Looking for project ideas combining metal and wood

[Jeff Caulk]

My Uncle gave me a 1960s era Atlas/Craftsman lathe as a retirement gift. I have it assembled and spent the last several weekends cleaning up rust and getting it back in service.

It has several chucks, both metal and wood turning centers and tools, and rests for the wood tools. Quite a nice package.

I'd like to make him a gift with it as appreciation.
Since I can turn both metal and wood I'm trying to come up with ideas.

I'm thinking of things like a wooden vase with a turned metal base or a lip on the mouth, or a cup, or capped box or something similar. I have a lot of maple on my property and will probably down one for the wood to make it more "personal". Aluminum or steel for the metal parts.

Just was wondering if you all might have some ideas. Photos would be great, tough to find the correct search words.

Thanks

[Paul F Franklin]

If he's a wine drinker....woodcraft sells a wine stopper kit that combines metal and wood. You could turn the metal part yourself instead of buying the kit. Chrome plating might be an issue though.

[John K Jordan]

An Atlas metal cutting lathe is excellent, especially one with the things for wood turning.

I can thing of a zillion things but to start simple, how about some tool handles with metal inserts. I've made a bunch of these:

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These are easier with my metal lathe but I have even turned aluminum, brass, and steel on the wood lathe with standard woodturning tools. This takes longer but allows some free-form for creative expression. (Sorry, I don't have good pictures of just the metal turnings.)

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BTW, if you are not familiar with him, look up some of the hundreds of metalworking videos on youtube by "mrpete222", also known as Tubal Cain. Maybe search youtube with something like "mrpete222 atlas lathe" for specifics on that lathe but other less specific videos on metal turning are worth the time, IMO!

JKJ


My Uncle gave me a 1960s era Atlas/Craftsman lathe as a retirement gift. I have it assembled and spent the last several weekends cleaning up rust and getting it back in service.

It has several chucks, both metal and wood turning centers and tools, and rests for the wood tools. Quite a nice package.

I'd like to make him a gift with it as appreciation.
Since I can turn both metal and wood I'm trying to come up with ideas.

I'm thinking of things like a wooden vase with a turned metal base or a lip on the mouth, or a cup, or capped box or something similar. I have a lot of maple on my property and will probably down one for the wood to make it more "personal". Aluminum or steel for the metal parts.

Just was wondering if you all might have some ideas. Photos would be great, tough to find the correct search words.

Thanks

[Tom Bender]

A yoyo allows for creativity

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Jeff - check out the work by William Moore - an artist in both wood and metal in Oregon. Beautiful work incorporating both. Great for inspiration.

Here’s a link to an article on him that was in the AAW Journal: http://aawcontentsource.org/aaw_cs1_pdf/AW2404p43-45.pdf

[Dan Hunkele]

Used a piece of copper pipe to make a vase insert in an inside out turning. Made a bushing using Corian to seat it in the top and made the bottom seat small enough to keep the pipe in place. The copper bottom was cut from a copper vase found at the thrift store.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

I saw a demonstration of a turned bowl with a pewter rim and decorations that were poured from melted pewter ingots and then finish turned. Absolutely gorgeous stuff especially against black walnut or ebony. Unlike most metals, pewter forms can be made of folded cardboard and duct tape wrapped around the bowl. I am sure there are several Youtube videos about the process.

[Grant Wilkinson]

I make pens using my Taig micro lathe to turn the metal parts, and a Jet mini for the wood parts.

[Jeff Caulk]

Thanks for the ideas.