Woodturned Vase – Wet To Dry To Finished
For convenience, this video is also posted on YouTube, Vimeo, and FaceBook. Best Right Here!
At one of our last club meetings, we had a wood exchange during which I received a chunk of fetzer wood. Fetzer is an unusal wood for turning and to my knowledge rarely grows this large.
The wood was freshly cut. I would expect it to split and crack as it dries. However, I decided to risk rough turning a vase, let it dry in a rough state, and turn it to final shape when dry. I did not know whether it would survive drying intact.
But, it did.
The vase is finished with a mix of 1 part polyurethane; 2 parts boiled linseed oil, and 3 parts mineral spirits. It is 4 inched diameter and 8 inches tall.
Related Video Link.
Update To My DIY Lathe Steady Rest
I now can do remote demonstrations for any club, world-side.
Enjoy!
Woodturning Short Break – Simple Bark Edge Mushrooms
While this video is best viewed right here at As Wood Turns, it is also posted on YouTube, Vimeo, and Facebook
Our local club is holding remote demonstrations during this Covid-19 pandemic. Our last member demonstrator, Lauren Gibbs, showed off two versions of mushrooms as part of his series of quick projects.
Plus, the president’s challenge for next month, that we will show each other via video before next month’s remote demonstration will be mushrooms.
An indoor mushroom should be able to stand on its own.
An outdoor mushroom may be held up by extra length on its stem pushed into the ground.
My mushrooms are 3 by 4 and 3 by 5 of dry hazelnut. The smaller indoor mushroom is finished with shellac. the outdoor mushroom with the extra stem length is finished with walnut oil.
I now can do remote demonstrations for any club, world-side.
Here are more mushroom videos from several years ago. (Click title for the link)
- Woodturning A Mushroom in Apricot
- Woodturning A Field of Mushrooms (Part 1)
- Woodturning A Field of Mushrooms (Part 2)
- Woodturning A Field of Mushrooms (Part 3)
- Woodturning A Field of Mushrooms (Part 4 & Final)
- Woodturn Natural Edge Fig Mushroom – Not For Soup
Enjoy!
Six Handicap Woodturning – Segment Ring Thread Chasing
This video is also available on YouTube, Vimeo, and FaceBook. Please stay right here at As Wood Turns.
After receiving comments about deficiencies in power tools preventing viewers from trying to thread segmented thread sets, I decided to handicap myself and try to repeat Frank’s success.
Handicaps:
- Table saw with no jig
An 8 segment ring requires angles at 22.5 degrees. With my saw’s miter gauge, I could only approximate 22.5 degrees. - Band saw with no jig
I generally do not use a band saw as my saw leaves a very rough cut on the surface. - Sander with no jig
Some people have jigs with precise angles for sanding perfect rings. - Gluing with no jig
I used a rub technique from a pattern maker. Simply spread glue, rub to squeeze out excess glue. Shortly the glue will seize. - Hand chasing threads lacking muscle memory aka I don’t have Frank’s threading experience.
- No RPM meter on my lathe. A meter does not measure how fast the surface of the wood is moving.
I made this thread set from cherry.
I need more practice to come close to Frank’s level from last week’s video
Enjoy!
Threading Wood For Every Day Woodturning
This video is also posted on YouTube, Vimeo, and Facebook. Best right here!
We have a special guest for this week’s video. Frank Young is a master woodturner. He will show hand chasing threads in segmented wood for all sorts of projects.
Why threads in segmented wood?
Usually when someone is chasing threads, they must use very hard, close-grained wood. Typically, these are exotic tropical hardwoods and very expensive. Some, like boxwood, have become scarce and only available in small dimensions.
What makes these hardwoods well suited for chased threads? Their wood is dense and strong to hold threads threaded on end grain.
But, what if we can expand threading to more common and less expensive domestic woods? The problem is that threads in these woods are not strong and quickly break away.
The solution is to only use the side grain in these woods. With side grain threads, the grain structure better supports the threads making them less brittle and well suited to supporting the threads.
How to use only side grain? Simple. Cut the wood into trapezoidal segments and glue them together like segmented vessels. Voila, side grain.
Not only side grain, but side grain of any diameter, any height.
What if my project is of solid wood? Easy, make the threads separately then glue the threaded segments into the near finished project – an insert.
The final advantage. Threading can be separate from the main project. If the threads get messed up, the project is not ruined. Simply remake the threads and continue.
There’s more but start and explore the possibilities. Plus, domestic woods are more sustainable than tropical rain forest woods.
Frank Young is my guest turner.
Enjoy!
Woodturning Wet Wood – Figured Box Elder Bowl
The video is also posted on YouTube, Vimeo, and FaceBook. Best Right Here!
Woodturning a bowl is always a pleasure for me. I am excited to see what can emerge from a block of wood.
When I started woodturning, my wood had to be dry. What else was there? As I learned about drying, cracking, and warping, I also learned about turning green or wet wood.
I’ve tried many different ways to accelerated wood drying. Some require expensive chemicals, extensive processing, or a prolonged heat source. I’ve decided to be patient and use a twice turned technique for bowls that are to be perfectly round – no warping allowed. (All at once is a different exercise – with a different result.)
This box elder was turned to a wall thickness of 3/4 to 1 inch. Then coated with a green wood sealer and left to dry. After months of periodically weighing the bowl and recording its weight, the lack of weight loss indicated that it is dry and can be finished turned.
This is finished with walnut oil and buffed for a moderate shine. It is about 8 inches by 3 inches.
I’ll always come back to turning a bowl.
Enjoy!
Woodturning Small Mouth Vase From Green Mesquite
This video is also posted on YouTube, Vimeo, and FaceBook. Best right here!
This vase is mesquite. I obtained it several months ago from Mark, a viewer from Phoenix, AZ. I turned it green about three months ago. Normally, I cannot trust leaving the pith in the wood. Actually, I did not leave the pith in this log either. Instead, I bored it out and hollowed the vase from the bottom. I planned to use another piece of mesquite to plug the hole later when the wood was dry.
Since mesquite has a very low moisture content, it only took two months to dry.
The vase is almost 9 inches tall and 6 inches in diameter, finished with walnut oil.
Enjoy!
Resources
Pin Face Plate and Threaded Wood Face Plates For Woodturning
This video is also posted on YouTube, Vimeo, and FaceBook. Best here where you are already!
I have dozens of threaded wood faceplates that is use in many different applications.
The alternative is a steel faceplate with wood screwed to its face. However, due to the cost of steel faceplates, I would have to be constantly unscrewing the wood to exchange it for a different wood piece. Leaving them intact would require a tremondous investment in steel faceplates.
Instead I use poplar thick enough for the length of my lathe’s spindle and a tap that matches the spindle. Cross grain poplar works well; End grain poplar does not work for me. The Beall Company makes taps for woodturning lathe spindles.
Following instructions on the tap, I drill a pilot hole and advance the tap through the wood. While it is possible to tap to a particular depth, I find it easier to drill and tap completely through the wood. After all, I can always glue on more wood. After tapping the threads, I flood them with thin CA glue to stiffen the threads. After the glue has thoroughly dried, I run the tap through the wood again. Warning – if you rush the glue, you may find your tap permanently secured to the wood.
A few final touches mates the faceplate to my spindle. Spindles vary so do what is needed for yours.
This pin faceplate has plywood mortised and glued to the core faceplate. Then screws are driven from the back side of the faceplate to lightly grip wood pressed against the faceplate with tail stock pressure. I drilled additional holes for possible alternate future use. Customize the hole pattern to personal preferences.
Enjoy!
Resource Links:
Easy Wood Faceplates For Woodturning
Simple Wood Faceplates For Perfect Balls Or Spheres
Woodturning Sea Urchin Style Multi Axis Ornament
This video is also posted on YouTube, Vimeo, and FaceBook. Best Right Here!
At our club’s Christmas social, I gave away my ornament made as a faux sea urchin. I had promised my wife to make another. However, the process to turn the original was difficult with catastrophic breakage very likely.
I struggled to modify the process to improve the results and satisfy my wife. I think I finally succeeded.
The original process required carving. However, in the modified process, carving is optional. I think the wood is light enough that carving is not required.
I used green lilac for this ornament. The wet wood tools nicely and dries in a couple of days. The ornament body is finished with rattle-can lacquer. The cherry finials are finished with shellac friction polish.
I plan to invite subscribers to more of these remote demonstrations maybe even after this covid pandemic is over. However, I can only invite those who have subscribed on my website – AsWoodTurns.com. If you have subscribed via YouTube, I don’t have a way to email an invite. If you already receive my weekly emails, you’re already subscribed.
But you can remedy this by going to the box in the upper right hand corner of this page. Green and tan. Please use this automatic process instead of email. On a phone, the box may be in a different place – try swiping left or right to find it.
Then you can participate in a demonstration via the internet on your own computer screen. Social distancing overcome! and Front Row seating at the demo.
Enjoy!
Resources:
Multi Axis Woodturning Ribbed and Holey
This Christmas Ornament is Not A Sea Urchin
Woodturning Art From Socially Distanced Demonstration
This video is also posted on YouTube, Vimeo, and FaceBook. Where best? – Right Here!
Last week I did an interactive remote demonstration where I turned one of these fun things. I wanted to edit that video and publish it. However, the computer gremlins prevented that approach this time. I had to reshoot the video.
I plan to invite subscribers to more of these remote demonstrations maybe even after this covid pandemic is over. However, I can only invite those who have subscribed on my website – AsWoodTurns.com. Please tell your friends how to subscribe to participate also.
The subscription box is in the upper right hand corner of this page. Green and tan. Please use this automatic process instead of email.
Then you and they can participate in a demonstration via the internet on your own computer screens. Social distancing overcome!
Enjoy!
Woodturning Pear Bowl – Wet To Dry
This video is also posted to YouTube, Vimeo, and FaceBook. But it’s best right here!
This pear wood comes from a tree that blew down last summer in a micro burst. At that time, I rough turned a large chunk of the wood and sealed it with Bowl Saver. Then, put the wood away to dry. Here in Utah, the climate is very dry. It has been drying for about eight months.
Periodically. I weighed the bowl, recording the weight and date. Once the weight stabilized the wood is dry and ready to finish turning.
The bowl is about 8 inches diameter, finished with walnut oil and buffed with tripoli, white diamond, and carnauba wax.
My disappointment with this bowl is that it was supposed to be much larger, probably 5-6 inches more in diameter and a couple more inches deeper. Despite my disappointment, this is a pretty bowl.
Enjoy!