First turnings in a while.....a prelude....I think.....

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I haven't done any turning for several years. A few weeks ago a neighbor asked me to turn a spindle for a chair he was refurbishing for his FIL. Then a week later a deaf friend asked me to turn some bottle stoppers. I struggled with a finish. For some reason, I could not get my favorite Deft lacquer to work even after I bought a new can. Then after some questions here and some online research, I settled on a CA and BLO finish shown in a youtube video.

As I was finishing them I spied a bunch of blanks laying near my lathe....and my Jamison hollowing rig........and a brand new Sorby Spiral tool I bought but never used......

I've got new windows being installed in upcoming weeks and I am doing the exterior and interior trim. I want to pre-finish the trim material to speed up the process but....I think I see some larger turning in my near future....f

Here they are...

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[Ken Fitzgerald]

and the rest....

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[Hayes Rutherford]

Ken, a nice group of stoppers.

[Steve Huffman]

Wow, that's quite a collection there. Also a nice variety of colors in the different woods. Nice work Ken!

[Doug Ladendorf]

Really nice Ken! Can you elaborate a bit on the finish process? Also, where did you get the inserts? Really nice touch.

Doug

[Billy Tallant]

Very nice group of stoppers!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I got the inserts at CSUSA and the finishing process I got from this youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-FXOsMR2tY


Thanks everybody!

[Brian Brown]

Those are really nice stoppers Ken. I always like them with the top as the widest point. The finish looks good too. Glad to see you turning again. I thought I might have to come up there and confiscate that poor lonely mustard monster. :D

[James Conrad]

Nice! I like the stone inserts. How long for that finish to dry?

[Randy Red Bemont]

The whole collection is very nice. Thanks for the YouTube link. I'll have to watch that. Now I just need my lathe delivered!

Red

[daryl moses]

Wow, someone's been a busy boy.
The stoppers look great, I've never turned them. May just have to give them a try.

[Thom Sturgill]

Nice stoppers. Quite a variety. I get asked for them occasionally and just gave away the next-to-last one that I had turned, so I need to make a few more myself.

Those look like some of Ruth Niles SS stoppers. I like her new ones that stand on their own.

[William C Rogers]

Nice stoppers Ken. I like paduck 1. How did you get the burn rings in the top? Thanks for the finishing link. I had used the BLO before, but I started with CA. I'll try this way next time.

ok, I'm still in suspense! You have the woods identified, what one smelled like "pickles"?

[David Delo]

I'm not a stopper maker but recognize the skill you put into these. Nice wood selections and I like how they are all a different design. Good looking piece Ken.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

William,

It was the bocote that smelled like dill pickles.

The rings in the top were first cut with a skew and then burnished with a sharp point on the end of a scrap piece of walnut.

James, the finish dries in less than 2 minutes....when the stopper comes off the lathe, I buff them and they are done.

[Roger Chandler]

Nicely done, Ken! All are fine pieces. Glad you are "turning" back to the spinny side of things, and hope you can continue to find that inner motivation to be an active participant in the Vortex! :)

[Tom Hamilton D'ville, GA]

Ken, welcome back to the spinning wood world. I remember when you were "bombed" with your first lathe way back in the last century. Glad to learn you've fired up the 3520 and are enjoying turning and making beautiful pieces again.

All the best, Tom

[robert baccus]

Very nice arty stoppers. Of course real men never need stoppers.

[David Cramer]

Very nice! The two Padauks are my choice for the Toscar's Award (Turner's version of the Oscars:)) Well done!

David