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Thread: elm burl step by step

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Enid, Oklahoma
    Posts
    6,741

    elm burl step by step

    I had a little free time today, so I was out puttering in the shop. My wife picked up a piece I turned a few months ago and said, "How do you make something like this?" That statement led me to grab a chunk of something and give her the play-by-play. I figured I might as well take a few photos along the way in case somebody else might be interested in how I do stuff.

    Here's my victim... It's a piece of elm burl, and it's pretty much dry.
    step-by-step-1.jpg

    Here I've mounted it between centers using a drive center made by Jerry Mercantel... Thanks, Jerry. I like that I can adjust the piece of wood to obtain figure where I want it. On this piece, I just tried to balance the burl surface perpendicular to the bed of the lathe.
    step-by-step-2.jpg

    Here's a photo after I've started roughing in the shape of the bottom, and I've formed my tenon.
    step-by-step-3.jpg

    In the photo below, I've more or less accomplished the shape for the bottom and cleaned up the tenon. I've also sanded the exterior to 400 and applied a thin coat of super blonde shellac.
    step-by-step-4.jpg

    Now I've got the piece reversed in my chuck, and I've checked to see that it's running true... By some miracle, it's good.
    step-by-step-5.jpg

    Here's a shot after starting the curve on the top of the piece. My original intention was for a hollow form with a pretty small opening, but after seeing the figure along the margins, I decided for more of a closed bowl form. In order to accomplish my original plan, the form would have been much smaller, and I would have lost much of the figure that I just found.
    step-by-step-6.jpg

    My wife has lost interest by this point, so here's a shot of one handed hollowing with the monster system... It really is that easy to hollow with an articulated system. Tool in one hand and camera in the other. I basically work the form down in stages getting my 'finished surface' on each level before proceeding deeper. I removed most of the waste with the straight cutter shown here and also the 45 degree cutter. I've got a few homemade bars that were used to get at the shoulder area.
    step-by-step-7.jpg

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Mount Sterling, KY
    Posts
    2,504
    Very nice presentation David. Add a few more shots and descriptions for removing the tenon and final finishing and it will make a great tutorial.
    I particularly want to see that vessel in its finished form.

    Edit: Ahha, I should have waited a few minutes before commenting, I should have realized there would be more. Sorry to interrupt your posting.
    Last edited by James Combs; 04-30-2011 at 8:54 PM.
    ____________________________________________
    JD at J&J WoodSmithing
    Owingsville, Kentucky

    "The best things in life are not things."

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Enid, Oklahoma
    Posts
    6,741

    continued

    Here's a shot of the swan neck bar with scraper attachment. I use this for each level to smooth out ridges and blend one area to another.
    step-by-step-8.jpg

    Time to finish the bottom. I use a scrap of wood in another chuck with a sanding disc stuck to the surface with a bit of wax. I use dental wax, but I suppose ear wax would do in a pinch.
    step-by-step-9.jpg

    Here's the bowl between centers again using the homemade jam chuck. I use the center point from the initial mounting to place the tail center drive accurately. This is the way I finish the bottom of almost everything I turn. I've got a pile of these drive chucks in all shapes and sizes... If I can't find one that fits, I turn another.
    step-by-step-10.jpg

    Here's the bottom after turning everything but a small nub away. I wet sanded the entire piece at this point with 600 grit and boiled linseed oil.
    step-by-step-11.jpg

    I use a dremel with a small sanding drum to remove the nub, and then hand sand and sign the piece. It was a pretty day today, so I took a couple of shots out in the sun. It's not the best thing I've ever turned, but I had fun spinning it.
    step-by-step-12.jpg
    step-by-step-13.jpg

    Comments, criticism, questions, and suggestions appreciated.

  4. #4
    David, nice tutorial, and a very nice looking result! Love the voids you have been getting in these pieces.

  5. Nicely figured burl, David, and your process pictures are a nice thing for you to do and share. That blank looks like it had some pucker factor with it..............did you have to wrap the outside while hollowing........you did not show any of that, so I was wondering...........good work!
    Remember, in a moments time, everything can change!

    Vision - not just seeing what is, but seeing what can be!




  6. #6
    Very nice "start to finish". And a sweet result. Now i propose a contest between you and Baxter. The idea would be to turn a piece that has the least amount of wood left in the finished piece and still suggest an actual shape. I guess anyone could participate but I'm afraid few would qualify. You guys are becoming the undisputed masters of "air turning"!
    David DeCristoforo

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Missouri
    Posts
    939
    Thanks for showing the process, the end result looks great!

  8. #8
    Beautiful chunk of wood and very nice piece as always. Thanks for taking and upping the pics, too! My wife's attention span in my little pursuits is around 5 mins tops: "That's nice, dear!" BUT and it's a big but... she has never discouraged me from following my muse, and for that I am grateful!

  9. #9
    You make it look so easy. Are their any shots of the little beads of sweat on your forehead? Or maybe a shot from an angle that might show a little of the pucker factor? (just a little though, don't get carried away). You're doing some incredible work Keller. This is another beauty!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Alpine, WY
    Posts
    434
    Nice job on your presentation. Even though we all have seen it dozens of times, it still is intriguing to see the transformation from a chunk of wood to a masterpiece. Nice shape on the bowl. Very nice end product.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Goodland, Kansas
    Posts
    22,605
    That is a really nice piece David. Love the wood color and the voids. Well done.
    Bernie

    Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.

    To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funnybone.



  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    sLower Delaware
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    5,464
    Great shape and color at the end! Nice job on taking pictures along the way. Thanks for taking the time. It was fun to watch the transformation!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Wittmann, AZ
    Posts
    2,503
    Very nice David! Great looking piece!
    "If it is wood, I will turn it."
    vor-tex: any activity, situation, or way of life regarded as irresistibly engulfing.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    NW Florida
    Posts
    96
    David, That was a very informative tutorial indeed. Thanks so much for taking the time and sharing it with us. I never thought of turning and sanding the outside between centers and then mounting it in the chuck for the hollowing. I will have to test that out. Do you sometimes have issues with the piece being true when you turn it around in your chuck? Your comment "I've checked to see that it's running true... By some miracle, it's good" gives me the feeling that you've had troubles in the past with it. I also want to add that the the piece looks fantastic !!

  15. #15
    Fun step-by-step, and a cool looking piece. So, since your wife started all this....did she like the piece?
    ~john
    "There's nothing wrong with Quiet" ` Jeremiah Johnson

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