Shopsmith Forums

I started making some Christmas ornaments the first week of December just prior to the Shopsmith lathe duplicator ad. So off and on over the last two weeks I made a set of 12: 6 walnut, 3 red cedar, and 3 maple for son and family in Alaska. My wife put them in the mail Friday before I got pictures (I know it didn't happen). Here are some pictures from along the way and one I made yesterday.
I turned most of them with the duplicator on the Power Pro. I have the same issue as with the bandsaw of the fluctuation in speed making noise.

I moved the duplicator to the 520 and it worked much better.

I tried doing the turning from both 1 1/2"x1 1/2"x 7 1/8" stock and four pieces of 3/4"x7 1/8" stock glued together. The 1 1/2" stock has to be cut in quarters on the bandsaw after the inside turning. The four quarters method allows you to use up smaller stock and scrap.

Hi Redleg
I have not tried inside out turning yet but your post wants to make me try it. They look really cool. Difficult??
Bill V

Good morning Bill, I thought actually turning an inside out ornament without the duplicator was fairly easy after the first one. I use a spot of hot glue on the end of each quarter and masking tape for the inside turning. I use polyurethane to coat the inside of the turning while it is still on the lathe.

Here's one of the many videos I watched before starting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3Tws4X4moI


If you're going to do several then the setup time for the duplicator may be worth it. The cutter tips for the duplicator take off so little at a time that you need to get rid of as much stock as possible on the bandsaw.


I bought a new carbide round cutter in one of the Shopsmith sales but it didn't seem to be sharp enough. I had made a round one from a bolt when I did some chess pieces a couple of years ago and that had cut much better. However the shop mice must have got away with it.

redleg wrote: I use a spot of hot glue on the end of each quarter and masking tape for the inside turning.

Edit: I'm going to have to retract a recommendation to use hot glue. I glued up another 12 ornaments and had a real hard time getting them apart. I had to split them again with the bandsaw.

I added a generic hot glue stick from Big Lots and it worked to good especially on the red cedar. So back to a spot of Titebond, tape and leave over night.

Whenever I make something new to me it seems to get old before I'm finished. I have made 30 of the ornaments already so it's not new anymore. I have six more to go sometime soon.
I sharpened the round carbide cutter and what a difference.

Those look amazing!

Those are beautiful ornaments ... but 36 of them? Santa needs some elves!

Thanks Algale, I kind of like the cedar best.

Thanks, Buckeye.

Or fewer grandelves? Even Mrs. Santa disappears when the Shopsmith starts.

They look great!! How did you come up your design?

I googled inside out Christmas tree ornament for ideas, put a piece of wood on the lathe and tried a couple turnings until I found a design pleasing to my eye.