• July 2025 Turning Challenge: Turn a Multi-axis Weed Pot! (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Bobby McCarly for "Hemostatmorphodon" being selected as Turning of the Week for July 7, 2025 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

What’s on your lathe?

John K Jordan said:
Do you sell these, give away/donate to charities, or eat a lot of soup and cereal?

JKJ
Click to expand...
I do sell them on a small scale (enough to pay for my hobby) but I’m also a teacher nearing retirement so I’m stockpiling bowls and other turned items for future sales when I have more time for marketing/festivals… right now I just really enjoy the making and the refining of my work (though I do feel a little awkward at the sheer number of finished bowls I have on hand🤷‍♂️)
 
The good and the bad today 😁.
The good: sold a large 18” maple bowl at the gallery this week so I turned a 17-5/8” to replace it with today. Will raise the grain, final sand, and oil tomorrow.
The bad: finished sand and turn the foot off one of the bowls from the growth impersonating a burl. The maple turn black in places for some reason. Once oiled I saw a tool mark so will need to sand it out once oil is cured.
The good: I think I have the final dry brushing done on the hollow form.
The bad: Have to do some home improvement, grading, and waiting for the concrete guy to show up, so no lathe work for a few days.
Couple more bad things from today but you don’t want to hear about the freezer and dishwasher, what a day😂.

1752189917688.jpeg
1752189842089.jpeg
1752189797726.jpeg
 
Last edited:
I have a pointfree cone in the hole and have just enough pressure to friction hold the bottomto the chuck. I have a piece of tape on the bottom to keep it from scratching. It will spin or move with to much pressure. I'm trying Wood 716 finish and have the lathe as slow as it will go for the uv light to set it off.
The locust is a burl with holes in it so it is being a bit finicky. Doesn't seem that hard to cut though.
IMG_2053.jpg
 
Someone ask if I would make them a lidded box. I told them I made some in the past but it had been a couple years and I would when I had time. So I grabbed a small bowl and a piece of scrap walnut for the top and turned one today. Now I need to decide on the wood for the finial. Not my best work but it has been a couple years😁

1752436610812.jpeg

1752436580883.jpeg

1752436548015.jpeg
 
Last edited:
David Wyke said:
Someone ask if I would make them a lidded box. I told them I made some in the past but it had been a couple years but I would when I had time. So I grabbed a small bowl and a piece of scrap walnut for the top and turned one today. Now I need to decide on the wood for the finial. Not my best work but it has been a couple years😁

View attachment 77407

View attachment 77406

View attachment 77405
Click to expand...
I think it’s great! Grain match is awesome. But what I like the most is you made a HF looking box!
 
David Wyke said:
I noticed that😁. Two totally separated pieces of wood so lucky they matched up.
Click to expand...
David Wyke said:
Now I need to decide on the wood for the finial.
Click to expand...
Gonna look great, David. For the finial/knob I would recommend a light colored contrasting wood, i.e., holly, maple, etc. I think a little (emphasis on little) bit of texture on the raised area of the lid will add a lot to the look of the piece. Also, a slight (small) bevel on both the top & bottom parts will emphasize that it is a "box" and will further disguise any grain misalignment.
 
Tom Gall said:
Gonna look great, David. For the finial/knob I would recommend a light colored contrasting wood, i.e., holly, maple, etc. I think a little (emphasis on little) bit of texture on the raised area of the lid will add a lot to the look of the piece. Also, a slight (small) bevel on both the top & bottom parts will emphasize that it is a "box" and will further disguise any grain misalignment.
Click to expand...
I like the bevel idea but have already started finishing the piece. I wish you had replied sooner 😁
 
David Wyke said:
I like the bevel idea but have already started finishing the piece. I wish you had replied sooner 😁
Click to expand...

I've "softened" the edges of many things after the fact using very fine sandpaper (800 or finer) backed up by a soft white eraser. (More of a gentle rounding than a bevel.) Then rub in a bit of finish with a cloth, just on the edge. Gives a nice tiny highlight on the edge. But I mostly use oil finishes.

JKJ
 
David Wyke said:
The good and the bad today 😁.
The good: sold a large 18” maple bowl at the gallery this week so I turned a 17-5/8” to replace it with today. Will raise the grain, final sand, and oil tomorrow.
The bad: finished sand and turn the foot off one of the bowls from the growth impersonating a burl. The maple turn black in places for some reason. Once oiled I saw a tool mark so will need to sand it out once oil is cured.
The good: I think I have the final dry brushing done on the hollow form.
The bad: Have to do some home improvement, grading, and waiting for the concrete guy to show up, so no lathe work for a few days.
Couple more bad things from today but you don’t want to hear about the freezer and dishwasher, what a day😂.

View attachment 77327
View attachment 77326
View attachment 77325
Click to expand...

That maple is wild!

My A/C died a week ago so I know the feeling. A/C units are stupid expensive ($10k for a 4 ton).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top