Really quick projects Critique requested

[Brian Brown]

So with the small amount of time I have spent at the lathe this summer, I needed some quick projects that I could do in a short session. I started playing with pendants just about the same time others here started doing them. Here are a few of the pendants I have tried.

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The pendants in the picture with 4, are all turned endgrain. This was a real challenge for me. As you can see, the marblewood has a terrible tear out, and will be trash can fodder. Gotta have really sharp tools and a light touch for endgrain, but I like the look. I am playing with different methods of attaching the string. SWMBO laid claim to the Desert Ironwood Burl the second it was done.

Most of these haven't been finished yet, as I will do them all at once. What kind of finishe(s) do all of you use that do not change the color of the wood. I want the holly to retain its color. Also what is the procedure to use sanding sealer to keep dark sanding dust from polluting light woods like holly?

Comments and critique are always welcome. I also want to know which woods, and which styles are your favorites.

[Brian Kent]

Brian,

Very artistic.


I don't know what to recommend for the finish.

Brian

[Paul Ray Moore]

A guy at our club turned these about a month ago. I wanted to turn some for my daughter and some of her friends but I forgot exactly how to do this. The guy at the club took a 2" x 4" piece of wood and put it in his chuck with two of the jaws removed. He then placed the piece he was turning in the center of the 2x4 using double stick tape. There was an off set mark I think it was 5/8" off center on the 2x4. Once he turned it round and shaped it, he then moved the block where the off set mark was at the center and turned the hole for the string.
Is this close the process you used?

[Richard Madison]

Nice work Brian. I just naturally like the laminated pieces best, and the dyed pieces least. Some suggest the water based poly for the clearest finish. I would use lacquer over lacquer sanding sealer. Dunno about sanding dust pollution. Shop vac and compressed air works for me.

[Terry Murphy]

They are all fantastic, but the Holly is the best I have seen.
Great work!

Terry

[Maria Alvarado]

Those are all great Brian. I'm struggling with the end-grain thing too. If you figure out a solution, post it! I've used rattle-can lacquer with success. It's easy to bring to a nice finish with micromesh once it has cured. Some woods would look just fine (better even) with a simple oil finish, but for burls and such the lacquer is great.

[Dick Strauss]

Brian,
Those are beautiful! I'll have to try a few.

A couple of coats of brushing lacquer work great to prevent the light/dark sanding issue you've noticed.

Make sure you are always cutting towards more wood when you are cutting the edges. This will mean cutting in both directions...from the outside in for the outer edge...and...from the center out for the inner edge (using a spindle gouge). I had the same issue with natural edge bowls until I started cutting from both directions.

Epoxy thinned 1:2 or 1:3 with xylol works great to stiffen hardwoods like oak, cherry, maple, and ash. Depending on the wood, it may require more thinning for proper penetration. You may want to try a few coats it for your small pieces until they are saturated.

FYI-After dozens of experiments, a friend determined xylol was the best thinner for deepest epoxy penetration.

[alex carey]

that ironwood burl is fantastic, nice job.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Great job on some beautiful pieces Brian.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Brian - really like these! Great eye for detail! Really like the Holly the best because of the brilliant colors.

For a finish - I would think lacquer would work well and depending on your setup - might be able to apply multiple coats while still on the lathe and just burn it in.

[Brian Brown]

The guy at the club took a 2" x 4" piece of wood and put it in his chuck with two of the jaws removed. He then placed the piece he was turning in the center of the 2x4 using double stick tape. There was an off set mark I think it was 5/8" off center on the 2x4. Once he turned it round and shaped it, he then moved the block where the off set mark was at the center and turned the hole for the string.
Is this close the process you used?

Paul,

I use a similar process, but I just don't get that fancy. I use a square piece of wood in the chuck jaws, tape the wood blank to it, and turn. Then I pull the pendant off the tape, reposition it, drill the hole in the center, and finish turning. You'll notice that my pendants are a variety of sizes and the holes are in different places. I do it by eye. Up to this point, I have just been trying different styles trying to decide what I like.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Brian,

Very nice gifts!

Question? What do you use for the necklace/string and where did you get it?

[Brian Brown]

Thank you for the comments everyone. When I finished this one, I felt the "onion" was too large in diameter, but I wanted to see what you thought. I did a little playing with the image and came up with the new finial shown in this picture. After the comments here, I also changed the height of the base, and made it fit the proportions of the rule of thirds. This shortened the base, and elongated the finial. Do you like it better here? I usually try no to be so rigid in making a piece fit a particular standard like the rule of thirs, but in this case it might have helped.
First pic as turned, second as distorted, third same as second, with ROT lines added.

[Paul Engle]

Brian,
You might try polishing first with brown Tripoli compound, then go to the white #7 (except on the end grain ) then wax. I have some trophy customers and that is how I did/do the wood parts, as no finishes ( no waxes either ) were allowed and still had to be smoother than silk.