A couple more dyed ornaments

[Kathy Marshall]

I turned these about a week ago and have just been waiting until I had the photo tent up to take some pics.

The first one is black limba with an african blackwood knob and icicle. It was dyes with a turquoise/blue dye but with the yellow in the wood, it went more towards a turquoise/green.

The 2nd one is Maple (I think, kinda lost track of which woods I used for which pieces) with a maple knob and icicle. The globe was dyed with a royal blue dye and the knob and finial were treated with silver leaf rub n buff. I was hoping the silver would look more like silver, but it looks more like aluminum. I'm wondering if maybe a coat of lacquer wouldn't help it? Ren wax is a no go, tried it on the knob and it just kind of melts the silver off.
Anyway, I like how the blue turned out and I've got another in the process of finishing that's been dyed red with a similar pattern of light and dark. I also got some of the gold leaf rub n buff and might try it on the knob and icicle for the red ornament.
Both globes are finished with spray on lacquer.
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Thanks for looking!
Comments and critiques are welcome.

[Eric Gourieux]

Kathy, these are very nice. I don't know anything about the process of making these ornaments, but I assume they are hollowed? Do they have a hole in each end? How are they chucked? I really like the dye/coloring job you did.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Kathy those are beauties. Really like the dye. I did the same as the green one except I used silver craft paint with sparkle in it.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Kathy, do you turn in your sleep? Beautiful job. Great color.

[Kathy Marshall]

Thanks Eric and Bernie!
Eric, this is my process for turning them (other turners may use different methods, but whatever works for you is the right method).
I start with a spindle blank and turn a tenon on one end and rough to a cylinder. Then I mount it in the chuck using the tailstock for support, and true the cylinder if needed. I turn the upper half of the globe except for a little nub when the live center sits, then I start on the lower half but only turn it about 1/4 of the way down, leaving the bottom most 1/4 for support for hollowing. I then remove the tailstock, turn off the nub and then using a 3/8" drill, I drill through the globe going beyond where the bottom will be. I hollow the globe using an allen wrench that I bent and ground to work as a hollowing tool. When the hollowing is done I sand the turned portion then I start turning the very bottom. When I get close to where the hole is drilled, I stop and sand what I have just turned, then I part it off with a thin parting tool. Since I drilled past the bottom, I don't have to reverse it to drill the bottom hole, and the holes are perfectly aligned. Once it's parted off, it just needs a little bit of hand sanding around the bottom hole and it's done.
If the splindle blank was long enough then I can start another globe where I left off.

[Kathy Marshall]

Kathy, do you turn in your sleep? Beautiful job. Great color.

Thanks Bob!
No I don't turn in my sleep, I turn instead of sleep .

[John Keeton]

Very nice, Kathy! I would try the metallic spray paints and see what you get with the silver and gold. They should work well and dry very fast. A coat of lacquer over top should work to give them some shine.

[Steve Schlumpf]

I am liking the colors you are creating! Also - there's nothing wrong with a brushed aluminum look! It's not as glossy as a true silver but still gives wonderful contrast with the color!

[dan carter]

Both are nice looking ornaments. Guess you give are giving way to a new term "sleepless turning". Whether it looks like silver or aluminum, it looks good.

[David E Keller]

Nice work, Kathy! I like the brushed aluminum look!

[Noah Barfield]

Lovely ornaments!

[Baxter Smith]

Nice work on the shape and colors Kathy. The only color I was so so on was the silver. That may have more to do with the sheen of it rather than the color itself.

[Eric Gourieux]

Thanks for the tutorial, Kathy

[Scott Hackler]

Your dye job turned out well. Nice ornaments Kathy.