# Any wood turners?



## Grampa Don (Sep 2, 2017)

I have a lathe, and once in a while I do a little turning.  It's mostly from small pieces of pruned wood or trees we've removed. Here are a couple recent samples.



The lid on the left fits the cup.  Both are from a Brazilian pepper tree.  The bowl is from an apricot tree.  They are not stained, just finished with clear varnish.  It's pretty relaxing.  I just start cutting and see what comes out.

Don


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## Katybug (Sep 2, 2017)

Beautiful!  You did a great job!


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## SeaBreeze (Sep 2, 2017)

They are beautiful and look so smooth, I'd love to just touch them.  Nice work there Don!


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## Camper6 (Sep 2, 2017)

I did wood turning and carving before I moved into an apartment.

i will send some pictures. I loved mahogany and rosewood. And spalted woods I subscribed to fine woodworking magazine.

You have a nice finish on that wood.


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## terry123 (Sep 3, 2017)

Very nice!!


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## Ruth n Jersey (Sep 3, 2017)

Grandpa Don,those items you made are beautiful. I know the work that goes into them. A few years ago when I was still collecting chicken figurines my sister in law gave me a basket of wooden eggs. I loved them so much. My son has his own cabinetry business and has a lathe in his shop. I decided I wanted to try and make more eggs. They are very expensive in the store. I thought,"how hard could this be?"As you can see in the photo it wasn't a piece of cake. Mine is the white one that looks like it popped out of a constipated chicken. The brown one is store bought. I only made one and it took forever besides being scared to death of the machine. But it was fun trying.


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## Camper6 (Sep 3, 2017)

Here's one that I did in Mahogany and hand carved the design. It looks distorted from a side shot but it's not.  Click on it to enlarge it.


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## Camper6 (Sep 3, 2017)

How do you do those eggs?  Half at a time or between centres and then finished off ?  

Lot's of tricks involved in lathe work.  Like the lid on the cups that fit perfect.


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## Grampa Don (Sep 3, 2017)

Thanks for the kind comments.

Camper6 --  Beautiful work on the thermometer.  That carving took some real skill.  The only exotic woods I've ever turned were some small pieces a friend gave me that i made into thimbles for my wife.  The only wood I've ever bought for turning was a small chunk of manzanita burl.  It made a nice little bowl.  I don't have any fancy chucks, just a simple face plate and spur drive.  Part of the fun is making do with what I've got.  I used to subscribe to Fine Woodworking.  I have a collection of the first 100 issues.  It's like an encyclopedia of woodworking.

Ruth --  I think your egg looks great.  I've never tried anything like that.  You're right, a lathe is scary.  I always wear a full face shield when I turn.

Don


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## Falcon (Sep 3, 2017)

Nice work  Don.

When I had my shop,  I turned a few  gavels and some bowls.


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## Butterfly (Sep 9, 2017)

Grampa Don said:


> I have a lathe, and once in a while I do a little turning.  It's mostly from small pieces of pruned wood or trees we've removed. Here are a couple recent samples.
> 
> View attachment 41584
> 
> ...



My neighbor, who is nearing 92 now, can take a piece of wood and make it do anything he wants it to.  He makes beautiful furniture and also does the most wonderful wood turning.  It's a hobby he took up when he retired from the Navy and he makes the most beautiful things, both big and small.  He has a real gift.


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## Camper6 (Sep 9, 2017)

Yes it's a shame that it can't be carried forward. It's like music in a family. Some have it. Some don't. Some make money at it. Most do not and just do it for the love of it.


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## Keesha (Apr 24, 2018)

Yes I purchased a lathe 4 years ago and have turned both wood and acrylic to make some hair toys. 
I made two Rose Sticks. One is from basswood and the other from maple wood. Both were first turned on the lathe and then hand carved.

I’ve also turned acrylic on my lathe which is much harder to do. If done wrong it can shatter the acrylic. Some were for hair sticks and the others were made to match these beaded things I made. 
I literally made hundreds of them and sold them.


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