Turnin' for Learnin' - Inside Out

[Brian Kent]

My wife showed me some youtube videos on inside-out turning. I did some experimenting when I had 4 pieces of walnut - 2 x 2 x 8" each.

I put a strip of glue in the inside edges - top and bottom - to hold them together temporarily. At first I tried a spur center and live center. The spur center just drilled in to the end, so I screwed a faceplate onto the end.

Soon the live center pushed the four pieces apart, since there is only a minimum amount of glue holding the 4 pieces together. So I re-glued and lightly glued a pine disk across the end to receive the live center. That worked well.

I turned in a cove in the center of the bundle, sanded and applied WOP. I did not spend the usual amount of time sanding because this is just a test piece. Next time I will wrap the sandpaper around a large dowel or some other tool because this banged up my fingers every time I strayed to close to the end.

[Brian Kent]

I knocked off the pine disk and separated the four pieces with a wide chisel. Each piece is then turned 180° so that the turned parts are on the inside and the outside looks like a block with some cut-outs in the center. The glue goes on all of the flat surfaces touching each other. I evened out the ends on a table saw.

I re-screwed on the faceplate and lightly glued the pine disk again to receive the live center.

Then I just started removing material, with no particular shape in mind except to echo the internal cuts in the middle part of the block.

The inside cuts meet with the outside cuts on a curved edge. One thing I noticed is that any imperfections (and I am good at imperfections!) on either stage of turning show up on that curved edge.

[Brian Kent]

I have never turned a finial and really had no idea what to do with the top of the form, but that wasn't the purpose of the experiment. I just did whatever happened. This was easier to sand than the original black, though again I did not spend a lot of time with the finish. I used a wood block, then several layers of sandpaper, lightly holding it close to those center "blades".

It is now sitting on the lathe with the first coat of WOP drying.

Final size is 7.5" X 3.5".

It was fun and informative, and I hope the description and the problems and mistakes are useful.

Brian

[Timothy Mann]

Very nice Brian, I tried this for a christmas ornament last month and did not succeed in my attemp.

[Bernie Weishapl]

That turned out really nice. It is better than my first and last attempt. I will attempt again. lol

[Brian Kent]

Timothy, may I ask what stage did not work? This is kind of large but I am also interested in using this idea for Christmas tree ornaments.

[Greg Ketell]

Isn't it fun trying new things?! That is a great looking piece.

[Timothy Mann]

I turned it to deep so when I tried to reverse it the pieces that were now on the outside were to thin. Also when I started the cuts I did not get a clean line, the proportions didnt add up right once it was reversed. I will try this again at some point, even failures are learning experiences.

[Roger Chandler]

That could make a nice lamp, Brian.......nicely done!

[Brian Kent]

That could make a nice lamp, Brian.......nicely done!

Now there's an interesting idea. I'll look around to see what would fit.

[Roger Chandler]

Now there's an interesting idea. I'll look around to see what would fit.

You can buy lamp rod and the bulb socket.........fairly easy to do..........just make sure you tape the wood together when you go to drill the hole, which should be done on the lathe......you can use a long 3/8" bit.........the lamp parts can be gotten at a local lamp shop or at CSUSA.......check their catalog.

Good luck!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Brian,

I will see if I can find the thread. One turner here....can't think of this name at this moment. I met him and his wife in Houston though they are from Austin IIRC. He turned a lamp with a cross in the middle for his wife. It was stunning!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Brian......check this thread out and inside-out turing by Robert McGowen http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?48441-inside-out-lamp&highlight=

[Brian Kent]

Roger, I assume you are talking about a small light inside, not sticking out of the top, right?

This might do the trick:
http://www.doitbest.com/Lamp+parts-Leviton+Mfg+Co-model-10020-doitbest-sku-501786.dib

[Doug W Swanson]

Looking good, Brian. My first attempt ended up in about 20 pieces after I had a catch. I will try again but I'll try not to go so thin next time!

[Brian Kent]

Brian......check this thread out and inside-out turing by Robert McGowen http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?48441-inside-out-lamp&highlight=

I especially enjoyed his comment:
"I am inspired to try another one as soon as the knuckles heal some! (If you have done one before, you know what I mean!)"

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I especially enjoyed his comment:
"I am inspired to try another one as soon as the knuckles heal some! (If you have done one before, you know what I mean!)"

Remembered and found the photos.I planned on turning one for my 90 year old MIL. I forgot to reread the comments!

You got to admit it was well done!

[Thom Sturgill]

Looks good Brian!

I did an ornament using this technique.. I just used rubber bands to hold every thing together and because the outside diameter was small I was able to hold one end in the chuck and use a cup center on the other end. Another idea is to glue them together with a sheet of paper between them. the paper will allow the pieces to be separated after the inside is turned and any paper that remains will be on the outside where it can be turned off.

When I made the ornament, I turned a small ball out of contrasting wood with a spindle coming out of the ends. When I reversed the pieces, I mounted this centered in the inside so I get a lot of questions since the ball is bigger than any opening.

[Brian Kent]

Looks good Brian!
When I made the ornament, I turned a small ball out of contrasting wood with a spindle coming out of the ends. When I reversed the pieces, I mounted this centered in the inside so I get a lot of questions since the ball is bigger than any opening.

That is really funny. I would love to see that.

[Jim Underwood]

Took me a few minutes, but I finally remembered who demonstrated inside out turnings for our club. It was John Lucas. You might do a google search for his stuff. I think he may have some tutorials out there somewhere. In fact, there are quite a few inside out tutorials (including John's) over on Woodturning Online's website.

[Roger Chandler]

Roger, I assume you are talking about a small light inside, not sticking out of the top, right?

This might do the trick:
http://www.doitbest.com/Lamp+parts-Leviton+Mfg+Co-model-10020-doitbest-sku-501786.dib

Brian, I was referring to a lamp with a shade......a threaded lamp rod with the cord running through from the bottom up to the top, and the harp and bulb holder ........I think they can all be had as a kit, [CSUSA] and you cut the threaded rod to length, put the bulb holder at the top and make the electrical connections, put the nut on the bottom to secure the threaded rod. The bulb holder has a mounting clamp for the harp which you hang the shade on and then put a knob on top to secure the shade.

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/images/prod/275/ts_tab_lam_kit.jpg
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/images/prod/275/ts_tab_lam_kit.jpg

hope this helps!

Here is one I made about 3 or so years ago

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=172769&d=1280366960

[Harry Robinette]

Hey guys
I use to teach inside-out ornaments and I believe I still have a couple hand-outs from the class if you want I'll try to figure out how to post them here. I don't know allot about how to post them,might need to send them to someone for help.Also have others on Boxes my way,goblets,
split turned vase with inlay maybe some others. These are just basic and you do have to use some thinking but they might help someone.

[George Morris]

Nicely done!

[Brian Kent]

I would like to see some of those handouts, Harry. Is there a good way to post that on the creek?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Hey guys
I use to teach inside-out ornaments and I believe I still have a couple hand-outs from the class if you want I'll try to figure out how to post them here. I don't know allot about how to post them,might need to send them to someone for help.Also have others on Boxes my way,goblets,
split turned vase with inlay maybe some others. These are just basic and you do have to use some thinking but they might help someone.

Harry,

If you would like, you can email them to me or mail them to me and I will see they get posted.

[Harry Robinette]

Brian
I'm going to send them to Ken F and he said he knows how to post them. Maybe next week.

[Brian Kent]

Great. Thank you.

[Robert Henrickson]

See David Smith's website for several inside out projects, and a lot of other useful techniques: davidreedsmith.com (go to the Articles section)

[Rodney Hoyle]

Brian,

Great job. I watched the video and will try to turn a project soon. In your pics, it looks like duct tape was used. In the video, Dwayne Collwell-Inside out turning, he uses filament tape to safely bind the pieces before turning. That tape, string tape, packaging tape, nylon filament tape-all the same stuff is impossible to pull apart and I think Dwayne uses it as a safety net and not relying only on the glue. Thanks for sharing. Happy turning.;)

Rodney

[Mike Cruz]

Neat turning, Brian. I like the idea of making it a lamp. What would be neat, for a future project, is to do the first step, and when you go to reverse the four pieces, just heavily tape them together, don't glue them. Drill the hole (may not be 3/8", may be to be larger), and then before glueing up, place a turned spindle in the middle instead of a lamp rod to carry the wire. If you feel it is necessary (or if for safety reasons...not sure there really is one) you could turn that spindle with a 3/8" hole in it to accept a lamp rod... That way you would have an attractive piece inside the turning...not a brass rod showing. It could even be a contrasting wood, or something highly figured to invite someone to look in!