. Do not even think about having the disk rotate (it will flop).
Enjoy.