This weekend's turnings

[Greg Ketell]

Our "Turner's challenge" for the next meeting is eggs. I came home and watched a few Youtube videos and they all used skews so I thought it would be good practice to try to do it using a skew too.

This was my first attempt. It looked good and felt good while the lathe was spinning but when it stopped....
Egg-2.jpg

Dang, I thought I had turned that out. Now mind you, the egg is now only about 1.5" tall and started out at least double that. The skew is not my friend. But I persevered.

This is my second attempt. Same blank stock as the last one but after many catches the egg was only about 1" long. But it was very nearly done I just wanted to refine the pointy end a touch and smooth out the finish. So I sharpened up my skew to "shaving sharp" and....

Egg-1.jpg

GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!! Ok, put the skew back into its bucket of shame and grab my 3/8" spindle gouge. My first successful egg! Made out of "found wood" and only 1-3/8" tall by 1" wide. Finished with one coat of BLO and then rubbed with beeswax. (I wasn't going to bother finishing it but my wife insisted.)

Egg1.jpg

But, I have proven I can make an egg with the spindle gouge so let's try something a bit bigger with a bit better wood. This one is made out of a chunk of a branch of hairy oak that a friend gave me. It is 2.5" tall and 1.75" wide. Finished with two coats of frictioned-in polyurethane followed by one coat of Renaissance Wax.
Egg2-1.jpg

Egg2-2.jpg

[Greg Ketell]

Having proven yesterday that I can make eggs (even if I do have to finish the shaping with the 80-grit gouge) I decided to try a bit better wood. I had a block of old, very very dry spalted mango. I successfully turned the egg but it was fairly "blah". But, knowing my wife, I decided to go ahead and finish it anyway.

Since it was very dry and very powdery I hit it with a heavy dousing of thin CA. "OH WOW!!!" It is no longer boring wood. I hit it with several more coats of thin and medium CA, sanded it smooth and hit it with a couple of coats of Deft rattle-can gloss lacquer. It is 2.5" tall and 1.75" wide.
Egg3-1.jpg Egg3-3.jpg Egg3-2.jpg

Again, I apologize for the cell-phone picts.

[cal thelen]

that is some awsome looking wood!

[Jerry Marcantel]

That Mango egg is absolutely gorgeous.....Jerry (in Tucson)

[David E Keller]

That mango egg is phenomenal, and the hairy oak is a looker, too!

Just curious, is that palm in the second photo? If so, you're crazy for trying to turn your second egg with a skew using that nasty stuff!

BTW, nothing wrong with that 80 grit gouge... One of my favorite tools!

[Baxter Smith]

Practice makes perfect eventually. At least its supposed to!(except with skews) The mango is stunning!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Nice work Greg! Really like the Oak version because of the grain! The spalted Mango is amazing - lots of color! Thanks for sharing!

[Greg Ketell]

Thanks everyone for the nice comments!

Just curious, is that palm in the second photo? If so, you're crazy for trying to turn your second egg with a skew using that nasty stuff!

No, not palm. Remember that top part is only an inch tall: that is red oak. I'm not sure I would ever try an egg out of palm. Yikes!

[Michael James]

That spalted mango is mesmerizing..................
oh.... good job on the eggs....fwiw, the skew is not my friend either, but I can get nice cuts with the sorby spindlemaster.
mj

[Ted Calver]

Some very eggciting turnings!! The Mango is a beauty.

[Rick Markham]

Those last two are spectacular, especially the mango. That is seriously some incredible looking stuff. +1 on mesmerizing!

[John Keeton]

Greg, neat progression of pics! As noted, the mango and hairy oak eggs are great. While the mango is striking, I am with Steve on the oak - it is my favorite as the grain adds to the egg shape. The mango is distracting from the form - beautiful, but one does not notice the form, which is very nice, BTW.

Every time I have a session with my skew, it ends up being a "skating party" and I rarely pick one up. It has its place, but not often!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Great looking eggs. I like them all but the mango sure catches my eye. Love my skews, all 7 of them. Keep practicing and they will come.

[Greg Ketell]

Nice work Greg! Really like the Oak version because of the grain! The spalted Mango is amazing - lots of color! Thanks for sharing!

Greg, neat progression of pics! As noted, the mango and hairy oak eggs are great. While the mango is striking, I am with Steve on the oak - it is my favorite as the grain adds to the egg shape. The mango is distracting from the form - beautiful, but one does not notice the form, which is very nice, BTW.

After reading these comments I spent more time looking at the eggs side by side and I definitely see what you mean about the Oak egg showing the shape better. I think the other part of it is the finish; to me the Mango is so shiny that the shine hides what is underneath (both the wood and the shape). But that is what my spouse requested so...

[Greg Ketell]

Great looking eggs. I like them all but the mango sure catches my eye. Love my skews, all 7 of them. Keep practicing and they will come.

I wish you were closer, I'd love to come spend a weekend/week/month with you and come home a master of the skew. Or even an apprentice with the skew. Right now the only thing my skews are useful for is for throwing across the garage.