New One! Bristlecone Pine NE - WIP

[Allen Neighbors]

I decided there are enough beginning bowl turners (or those who are headed in that direction) that I would do a WIP of this bowl. I will also send this, in .pdf form, if anyone wants it.

There are other threads concerning Bristlecone Pine (pinus aristata), so I won’t elaborate on it here… I’ll just say, that this piece of wood grew at an altitude above 11,600 feet, died in a fire in 1894, and the trunk was still standing when we cut it down.

It’s very hard, for Pine, but I attribute that to standing, dead, for about one-hundred and fifteen years, through all sorts of harsh weather.


Sorry, I didn’t decide to do a WIP until I had it mounted in the chuck, and had the outside shaped and sanded.


Pic 1: Mounted in the chuck, outside shaped, CA has been applied to all the cracks, some with coffee filling, to preclude a repeat of previous launching off the lathe. The outside has been sanded to 320 Grit, and the first coat of Danish Oil applied. I wrapped blue painters tape to the natural edge, as a base for the duct tape (duct tape will remove a lot of natural edges).



Pic 2: In this shot, you can see the CA glue, where it has run down onto the face. I applied a coat of Danish Oil, prior to applying the CA, to keep from staining the outside. These runs will be cut away.

Pic 3: Here, the duct tape (10 wraps) has been applied to the Natural Edge. I also applied blue tape and 6 wraps of duct tape to the center. The steady rest has been installed for the inside hollowing.


Pic 4: Rear shot of steadyrest. The wheels will roll on the tape, to keep from making a track on the outside of the bowl.

[Allen Neighbors]

Pic 5: I began tuning the inside while keeping the tailstock against the bowl for support (I’m using a 2.1” tenon). When I reached the thickness I wanted, at about a 2.5” depth, I sanded to 320, applied Danish Oil, and then CA to the inner cracks. I won’t be able to go much deeper with the tailstock in the way, and I want to be sure these cracks don’t interfere with hollowing.

Pic 6: I’ve gotten as deep as I can with the tailstock. Here, you can see that I’m getting a lot of tearout, because of the way I had to use the cutter with the tailstock in the way. I’ve narrowed the center spindle so I can snap it off.

Pic 7: Center spindle gone; now I can finish hollowing to depth. I’ll leave 1” thickness in the bottom.

Pic 8: Bottom is now 1” thick. It has been sanded to 320, then wet sanded with 320 and 400 grit. Now to remove the steadyrest and tape, and finish sand the outside.

[Allen Neighbors]

Pic 9: The outside has been wet sanded through 400 grit. There are a couple of spots that the natural edge has chipped off, despite the application of CA, one of which you can see at the upper edge. These will be darkened somewhat with pencil, to subdue the blaring lapse in my technique. Now it is ready to remove from the chuck, and prepare to finish the bottom.

Pic 10: This pic was taken after the fact. It shows my homemade Kirsten Kone (I think it was named for the man who invented it). It’s a cone shaped piece of cottonwood, covered with a couple of “foamies” from the Walmart craft counter. There is a 3/8” through hole, with a long 3/8” rod with a padded end (leather wrapped). On the left, sticking down from the wood, you can see a ¼ x 20 bolt, that tightens against the rod, to hold it in place.

Pic 11: Here, the bowl is mounted. The padded end of the rod goes against the inside bottom of the bowl, so the tailstock pressure is against the bottom only. The padded cone is just inside the bowl to keep it centered. The tailstock is centered on the bottom of the bowl, where the dimple was made when I first turned it between centers. I re-applied tape around the natural edge and the center. This is the exact place I was on the previous bowl, without the tape, and it shattered. I don’t want any mistakes this time, now that I’ve gone this far again.

Pic 12: A shot of it, spinning. Here, the bottom is turned, the rings have been burned in it, and it’s sanded to 400. I didn’t wet sand the bottom.

[Allen Neighbors]

Pic 13: When I finished the bottom, I cut the nub partly through with a hacksaw blade. The blade has a tape handle, and I reverse the lathe, and use the blade with a pull cut. I cut it down to about 3/16” and then just snap off the nub. Now to finish the nub.

Pic 14: (Out of order - third photo!) This is my bottom finishing system. It all fits into a peanut can –handy thing, that. The round gizmo on the left side of the little rack goes into the chuck. The weight (an old handle cutoff) keeps the small sanding disks from blowing away in my fan-windy shop.

Pic 15: (Out of order - fourth photo!) The Nub Sander, with a disk of 80 grit on the Velcro covered end. I cut 4 of these small (about 1.25”) disks out of one of Vince’s 3-3/8 disks. I start with 80 grit, because I have to sand away a ¼” of nub.

Pic 16: (Out of order - second photo!) Nubbin is gone, bottom finished, and ready for branding. The next 4 Pics show the finished piece.

[Allen Neighbors]

Pic 17: The inclusion in the crack on the lower right, shows the CA/Coffee filler.

Pic 18: Another view. It is sitting on another piece of the old, burned, Bristlecone Pine.

Pic 19: Inside view. The reddish-orange color isn’t normal for Pine, but I think it is like the red in Box Elder, the tree trying to heal itself during the burn… maybe not… it might just be due to it’s age.

Pic 20: The bottom, branded. I hope this WIP gives you some ideas, and helps you along in your turning adventures! Have fun! -- Al Neighbors

[Paul Douglass]

I'd certainly appreciate a pdf of it. Really enjoy tutorials and even though I will never get the opportunity to turn that particular wood, I know I can use the method.

Thanks.

[Allen Neighbors]

Paul email me, so I'll have your address.

[Roger Chandler]

Allen,

What a great tutorial, and a superb work on such a delicate piece of wood. That wood most likely would not have done anything but gone to dirt had not you rescued it and given it a second life.

Now it will be treasured for sure. I like your cone, and the way you did the reversing process to finish off the bottom.

Could you explain a little more about the threaded rod and the leather end....is that just for bracing at the bottom of the vessel and to maintain center so it runs true?

[alex carey]

loving this wood, also loving the bottom of it the piece.

[John Keeton]

Allen, great tutorial, and this one ended up a beautiful piece! That wood has an amazing history, and the texture of the outer edges are made for this form. Simply fantastic!

[Allen Neighbors]

Allen,

What a great tutorial, and a superb work on such a delicate piece of wood. That wood most likely would not have done anything but gone to dirt had not you rescued it and given it a second life.

Now it will be treasured for sure. I like your cone, and the way you did the reversing process to finish off the bottom.

Could you explain a little more about the threaded rod and the leather end....is that just for bracing at the bottom of the vessel and to maintain center so it runs true?
Thanks, Roger. The mountain was covered with downed trees, rotting away, but the ones left standing were still viable for turning.
The 3/8 rod isn't threaded, it's just a piece of hot rolled steel that I bought. The leather is over a foam 'button' that I stuck on the end of the rod. The leather is about a 1" square, with the corners cut out leaving a 1/2" square with four tabs. The tabs are taped to the shaft, so it makes a leather covered pad to fit against the inside bottom for friction, with pressure from the tailstock. The center point (from turning between centers) is what centers the piece, with the cone fitting inside the mouth of it.
I have several of these in different sizes, and they all use the same rod. That bolt, that is sticking downward, out of the wood (left of the white part of the cone) is a 1/4x20 threaded bolt... I tapped the bolt hole to fit. It holds the rod in place, to keep you from putting too much pressure on the mouth of the piece. Sort of roundabout explanation, but I hope it makes sense.

loving this wood, also loving the bottom of it the piece.
Thanks, Alex... I try to get the three rings on the bottom of every piece I turn... they help guide my shaky hands when I'm branding the info on it.

Allen, great tutorial, and this one ended up a beautiful piece! That wood has an amazing history, and the texture of the outer edges are made for this form. Simply fantastic!
John, I appreciate your comments!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Excellent! Thanks for taking the time to put together this tutorial!

Will let this thread run its natural course but will eventually move it to the Articles and Review Forums so folks can use it as a reference!

Very nice work Allen - both on the vase and the tutorial! Thanks for sharing!

[Thomas Canfield]

Allen,

Good presentation and the result is elcellent. Looks like you got that one whipped. Looking forward to the next one.

[neil mackay]

Allen, Excellent Tute! for an old bloke :D ... as one to another. A great looking piece, well done amigo.

[Ray Bell]

Very nice Allen, thank you.

[Baxter Smith]

Great tutorial on how you "Mastered" the problem. I am sure it will be referred to by many others as well for future reference! Vase looks great too!:)

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Another beauty Allen, the outside weathered edge and then the inside wood color with it's amazing difference in coloration really makes it and outstanding piece, and yes thanks for showing us how you do your turning and the way to conquer the problems that arise while making this piece, THANK YOU ALLEN :D :D :D