Beaded Holly

[Baxter Smith]

After cutting a large holly last spring, I roughed out most of it and sent a few pieces to various parts of the country. Some of the smaller sections that I didn’t get to were left to spalt over the summer. After checking the progress last fall, I found that (as usual for around here) it was just getting stained. Although it still turns well, I don’t find completely stained holly very attractive. Made a couple utility bowls and tried a tool that came with my previous lathe. I had never tried it or figured out what it was for....... and didn't know how to use it beyond the directions on the handle.
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They were dry enough to sand a while ago but I lacked the sanding motivation! Still have one to do....sometime. ;)
The one on the left I hollowed a bit too deeply:rolleyes:, so rather than making the tenon into a tiny foot.....and since I had never done a round bottomed bowl.....;):)
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Both are about 8 1/4 x 3 x 5/16
Finished with 2 coats of Walnut oil then a coat of Walnut oil and beeswax

Comments and suggestions are always welcome!

[charlie knighton]

very nice Baxter, like your round bottomed bowl.

does the beeswax tend to collect lint/dust?

[John Keeton]

Baxter, while you did a very nice job on the bowls, I tend to agree on the stained holly - starts to resemble bland poplar! Does the label on the tool say Use with Fluted Edge down? If so, sounds like a beading tool or some type of parting tool. The way it is ground, looks like you used it as a half round scraper.

[Jim Burr]

What? Sanding motivation!? I so hate sanding!! Those on the other hand look cool!. Beading helps an otherwise, as holly can be sometimes, bland wood. The rolly bottom is fun, we always have mixed nuts in ours...prevents accidents!

[Baxter Smith]

.....does the beeswax tend to collect lint/dust?
The only bowls we have "out" that have it, get used quite often so I don't know for sure. It tends to get washed off to some extent anyway.

.... I tend to agree on the stained holly - starts to resemble bland poplar! Does the label on the tool say Use with Fluted Edge down? If so, sounds like a beading tool or some type of parting tool. The way it is ground, looks like you used it as a half round scraper.
I keep hoping for some zone lines like the holly HF's you posted a couple years ago John. No luck yet or even close! I used it flutes down and ground the curved edge fluted side up. That looked like how it had been done before. I believe it is a sorby from the mid 80's. I am guessing it was for beads. At least that is what I tried to do with it. Kind of rolled it from side to side a bit to get the larger beads.


........ The rolly bottom is fun, we always have mixed nuts in ours...prevents accidents! Good idea Jim! I was thinking M&M's but I far prefer mixed nuts!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really nice Baxter.

[Doug Herzberg]

I like them both, Baxter. The round bottom one looks fun.

[Tim Rinehart]

Very nice couple bowls Baxter. Ironically, I got a similar tool in a box of tools I bought from someone who acquired them at an estate sale. I figured it was some sort of parting tool...silly me. It is a beading tool for small beads, but someone rounded that one, and I don't think it'll work well for anything that way. Mine is angled such that the rounded area you have goes away, and ends up about 45 deg (maybe less) angle that has the hollowed area at the top. I use mine all the time for beading handles. Sharpening is done only on the flat area and never the hollowed area.
Its then used in a manner similar to how Dave Schweitzers beading tools work.

If you need a pic, let me know, and I'll get a pic of mine to send you. The meathook thread I'm going to post has beading done with the tool.

[Baxter Smith]

Thanks for again for your thoughts!

Very nice couple bowls Baxter. Ironically, I got a similar tool in a box of tools I bought from someone who acquired them at an estate sale. I figured it was some sort of parting tool...silly me. It is a beading tool for small beads, but someone rounded that one, and I don't think it'll work well for anything that way. Mine is angled such that the rounded area you have goes away, and ends up about 45 deg (maybe less) angle that has the hollowed area at the top. I use mine all the time for beading handles. Sharpening is done only on the flat area and never the hollowed area.
Its then used in a manner similar to how Dave Schweitzers beading tools work.

If you need a pic, let me know, and I'll get a pic of mine to send you. The meathook thread I'm going to post has beading done with the tool.
Thanks Tim, if you could snap a quick picture and post in this thread I would be interested. Wally would probably know how it was originally ground and used. I have considered getting a Dway beading tool several times and figured I would learn how to properly use one then. I was using this one similar to a parting tool by just lifting the handle then rolling side to side a bit.

[Jon Nuckles]

Nice looking bowls, Baxter. I can relate to your approach to sanding, as I have a very large collection ABSAF bowls. In case the acronym list doesn't contain ABSAF yet, it stands for "all but sanded and finished."

[Tim Rinehart]

Here's a couple pics. As I mentioned earlier, the flat angled area (that yours needs defined) ends up being the only thing to ever sharpen. I just run mine across a diamond sharpening stone every once in a while.

Using the tool, you just bring it up with the hollowed area down against the tool rest and the tip at a tangent to the work piece. I lift into the piece gently, similar to how you'd use a skew to make a cut-in for spindle work, and gently rock back and forth a little till the top of bead is rounded. I do this for alot of the tools I make, and it makes short work of it. If nice and sharp, tear out is all but eliminated. Hope that helps.

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[David Gilbert]

I like the beading and the bowls. I've tried a number of times to put beads on my bowls without any success. I saw Richard Raffan last year at Totally Turning where he demoed how to do these with a spindle or pointed bowl gouge. He also shows this in his book on bowls. Despite my practice, attractive beads have not graced any of my bowls. I will be seeing Glenn Lucas at the end of this month and perhaps he can enlighten me.

By the way, Glenn Lucas, will be at Totally Turning at the end of March in Saratoga, NY (although I probably will not be). They put on a wonderful series of presentations and the commercial area will remove all available funds from your wallet. If you live in the Northeast it will well worth the trip to attend. You can go to http://www.totallyturning.com/index.htm to seen the lineup of speakers.

Cheers,
David

[Baxter Smith]

....Using the tool, you just bring it up with the hollowed area down against the tool rest and the tip at a tangent to the work piece. I lift into the piece gently, similar to how you'd use a skew to make a cut-in for spindle work, and gently rock back and forth a little till the top of bead is rounded.....
Thanks for the pictures Tim. Your method of using sounds exactly the way I tried with mine. The rounded end on mine almost looks closer to being the angle on the d-way beading tools. I could grind mine back a bit so its not quite so close to 90 at the end.


I like the beading and the bowls. I've tried a number of times to put beads on my bowls without any success. ......

Thanks David. I have trouble making one bead with a spindle gouge let alone two that look alike!
I went to TT last year but doubt I make it this year. Tim just sent me a link to the D-way website that had a nice video on using a beading tool. You could order one while you are there. Need something to do with the money you save by staying home.;):)

[Tim Rinehart]

You could order one while you are there. Need something to do with the money you save by staying home.;):)

That's just wicked, but a great suggestion!!:D

[Ken Glass]

Baxter,
You must turn 24x7. lol. Nice bowls. I have never seen Holly Spalt well since it is so dense, but maybe its just me. The second picture looks like an Inbord Scrapper to me. Great for light shearing cuts on the inside of bowls. Well done.

[Jamie Donaldson]

Sorby suggests using it with the sharp edges down, and wow does it do a job on your tool rest!! It is also promoted as a parting tool with the sharp edges up, but DON'T EVER, NEVER EVER try it! You can get the mother of all catches when a sharp edge twists and catches in the kerf, and don't ask me how I learned this!!

[Tim Rinehart]

Sorby suggests using it with the sharp edges down, and wow does it do a job on your tool rest!! It is also promoted as a parting tool with the sharp edges up, but DON'T EVER, NEVER EVER try it! You can get the mother of all catches when a sharp edge twists and catches in the kerf, and don't ask me how I learned this!!
Jamie, not knowing what it was when I acquired mine...well, I understand your cautions. DAMHIKT.!

[Kathy Marshall]

Nice bowls Baxter. The round bottom one is cool, but I like the color contrast of the 2nd one. It would be very cool if you could get some zone lines on some of your holly, got my fingers crossed for you!

[Baxter Smith]

Thanks for the additional comments!
Tim and Jamie, those pictures showing the original grind make it look down right dangerous if one got careless. I seem to have the modification made for beginners. I used it again today for some beads on an oak platter. With the handle as low as possible and cutting on center, it seems to do a decent job on beads and isn't putting enough pressure on the tool rest to tear it up.