low_48
Member
Switching gears tonight getting ready for Christmas. Woods are hard maple burl heartwood/mahogany stem, wild veneer/hard maple stem, curly hard maple/osage stem.
Rich
Rich
Christmas ornaments
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pen-turners
Member
Very nice Rich!!! I did about 25 of these last year for Christmas presents and they went over really well. Everyone actually hung them on their mantels instead of trees so they could show them off better. I think my mom left hers there all year.
Chris
Chris
wpenm
Member
They look great. Good job Rich. My wife has been after me for several days now to start turning for Christmas. I just can't seem to get started until after Thanksgiving.
Garry
Garry
low_48
Member
I have the same experience. My Mom's whole collection stays out year-round. I think if a guy sold these for profit, he would want to sell stands as well and probably make a lot more money on the stands! Not many must get on the tree. I've sold all I can make around this time of year for the last 3 years for charity. All the proceeds go to the Peoria Children's Home. The money adds up alot faster than selling tops.
penhead
Local Chapter Leader
Those look really nice Rich.
I would love to make a couple for friends/relatives. Could you give maybe a few pointers or tips. Did you hollow yours out? The best size to keep them light enough to hang on a tree?
Thanks,
JohnPayton
I would love to make a couple for friends/relatives. Could you give maybe a few pointers or tips. Did you hollow yours out? The best size to keep them light enough to hang on a tree?
Thanks,
JohnPayton
low_48
Member
Sure John,
I start with a 2" cube of figured material for the sphere, and a 3/4" dowel, 6" long for the stem. I used to buy the dowels, but that's too expensive. Now I cut 3/4" square stock about 26" long and make 4 passes on my router table with a 3/8" roundover router bit. I keep the ends square to help register it on the router table. It's not 100% round, but it's all getting turned anyway as long as you can get it through the hole in the block. I bore a 3/4 hole in the block and let 1 1/2" of the dowel extend through the cube. (Drill a 1 1/4" hole in a 2x4 and put the cube on top of the hole. Tap the dowel through and when it hits the bench, you have 1 1/2" through the cube.) I use Titebond to glue them in. That gets you a blank. I grip about 5/8" of the dowel in a chuck and bring the tailstock up to turn. I turn the cube first and don't aim for a perfect sphere. I take at least 1/4 more off the top and bottom to get a slightly flat sphere. I then turn the bottom of the dowel and turn to a point to seperate about 1/2" off the end that is in the live center. Sand and polish the sphere and bottom. Leaving the top of the stem heavy lets you sand pretty agressively and let's you use a friction finish. Now turn down the top of the dowel and stop turning when you get to 1/4" diameter. Sand, polish, and finish the stem. Now turn the end of the stem and cut off with the gouge. Sand off the nub on the top and put a little finish on it. I final wax on the Beal buff system to bring out the highest shine.
I use french earring hoops (cheap ones from Jeffery Allans) to send through the 1/16" hole in the top. I use a 1/4" dowel to reshape the hook and trim to length with a wire cutter. You can also get wires that have a preformed small loop. I use an awl to open the loop, put it through the french earing small loop, and pinch it back with a pliers. Use the 1/4 dowel to form the hook on the wire.
These are a little heavy, but I learned a long time ago that I can't get $.25 more for them if they are light weight. Dick Sing can get $60 for his that only weigh ounces. I sell mine for charity and sell as many as I want to make for $25. I know the price is low, but all the money goes to charity.
My most important advice? Make a bunch of blanks. You will be very popular with these if you give them as gifts!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good Luck, Rich
<br />
I start with a 2" cube of figured material for the sphere, and a 3/4" dowel, 6" long for the stem. I used to buy the dowels, but that's too expensive. Now I cut 3/4" square stock about 26" long and make 4 passes on my router table with a 3/8" roundover router bit. I keep the ends square to help register it on the router table. It's not 100% round, but it's all getting turned anyway as long as you can get it through the hole in the block. I bore a 3/4 hole in the block and let 1 1/2" of the dowel extend through the cube. (Drill a 1 1/4" hole in a 2x4 and put the cube on top of the hole. Tap the dowel through and when it hits the bench, you have 1 1/2" through the cube.) I use Titebond to glue them in. That gets you a blank. I grip about 5/8" of the dowel in a chuck and bring the tailstock up to turn. I turn the cube first and don't aim for a perfect sphere. I take at least 1/4 more off the top and bottom to get a slightly flat sphere. I then turn the bottom of the dowel and turn to a point to seperate about 1/2" off the end that is in the live center. Sand and polish the sphere and bottom. Leaving the top of the stem heavy lets you sand pretty agressively and let's you use a friction finish. Now turn down the top of the dowel and stop turning when you get to 1/4" diameter. Sand, polish, and finish the stem. Now turn the end of the stem and cut off with the gouge. Sand off the nub on the top and put a little finish on it. I final wax on the Beal buff system to bring out the highest shine.
I use french earring hoops (cheap ones from Jeffery Allans) to send through the 1/16" hole in the top. I use a 1/4" dowel to reshape the hook and trim to length with a wire cutter. You can also get wires that have a preformed small loop. I use an awl to open the loop, put it through the french earing small loop, and pinch it back with a pliers. Use the 1/4 dowel to form the hook on the wire.
These are a little heavy, but I learned a long time ago that I can't get $.25 more for them if they are light weight. Dick Sing can get $60 for his that only weigh ounces. I sell mine for charity and sell as many as I want to make for $25. I know the price is low, but all the money goes to charity.
My most important advice? Make a bunch of blanks. You will be very popular with these if you give them as gifts!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good Luck, Rich
Fred in NC
Member
Rich, thank you very much for the tutuorial. The ornaments are beautiful, and the way you make them is simpler and faster. Nobody sees the hollow interior anyway, and they can be hung on the heavier branches of the tree if needed.
penhead
Local Chapter Leader
Thanks Rich for that tutorial. Yours look really nice and I am going to try my hand at it later today since I have the day off.
But you also mentioned Sing's weighs ounces, and Drew mentioned same thing. I thought I remembered seeing how that was done in a magazine article, or somewhere, but can't locate it now. Anyone know where I read that, or was I just dreamin'.
Thanks,
JohnPayton
But you also mentioned Sing's weighs ounces, and Drew mentioned same thing. I thought I remembered seeing how that was done in a magazine article, or somewhere, but can't locate it now. Anyone know where I read that, or was I just dreamin'.
Thanks,
JohnPayton
low_48
Member
I have made hollow spheres for the ornaments. I start by boring a 3/4 hole all the way through the block. Turn a 3/4 tenon on a 1 1/4 square or so, and another piece of stock that will be the bottom finial. Glue together the top block and the cube. I grab the 1 1/4 stock in the chuck, bring in the tailstock with a large cone and turn the outside of the sphere. I then use a series of different tools to go in the 3/4 hole and turn out the inside. Glue on the bottom for the finial, and final turn it. You might want to use a light from the back to watch for thin spots, and surface finish on the inside is definitel not a concern. I think I'll make another and weigh it on the wife's diet scale. It'll be interesting what the weight difference will be.
Rich
Rich
Scott
Member
I have one of Dick Sing's ornaments. It does weigh just mere ounces! And I just love his trademark loose ring on the icecicle!
Scott.
Scott.
Darley
Member
Very nice Rich this is a good idea, I will have to make one to hung on the fretwork in my lounge
Serge
Serge
woodwish
Member
The fall issue of American Woodturner had an article on these ornaments by Bob Rosand. He also demonstrated these at a seminar our AAW chapter sponsored in Oct. I was busy with Hurricane clean-up and did not attend but at the last meeting about a dozen members showed up a few in various levels of quality. I haven't tried any yet but the biggest headache seems to be the hollowing and that is the part that has scared me away so far. I really like the idea of not hollowing and using a solid dowel like Rich describes.
I agree these would be rather heavy for a live tree, but it is more likely to end up on a stand or a mantel anyway. I think Rich has inspired me to try a few of these in the next few days, and his are really nice looking.
I saw one member that used a coil of copper wire to make a stand for these. I will try to make a few in the next week or two and post a picture on the stands. Good job with the turning and inspiring Rich!
I agree these would be rather heavy for a live tree, but it is more likely to end up on a stand or a mantel anyway. I think Rich has inspired me to try a few of these in the next few days, and his are really nice looking.
I saw one member that used a coil of copper wire to make a stand for these. I will try to make a few in the next week or two and post a picture on the stands. Good job with the turning and inspiring Rich!
penhead
Local Chapter Leader
Thanks woodwish, I thought I had read an article about ornaments, but looked through all the mags I had and couldn't find it...had that one issue of AAW set aside 'cause it had the renewal notice in it...darnit, found the notice too.
Thanks,
JohnPayton
Thanks,
JohnPayton
low_48
Member
A really nice rod to get for the stands comes from a welding supply store. You can get uncoated brazing rod in different diameters (usually 3/32 is what I get)and it is sold by the pound. I'm not sure if it's solid brass or a mixture, but it is hard enough it holds a great shape and the brass color looks great.
Rich
Rich
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