Harrison's Sphere

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Last week I posted the saga of an almost finished sphere shaped hollow form that I blew up. It seems the screws on my Talon had become loose and I never bothered to check them (I do now). Anyway, a small catch ended up in disaster. Not one to be easily discouraged, I got back on the horse that threw me and started another one. The intent was a perfect ball but anyone who has once turned a hollow form from green wood knows shape is a dynamic target. Both these forms were pretty close before hollowing but change is inevitable. The one on the left is obviously the catastrophe, or as I call it, Turning Lesson 126 Part c.
The successful form has the grain oriented in spindle direction and was shaped mostly with a spindle gouges then finalized with John Jordon's Shear Scraper. The diameter is only 4" across and minus less than 1/16" the other way and weighs in at a whopping 3.5 ounces of still green Norway maple. It's sanded to 220 for now but I will sand it further prior to finishing it. Sanding a sphere in the vacuum chuck is a hoot because you can turn it any way you want. The entry hole is only 1/2" and hollowed by hand. There is no flat spot to rest on and the bottom is under 3/16" while the rest is under 1/8". When you set it on a flat surface it rocks like a bobble head.
The fact that it is for my grandson makes it important to me but as for design, it is just a conversation piece. I will play around with colors when I finish it. I'm thinking something fun like bright yellows and oranges.
This is also the first picture I post enhanced with my newly acquired Adobe Photoshop Lightroom program.
Thanks for looking.
faust227450

[Steve Schlumpf]

Faust - your completed sphere looks great so far! Looking forward to seeing it once finished! Your grandson is going to love it!!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Looks great Faust. Will be watching for it when completed.

[Harvey Ghesser]

Well done, Faust! Did you start with dry wood?

[Bill Bolen]

Great piece Faust. Can't wait for the colored version. All my attempts at a sphere have ended up more egg shaped rather than ball shaped. Any tips for the ball challenged?!

[Michelle Rich]

wow that is an amazing sphere..grand job

[John Keeton]

Great work, Faust! With the figure showing in the maple, I bet the dye really works wonders on it.

[Jon McElwain]

That is a good looking sphere and the consistent shape is remarkable! It is really going to look sweet with a nice dye job!

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Did you start with dry wood?
No Harvey. It's been cut about a year or so. Not super wet but not yet dry. I will wait until next weekend to begin a finish. Thin wood dries quickly.

Any tips for the ball
Thanks Bill. I worked with a template. I began writing how it was made and it sounded so complicated, I decided to take a picture for you. It's easier. I'll post it later today.
So you folks experienced with dyes, if I want the ball to be full red for the bottom 1/3, changing to fiery orange near the center and finishing up as yellow near the top, all in a seamless progression, do you have a suggestion on the process. I plan to use Procion water based dyes and mix basics, overlaying colors. Any thoughts?
Thanks, faust

[David DeCristoforo]

Looks like you pretty well nailed the sphere. It ain't easy as I have recently discovered.

I was using an airbrush to fade dyes and that works well. But lately I have started playing around with "burning" colors into a lacquer base and there seems to be a lot better control over the dye. Only thing is, it only works with alcohol dyes. With water based dyes, an airbrush is what I would reach for...

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Thanks David,
I have the broken version to practice with. Do the different color tinted lacquers blend as the layers of lacquer burn into each other. That sounds like it has potential.
Bill, as promised, here are the pics of the template and the worksheet I used to make it. After I determined the size and shape of the template, I cut it out on the bandsaw and used a drum sander to refine the cut to the line. Then it's just a matter of shaping and comparing a million times until you are close. Finish with a shear scraper till the template fits. After hollowing, fit the sphere in a vacuum remove the tenon and shape the collar to finish the ball. You can still use the template for the final step
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The drawings are pretty much self explanatory. PM me if I han help further.
faust

[David DeCristoforo]

Yup. That's pretty much how I do mine. Only my template is far more sophisticated as you can see in this thread:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?177150-Have-a-Ball&highlight=

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

David,
I picked that template up and put it down so many times I should have had a stainless steel version. I do love your sphere. The wood was a perfect choice to show off a great turning.
faust

[Baxter Smith]

Great work on that sphere Faust. Looks about as perfect as it could be. The best I could say about the one I tried was that it was "kind of round".

[Bill Wyko]

The sign of a true turner. If you blow it up, start over and do it better. Very well done, congratulations.