Day 13: 30 minutes

I had very limited turning time tonight, little more than 30 minutes total.  Work ran very long and then we had a monsoon come through so I was off shooting lightning during the time I had allotted for turning.

Pictured are the 10 seam rippers I worked on tonight plus the one from 2 days ago.  The 10 turned tonight still need a bit of work but are about 90% done.  Padauk X 4, 1 each of Oak, Monterillo, and Bocote, and finally 3 X Canary Wood.

Day 12: Design

It was 112 degrees today so no shop time for me.  Instead I spent a few minutes putting some ideas I've been kicking around down on paper.

First is an idea I got about a 3 weeks ago after seeing a wall hanging by another artist that incorporated thin strips of wood (http://www.chandlercenter.org/visual-arts/exhibition-hall.html).  I'm a turner and wanted to figure out a way to incorporate some thin strips into a turning.

My idea is to replicate the look and feel of a lattice top pie using thin strips of wood woven together and secured in a solid wood ring to form the lid of the bowl.

  Cross section of bowl and "lid".  I found a local source for 1/32" thick basswood strips that will be used for the lattice top.  I plan to turn a solid wood rim for the lid an turn an angled groove in the inside that will be used to secure the strips.

Top view of the lattice top.  I drew it up as 5 X 5 but I may end up going with 4 X 4 instead. 

This idea is a bit hard to explain but the plan is to make a pen that has a locking mechanism that will prevent the body from unscrewing in your pocket.

Day 11: Other

Not much turning today, did a seam ripper this morning (violet and teal double-dyed and stabilized Box Elder Burl) and spent time with the kids.  I did haul them over to Woodworkers Source this evening for some sandpaper discs.  I also applied for the Sunnyslope Art Walk set for October 10th.  Crossing my fingers that i get accepted.

After the kids were in bed for the night I took a bunch of photos of some stuff I've finished/been working on lately, some of these are from before this project started.

  Aspen Hollow Form from Day 3.

Opposite side

Top view

Spalted/Curly Maple hollow form from days 4 - 5.

Opposite side.

Top view.

Acacia from my friend Kevin.  He gave me this piece shortly after I hurt my hand last year.  I had to wait a couple of months for my hand to heal before I could rough it out.

Quaking Aspen.  The gray color reminds me of newspaper print.

  Cottonwood.  I would have tossed this in the recycle bin if it wasn't for the knot.  The wood was softer than I would have liked.

Eucalyptus Burl from day 6.

Eucalyptus Burl from a couple months ago.  The bowl portion has a round bottom, the rim is only about 1/8"thick.

More Eucalyptus burl, also with  round bottom and a 1/8" thick rim.

Curly Poplar nested set.  This wood was from a large tree being taken out in Idaho last summer.  I wish I'd gotten more of it.

Last piece for today.  Walnut Burl about 17" across on the bigger one.  I got the wood at the meeting in Prescott last year, it came from a vendor that drove over from California.

Day 10: prep and finish

First coat of oil applied to the Box Elder Burl box from yesterday.

First coat of oil on the Holly UFO box.

Both boxes laying open.

The first of my next run of seam rippers.  They are drilled with a 3/32" drill bit and all 20 pictured here were roughed out tonight.  I'll be doing a total of about 3 dozen over the next couple of days.  This batch need a bit more turning before being sanded and finished.  Wood include Oak, Monterillo, Padauk, Curly Maple, Bocote, Afzilia, and Canary Wood.

Day 9: Even more color

More color tonight, another box, this time in Box Elder Burl with a transparent turquoise dye airbrushed on the top and on the inside. 

Side view showing more of the profile.

Inside bottom (left) and top (right).  The entire piece still needs an oil finish that will darken the wood and the dye.

Day 8: Experimenting continued

Holly lidded bowl with color continued - bottom side is complete.

Top side complete.

Both halves sitting open.  Only 2 colors of dye were used.  The magenta centered half (top) had the dye applied with a rag.  The aqua centered half (bottom) was dyed using an airbrush.

Profile view.  My intent was to have the rim curve back up so you could squeeze both halves of the rim together to force the box open on the opposite side.  My son says it looks like a UFO.

Day 7: experimentation

While picking my son up from school today I had a long wait in line so I took out a notebook and started to sketch.  I had an idea for a clamshell style box and set to work on it this evening.  This is the top half of that box with the inside of the box dyed blue and magenta.  The rim and the outside will not be dyed.

The bottom of the box, the inside will also be dyed.

The top of the box has been placed on the bottom.  this is similar to how the box will look when closed.

Day 6: Eucalyptus Burl

Small Natural edge Eucalyptus Burl bowl.  The natural edge is rolled over as opposed to being flat or sticking straight up.

Bottom side of the same bowl.  The foot is about 3/4" across.

Bottom side showing a similar piece of Eucalyptus Burl prior to turning.  The orientation of the natural edge is the same as on both pieces.

Day 5: Finish and refinish.

Both the Aspen and spalted maple hollow forms got some additional finishing done today.















The Aspen has a
nice patch of some very nice curl on one side an just a hint on the other side.














The spalted maple was turned again to reduce the wall thickness and the overall weight before being sanded top to bottom. It's significantly lighter now than it was last night. It also received 2 coats of oil today and had the larger bug holes cleaned of the frass (the politically correct term for bug poop).













This side has a fair amount of curl in addition to the spalting and the bug holes.
















Each will receive a couple additional coats of oil before being buffed to a low sheen in a couple of weeks.

Day 4, large and small

Turned 4 simple pens this morning, these will be donated to Packages from Home to be sent to the troops overseas. Coffee Tree, Walnut, Maple, and Mulberry.








After last night's success I decided to go for broke and pulled a very nice piece of Spalted Maple off the shelf. 12" long and 4 1/4" square.
















Finished turning, stands 11" tall and 4" diameter. The bottom was left a little thick so it is stable when standing.

Day Three: Highs and Lows

Friday night - my work week is done, Judy's at quilting until Midnight, and the kids are in bed. A little more hollowing and the Aspen hollow form from the last couple of days is ready to reverse and finish. Unless - disaster strikes. Yes, that's a crack, no it can't be repaired. It's almost never a good thing when the inside ends up bigger than the outside.







Not one to give up easily I mounted the other half of the same log and got started. This one also has a pink/purple streak plus a fair amount of very fine curl, and a pair of piths that should look fantastic on both sides of the opening.










Initial shaping is complete and hollowing has started (you can see the cutting tip on the right hand side of the photo, just to the right of the tool rest. There was a large crack in the piece, it is being filled with a crushed turquoise/epoxy mixture.









Hollowing complete, reverse chucked and finishing the final shape and cleaning up the base. I kept this a bit thicker than the first one and checked the thickness often.










Turned and ready for finish.

5 1/4" diameter, 9 1/2" tall.














Top View