A few ornaments

[Brian Brown]

Here are a few ornaments I have made over the last few months. Some were started over a year ago, and just finished recently. Turning time has been at a premium this year, so it has been hard to get anything finished. Lately things have lightened up a bit so I have been able to get some things done. The urchin was my first of this type, and I read a lot of articles on hoe to do it. My biggest concern was that the wood could expand if the humidity rises. if the tenons, top and bottom, fit tightly in the urchin shell hole, swelling could cause the shell to split. If is is loose, it is hard to glue it in. My solution was to size the tenon slightly smaller than the urchin hole, drill a small hole in bottom of the top, and in the top of the bottom (still with me?), then connect the two together through the shell with a carefully sized length of dowel. The dowel holds the whole "sandwich" together, and with luck, swelling won't cause a problem. Anybody have a better way? On the bird houses, I hear the new way to make real birdhouses is without perches, because it makes it easier for preditors to get the birds. So I left the perches off these. Not sure I like it. Well, here they are.

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[Don Nicholas]

Very nice display well done. Excellent photos as well.
Merry Christmas

[Bill Clark De]

it's all good!!!

[charlie knighton]

very nice, wide range, my personal favorite would be the soft maple (bark or is it pyroed) and black walnut

[Michael Poorman]

That's a nice sampling you've done. They all look top notch!

[Roger Chandler]

Nice, nice, nice, nice! Did I mention NICE? :D Great work, Brian!

[Thom Sturgill]

Brian, that's a great collection! I'm late (just getting started) on this years ornaments due to health issues. I make 12-14 of the same pattern for family members, different pattern each year. Don't know if I'll get them done this year due to the late start.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I love these! I especially love the sea urchin. We have a lot of them where I live, but the shells are too fragile. This does give me ideas of incorporating shells into ornaments. Nice work.

[Donny Lawson]

Great looking ornaments. Where did you find the little metal hangers?

[Brian Brown]

The larger eyelet came from a craft store. It is hard to find eyelets so small around here, and I don't like large ones. The problem with being so small is they so often break while you are screwing them into hardwoods. The more decorative eyelets came from CSUSA. They come in 10 packs, and you should get the drill bit from them too. As for the hooks, I think my wife got those at Target. She got a bunch one year on an after Christmas sale. I saw some at Shopko a few days ago, and I think you can get them at any Big box retailer.

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[Steve Schlumpf]

That's quite the variety Brian! Very nice work! Good to hear you are getting in some turning time!

[James Combs]

Brian, a really excellent selection. May have to "borrow" a couple of your designs. Got an order for 20 for next Christmas(a year from now).


I love these! I especially love the sea urchin. We have a lot of them where I live, but the shells are too fragile. This does give me ideas of incorporating shells into ornaments. Nice work.
I make a few urchin ornaments myself and to reinforce them I will pour a small amount of medium CA inside them then rotate them so that the CA covers the entire inside wall. Once the wall is covered and most of the CA is on the wall, I hit with accelerator. Then is when I go to work assembling the ornament. Does a very good job.

[Brian Brown]

My wife did some research on the "fragile" problem. I'm not sure whom to credit with this idea, but I think it was Cindy Drosda. She paints the inside of the shells with a thick coat of Mod Podge (craft store) and allows it to dry. It is a little more flexible than CA glue, and much easier to clean up if I get messy. There are also small holes in the side of the shells that CA can run through.

[Steve Mawson]

Brian,
I use fishing line swivels for the hook or eyelet, just cut out the swivel. Come in lots of sizes, haven't had one pull out yet. Also really like the fancy hooks and the houses of course, however I still like the perch.

[Jim Kountz]

Nice work. Love the heart pine and bloodwood!

[Arlin Eastman]

I really like them and the bird houses are fine too.

Arlin