Amazing turning project, done on a Shopsmith

[BuckeyeDennis]

What would make sense is a RAS!

Amen, Brother. The right tool for that job. Or even just a CMS, if you're slummin'.

[Ed in Tampa]

What would make sense is a RAS!

Right on! Cutting a miter on the end of a 2x6 that is 10 foot long on any table saw is an invitation for disaster. So while it is nearly impossible to do on a SS it is also nearly impossible to do on a standard table saw.

That whole argument is a moot point in trying to disparage Shopsmith's abilities.

[BedHedNed]

I just saw this project posted over on LumberJocks, and thought you guys would like to see it too. Check it out.

Flower bowl.JPG

The turning was done on a Shopsmith with a speed reducer. Here's a link to some process photos. I strongly suspect that the process used to "stretch it out" (the glued-up blank) involves a Ring Master, but the author didn't give any details.

Hey, I'm the guy who made that bowl, thanks for posting it. Sorry, but there was no Ring Master involved in this project. You are correct in that I did cut it into rings, though I used a thin parting tool on the lathe to do so, not a Ring Master. Cutting and fitting all the pieces for the blank was, of course, the bulk of the work on this project.

[BuckeyeDennis]

I just saw this project posted over on LumberJocks, and thought you guys would like to see it too. Check it out.

Flower bowl.JPG

The turning was done on a Shopsmith with a speed reducer. Here's a link to some process photos. I strongly suspect that the process used to "stretch it out" (the glued-up blank) involves a Ring Master, but the author didn't give any details.

Hey, I'm the guy who made that bowl, thanks for posting it. Sorry, but there was no Ring Master involved in this project. You are correct in that I did cut it into rings, though I used a thin parting tool on the lathe to do so, not a Ring Master. Cutting and fitting all the pieces for the blank was, of course, the bulk of the work on this project.

Welcome to the Shopsmith Forums, and congratulations on a truly outstanding creation! I believe that it was the #1 project over at Lumberjocks the day I saw it. I've seen a lot of segmented turnings, but nothing else that incorporates that degree of organic curvature and detail. How much time did all that require?

I do hope that you will use this forum, and share some of your expertise with us! One of the things that I couldn't figure out about your process was the black stuff used to bond the large segments (and to highlight the seams, I believe). In some shots it looks looks like a poured/formed resin, and it others it appeared almost tape-like. What is that stuff?

[reible]

That is certainly a "WOW" project! Thanks for letting us share your project over here.

Also welcome to the forum! Would love to see more of what you do and do so well.

Sorry about all the distractions, that tends to happen from time to time. One of the cases of taking the bad with the good, distractions and all.

Ed

I just saw this project posted over on LumberJocks, and thought you guys would like to see it too. Check it out.

Flower bowl.JPG

The turning was done on a Shopsmith with a speed reducer. Here's a link to some process photos. I strongly suspect that the process used to "stretch it out" (the glued-up blank) involves a Ring Master, but the author didn't give any details.

Hey, I'm the guy who made that bowl, thanks for posting it. Sorry, but there was no Ring Master involved in this project. You are correct in that I did cut it into rings, though I used a thin parting tool on the lathe to do so, not a Ring Master. Cutting and fitting all the pieces for the blank was, of course, the bulk of the work on this project.

[BedHedNed]

I just saw this project posted over on LumberJocks, and thought you guys would like to see it too. Check it out.

Flower bowl.JPG

The turning was done on a Shopsmith with a speed reducer. Here's a link to some process photos. I strongly suspect that the process used to "stretch it out" (the glued-up blank) involves a Ring Master, but the author didn't give any details.

Hey, I'm the guy who made that bowl, thanks for posting it. Sorry, but there was no Ring Master involved in this project. You are correct in that I did cut it into rings, though I used a thin parting tool on the lathe to do so, not a Ring Master. Cutting and fitting all the pieces for the blank was, of course, the bulk of the work on this project.

Welcome to the Shopsmith Forums, and congratulations on a truly outstanding creation! I believe that it was the #1 project over at Lumberjocks the day I saw it. I've seen a lot of segmented turnings, but nothing else that incorporates that degree of organic curvature and detail. How much time did all that require?

I do hope that you will use this forum, and share some of your expertise with us! One of the things that I couldn't figure out about your process was the black stuff used to bond the large segments (and to highlight the seams, I believe). In some shots it looks looks like a poured/formed resin, and it others it appeared almost tape-like. What is that stuff?

I'm actually relatively new to woodturning, believe it or not. It took several months to complete, however a lot of that time was spent figuring out how to do it and practicing the techniques I planned on using. Making the blank was more like an intarsia project than segmented woodturning.

The "black stuff" is actually just black dyed veneer; it isn't bonding the pieces together. The pieces are just glued together with ordinary wood glue, the veneer was glued between them to highlight the seams (as you said) and increase contrast. The veneer was thin and flexible enough to conform to the curves when I clamped the pieces together.

[BuckeyeDennis]

I'm actually relatively new to woodturning, believe it or not. It took several months to complete, however a lot of that time was spent figuring out how to do it and practicing the techniques I planned on using. Making the blank was more like an intarsia project than segmented woodturning.

The "black stuff" is actually just black dyed veneer; it isn't bonding the pieces together. The pieces are just glued together with ordinary wood glue, the veneer was glued between them to highlight the seams (as you said) and increase contrast. The veneer was thin and flexible enough to conform to the curves when I clamped the pieces together.

Well, the thing is even more amazing, if you're new to woodturning!

I'm guessing that some of the black die in the veneer leached into the wood glue, making it look like resin to me in some of the photos. But that cleaned up nicely when you faced it.

It must have taken nerves of steel to start slicing the finished blank into rings ... especially freehand.

[algale]

I'm glad this thread is back on topic (yes I was at fault for getting it off topic)! I'm also glad to see that BedHedNed has found this Forum!

I, too, would like to know more about how the blank for this spectacular project was created. If you have more photos of the process, please share them! Tell us, did you use the Shopsmith in any way (other than as a lathe) to put this project together?

[BedHedNed]

It must have taken nerves of steel to start slicing the finished blank into rings ... especially freehand.

Oh it did, believe me. That's actually the only reason I took pictures of it before turning it; I was proud of myself just for making the blank and decided to take some pictures in case I destroyed it on the lathe. I didn't slice up my blank immediately, first I practiced on a round piece of MDF to get the technique down, then a simpler blank made from hickory. Only then did I feel comfortable enough to try it out on the complex blank I spent so much time fitting and gluing up.

I, too, would like to know more about how the blank for this spectacular project was created. If you have more photos of the process, please share them! Tell us, did you use the Shopsmith in any way (other than as a lathe) to put this project together?

No more photos, sorry. I used the Shopsmith quite a bit, yes. I used both the bandsaw and jigsaw attachments to cut pieces out as well as the disc sander. I drew up the pattern I wanted in GIMP, printed it out and transferred the shapes I needed to cut out onto wood with carbon paper. I cut slightly outside the line, then used a spindle sander (Ridgid, not Shopsmith) to sand to the line. I then fit the pieces to each other by taking two pieces and holding them up to the light to see if light peaked through. I then sanded down the high spots until no light peaked through.

Regarding the purpleheart "leaves", I cut a purpleheart board into 1/4" wide strips on the bandsaw, cut some strips of yellow dyed veneer, and placed the yellow veneer between the purpleheart strips before gluing it all back together into a single board again. The leaf parts were then cut from that.

The glue up process itself was complicated and done in sections.

I had been wanting to get into woodturning for a while, a bought the Shopsmith off craigslist about six months ago. Initially, I was looking for a lathe, when I saw this weird lathe kinda looking thing for sale. I did some research and discovered it was exactly what I needed; I have a small shop (I live in a condo in the city) so the Shopsmith was perfect. I'd been practicing lathe work (and some other stuff) almost daily for the past six months or so.

[BuckeyeDennis]

BedHedNed, I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that you have computer-programming experience. I've never seen anyone else figure out how to manipulate quotes on this forum platform on their third post!

Furthermore, based solely on how methodical you were in developing your process and technique, I strongly suspect that you are an engineer. Am I right?