Christmas Ornament Time

[Ed McDonnell]

It's time to start thinking about Christmas Ornaments. I came across a picture of one I made last year that I thought you might enjoy seeing.

Total Length = 8"

Diameter of Globe = 2-1/16"

Total Weight = 0.8 oz

Ornament is Loquat Wood (a bland wood that is even less attractive when spalted, but it carves and turns very nicely. No wood visible anywhere, so my spalted loquat was a good choice for this project).

Finial, globe and icicle were turned on my PM3520b. Decorative carving on globe and icicle spiral were done on a Jet 1442 lathe that I've converted to a Digital Ornamental Lathe. Holes in finial were drilled.

Hollowed globe to 1/8" wall thickness. Carving reduced minimum wall thickness to 1/16".

Coated with atomized copper and then sprayed with acids to develop a patina. Buffed patina off high spots to reveal copper for highlighting.

Hanging loop is stripped copper electrical wire.

Merry Christmas (a little early).

Ed

 

[Justturnin]

That is freakin great!!!!!!

 

[GaryMGg]

Awesome.
Last month, the Spacecoast turning club had a hollow Christmas ornament demo.
I'm ready to go after some.

 

[Jim15]

That's great work.

 

[holmqer]

Fantastic job, I've been tempted to talk to local metal spraying companies and see what they would charge for one off wooden bowls

 

[alamocdc]

Schweet!!!! Truly a pretty ornament. BTW, I've never seen an ugly spalted wood. Especially one uglier spalted than not.

 

[Sataro]

Wow!!! That ornament is something else. Great work!

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Thank you all for all the compliments.

Schweet!!!! Truly a pretty ornament. BTW, I've never seen an ugly spalted wood. Especially one uglier spalted than not.

Loquat is an off-white wood with straight grain. Not real interesting, but great for carving. The pieces I had didn't have the nice zone lines you get with white-rot type of spalting. Instead they had something similar to blue stain. But it wasn't limited to the sapwood so I'm not sure it was blue stain. But it was ugly. More grey than blue and with any finish it turns a dirty grey.

I'll have to see if I have any pictures of it.


Ed

 

[alamocdc]

Sounds kinda like the way Cypress spalts. But I'll know more if you have pics. Spalted Cypress knee on the other hand, reminds me of Buckeye burl.

 

[Rob73]

My buddy does part time every year at our local xmas tree lot. Last year I got probably 75 good cut offs of pine. The year before that he gave me probably ten and I turned some ornaments out of them and gave one to the owner, the local town mayor. I was going to turn some out and let him sell them and take a cut this year but even with cutting and sealing ends for some reason all my cut offs cracked to the core this summer ;(

 

[Fishinbo]

Happy holidays! Bringing smiles to people's faces!