I know this is not a Ring turning forum but . . . . .

[Peter Blair]

Every once in a while I feel like doing something completely different and I often turn to making rings. I started out making rings from thin slices of various woods I make with a hand plane. Then I discovered that I could sort of "tie dyeing" them. This week I have been playing with stabilized Yellow Cedar Burl. I have made all my own accessories and tools other than a set of sizing rings and a ring size measure tool. I somethings stabilize with dyes in the Castus Juice which can add interesting details. Here are a couple of photos.
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[John K Jordan]

It actually is a ring-turning forum...

That's a nice look

A lot of people dye figured wood. Jimmy Clewes is a proponent of soaking the dye so it penetrates deeply. Some brush selectively. Joe Fleming and others suggest airbrushing for lighter applications and/or more control.

Can't find yellow cedar burl around here! I've never seen a piece.

JKJ

[Ted Calver]

Peter, If you turned it, we like it! Those are beautiful. Pleas show us some more of your work.

[Peter Blair]

Some great ideas John some of which I already do but i haven't tried soaking. Gonna see if that helps. I took the pieces out of the Cactus Juice today and I really didn't get too much penetration. Oh, I do have a really cool chunk of Yellow Cedar Burl in my Kiln right now would you like me to send you a chunk to play with?


It actually is a ring-turning forum...

That's a nice look

A lot of people dye figured wood. Jimmy Clewes is a proponent of soaking the dye so it penetrates deeply. Some brush selectively. Joe Fleming and others suggest airbrushing for lighter applications and/or more control.

Can't find yellow cedar burl around here! I've never seen a piece.

JKJ

[Peter Blair]

Hey Ted, thanks for the kind comments! I do post here so there are some photos of my pieces hiding about here. But here are a few recent shots. I really hate to take the time to do a proper job of taking the photos so most of my photos are just iPhone shots.
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In order from left to right
Silver Maple with Iridescent paint applied with a balloon.
Hybrid maple burl clear Alumilite
Red Maple with CODIT
Silver Maple with handle which is the center section of another silver maple bowl from which I cut two wings for a Monster I made and this center section was left over. The bowl has a repaired crack that I want to install a couple of Pewas in but dragging my feet.
Last photo is the Monster I made for a friends Carving challenge, it was fun but I'd rather be turning. All parts except the legs were turned. Can you sing "It was a one eyed one horned flying purple people eater . . . . . . . . One eyed etc!


Peter, If you turned it, we like it! Those are beautiful. Pleas show us some more of your work.

[Wes Mitchell]

Is that just dye in the alumilite? It has a really interesting pattern inside, but I'm having a hard time seeing what caused it. I really like seeing hybrids. I have some of that bumpy burl I bought, as well as the resin and home-made pressure pot, I just haven't gotten around to making the forms. I'd like have a try at the spheres, but in reality I'm guessing they'll be more egg-like.

[Peter Blair]

The blue is blue dye that was drawn into the burl when it was stabilized in a blue dye Cactus Juice. Today I will be making a few or trying to make a few hybrid rings. I cast a tube of resin and Yellow Cedar Burl yesterday, sliced it with my new safe slicer. I like to work with round blanks rather than square because my home made ring holders are designed for round material. I'll post a photo or two tomorrow if the rings turn out.
As far as your set-up goes just go for it. Spheres are a little tricky but fun to do and the end result is usually worth the effort. I find that if I sand with 400 and then 600 I can get a nice clear finish with the buffing through the three typical steps.
Best of luck and please post what you make.