Shopsmith Forums

fiatben wrote:Couple more quick and easy (relatively speaking) gifts that are done:
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Nice work sir, do tell how you carved the dish in the spoon...

fiatben wrote:Martin, thos pens look great. Almost makes me want to go out and finish the 100+ blanks I've got lying in wait.

A couple of them are a little fat in the middle...just like me!:eek:

myoung44708 wrote:A couple of them are a little fat in the middle...just like me!:eek:

Martin I agree, beautiful Pens. As to middle fat, I like pens like that. They are more comfortable for my fat fingers to hold. Fjimp

mrhart wrote:Nice work sir, do tell how you carved the dish in the spoon...

I wish I could offer up some sure-fire fail-safe easy-as-pie way to do that.

But I can't.

Let's see (I shoulda took pictures).... I got some out with a box bit mounted in a trim router with the fence removed. Some more came out with a 1/2" forstner bit in my little bench-top drill press and being careful to not poke it all the way thru, and I even put a little round carving thingy in my Dremel to smooth out the leftovers from the Forstner bit. Some 80-grit sand paper while watching TV (it's a really good time to sand a small project) and finally just decided that good enough was truly good enough and the rough inside of the bowl gave it character.

I'm sure there are methods that work. There are books on the subject of making spoons. I posted a thread under the Beginners Forum on how to hog out wood but didn't go buy the $30 carving head for my hand grinder. And I didn't have any good carving chisels to work with.

The finish on both of these is just mineral oil since these will be working kitchen utensils.

mrhart wrote:I found a guy on the internet and bought a dvd to learn his methods....a handheld grinder with a 3 tooth grinding wheel....I never would have thought of that.

Never heard of one of these. Any details??

JPG40504 wrote:Indeed it does! Weird there also!:D It must grow strangely.

It's a landscaping ornamental, valued not only for its showy display but its multi-trunk look.
Here it is before I cut down the dead ones (a couple were still alive and I left them).
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LESS THAN 5 DAYS UNTIL Christmas for those of you (us) who are working under pressure. I was thinking I had 4 more evenings and maybe a little time on Saturday to finish up. But then it occured to me I have all night Christmas Eve as well (but have yet to discuss this with Mrs Claus). With this new plan, I am soo much less stressed out now...as long as I don't sit here at work and think about it.

C'mon, guys! I feel like I've hogged this thread and I know for a fact that a bunch of you have some really great projects to go under the tree, and I'm also only too aware that most of you are much more proficient at the art of wood than I am.

I'd absolutely love to see what you guys are up to, even if it isn't done. Every post you guys make with pics is an inspiration to me to aspire to better woodworking.

One of the last American Woodworker electronic "newsletters" shows how to make a "Magic Coin Bank". Here's a linkto how it is constructed and how it works. I've got 3 grand kids and one more on the way. I'm thinkin Grampa Santa needs to do these for next year.

Now, how's that for an unfinished project to post
No, I'm not finished with this year's list yet.....but it's fun to find these things.

[ATTACH]15310[/ATTACH]Well here are a few of the pens I have made this year for Christmas, The Bethlehem wood pens have gone the quickest. Really makes some nice looking pen.