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What’s on your lathe?

Use your Magic only for good.

Yes! When I invite someone to come and have one made while they watch I send this invitation:

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Inside, in the same font, is this:

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{Name] may exchange this voucher for one (1) genuine magic wand, custom made by famous wandmaker Mr John. The monetary value is not to exceed 9 galleons.

[Name] is invited to visit the wandmaker in his shop and choose the perfect wood for her own personal wand.

Responsibility of the Owner
The wand may not be used for any evil or selfish purpose.
The wand may not be used to play tricks on helpless people or cats.
The owner will be responsible for any damage from misuse of the wand.
No muggle must ever touch the wand or see it in use.

Care of Wand
Take care to protect the wand from the elements, although it will withstand occasional use in rain or snow (or yuck, mountain troll snot.) Wipe off any moisture. You may occasionally apply a soft paste wax with a soft cloth. Do not sit on the wand or allow a dragon to step on it. Please use a charm to open cans rather than pry with the wand.

Warranty
Each custom wand is guaranteed against defects in workmanship and materials for a period of 10 generations or 300 years, whichever comes first. Coverage for lost and stolen wands is best described by the term "So Sorry." The warranty does not cover damage from childish pranks, carelessness, evil use, battle with evil forces, or chewing by an animal such as a cute puppy. For warranty service, return in person to Mr John or send by owl.

Legal Notice
Please note that in the tradition of wandmaking, the wandmaker is not to be held responsible for any misuse, including but not limited to damage, pain, or humiliation to the owner or others. Please use it responsibly and it will give you a lifetime of service!

About the Wandmaker
Taught by the grandson of Garrick Ollivander, Mr John has carried on the tradition of generations of fine wandmakers serving the best of wizarding society. He has made hundreds of wands and is best known for his custom, one-of-a-kind wand creations.


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I print these invitations on parchment paper, fold so just the first part is visible, then seal with real sealing wax, with a "J" monogram. When sending to a child (with their parent's permission, of course), I give the parents an unsealed copy on plain paper so they can read what's inside. One mother said her daughter wanted to save the invitation without breaking the wax seal so she let her read the copy! (BTW, Venice, Italy has some of the best little paper shops I've ever seen, a great place to get sealing wax, brass seal stamps, and special paper.)

Making custom wands (and other things) for people while they watch is one of the most enjoyable things ever!

And I've had a number of students excited to make wands. I always start new students with turning spindles with the skew in hand, then the spindle gouge. After some experience, wands are on the agenda, since I, and some others, believe spindle turning, especially thin spindles, is the best way to learn the fine tool control that will allow turning anything.

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JKJ
 
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When I invite someone to come and have one made while they watch I send this invitation:
WooHoo! That is so awesome!
I have a letter I also send with my Premium and Ultimate Magic Wands that include a Magical Core.
When I have some, it also gets printed on special paper. It includes a list of over a dozen items
placed into the Magical Core out of my personal apothecary of magical items. Sometimes I need
to aploogize because I have run out of Dragon Heart Strings.
(The list is kept secret between me the wandmaker and the new owner of the wand...
however, one of the items I would like to include is so incredibly hard to find that I substitute
Peacock Feathers for Pheonix Feathers.)
 
Red Mallee burl. This one was completed twice because a chunk of wood came loose along the rim. The original design looked better, but I'm lucky to have salvaged this piece.

=o=
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Some of you may remember when I posted this bowl recently. Well, after contemplating it's flaws that were the result of something I could have done better, I decided to return it to the lathe yesterday to re-do the detail grooves.

I was a bit hesitant because the basic block of wood was about $150.....didn't want to screw this one up!

These are before and after photos. I like the new version on the right much better..... :)

After rereading the original post.....I see this is the third time I had to return this one to the lathe. This has happened a lot recently!

=o=

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One of my "Small Squarish Dished Platters", this one only 7.5" across, Made from hard, dry Persimmon (white ebony, american ebony). The wood had dried for maybe 6 years.

Here it's on, or rather, back on the lathe. I usually turn most of these with a small Hunter Hercules tool, cut a recess with a 1/8" diamond parting tool and smooth the bottom of the recess with a narrow NRS. (The recess stays in final piece.) Detail courtesy of my smallest Wicked Point tool.

After turning I took it off the lathe and mounted in a Best Wood Tools carving/finishing post for smoothing and sanding. Here it has the first of maybe six coats of "danish" oil on the bottom, soaking in. Will let it dry overnight then apply the second coat in the morning.
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Here it's in the carving/finishing post after smoothing with hand scrapers and sandpaper. (This wood is so hard I had to start with 320 grit after scraping.) Sanding is first by hand where needed, then the larger curved surface sanded with gentle ROS motion from a Grex pistol grip pneumatic ROS, 2" disk. Then a bit of sanding with 400/600 grit by hand and initial coat of oil applied.

BTW, I like the BTW carving/finishing post better than others I've seen because of the two-lever design. Loosening the upper lever lets me rotate the piece about it's axis while keeping the tilt angle unchanged, making some operations easier than single lever designs.
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I turn, smooth, and finish the entire bottom before reversing and turning the top. To turn and smooth the bottom, I hold the blank with a Glaser screw chuck in a 1/4" dia hole. Then reverse and hold in the 2" radius recess and turn a shallow dish shape in the top.

With hard wood, the recess doesn't have to be deep - the recess on the bottom of this one is about 5/64" deep, just over 1/16". Plenty deep for Persimmon. If a turner enjoys getting an occasional catch, uses softer wood, or uses dinged up chuck jaws, a slightly deeper recess might be appropriate.
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JKJ
 
Debit bowl in process. This bowl is payment for three quilted ambrosia maple logs a friend gave me. It was rough turned about 14 months ago and when the tenon is removed before the second coat of walnut oil is applied it will measure 13-1/2” x 6-1/2” or 6-3/4” tall.
Now come the issue, I really like the color in this bowl but it does not have a lot of the quilting that the others have. So, do I keep this one and find them another one😁😁? Decisions, decisions😁….I’ll give them this one.

I’ve finish turned 8 bowls over the last week and a half for various orders. Three nice bowls were donated to a yearly fundraiser I’m involved in to raise money for women and children of domestic violence and should raise around $800 +/-. It’s a large auction and many local artist donate and one woodturner, me.
Now I have to turn 8 green bowls to replace what was taken out of inventory, so back to the shop!! I love this hobby!!

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