Pendents

[Bernie Weishapl]

Well I finally got these away from the wife so I could take some pic's of the pendents that are finished. The one on the left is purpleheart and maple and was the first one. I drilled pretty close to the edge. The second is osage orange and it was the second. The last is Cherry and I like that one the best it is the third. All finished with lacquer. I have 3 more drying. I am going to start writing down the settings as I do them so if I find one that goes well I don't have to try and figure out which I used.

[Steve Mawson]

Very nice Bernie, like the laminated one the best. Had not thought about writing down the settings. Very good idea.

[Donny Lawson]

Bernie,
Where did you get your backer plates for the pendents?I would like to try these.
Donny

[David E Keller]

They look good, Bernie. I think the osage is my favorite.

[Baxter Smith]

Look good Bernie. I only briefly glanced at your pendant backer post as I am not ready to try this yet. How big a piece do you need to start with to make one? Just thinking about saving my interesting little scrap pieces.
Thanks.

[Ted Calver]

Nice ones Bernie! It didn't take you long to start cranking them out...now you will find out exactly how many female relatives you have :) :)

[Jon Lanier]

There you go Bernie. I think these are like Lays Potato Chips, can't stop at just one.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Thanks for the kind comments.

Ted my wife took them to work with her and she just got home. It looks like maybe 12 to 15 just for the girls there. I was going to take some down to the arts gallery where my turnings are displayed. What size wood do you use Ted?

Baxter the pieces I used for these were about 3/8" thick and 2 X 2.

Yes Jon they are a ball to make and so many variations.

[Ted Calver]

Bernie, Mine have ranged from 1 5/8" to 2 5/8" finished diameter x 3/8" thick. Some are a little thicker where resawing the blank in half would make the resulting pendant too thin. I just ordered another separate thin aluminum plate so I could easily change between small diameter and large diameter sacrificial pieces. I need to figure exactly how small this thing will let you go so I can try turning matching earrings. I also turned some matching cylindrical beads but the wife hasn't figured out how to use those ....yet :)

[Bernie Weishapl]

That is what I thought they might be. I was thinking the exact same thing about getting another thin backer plate for earrings. My wife mentioned it tonight asking if I could make matching earrings. I told her I probably could. She said several of the girls wanted them if I could. Oh well here we go.:D

How much is the thin backer plate? Thanks Ted.

[Toney Robertson]

Bernie, Mine have ranged from 1 5/8" to 2 5/8" finished diameter x 3/8" thick. Some are a little thicker where resawing the blank in half would make the resulting pendant too thin. I just ordered another separate thin aluminum plate so I could easily change between small diameter and large diameter sacrificial pieces. I need to figure exactly how small this thing will let you go so I can try turning matching earrings. I also turned some matching cylindrical beads but the wife hasn't figured out how to use those ....yet :)

Ted,

3/8" thick?

What is the finished thickness?

The ones I have made I started with blank at about 1/4" and they probably ended up at maybe a little over 1/8".

" resawing the blank in half would make the resulting pendant too thin."

What do you consider too thin?

Are you worried about breaking?

Thanks,

Toney


Bernie,

Nice pendents. I have not laminated any yet and I like the look.

Toney

[John Keeton]

Bernie, very nice start to another endless expenditure of funds!!! I like the laminated one best of the three. I have just started taking notice of the pendants, but I think I like the ones I have seen with the grooves more concentric with the hole. I guess the possible variations are limited only by one's imagination with the jig setup, size of blanks, etc.

Looking forward to the next batch, and learning more about this expansion of turning! And, I thought hand planes, chisels, and dovetails were an expensive diversion!!:eek::D

I have informed Ms. Keeton that this is all about her. My indulgences are a disguise for hoarding up so she can have a successful estate sale when I bite the dust! Every new tool assures her old age financial security!

[Baxter Smith]

Baxter the pieces I used for these were about 3/8" thick and 2 X 2.


Thanks Bernie. Will have to get a box to toss interesting little pieces with figure into. I have tossed plenty of those into the woodstove already!

[Scott Lux]

Toney, I find the thickness to be a functional issue.

I like to keep mine between 3/8" and 5/8". It's not my preference, it's the Mrs. Apparently a light pendant doesn't hang properly. My first was too light, so I glued a nickel on the back. The wife loves the way it hangs now.

[Ted Calver]

Bernie..The thin plates are $20 plus $2 shipping.

Toney...Mine range in thickness from 5/16's to 1/2". It's just a matter of proportion and the ability to get a more sculptural look with a thicker blank. Scott nailed the real reason, the wife says a light pendant won't hang well and she prefers they have some heft......so i guess size matters :)

[David E Keller]

I've done earrings as small as 1 1/16" finished diameter... If you go much smaller than that, the #2 hole on the back of the plate is too much offset to drill the hole on the lathe. I guess you could drill them after taking them off the backer plate, but I like to smooth the edges on the drill hole while it's still on the lathe.

Another fun thing to try... When you cut the concentric grooves for decoration, rotate the indexing plate both directions so that you end up with criss-cross lines. As long as you go the same number of hole in each direction, the details are always centered on the piece.

As for scrap sizes, anything of interest over an inch and a quarter square and 1/4 inch thick goes into my "jewelry scrap" box

[Alan Zenreich]

Keep in mind that you don't have to start with the center hole.

There might be a smaller offset between some of the other holes, especially if you rotate the plate to accomodate positions relative to center.

Lots of experimenting to be done <s>

[Pete Jordan]

That retirement is not slowing you down!

Nice job!

[Tom Baugues]

Looks like you got yourself in a new "business". These looks very good Bernie. Have you come up with a price for them yet? I just made my first one this weekend and told the wife that I was hoping for $15.00 each and she just kind of rolled here eyes so now I'm not too sure what these things can sell for.

Well done.

Tom

[Bernie Weishapl]

Thanks everyone. Pete haven't missed a step. Also haven't figured out how I ever had time to have a full time job.:D;):rolleyes:

Tom if I use leather for the necklace I am getting $15. If they want a gold or silver chain it will be $20 to $30 depending on the price of the chain. Of course the chains I got from Hobby Lobby and they are pretty nice looking.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Keep in mind that you don't have to start with the center hole.

There might be a smaller offset between some of the other holes, especially if you rotate the plate to accomodate positions relative to center.

Lots of experimenting to be done <s>

Alan I think the possibilities are endless with this thing. You just have to figure them out.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Bernie..The thin plates are $20 plus $2 shipping.

Toney...Mine range in thickness from 5/16's to 1/2". It's just a matter of proportion and the ability to get a more sculptural look with a thicker blank. Scott nailed the real reason, the wife says a light pendant won't hang well and she prefers they have some heft......so i guess size matters :)


Thanks Ted. I need to get another one on the way.

[Al Wasser]

Bernie, you must have been in a bad mood when you made those what with all those sad faces. If you make the slash lines using the same hole you drilled with you will get happy faces. If you drill with the 6 hole and then do one slash with the 2 and 3 holes you will get a pineapple shape if your spacing is good (at least that is what I call the shape). You are right -- the possibilities are almost limitless.