Shopsmith Forums

thunderbirdbat wrote: This will be an interesting project to practice turning on. I have been pruning my apple, cherry, peach and pear trees so maybe I can find a few larger size branches to use. I have only tried turning a couple of times years ago but is something I want to learn to do.

I just checked the bark area on my two and they are just under 2" in diameter, you might even go a little smaller if need be. I know the apple will be interesting as I've played with some of that before. The others might as well. I know I have seen pens turned from pear, for pens it would need to be dried to use.

It's like you do your part then nature completes your work with the cracks, a touch that gives it an unexpected artistically quality.

I hope to do at least one more this weekend, have to see if that happens. This is the first turning I have done with bark inclusions. So many things to explore with turning. Now I wish I had done more of it over the years.

Ed

thunderbirdbat wrote:This will be an interesting project to practice turning on. I have been pruning my apple, cherry, peach and pear trees so maybe I can find a few larger size branches to use. I have only tried turning a couple of times years ago but is something I want to learn to do.

Yes, lots of fun and good practice. Here is a thread on these from last year, Bud Vase - Twig Pot - Weed Pot
There are links to videos that will help get you started.

Thanks for the size info, Ed. I figured I would save most of the branches larger than an inch just for practice even if I can not make them into anything.

This is from some wood I got out of brush pile by my brothers up in northern WI last trip. No idea what it is.

I had the lathe set up so I wanted to turn a couple of these before they cracked to badly from just drying out in the shed. Some of the cracks you see were forming already before I turned them and others are forming as we speak. That is the interesting thing you just don't know what the project is going to end up looking like.

I turned these with bark inclusions, I've done that before but this time there were branch bits involved. One had a branch that had broken off sometime in the past and I decided to drill that area too so it can have some flowers out the side as well as out the top.

I did some pictures just now so they are not finished adjusting themselves but you can see where they are going. I rotated the pot so there are 5 shots of each one. I'll post the first five now then watch a wood working show on TV then come back and post the last 5.
Ed

And the second one:
Ed

I really like those turnings, Ed. I also like making those "weed pots". I have only made 2, and I like the way they mature after turning. By the way, which SS model are you turning with?

Very nice Ed. I agree with you on the cracking. Adds to the character of the piece. If you do want to turn one without cracking pick up a gallon of propylene glycol and submerge it after you turn it. They are small enough to get away with a gallon of it. The propylene glycol will displace the water and then it will stay stable and won’t crack.
Paul

During heating season on most days I haul about. 200 pounds of wood a day into the shop. Sometimes I have to slap my hands to keep from saving "almost everything"...

These were turned on my mark 7. They could be turned on any lathe but that is what I have setup for turning right now.

I like the term "mature" you used. I've been feeling like I've been maturing a lot lately, much like the pots.

Ed

Dansmith wrote:I really like those turnings, Ed. I also like making those "weed pots". I have only made 2, and I like the way they mature after turning. By the way, which SS model are you turning with?

When I was growing up we had a barrel stove in the basement and in the fall we would fill a room down there with wood. In the evening especially if I wanted to work down there, that is where the shop was, I fire up the stove. The heat would pretty quickly warm things up and in addition it would warm the upstairs somewhat. The floor in my bedroom wouldn't feel freezing cold on my feet when I went to bed...... I miss the sort of heat but I have an electric radiant heater in my shop now that reminds me of that same feeling. Never did weigh the wood we used but then we would only heat for about 4 or 5 hours most of the time. The exception was when it was going to be really cold, -30 or lower was the exception when we would throw in a couple of logs before bed and get a few extra hours.

Ed

robinson46176 wrote:During heating season on most days I haul about. 200 pounds of wood a day into the shop. Sometimes I have to slap my hands to keep from saving "almost everything"...