My first 'commission'

[Roy_H]

Well, it's only a commission from my brother, who asked for a really solid pestle and mortar with a good handle on the pestle bit.

I used a bit of ash that turned out to have quite a few flaws (cracks and specks) when I got into it, but overall I think it's a usable finished product. The burned rings didn't come out as clean as I would have liked but I was quite pleased with the spherical ball :shock:.
What's the best type of wire to use for burnt decoration?

10cm high mortar, 12 cm in diameter, sanded to 600 and finished with three coats of food safe oil.

Comments welcome.

 

[Bodrighy]

Nice work. Make sure that your brother tells everyone where he got it from. I don't put anything on the inside wood of mine as experience (my wife has one) has shown that it just wears off anyway and natural oils from herbs and spices imprganate the inside anyway. I sand it down ending up with 1200 wet & dry as I find that gives it the best finish.

Pete

 

[Oakbear]

Very nice, a pleasingly hefty look.
Old guitar strings seems to be the favourite for burning with, but it's a n interesting one to experiement with imo.

 

[johnny.t.]

looks great Roy, very usable I also use old guitar strings for burning lines and they work great 8)

JT

 

[loz]

Nice tall steep sides, Nothing will escape the pounding pestle. !!!!

I used to use any old wire for burning, now i have a bit of formica from when the old worktops got ripped out., cut to the shape of a narrow parting tool.

 

[Roy_H]

Thanks all.

You know, I used to use guitar strings when turning years ago but had completely forgotten that when I came to need to do it again now.
I wonder how swmbo will cope when she finds there's only five strings left on hers though.. 8-[ 8-[

Loz - I spent a day with Tracy Owen on Sunday (he was at the East Herts group) and he used Formica too. Just need to find a corner of the kitchen where it won't show...

 

[wizer]

very nice design Roy

 

[Jonzjob]

For the burning I use some ex-R.A.F. aircraft locking wire from my daze in the service of HM. It gives a good clean burn line and didn't cost me owt!

Funnly enough, my last commision was a pestle and morter. Bowl, cherry and basher, box wood. Looked really nice when it was done, well I thought so?

 

[petercharlesfagg]

Congratulations on your first commission, lets hope that it is the first of many.

A pestle and Mortar is one of those items that I have never made but yours is inspirational especially so with the spherical mortar.

As to burning, I use old copper cooker electric cable that I find in skips, it goes a long way and heats up very quickly. I use an old hacksaw blade frame to hold it taut and keep my hands out of the way!

Peter.

 

[Roy_H]

As to burning, I use old copper cooker electric cable that I find in skips, it goes a long way and heats up very quickly. I use an old hacksaw blade frame to hold it taut and keep my hands out of the way!
Peter.

Thanks Peter,
I wondered if you could get away with using copper - and obviously you can! I used that plastic covered garden wire, with the plastic stripped off of course :lol:

The hacksaw handle is a brilliant weez, more than once I picked up the wire just after using it only to drop it pretty sharpish. It also burnt through a plastic container when I put it down the first time ... :roll:

 

[Jenx]

Very nice piece of turnery Roy .. I like it a lot !

Yes, I use copper wire too.. just stripped out of scrap cuttings of twin & earth ( single core )... works a treat.
I've done it with another piece of wood before too.. and that worked equally well. ( and didn't get half as hot as the copper does ha ha )