Turning

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I have a great deal of experience with intricate woodturning where very close tolerances are required. Some of those intricate projects can be seen on the BAGPIPE & BELLOWS page while others are shown below. I also have a much larger lathe made the Oneway Manufacturing Company for the bigger projects.

2 inch tall teak and holly control knobs for a company that uses them on boats.

	Last 2: Way too many drawer knobs (about 125) that I will never do again.
	These three little finials were turned for a man who restores antiques. To replicate the original, they are made from ancient whale bone.

First 2: A pair of 10 inch diameter pine bowls with lids. Each bowl is made from one solid piece of wood.

	18 inch diameter turned and carved mahogany pattern for mold for the top of a 3 tier, 7 foot diameter, cast stone fountain.
	Last 2: 36 inch spire and application.

This mahogany form was glued up from 9 segments that were 2 1/2" thick and 28 1/2" long with a 20 degree angle milled along each edge. These pictures show how this wooden form was made into a 30" tall pedestal with a rotating top that is now being used to display a cast bronze sculpture.

	The form is shown hoisted up on the big lathe, ready to be turned.
	After a lot of shavings are on the floor, the finished shape finally appears.
	Before leaving the lathe, 2 coats of epoxy were applied, with plenty of sanding before and after, to fill the pores and seal up the wood. The inside was coated as well. Note the inside rabbet.
	Plywood was cut and fastened to the rabbet so that the pedestal wall could move a bit should it need to. A "lazy Susan" type of bearing was then fastened to the plywood.
	A 2" thick top turned from 2 laminated pieces of medium density fiberboard was then attached to the bearing.

	A couple of coats of black lacquer followed by two clear coats finished the project.
	Finished pedestal displaying it's Pan.

	The first picture is a composite of two separate pictures and all are of the same bowl blank mounted on my big Oneway lathe. This is a beautiful piece of clear, heartwood cherry that came from a 31" diameter log and the composite shows it with the outside turned and the inside still solid.
	The second pictures shows the bottom of the bowl.
	The third picture shows the same piece about 30 minutes later with the inside "cored" out. This is done with a very large and long parting tool that has a curve along it's length.
	The last three show the finished bowl. 21" diameter, 7 1/2" high, 7/16" thick at the rim.

	Makore finials. The finished finials will have a carved leaf pattern. First picture shows the rough turned blank on the left and the nearly finished finial on the right.
	12 makore finials, turning complete, ready for index lines.
	Using the indexing head on my Oneway lathe, carving lines were put on each finial.
	Two out of 12 artichoke finials carved out of makore.
	Finial from the bottom.
	Finial from the side.
	Finial from the top.

	The first five pictures are of a 16" turned, white pine bowl with hand carved reeds and billets. It was finished with raw tung oil after the outside was flap sanded. Flap sanding removes more of the softer and lighter colored "early wood" and leaves the harder "late wood." So, the texture you see is the texture you feel.
	Last 3 pictures - 16" turned, white pine bowl with hand carved flutes.

15" white Pine bowl, glossy finish with 23K gold leaf inside and hand carved cherry burl rosette. I started this bowl in 2002 and screwed up the top edge after the gold leaf was applied. In the first picture you can see the repairs. I was so irritated at myself that I put it aside. This year (2005) I dug it out, re-guilt the inside, carved the cherry burl rosette, mounted it on the side to cover a large knot that had an ugly repair. Gold leaf comes in squares and you can just make out their faint outline in the second picture. The bowl is 6 1/4" tall and the rosette is 2" in diameter.

	It is always great to be asked to build something different. Newel posts like this were found in some of the more beautiful, Federal style, New England homes.
	With the finial off and the center counter-rotating spiral pulled half way out, we see one of the secret to it's stability. How the old stair makers did it is a mystery so I found my own solution - a 5/8" diameter steel rod.
	In the third picture the center spiral has been taken out.
	The top (less finial) looking down into the 1 1/2" center spiral hole with the steel coming up through an 11/16" hole in the central spiral's shaft.
	The bottom of the finial showing how it locks onto the rest of the post, the hole for the steel shaft and the method of achieving a tight fit for the cylindrical tenon.

	After a 1 3/4" hole is drilled from one end to the other, it is mounted on the lathe and layout lines are added.
	Second: The power saw makes quick work of the edge wood that is not needed.
	Third: A sharp rip saw quickly finishes the cut.
	Forth: Edge wood gone.
	Last: Preliminary carving on the lamb's tongue.

	Ready for carving layout work to begin.
	I turned the post 180 degrees to make work a bit easier for this right handed carver. Spiral carving laid out and done. Star carving on the octagonal flats has begun.
	Finial finished and fitted.
	Finial carved.
	Completed newel.