Channel your Talent into a Funnel

[Andy Hoyt]

So Great Grand Dad Ken posed the question (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=34106) about how often (if ever) we produce funnels whilst intending to produce something else. After looking at the poll results, I decided that everyone who answered by clicking number one is a devious low down stinking dirty rotten liar.

So it's time for another challenge. And the purpose is to find out just what's involved in making a funnel on purpose. If you're game, here are some parameters:
Has to look like a funnel - traditional, contemporary, neo-classical, and Schlamaccan styles are acceptable.
Has to function like a funnel. --- ie. just like you it has to pass water.
No sanding allowed. Yippee!
No finishing allowed. Yahoo!
No winners will be declared. It's a challenge, not a contest.
No expiration date for the challenge. Hopefully by March of 2029 someone will post their piece.
Multiple entries are acceptableWho's in?

Oh, by the way, I clicked Number One.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I did it by accident...........I'll bet I can do it on purpose!

[Chris Barton]

I'm in. I will turn one on purpose! I also clicked # 1 because my disasters in turning are never so neat as a funnel. They tend to look more like schrapnel.

[David Fried]

After claiming "I meant to do that" it's finally going to come true!! :D
I'll probably screw up and turn another goblet :rolleyes:

I'll give it a try.

[John Hart]

I'm with Dave....probably end up turning my best hollow form. But I'll try.

[Dennis Peacock]

No sanding????? Sheesh....how do I get rid of my tool marks then?:confused: :eek: :rolleyes:

Count me in on this one.

[Andy Hoyt]

Excellent, glad you guys are aboard!

I'm gonna log off now and start my first one. It's conceived as a two piece unit so I can get rid of some scrap.

And that's the practice for the one piece funnel I'll do next.

[David Fried]

....how do I get rid of my tool marks then?...

What's a tool mark?:confused: ;) :D

[Rich Stewart]

I'm in. I made three so far. I was bustin' up laughin when I read "I'll probably screw up and make a goblet" Lmbo.

[Dennis Peacock]

What's a tool mark?:confused: ;) :D

Ouch!!!!!!

Maybe I'm the only turner that has tool marks on his turnings. :o :rolleyes:

[Andy Hoyt]

What's a tool mark?:confused: ;) :D

Look at the shaft of any turning tool. It will bear the mark of the maker - just like in pottery and stuff. The only exception to this are tools by Jerry Glaser who makes no mark since his tools are so good they are identifiable by their quality.

Or.

All the garbage that you "hope" will depart with sanding - but doesn't.

[David Fried]

All the garbage that you "hope" will depart with sanding - but doesn't.

I just tell folks it's character or
I'm working my way up to spirals or
It's a texturing tool, it's supposed to do that or
All funnels are like that or
...

Now to finish rubbing the names off my soon to be Glaser tools :D

[Keith Burns]

So Andy, is this a double dog dare ya challenge or what:D

[Andy Hoyt]

Yup. Double Dog Dare.

And watch out for the flagpole.

I got two of 'em done, well almost two. Will process pics and have 'em up shortly.

[Andy Hoyt]

Or - How Not to turn a funnel.

So I've had a few miscellaneous odd sized chunks of what I think is box elder kicking around for a while but neither of them would be any good for the entire piece. So I decided to make the receptacle portion out of one and the spout (?) portion out of the other. Big mistake.

Chucked it up oriented facework style but between centers and got it flattened and stuck a tenon on one end. Shoved it into the chuck and got it round. Bored a hole clean through it - Mistake Two.

Shaped the outside. Easy

Turned it around to do the inside by mounting it on a tenon turned to fit the hole really snug like - Mistake Three. Put irish grind to it and launched it across the shop. Remounted and brought live center with small cone into play and got bulk of inside done. Had to use a 1/4" skew to get the very last bit. Not fun as it had to squeeze between sidewall and cone.

Mounted spout piece turned a tenon to fit other piece, glued together, drill hole, and finish turned exterior of everything.

Total time about an hour and a half of pure NOT FUN. Here are some pics.
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I'm calling this an Early to Late Neo-Colonial Maldavian Funnel

[Andy Hoyt]

Or How to Find the Crappiest Piece of Wood for Your Funnel.

Wanted to do a nice big funnel for Number Two and the only piece I had and was willing to sacrifice to the effort was a chunk of pressure treated 6x6 SYP. I chose to save that and went for a walk in the woods with Archie and came back with piece of Dunnowood that might be maple.

Got it mounted centerwork style; debarked it; tenoned one end; and jammed it into the chuck. You can see it in the picture above serving as the holder for Funnel Number One.

This was the soggiest crummiest flimsiest end grain tear-outiest hunk of useless wood I've seen since ------------------- last week. Perfect for the task at hand.

Did the inside with an irish grind and switched to a round nose scraper when I got about 4" deep. Turned it around and mounted it on the vac chuck with tail stock assisting and shaped the reast of it. It was looking really nice, or ---- as nice as a soggy crummy flimsy end grain tear-outy hunk of useless wood can be.

Mounted a nice long 3/8" bit in the tailstock and proceed to drill. Got about 1/8" deep and the thing vaporized.

Lesson learned - find wood that has the structural integrity of a styrofoam cup, or better.

Net result - one Schlamaccan Funnelizer.

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[Frank Chaffee]

Andy,
That is a very interesting funnel.
Exactly why you chose to make that funnel in wood, however, eludes me.
Earlier, I figured that you spun out ones were turning these projects for the pure joy of the dizziness you experience while going round and round. Now that you have declared that the 1.5 hrs you spent were not an enjoyable time for you, I have to question whether you are engaging in this spinny thing as a healthy avocation or a self destructive habit.
Plastic milk jugs lend themselves to funnel making, as do dish soap bottles and even, if we need to get really resourceful, soda cans and ice cream cartons.
So Andy, if you are not enjoying the process of creating these turnings, why are you making them?
Are you the “SUB”, in “subliminal”?
Frank

[Lee DeRaud]

Lesson learned - find wood that has the structural integrity of a styrofoam cup, or better.Oooh! I think I still have a piece of that styrofoam-redwood left...

[Andy Hoyt]

Why?

Because the skills and procedural workaround knowledge gained by turning a form such as this (whose simple function and appearance is deceptively deceiving) has applications throughout woodturning.
Because it's what I enjoy doing.
Because I can
But most importantly - because I said I would

[David Fried]

Well, I went up to the shop at 8:15 and was home to put the boys to bed at 9:00. I cut a small Yew branch and went to town. I mounted it between centers and turned a cylinder using my roughing gouge.

Next I decided to try turning the outside using the heel of my skew. It work but the log ended up looking like it was wearing a grass skirt around it's middle.:eek: I was laughing too hard to continue - now I know why they call it a peeling cut.:D

I finished the outside with a 3/8 spindle gouge and hollowed the end with a 1/2" bowl gouge before drilling out the stem and parting it off using the skew.

Ended up 3" across the top and 4" high. The funnel walls are a health 3/16" thick while the spout walls are 1/8". No sanding, no finish - that was the hard part.

Lots of wet curlies and fun!!:D
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[John Hart]

Andy...I really like the Neo-Colonial Maldavian model. If I do this, I'm gonna wanna finish it though. I think we're talkin' heirlooms here!

[John Hart]

Dave...Yew really outdid yourself! Get it? Yew?

Sheesh...I need some sleep.:rolleyes:

[Keith Burns]

Dave, now thats what Andy's talkin' about. It appears that you have set the bar extremely high:)

[Andy Hoyt]

Dave, now thats what Andy's talkin' about. It appears that you have set the bar extremely high:)
Yeah! And way past my effort. I think I was thinking too much. Gonna have another go at it tomorrow. And no more two piece funnels. A unipiece funnel is where it's at.

[David Fried]

Nice funnel Andy!
I was hoping to post before you just to add pressure!:D
I like the shot of the calipers to measure the wall thickness - I used a tape measure on mine.:eek:

I do have some more of that wormy, spalted, found on road wood so I may take another shot at it.

[doug webb]

Well as I understand some of the rules; must be a funnel shaped, has to pass liquids and no finish. I believe this qualifies. funnel shaped......WILL NOT hold water and cannot be finished.


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[David Fried]

Doug,

Nice, the "Some Assembly Required" funnel!
Yup, that's the real McCoy that started this whole thing.

Great entry!!

[Raymond Overman]

I bet you thought I wouldn't enter your Fun Bell Challenge Andy. Well, I just couldn't resist so here it is.

My Fun Bell

Peach with an Ironwood clapper and brass colored chain.

[Glenn Hodges]

Now that is a real funnel, not the kind I would normally make by accident for sure. I llike it.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Hey Doug, I've made more than a few of those myself :o

Cheers!

[Andy Hoyt]

Raymond - As fun bells go, I like it. But as funnels go - not so much.

[David Fried]

Raymond,

You have my permission to poke him with a stick! :D
Oh, never mind, he'd probably enjoy it. :eek:

[Ron Ainge]

Well Andy here is my entries into your funnel contest, the first one is made out of Cottonwood and is 5 inches tall and 3 1/4 inches wide at the top. the second one is 3/4 inches tall and 3/8 inch wide and is made of corian. I hope you can make out the small one because the picture did not come out the way I wanted it to. I have never turned a funnel before and this is the last one I think I will ever do. Have fun and keep the contest coming I do enjoy them.

[Andy Hoyt]

Great funnels, Ron.

I know what you mean about not wanting to do another (but I will). They are actually a pretty good technical challenge in terms of what sequence they should be produced in and the resultant mounting issues. There's a yin and yang to it, for sure.

Okay, we have David, Doug, Raymond (sort of), and Ron and myself.

What are the rest of you funnelators doing and where are your funnelizers?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Okay......quick........crude...............but it was intentionally turned....this time...........:rolleyes: 2 views to prove it's a funnel! With a partial NE I might add..............made out of Japanese Maple.

[Barry Stratton]

This is fun too. I REALLY like these "no sanding" challenges!

Here's my fast funnel attempt. Got my new "cheap" Grizzly chuck yesterday and, being in possession of no bowl blanks, thought I'd try a small funnel. 2 1/2" of DRY prima vera. Kinda like making a goblet. Hollow inside, shape outside, work on "stem", part off, drill.
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P.S. Nice job Ken.....

[Pete Jordan]

I made my first funnel! I took my first lesson from my tutor ( reminds me of the Farside cartoon where the dog is in the back of the car jumping around saying" I'm going to the vet to get tutored"). He was showing me how to make a box on his Serious Lathe. This mayo machine made my Mustard Monster look like a little toy. Anyway, after a wonderful time learning many things, like where the bottom is, a funnel was born.

Pete

[Andy Hoyt]

Nice segmented funnel Pete.

Those Serious Lathes are very nice. First time I've seen one painted a proper color though. I approve!