robutacion
Member
Hi peoples,
Turning stuff for me , in our days and apart from the regular/constant pen blanks samples, is only when someone wants something (order), I see a bit of wood that makes me intrigued or simply when I get the urge to turn something, that can happen when I least expect, and while I can go a month without touching the lathe, other times I turn a few items in a few short days...!
This was the case with these 2 last mini pieces, that I spotted among a box of left overs, particularly from making the larger round blanks or when making pen blanks. The box was over full and I need to sort them out so, and as I was looking at what I had there, I saw the first piece that endup being the Platypus Gum Burl piece that was cut in a triangle shape (like a funnel) with the bark part as then top/biggest surface so I though a natural edge design would go OK with it.
The second was a piece from an old Almond tree that I processed into various blanks shapes and sizes, this one was a bit square but had lots of termite damage through the wood so I though in either filling with resin (Resifill type) or turn and then repair the holes with some epoxy and something else that endup being some medium crashed Turquoise stone.
Interestingly, most of the termite damaged have come out as I was shaping it, only a large channel was running through the main body of the piece and that was easily filled with the mix I mention just before. One of the things I was a bit disappointed with was that, I use a tube of epoxy that I bought from the cheap store that I was not familiar with, as they didn't have the normal brand I normally get so I purchase only 1 tube to test.
Well, the opportunity to test it was on this Almond piece and after I mixed the Turquoise and filled the holes, I noticed the mix was too yellow(ish) and the 5 minutes they say would take to dry/harden, were truly out of weck as I was there for at least half a hour before the epoxy harden enough to the touch.
Left it overnight but even then, never hardened properly nor it seemed to have stick well to the wood so I pour some fine CA to make sure it would penetrate the joins and not flying off when turning. That did work but, the main mass of the epoxy did stay a bit rubbery and did gum a bit with the sawdust from sanding and the heat generated. Some hand slow localized sanding did improve its appearance but not as good as I would like...!
Anyway, the Almond became a jewellery box where I decided to make a contrasting lid using some She/Bull-Oak end grain from a branch with the pith at its centre, a couple of coats with the Floorseal finish them and were presented to the wife that, never seems to have enough.
The Platypus Gum Burl piece, has its bark attached and hardened with some soaking with thin CA, before turning that, was enough to keep it secure all the way trough the shaping and sanding...!
Hope you like them, the wife did and I was quite pleased myself, with the way they turned out in the end...!
Cheers
George
Turning stuff for me , in our days and apart from the regular/constant pen blanks samples, is only when someone wants something (order), I see a bit of wood that makes me intrigued or simply when I get the urge to turn something, that can happen when I least expect, and while I can go a month without touching the lathe, other times I turn a few items in a few short days...!
This was the case with these 2 last mini pieces, that I spotted among a box of left overs, particularly from making the larger round blanks or when making pen blanks. The box was over full and I need to sort them out so, and as I was looking at what I had there, I saw the first piece that endup being the Platypus Gum Burl piece that was cut in a triangle shape (like a funnel) with the bark part as then top/biggest surface so I though a natural edge design would go OK with it.
The second was a piece from an old Almond tree that I processed into various blanks shapes and sizes, this one was a bit square but had lots of termite damage through the wood so I though in either filling with resin (Resifill type) or turn and then repair the holes with some epoxy and something else that endup being some medium crashed Turquoise stone.
Interestingly, most of the termite damaged have come out as I was shaping it, only a large channel was running through the main body of the piece and that was easily filled with the mix I mention just before. One of the things I was a bit disappointed with was that, I use a tube of epoxy that I bought from the cheap store that I was not familiar with, as they didn't have the normal brand I normally get so I purchase only 1 tube to test.
Well, the opportunity to test it was on this Almond piece and after I mixed the Turquoise and filled the holes, I noticed the mix was too yellow(ish) and the 5 minutes they say would take to dry/harden, were truly out of weck as I was there for at least half a hour before the epoxy harden enough to the touch.
Left it overnight but even then, never hardened properly nor it seemed to have stick well to the wood so I pour some fine CA to make sure it would penetrate the joins and not flying off when turning. That did work but, the main mass of the epoxy did stay a bit rubbery and did gum a bit with the sawdust from sanding and the heat generated. Some hand slow localized sanding did improve its appearance but not as good as I would like...!
Anyway, the Almond became a jewellery box where I decided to make a contrasting lid using some She/Bull-Oak end grain from a branch with the pith at its centre, a couple of coats with the Floorseal finish them and were presented to the wife that, never seems to have enough.
The Platypus Gum Burl piece, has its bark attached and hardened with some soaking with thin CA, before turning that, was enough to keep it secure all the way trough the shaping and sanding...!
Hope you like them, the wife did and I was quite pleased myself, with the way they turned out in the end...!
Cheers
George
