Making a wooden egg tutorial with pics.

[Alex Elias]

Wooden Eggs


The eggs are roughly 1”5/8 by 2”3/8 which is about life size depending on the egg. The one dimension that is important to keep about the same on all eggs is the diameter since this is how the egg is grabbed later to turn the ends and the ID of the chuck I made is 1”5/8. It gives some latitude either way but not a whole lot, so diameter is important.
The first thing is cut a blank to fit the size of the project and turn round between centers.
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q185/alxe24/Egg-making-01.jpg

Once this is done mark a line on the widest part of the egg and both ends. With a parting tool turn the center line close to the final diameter and turn down the waste at the ends. It is a lot easier to make a few templates with the contour of the egg. This will save a lot of time getting to the right shape. I suggest 4 templates one for each end and two for the center, one with a partial part on the center top and the other one close to the full shape but not all the way since the ends are still thicker.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q185/alxe24/Egg-making-02.jpg

Once happy with the looks sand and finish the egg, make sure not to part off the ends since the ends are going to aid to get the egg to run true when mounted on the chuck.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q185/alxe24/Egg-making-03.jpg

Mount the chuck and put the egg inside, if the fit is a bit loose put some paper towel around the egg. Bring the tail stock and position the point on the dimple, lock the tail stock bring the end of the egg tight against the live center and then tighten the hose clamps. Make sure they end runs true and turn the first end to shape. (MAKE SURE THE HOSE CLAMPS CLEAR THE TOOL REST AND KEEP YOUR HANDS FAR FROM THEM. THOSE CLAMPS ARE FEARLESS OF YOUR FLESH. I SPEAK BY EXPERIENCE)

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q185/alxe24/Egg-making-04.jpg

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q185/alxe24/Egg-making-05.jpg

Once one end is finish sand and finish it, turn the egg around and repeat the process on the other end.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q185/alxe24/Egg-making-06.jpg

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q185/alxe24/Egg-making-07.jpg

And then after the efforts comes the rewards. This will be buffed in a few days to bring a nice shine to it. One more for the collection.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q185/alxe24/Egg-making-08.jpg

[Benjamin Dahl]

Alex, thanks. That is a very nice tutorial and looks like a fun project.
Ben

[Tim Malyszko]

Great Tutorial!!! I imagine a catch on the hose clamps would do some major damage to one's fingers. Ouch!

[Thomas Williams]

Thanks Alex. I have been wanting to turn a few of these and now with Easter getting near it would be a good time.
However, the hose clamps are a bit scary!

[Mike Vickery]

Nice little tutorial. Wouldn't it be easier to turn a wooden chicken then have it lay the eggs.

[Paul Engle]

I had some chicken that tasted like wood ..... does that count????:confused::D

thanks Alex. So scrambled egg/s would be like segmented ????? I know , nuf smarties in the world.
ok ok ...sry
Bad day at work.

Thanks for the tutorial , I was wondering how to hold the egg. I like your idea way better than mine.....

[Dave Stoler]

It is now on my ever growing list of new challenges.
Thank you so much for shareing the Knowledge !!

[John W. Willis]

Beautiful Alex, very ingenius!

I would be interested in how you made the holder?

[John Bartley]

Great tutorial!!

Thank you for posting this - it is very clear and orderly. I would like to make a safety suggestion if you don't mind. In your photos you show the clamps with the band facing in the direction of rotation. If you turn the clamps around, then when you get hit by the clamp, you'll get hurt a bit, but you won't have the end of the steel band slicing into you tearing out great chunks.

cheers

[Robert McGowen]

Very helpful and appreciated! Thank for taking the time to post it. :)

[Alex Elias]

Beautiful Alex, very ingenius!

I would be interested in how you made the holder?

The idea of the holder wasn't mine. It is Dick Sing the one I got it from. The holder was made with 1 1/2" PVC coupling from Lowes, on one end I glued a reducer or something of that nature so I could turn a tenon to grab with the chuck. With the chuck on the expanding mode I turned the tenon on the oposite end and 2 shallow grooves for the hose clamps, Then put the jig on a V block and drill the holes I think I drilled 8 holes and last thing cut the slots. That will serve sort of like a collet chuck.
That is the whole secret.
I'll change the hose clamps the other way you guys are right about it. It looks scarry.
Make sure you post your eggs if you make any.

[Robert Wachala]

Very nice, those clamps do instill some fear ;)

[Pete Jordan]

When I use something protruding like that I cover it with Nike wrist bands.

[Donald Price]

Thanks Alex,

I'm inspired and looking forward to attempting an egg. Let's hope I don't end up with egg on my face or worse like humpty dumpty:)

[Dennis Peacock]

Thanks Alex for the tutorial.! Much appreciated. :D

[Brian Brown]

Good tutorial Alex. I read about it a few years ago, and wanted to try it, then lost the article. As for the hose clamps, does anyone think that a few rubber bands would make a good replacement for the hose clamps. or at least taping over the hose clamps with electrical tape?

[Bernie Weishapl]

Thanks Alex. Great tutorial.

[Bill Stevener]

Great show and tell, thanks.

[Ron McKinley]

Thanks for sharing Alex.......Ron

[Allen Neighbors]

Great tutorial! I like the idea of the collet chuck. But I would be using the wristbands or at least some tape over the clamps. Thanks for posting.

[Dick Strauss]

Alex,
Thanks for the nice tutorial!:D:D:D Do you have any rough rules of thumb about proportions (diameter to length) that look best? Have you thought of using a vacuum chuck for turning the ends off the egg?

FYI-I just measured a large chicken egg for the heck of it (1.75"(d)x2.375"(l)). So, it is roughly a 3 to 4 ratio (diameter to length).


Thanks again,
Dick

[Alex Elias]

Alex,
Thanks for the nice tutorial!:D:D:D Do you have any rough rules of thumb about proportions (diameter to length) that look best? Have you thought of using a vacuum chuck for turning the ends off the egg?

FYI-I just measured a large chicken egg for the heck of it (1.75"(d)x2.375"(l)). So, it is roughly a 3 to 4 ratio (diameter to length).


Thanks again,
Dick


I just finish taking pictures of a nice egg and fix the shape a bit on photoshop. This is how I'm going to make a new set of templates.
When I print this on paper it's life size if the settings are correct you should be able to print this and use as template.
If this does not work I can send the actual file by e mail.
The size of this one is 2" 3/8 x 1" 5/8

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q185/alxe24/eGG-TEMPLATE-copy.jpg

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Alex.......extemely good tutorial! Nicely done Sir!

[Alex Elias]

Thanks for all the nice comments. I just finished a set of templates so I hope I can turn an egg tonight. I made the 5 piece set.
Again thanks for looking and I hope it helps one or two of you in the near future

[Ben Gastfriend]

Looks good! I'll have to try a couple of those out, but those hose clamps are scary. People already ask me why I have alot of scars/cuts/scabs on my hands, and I have to explain to them that i'm a woodturner, they ask what the heck is a woodturner, goodness!

[Bill O'Conner]

I used an old inner tube from a bike over my clamps works like a gaint rubber band. made 6 of them last year for easter everyone thought I was crazy


Bill