More from the school of one handed turning

[ctb]

A few of you expessed disbelief at the grain patterns in red mallee, so here for your delectation are a few more examples of australian timbers.

First 2 photo's are of a brown mallee natural edge burr bowl

next we have a platter made from Australian Eucalyptus, english varieties do not have the same grain patterns or structure as they grow so fast over here, the Australian eucalyptus is prone to having voids even deep inside the timber, perfect for infilling with a resin and brass powder mix, gives the finished piece a striking look, note the fiddleback effect of the grain

and finally in this masterclass we have good old Sassafras, knocks the spots of spalted beech by a long shot, some Sassafras has a lovely deep coffee and cream colour

that's all for this lesson, ............... any questions


Chris

 

[Anonymous]

Beaut stuff Chris :wink: almost makes one want to emigrate :wink:

(I did try 30 years ago but they already had too many poms :lol: )

 

[Bodrighy]

I have a good source of english grown eucalyptus and as you said it doesn't have the same grain. It is there but so subtle it hardly shows. I am trying with different finishes to see if I can bring it out but so far no success. It's lovely wood for turning though. Good for experimenting with design and shape.


Is it only the burrs on these woods that have this grain or is it in all the tree?
Pete

 

[radicalwood]

Hi Chris,

Wow love the bowl,

wish I could get even close to turning out something like that , well maybe with time and a lot more practice. The Sassafras looks like a nice wood as well.

keep the coming gives me something to aim at.

Neil

 

[joekid]

ahh so your from the world of endless dry burl/nice work fella, iwant to emigrate any way ive had enough of this place,keep it up fella

 

[Paul.J]

Lovely pieces again Chris.
How do you turn something with rough fdges like that :?: :?:
Paul.J.

 

[ctb]

Thanks for your comments chaps

Paul J. to turn a natural edge bowl, here is how I do it,
Assuming you have a 4 jaw chuck,
drill an appropriate size hole with a forstner bit on the side of the chunk of wood with the natural edge mount on the lathe and shape the outside edge and form a recess in the bottom of the bowl.
when shape has been given, sand and finish.
then rechuck the other way round and hollow out the bowl, sand and finish.
Be very carefull when sanding natural edge bowls, rough edges can lacerate fingers at 1500 rpm

Hope this helps, if not pm me for further info

Chris

 

[Dean]

Hi ctb, you do turn great looking work. Could you tell me what you mean when you say "note the fiddleback effect of the grain"
I'm not sure what that means mate to be honest, I only got into woodturning about 18 months ago and have never heard of the term "fiddleback effect".


Dean

PS. I would also be interested if you could Email me further info for natural edged bowls ( email addy in profile )

 

[ctb]

Thank you for the compliments Dean, have just sent you an email.

Chris

 

[colin macdiarmid]

All lovely work but I really like the first one,excellent

 

[Paul.J]

Thanks for the how to Chris.
Sounds a bit hairy to me,so i think i will leave this idea for now.
It does look nice though
Paul.J.

 

[ctb]

Paul.J ......... do not be afraid, just be very carefull, give it ago, broaden your horizons, try something new, it's all to easy to get stuck in your comfort zone, just think if ctb can do it with only the use of his left arm, then so can I.

Practice on a scrappy log first, split it down the centre, mount it barkside to the headstock, heartwood to the tailstock, turn it into a round bowl but leave enough rough edge at the bark, make a recess or a spigot remount and hollow out.

I would love to see the results of your efforts, it does a mans heart good to think he has inspired someone greater than himself to puch their limits beyond what they thought they where capable.

Chris

 

[NickWelford]

Chris, I don't think I've ever seen anyone turning left handed, let alone one left handed - would it be too much to ask what your technique is? Do you stand on the 'wrong' side of the lathe and work the opposite edge? And how do you brace the tool? Sorry to be nosey.

 

[CHJ]

Love the Burl bowl ctb, was the natural edge already stripped or have you finished it off, if the latter how did you achieve it?

 

[ctb]

CHJ - thank you for your compliments, when I started turning about 16 months ago, I found this web site, and your posts gave me inspiration, so your comments are especially welcomed. thank you.
The burr had it's bark still on, with Australian burrs the bark eith comes off very easily, or it can be a real pain, especially as the sap wood on the outside often has tiny spikes that hold it on, you can either remove all the bark of the burr before turning, a good idea, as often large chunks of bark fly off at a huge rate, but as I like to live dangerously I often leave the bark on and remove after the item has been turned before taking it out of the chuck with a sharpened braddle.

Nick - I have no objections to be asked about my turning techniques,
I am self taught, I did consider lessons but thought it best with my disabilities to teach myself as able bodied turners would not be able to comprehend the difficulties of turning onehand, left hand at that.
I made contact with a renound turner in Norfolk who only has the use of one arm, and the advice he gave me after I had mastered the techniques was not very helpfull, which just goes to show what is good for one person may not work for another, the techniques involved in woodturning are often read as hard and fast rules, ie you must present the tool to the work in such a manner, but I am a bit of a rebel, I dont follow the rules, I find a technique that works for me and use it.
My lathe is set at the prescribe height, no alterations, in fact anyone on this forum be they 6'1" tall could use it without hesitation, the tool rests are standard as are my tools, I merely hold the tool on the rest at the workface with my left hand, guiding it, rolling it again with my left hand, with the tool handle pressed into my stomache to add stability and pressure where needed.

Hope this helps

If anyone is from this forum is on holiday up on the west coast of scotland and would like a demonstration, feel free to contact me, all the tea / coffee you can drink, freindly banter, all at no cost, who else would offer such a masterclass.

Chris

 

[NickWelford]

I think I can imagine it, but your stance must be awkward, I would think. Still, if it works for you......

I will be in Scotland in June, but unfortunately in Ullapool, and sharing a car with others, so probably couldn't get there, great pity.

 

[Bodrighy]

Hi,

I had a go with a small log and failed miserably. Mainly 'cos I couldn't get the darn thing to stay anchored at the head end. It continually span a groove in the wood and would stop as soon as a I put a tool to it. I was using a centre, I didn't have a worm screw at the time, what do you use to hold it on?

Pete

 

[NickWelford]

Pete, get the 1" pin jaws for your chuck - then drill a 1" hole of course. That's how I do it.

 

[CHJ]

CHJ - thank you for your compliments, when I started turning about 16 months ago, I found this web site, and your posts gave me inspiration, so your comments are especially welcomed. thank you.

but makes me feel a little less self conscious about blazoning my amateurish efforts about.

The burr had it's bark still on, with Australian burrs the bark eith comes off very easily, or it can be a real pain, especially as the sap wood on the outside often has tiny spikes that hold it on, you can either remove all the bark of the burr before turning, a good idea, as often large chunks of bark fly off at a huge rate, but as I like to live dangerously I often leave the bark on and remove after the item has been turned before taking it out of the chuck with a sharpened braddle.

I congratulate you on the finish of this area, I have read all sorts of advice re-sandblasting etc. needed to clean it up but you have done a great job there with what must be a finicky task.

...snip.... but I am a bit of a rebel, I dont follow the rules, I find a technique that works for me and use it.
....snip....Chris

The sign of a good craftsman in my book, too many people are discouraged because they can't master the much flouted 'proper way'

 

[Bodrighy]

Pete, get the 1" pin jaws for your chuck - then drill a 1" hole of course. That's how I do it.

Thanks Nick, I must admit I have been looking at them as at present I have only the standard 50m jaws which are too big for small work.

Pete