Turning Large Segmented Tray For Zen Garden
This post is best viewed here on this page. In case of gremlin attack, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
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
Please continue to view this post on this page. However, if technical difficulties occur, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
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
This post is best viewed here on this page. However, in case of technical difficulty, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
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
Please view this post on this page. However, in case of video difficulty, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
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
Please view this post here on this page. However, if having technical difficulties, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
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
Please view this post here on this page. But if there are technical difficulties, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
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
In case of technical difficulties, this post is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook. However, it is best to stay right here!
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.
Woodturning Eccentric Single Piece Scoop
In case of video difficulties, this post is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
Inspired by a fantastic demonstration at the Portland American Woodturning Symposium by Eli Avisera.
This is an eccentric or multi-axis small scoop from a single piece of wood. It requires turning a sphere on the end of a spindle, then offsetting the axis to turn the main handle, then returning to the original axis to finish the handle. At long last, hollow the sphere to form the bowl of the scoop.
The octagon method for turning a sphere helped.
I also 3D printed a couple of accessories: a cup to receive the sphere while the handle was offset; and, a bushing or sleeve to hold the sphere while being hollowed.
3d Prints shared on www.Printables.com
Sleeve bushing – https://www.printables.com/model/904340-woodturning-bushing-to-make-scoops
Live Center cup faceplate – https://www.printables.com/model/904599-cup-center-for-live-center
Size: about 3.5″ x 1.5″. Finished with beeswax and mineral oil.
Enjoy.
Woodturning Mystery Bowl In A Board
This post is best viewed right here on this page. But, if you have difficulties, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
I wish I knew what species of this this bowl is turned from. It was a decorative tree in my back yard that I cut down. The wood is beautiful.
It is an interesting convergence of a square bowl and a bowl.
Size: about 7 x 2 and 2 High. Finished with walnut oil.
Enjoy.
Woodturning Square Bowl From Venezuelan Saman
Just in case of technical difficulties, this post is also on YouTube and FaceBook.
I received this wood from a friend who had traveled and lived in Venezuela. He had returned with a “bookcase” of beautiful wood, saman. He was moving and need to find a new home for the wood. The wood was already 12″ square and 2″ thick. I trimmed it to remove dings in the edges.
Mounted with hot melt glue, I turned a mortise. But at the last minute, the hot melt glue failed. Why? too heavy, too little glue, operator error? I had other difficulties but continued until I now have a square bowl, almost a platter.
It is still almost 12″ square, finished with wipe-on poly.
Beautiful wood.
Enjoy.