# Post your photos of a wide variety of turnings



## JohnInTexas (Apr 1, 2014)

I have searched here several times for ideas to help my imagination and have some direction when I select a piece of wood to turn and to help shape the wood. Nothing ever seems to end the way I thought it would when I first put the wood on the lathe because the nature of the wood often decides what the final piece will look like.

To help people like me, share photos of your favorite pieces, even if it wasn't a perfect piece but you think the idea or the shape might help a fellow turner.

I'll post one first to get started. This was an experiment because I was having trouble with wood cracking while drying so I took out all of the inside of this piece...it's just a hollow sycamore sleeve.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Last year we had this thread to have folks post their latest turning. It did not stay active for long.

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f6/todays-turnings-56818/


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

This project was my second attempt at turning. It's nothing glamorous, just part of a job I had. My first turning was a tiny Red Oak replacement knob for an old Singer sewing machine cabinet.

If I didn't have a lathe (and mine is a cheap import), I would have had to buy all these spindles. This was the front office for a medical office that I was doing all the cabinetwork. It worked out great and was easier than I thought.








 








.


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## cuerodoc (Jan 27, 2012)

Yep, I remember the thread--I'm thinking most didn't use 'cause the poster was just that--part of a thread & not separate.

John---if you want pics to look at, just look at the albums for the guys that post on the turning section. Like you, my blanks are never predestined to be anything--an idea--then knock off what doesn't belong, but I "listen" to the wood.


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## JohnInTexas (Apr 1, 2014)

Hmmm, thanks for the input on the past thread....when I searched for ideas, I found just what Dave said...they were all short and I had to do a lot of digging just to brainstorm for new things to make. Think it would be cool to have a nice long thread with mostly photos...and links like cabinetman posted. Maybe we are so focused on our next project that it's not in our nature to go back and reconsider the past ones :detective:


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

I have to say your posts of the sycamore did inspire me.

Last weekend I went to my local lumber mill and they happened to have some short boards of quartersawn sycamore. I picked up a couple of the short boards.

I am using the quartersawn sycamore as the first layer in my next laminated segmented bowl.


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## JohnInTexas (Apr 1, 2014)

Here is a rolling pin....magnolia with Watco butcher block oil as the finish.


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## Hwood (Oct 21, 2011)

Something different for me. Pet urn in the works. walnut crotch top and bottom sections. took this my phone so picture is not so good.


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## jharris2 (Jul 9, 2012)

I made one of these yesterday as a gift and another today for myself.

Granted, this is nothing special but it was fun and its something I can use.


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## JohnInTexas (Apr 1, 2014)

I like them! The stand concept...like for the urn for Hwood's pet's ashes...wondering what I have that could use a nice wood stand. Jack, what do you use your pestle and mortar for? Sure, maybe it's simple compared to some but I haven't seen one here yet....nice lamination on the mortar.

Dave, post an update on the segmented bowl build when you have one. That's going to be a nice figured base section.


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

this is a concept more than a finished product









this is just some practice









This one was for my wife









This was my first square platter ... should have got better timber, not the end of a plank









This is the only bowl I've done on legs









and of course there are pens









I have a few more experimental things on the go and in the pipeline ... once worked out I will then focus on quality

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## jharris2 (Jul 9, 2012)

JohnInTexas said:


> ...what do you use your pestle and mortar for? Sure, maybe it's simple compared to some but I haven't seen one here yet....nice lamination on the mortar.


John, 

This was so simple I was almost embarrassed to post it.

It pales in comparison to the other work that's been posted. Really nice stuff guys.

I just laminated 3/4 x 5" maple squares together and alternated the grain.

I'll use it for making spice blends. I love to cook.


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

jharris2 said:


> John, This was so simple I was almost embarrassed to post it. It pales in comparison to the other work that's been posted. Really nice stuff guys. I just laminated 3/4 x 5" maple squares together and alternated the grain. I'll use it for making spice blends. I love to cook.


I was inspired by it and thought I should try one

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## jomarra (Nov 7, 2012)

*Yesterdays turnings*

A couple of Cherry bowls from a tree I cut down to build my shop.


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## JohnInTexas (Apr 1, 2014)

Dave, thanks for posting your variety of creativity! I enjoyed your spiraled pillars thread. And the cherry bowls jomarra just posted....look at all the center grain he front-lined and somehow didn't crack his pieces apart.

I posted a plain and simple rolling pin so don't let simplicity keep you in the sidelines. Maybe my "monolith" rolling pin will inspire some of you who have graduated into laminating to create a more artistic version.


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## pburri (Jan 17, 2014)

*A couple of mine*

OK, here are a couple that I have done in the past few years. Can you guess what the white material is in the "Good to the last drop" chalice?
Paul
Santa Barbara


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## JohnInTexas (Apr 1, 2014)

Paul, those pieces are definately inspiring! "Methinks" you are a carver and an artist.
I think I know what your white piece is made from but only because your photo was high quality :>) Doing the rim in the brown wood sure guilded the lilly.


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## guglipm63 (Feb 27, 2013)

pburri said:


> OK, here are a couple that I have done in the past few years. Can you guess what the white material is in the "Good to the last drop" chalice? Paul Santa Barbara


Paul, they look beautiful. I gotta say that white stuff looks like styrofoam and if so it brilliant


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## JohnInTexas (Apr 1, 2014)

pburri said:


> Can you guess what the white material is in the "Good to the last drop" chalice?
> Paul
> Santa Barbara


I'm pretty sure Paul had a nice big breakfast in preparation for this project :laughing:


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## Travico (Dec 25, 2012)

Those are all NICE projects!!!!!!!!!!


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## pburri (Jan 17, 2014)

*"mystery" material in goblet*

No, it's not styrofoam. It's an ostrich egg.
Paul
Santa Barbara


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## JohnInTexas (Apr 1, 2014)

The stark white of the egg shell really did bring out the colors in your wood pieces. I'm curious, did you use your lathe to turn off the top of the egg shell? With just the right tools, I suppose one could even cut the shell into several bands and insert a wood turning between the bands...like collars. I never tried to cut an ostritch egg....is there a way to do it?


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## Bonanza35 (Jan 20, 2011)

jomarra said:


> A couple of Cherry bowls from a tree I cut down to build my shop.


I really like that concept. It's neat to see almost the entire cross section of the log.


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## Cicolid (Apr 10, 2010)

Club competition entry. Must be 80% turned.

C&C welcome.
Col


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## bailey h (Nov 2, 2012)

pburri Congradulations for the fine work on all of those pieces you have made. They are outstanding thank you for posting.


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## JohnInTexas (Apr 1, 2014)

I was told this was walnut but it seemed too soft...so I'm not sure what it is. I'm posting it here because I liked the effect of leaving the raw wood with worm holes as the base.


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## pburri (Jan 17, 2014)

*Chalice*

For those of you who are interested, the white material is an ostrich eggshell. I bandsawed the top off and smoothed it carefully with a file. The black "last drop" is ebony.
Paul
Santa Barbara


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## Bonanza35 (Jan 20, 2011)

These are my attempt at hair barrettes. They seem really big to me but I think it's what my wife wanted. I'll let you know after she gets them on Mother's Day. My 8 year old gets credit for the painting. It's a pretty quick project once the reverse chucking is figured out. I used a vacuum chuck which was very helpful on these.


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

Bonanza35 said:


> These are my attempt at hair barrettes. They seem really big to me but I think it's what my wife wanted. I'll let you know after she gets them on Mother's Day. My 8 year old gets credit for the painting. It's a pretty quick project once the reverse chucking is figured out. I used a vacuum chuck which was very helpful on these.


I like them ... something I would never have thought of

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## bigcouger (Jan 4, 2012)

Here is a few of my turnings I have done over time, I have done more but here is a sample :yes:


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## Bonanza35 (Jan 20, 2011)

Bonanza35 said:


> These are my attempt at hair barrettes. They seem really big to me but I think it's what my wife wanted. I'll let you know after she gets them on Mother's Day. My 8 year old gets credit for the painting. It's a pretty quick project once the reverse chucking is figured out. I used a vacuum chuck which was very helpful on these.


Update: The round ones received feigned enthusiasm but she genuinely loved the more rectangular one. A trip to the belt sander will fix the problem on the unpainted one. Not sure I can fix the painted one. Maybe it would be a good refrigerator magnet.


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## JohnInTexas (Apr 1, 2014)

I never cease to be amazed by the red in the bnox elder. Guess I need to see if I have any in this area. Not that I have run out of wood in my shop to play with!


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

JohnInTexas said:


> I never cease to be amazed by the red in the bnox elder. Guess I need to see if I have any in this area. Not that I have run out of wood in my shop to play with!


The man to talk to is Kevin over on Woodbarter.com ... he's somewhere in Texas, so that's got to be close to you hasn't it? :laughing:


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

JohnInTexas said:


> ?.... Nothing ever seems to end the way I thought it would when I first put the wood on the lathe because the nature of the wood often decides what the final piece will look like....


I understand and sympathize with the frustrations that you are currently feeling because it is something that each of us experienced in the learning process. It is frustrating to be humbled by a little chunk of wood when, in all of our past experiences with flat woodworking we were the master and the wood obeyed our every wish (well, most of the time).

Like you and most other beginners we often proudly proclaimed that "we decided to listen to what the wood wanted us to make". Unfortunately, that is just an easy way for beginners to justify the results and also somewhat of a misinterpretation of the meaning of paying attention to what is going on with the wood. We have all done that.

In my opinion, a key to advancing in turning skills is to begin with a definite plan and adhere to it. If something goes wrong take time to critically determine the root cause. This might include asking for help online, but most of the time the cause will be apparent. Once things are sorted out, go back to reattempt the project -- as many tries as necessary. Work on simple basic forms. Don't equate ornate with artistic or as being skillful because while as beginners we are proud of making something, almost always our creations are an accurate reflection of where we are in this journey and that we are still travelers who have yet to arrive at the destination. I'm not there yet because I frequently take time off to explore side roads. As the late Andy Hoyt always said, "Only the blue roads".

I sort of doubt that seeing picture of things that others have made is the answer to what you are seeking, but maybe it will serve to give you encouragement. We all want to skip what we see as the little beginning steps and get on with the business of making something. If you don't have any books or videos on the basics, I would highly recommend that as a good starting place. There are lots of YouTube videos, but sorting the good from the bad isn't always easy. Even the good ones are often condensed. As a first DVD video, Alan Lacer and Richard Raffan have some good ones. After learning some of the simple initial skills, I highly recommend Bill Grumbine's excellent DVD on bowl turning basics. If you have a club in reasonable driving distance of your location, that is probably the best way to learn.

Anyway, my suggestions are just another path to learning that you might consider. I am not a professional nor an expert, but after ten years of beating on wood, I feel like I have a few ideas to share -- and maybe some might actually be useful. Even a blind hog finds an acorn now and then.


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## JohnInTexas (Apr 1, 2014)

Bill, thanks for the good thoughts from your experience. You are right, I started this thread to help me brainstorm but for all others who might come to this forum, from the experienced to the greenhorns like I. I have a great wood shop locally but, alas, they don't give turning workshops! He said it was because everyone has a different method, but I thought that was all the more reason to have workshops. I have learned tons from this forum and thanks to all who have directly answered questions I had and also to all who post their experience. Some of the youtube videos have helped me learn ways to use the tools of the trade but the instructional vids you mentioned would probably help remove a few frustrating moments...and maybe even some skinned knuckles :>) The path along this learning curve has been fun and I have a nice pile of wood shavings around my grape arbor.


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

JohnInTexas said:


> .... alas, they don't give turning workshops! He said it was because everyone has a different method, but I thought that was all the more reason to have workshops...


I would say that you are right on target and the other guy doesn't really know much about turning. The ones who each have a unique style are probably some who could gain a lot from what the rest of the world has to share. The few Lone Ranger turners who I have met are generally scrapers regardless of what tool might be in their hands.


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## pburri (Jan 17, 2014)

*"When an old man dies, a library burns down." African proverb*

Bill,

I agree with you on most of what you say. I would add that when one originally plans a piece, the planning should include some thinking about the "what if's" - also known as Plan B. I usually have a reasonably good idea about what might go wrong - especially when it is a strange or new piece that I'm working on and have a pretty good idea on how I will get around that problem.

Another thing I have been thinking about echoes your comments about Richard Raffan and others. A lot of the work I see seems to have been done competently enough but a lot of the design needs improvement. I have looked at clunky and awkward pieces that could be greatly improved with a little more thought about the design itself. I, personally, think that Raffan's book on woodturning design is a must for every turner.

Paul
Santa Barbara



Bill Boehme said:


> I understand and sympathize with the frustrations that you are currently feeling because it is something that each of us experienced in the learning process. It is frustrating to be humbled by a little chunk of wood when, in all of our past experiences with flat woodworking we were the master and the wood obeyed our every wish (well, most of the time).
> 
> Like you and most other beginners we often proudly proclaimed that "we decided to listen to what the wood wanted us to make". Unfortunately, that is just an easy way for beginners to justify the results and also somewhat of a misinterpretation of the meaning of paying attention to what is going on with the wood. We have all done that.
> 
> ...


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## JohnInTexas (Apr 1, 2014)

Since the discussion has touched on planning and on design, I'm going to put up a photo here that I shared in a different thread (Sycamore Pot). The purpose of this thread was to share photos of lots of different types of pieces to help me and others brainstorm ideas for what to make next and what shapes are appealing to our eye and to the eyes of others. The pot below was a first hollwed out pot for me and I like the wood color and I'm proud of the piece because it was a success of sorts but it was poorly planned, looks like a snake that ate several meals that haven't been digested, and the proportions are all wrong for the base, the body, the neck, and the rim. It's interesting to me that the eye finds some shapes appealing and others awkward and unbalanced, even, and maybe most especially, in art forms. Maybe the resources Bill and Paul have suggested above tell why but I have wondered if our eyes are taught what is appealing by early Egyptian and Native Indian pottery, the shapes of trees, or even our own body shapes as humans. If I made a pot that had the dimensions of "the perfect woman" for example, would it appear balanced and beautiful? I am currently working on a pot that is reminiscent of Native American Indian pottery that I have seen and I already like it better than the shape of this piece.


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

JohnInTexas said:


> .... and I'm proud of the piece because it was a success of sorts but it was poorly planned, looks like a snake that ate several meals that haven't been digested, and the proportions are all wrong for the base, the body, the neck, and the rim....


It is an accomplishment to be justifiably proud of. It is also good that you are critically evaluating your own work and see things that can be improved. I predict that pretty soon you will feel the need to refer to your hollow form creations as vases instead of pots. :yes:



JohnInTexas said:


> .... It's interesting to me that the eye finds some shapes appealing and others awkward and unbalanced, even, and maybe most especially, in art forms. Maybe the resources Bill and Paul have suggested above tell why but I have wondered if our eyes are taught what is appealing by early Egyptian and Native Indian pottery, the shapes of trees, or even our own body shapes as humans.....


I see it as being an indication that certain forms have withstood the test of time rather than being considered good just because of their origin. Take a look at Lyle Jamieson's site and decide for yourself whether certain forms found in nature are naturally attractive. I think that he has made a good case for that point of view.

Throughout history there must be lots of forms that nobody ever thought was appealing -- I am personally responsible for some of the recent crimes against art. Now, when I see my total lack of artistic talent in things that I turned ten years ago, it actually make me feel good ... because I can see that I have made progress. If I still thought that they looked great, that would be real cause for concern.


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## JohnInTexas (Apr 1, 2014)

Bill, I hope you are right....I suppose a pot is to a vase as an odor is to an aroma...and I hope to migrate slowly to the latter.


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## JohnInTexas (Apr 1, 2014)

Here is an unfinished piece I'll post as an idea seed. A neighbor's orange grove lost a bunch of trees to cold weather this past winter and she let me pick through the burn pile for wood. This piece had damage from the bulldozer that I had to turn off. It's a unique piece because it's at the graft union of the stump. The root stock , probably trifoliate orange, grew to a larger diameter than the grafted in satsuma orange. It's an interesting shape to work with and could be a candidate for leaving most of the bark if it's not damaged.


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## JohnInTexas (Apr 1, 2014)

Here is an unusual reason to turn wood, although not a new use. Lignum vitae bearings. This particular turning is interesting because they fabricated the blank with all end-grain facing out.


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

I love lignum vitae -- never had any pieces that size though!



JohnInTexas said:


> ... they fabricated the blank with all end-grain facing out.


This makes perfect sense, for several reasons.

It means the glue-up is face-grain to face-grain, which is much stronger than end-grain glue-ups. (The only reason typical segmented blanks can get away with end-grain glue-ups is that the layers are off-set so there's a face-grain glue-up that acts as a splint across the weak end-grain miter joints.)

It also means that the load-bearing and working surfaces are end-grain. Just like a butcher block chopping board -- the end grain is a lot more wear resistant than the face grain.


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

Lignum vitae bearings built that exact same way have been used since the beginning of steam powered ships and up to perhaps 50 years ago or less. There are probably still some ships that have that type of bearing where the propeller shaft goes through the hull. Sea water is a natural lubricant for that type of bearing. Back in the early days of steam powered ships, it was also discovered that lignum vitae can explode under very hot humid conditions, such as might be encountered in the engine room where there was a coal fired steam engine.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Interesting video. :thumbsup:

I did not know about lignum vitae bearings or their use on steam ships. Always enjoyable to learn something new, or in this case a new piece of information on an old topic. :yes:


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

Bill Boehme said:


> Lignum vitae bearings built that exact same way have been used since the beginning of steam powered ships and up to perhaps 50 years ago or less.


Yes -- and at least one nuclear-powered submarine used lignum vitae bearings for it's propeller shaft.

The pulley blocks on sailing ships used it; in San Francisco it was used as insulating supports for the overhead power cables of the street cars.

It's good stuff ... and smells great when you turn it :thumbsup:


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

As far as I know, the only true Lignum Vitae came from Haiti and probably a few other islands in the Caribbean, but whatever is left is probably endangered. The stuff that is sold today as LV hardly resembles the real stuff. It is sold as Argentinian Lignum Vitae and is green colored. The real LV is yellow to brown and often has chocolate brown dark streaks. It is also very waxy feeling while the Argentinian LV is relatively dry feeling. I have a carvers mallet made of true Haitian LV that I bought about 40 years ago. I also have some Argentinian LV turning blanks that I have bought recently. The only similarity is that they are both heavy.


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

genuine LV is still available


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

I did a web search and found that there are at least 100 closely related varieties scattered throughout the Caribbean and Central America and some are considered superior to other varieties. So, the "real" lignum vitae question doesn't necessarily have a single answer. I read an excerpt from an old text that speculated that the best varieties may be near extinction, if not already extinct, and this was written in the early 1900's. Sadly, one of the most common uses for the wood in the early and mid 1900's was for charcoal because it made very long burning coals.


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