Granddaughters and Bracelets...

[Wally Dickerman]

It's been a long time since my last bracelets. When granddaughters say "Grampa, will you make me some bracelets?".....well, guess what?

First, I had to try to remember how I did it 20 years ago. Made a bunch of them then. I did it a different way this time. Used a couple of chucks with different jaws in each. I measured the inside dia. of one of her bracelets. 2 1/2 inches...seems to be an average size. I made a few just a bit smaller for a friend. Size is important. When I start out with a project I sometimes don't know when to quit. The photo shows only a part of what I've made. Gave some away to friends. A fun project........Wally ...Um, for you snow bound East Coasties, We had a record 84 here today.

173692

[Baxter Smith]

I don't see an ordinary bracelet in the bunch! Each one is beautiful and unique.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Wally I have to say Ditto what Baxter said. Beautifully done.

[John Keeton]

Wally, I would have trouble picking out the ones I like best!! Great diversity in design, and beautifully done - but, would we have expected any less?!?!?!

[Rob Mathis]

Wally, I had to go back and reread your post as I could swear I heard a NA NA NA NA in there somewhere.
:)


Oh great job on the bracelets

[James Combs]

Got to be a happy Granddaughter around there.

[Ron Stadler]

Well, there all very good looking bracelets, you did a fine job on them. I wanna try some of these one of these days, they look kinda fun to do and well since my family is mostly women:eek: I'll have my job cut out for me.:)

[Steve Schlumpf]

Wow - what a nice variety of bracelets! I even see a miniature of one of your beaded hollow forms! That's cool! Speaking of cool - got up to 16* here today but the wind chill made things a little uncomfortable at -10*. Got lots of snow though Wally - just in case you wanted to come up and do some sledding!

[Mark Hubl]

Wally those look great. That is a wonderful variety.

[David Reed]

Very nice collection. You have been rather busy. I will have to tag this post for future reference as I currently have two grandsons but with both daughters pregnant with girls, that is about to change.

[Mike Wilkins]

Beautiful work there; the ladies should love them. Could you share some of the construction methods you used? The action of sliding a hand through one of these could place a lot of stress on any glued joints, and I would like to know how you overcame this concern. Thanks in advance.

[Doug W Swanson]

Very nice looking bracelets. I, too, would like to see your construction methods because it looks like a great way to use up some smaller pieces.....

[bob svoboda]

Looks like you love to spoil Granddaughters like I do. Beautiful bracelets all.

[Wally Dickerman]

Thank you Mike. I realize that endgrain to endgrain is not the strongest glue joint. However, I think that it would take a very strong pressure to break them. All of the joints are "good" joints. I use Titebond II. I believe that the glued joints are much stronger than a one piece bracelet where two sides have some very short grain. I have never heard of one of my bracelets breaking.

I use two chucks with jaws to handle the outside and the inside of the bracelet. I pad them with wide rubber bands and have never found any damage from the jaws. I flip them to do both sides of the bracelet, both turning and sanding. They are finished with 3 or 4 coats of wipe on poly, followed by Ren. wax.

Wally

[Paul Douglass]

Those are some really nice bracelets. I was thinking how I would do this. Would this method work?

Chuck a piece of wood the correct size. Turn in inside diameter to the correct size and a little deeper than you want the width of the bracelet. Sand and finish the inside and turn the out side shape as close as you can. Part it off, make a jam chuck to put it on and finish the outside and the parted off side. Sand , remove and apply finish.

[Wally Dickerman]

Those are some really nice bracelets. I was thinking how I would do this. Would this method work?

Chuck a piece of wood the correct size. Turn in inside diameter to the correct size and a little deeper than you want the width of the bracelet. Sand and finish the inside and turn the out side shape as close as you can. Part it off, make a jam chuck to put it on and finish the outside and the parted off side. Sand , remove and apply finish.
Pretty close Paul. I know a couple of guys who make lots of bracelets to sell at craft fairs. They use a 2 1/2 in. forstner bit to do the inside. (2 1/2 in. seems average) They then put if on a jam fit chuck mounted on a faceplate. Do one side of the outside, then flip it do the other side. They then hand sand the inside. Kind of crude, but it works. I bought a forstner bit for a little under $20 in the web. Not good quality but does this job.

A bracelet made out of an ordinary piece of wood has very short grain on 2 sides, so is a bit weak. Usually if I use a plain piece of wood, I slice it in 2 pieces, true up the wood surfaces and glue it back together with a piece (or more) of veneer between them, with the grain oriented in the opposite direction. This gives the blank a lot of strength. If you look at the photo, you'll see that I've done that on a couple that I later added a turquoise inlay to. If I'm using a very dense piece of wood or a piece of burl I don't bother with the veneer.

When I do the segmented bracelets, I just do them oversize and cut them to size using a chuck. When I'm using the expanding chuck jaws to secure the inside I pad the jaws with a couple of wide rubber bands.

Doing a variety of styles of bracelets was a fun project.

Wally

[Cathy Schaewe]

Those are really pretty - I wish there were some girls in the family to make some for! Some people will treasure those -

[Wally Dickerman]

Those are really pretty - I wish there were some girls in the family to make some for! Some people will treasure those -

Well make some for yourself....you're a girl aren't you?

A great way to show off your turning skills.

Wally

[Cathy Schaewe]

Well make some for yourself....you're a girl aren't you?

Wally

Ha! Got me there ...