Roll call

[old hb]

Supernice!

Here's a few I like to do. The wooden cups are about 5.5" tall and start out about 2 1/4" diameter. The opening is about 3" deep - just about down to the flare above the stem - which is 7/32" or 5.5mm in diameter. These are hand turned with standard tools on my old Delta 10" . Denser wood is better of course, but I've made them from lighter woods too.

The tagua nut bowl was turned with dental tools on the same lathe. Yes, there is a lip on the lid to keep it from dropping inside the bowl. The bowl is hollowed out somewhat - maybe 3/4" diameter.

Great Stuff Buzz Sawyer. I'll buy some of the exotics but don't do anything fancy with them. Watch out for Lapacho/Ipe. I had a major allergic reaction to it. HB

 

[buzz sawyer]

Nice pieces Buzz sawyer. I like the shade variations of the black willow cup. Where do you get this species from?

Good question. The man who taught me to make these was a member of the International Wood Collectors. He had samples of over 4600 species from all over the world at one time. When he passed away, his niece gave me a few pieces of wood he had. Don't know where he got it. She gave one plate he turned from African Sapele - it's about 20" diameter and feels like about 1/2" at the thickest in the center. I'll try to post a photo of it. Most of the time I get my wood from the woods or from some of the specialty woodcrafter supply catalogues.
We also have an annual woodcarvers show here in Wheeling. One of the vendors deals with various carving woods - cherry, walnut, sassafrass, buckeye, basswood, so I'll pick up some pieces there too.

old hb - yes, you have to watch some species - same with spalted wood. So far, I've not had any problems, but I wear a respirator when working with spalted.

 

[gunnarfan]

thats why i'm getting saws

i've been acquiring parts to make lathes.. bearings, old mill (saw and other)parts, motors etc. also have an old sears thats complete. partly its an excuse to get more saws... basically for sourcing stock. great excuse to get a variety of sizes.

 

[buzz sawyer]

Here is couple more.

Pauli

That's some really great work. Have you entered any competitions?

 

[buzz sawyer]

Here's the Sapele platter. It's 21" in diameter. I think it's more like 3/8" at the thickest point.

 

[buzz sawyer]

i've been acquiring parts to make lathes.. bearings, old mill (saw and other)parts, motors etc. also have an old sears thats complete. partly its an excuse to get more saws... basically for sourcing stock. great excuse to get a variety of sizes.

Gunnarfan, I dug up an old auto wheel balancer years ago with the intention of building a lathe. It was the type that held the wheel vertically. Just didn't have room for it. Since then I've lost the desire (and nerve) to turn large pieces.

 

[dustytools]

Here's the Sapele platter. It's 21" in diameter. I think it's more like 3/8" at the thickest point.

Very nice piece! Im gonna have to try my hand at plates and bowls some day. Thanks for the pic.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Here are a few of mine, though it's been a while since I've had a place to run the lathe.

 

[dustytools]

Here are a few of mine, though it's been a while since I've had a place to run the lathe.

Nice looking stuff JPS!

 

[buzz sawyer]

Here are a few of mine, though it's been a while since I've had a place to run the lathe.

OK - What gouge did you use to get the flower petals so thin? lol
Really nice turnings, JP - Is that some olive ash burl?

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

OK - What gouge did you use to get the flower petals so thin? lol
Really nice turnings, JP - Is that some olive ash burl?

The big bowl with the April date is Russian olive (Elaeagnus augustifolia) with a silver maple bowl in the background.

The small one is a bur oak branch stub burl

The three pedistal forms are mahogony, sugar maple and R. olive from left to right.

below are 2 more veiws of the bowls. I really love the r. olive. They have loads of epi. sprouts and have tons of pin knots. this was a small log so I had to have leave the figuring on the bottom, not enough wood saved to make a lid.

Another one for good pin knot figuring is river birch, loads of dorment bud channels. I'm told it looks interesting in QS, but I've never had a large enough peice.

The oak burl moved real funky, took on a triangular shape over time.

 

[buzz sawyer]

The oak burl moved real funky, took on a triangular shape over time.

Again, very nice JP. Talk about funky, here is a silver maple crotch I turned green and soaked in PEG. Thought it would stabilize it - maybe it did!

 

[old hb]

Respirator

old hb - yes, you have to watch some species - same with spalted wood. So far, I've not had any problems, but I wear a respirator when working with spalted.

Sorry I haven't gotten back to you sooner. Trouble with my eyes and getting on the internet. Anyway, I've had powered respirators for a while but didn't use them religiously. I think that working with spalted wood had something to do with my developing polymyalgia, so I started using respirators more regularly. After the bout with Ipe, I try to keep one on even during other work in the shop. Speaking of which, I own an old Trend, a newer Triton, and a couple of airshields. I got tired of recharging them and found a couple of sources for making your own battery packs. Instead of paying $30 + for a new battery, you can make them for a few dollars each and have several. If any of you out there use them (incidentally they're great for outside work as well) let me know and I'll point you in the direction(s) for making your own.
Luck, HB

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

PPE is as imprortant in turning as with tree work. I scoffed at face shields untill I have a large blank fly off my jaw chuck, just past my nose with enough force to dent the drywall in the garage.

I use a regular resperator, when ever doing dry work, especiall sanding. Some wet woods I will forgo in summer though. Could be stupid.

If you ever turn willow, but some towels everywhere the spin will spray sap The burls will be cool, but it is like working with clay. Oh and it moves on the chuck like it's alive

 

[Themadd1]

These pics show a mahogany and walnut table top inlayed with beech burl. Everything is hand carved. I havent had time lately to finish the inlay work but should have the entire table done by the end of the summer. I have also inlayed burl into the maple legs. This is my first project so hopefully I will have a better attempt with the next table.

The hardest part was sanding the top because of the density of the walnut. It was hard not to over sand the mahogany. Everything was from scraps from my neighbor so I spent nothing on the whole thing. Except for new carving toos, glue, and sand papers. I have some really cool 20000 grit sand paper that makes the top shine. I used lemon oil on the top to bring out the color and seal the surface..

One other thing. I dont know if it is common but I was getting a horrible cough while sanding the burl. I think I have a beech burl allergy... Weird

Cheers

 

[dustytools]

These pics show a mahogany and walnut table top inlayed with beech burl. Everything is hand carved. I havent had time lately to finish the inlay work but should have the entire table done by the end of the summer. I have also inlayed burl into the maple legs. This is my first project so hopefully I will have a better attempt with the next table.

The hardest part was sanding the top because of the density of the walnut. It was hard not to over sand the mahogany. Everything was from scraps from my neighbor so I spent nothing on the whole thing. Except for new carving toos, glue, and sand papers. I have some really cool 20000 grit sand paper that makes the top shine. I used lemon oil on the top to bring out the color and seal the surface..

One other thing. I dont know if it is common but I was getting a horrible cough while sanding the burl. I think I have a beech burl allergy... Weird

Cheers

SWEET!