Peter Brown's ShopTime

I've gotten a few question on how to turn this. I might do things differently then others, so here is a quick and I believe easy process for turning bird ornaments. Start with a 1 1/2 to 2 inch spindle blank in your chuck Now rough it to a cylinder. Mark and drill your two holes with a hand drill. I think mine are 1/2 and 1/8. Whatever looks right. (twist bit not brad point) Then hollow it out down to the bottom hole you drilled. leaving 1/4 or so of wall. ( I hog it out with a large forstner in the tailstock then clean up with a round nose scraper) Next shape the outside and then part off the base from the rest of the blank. Now with the stock you have left you will make a jam chuck to hold the base True up the face with a scraper. Then with your parting tool make a tenon (1/4 or so) to match the hollow in the base. Stop frequently and check. The mating should be snug but not too tight. Mount the base and turn the bottom. (light cuts!) Now sand and finish. The base is done. Now fo...

It's always fun to get a special request from a customer. Sometimes you like the idea, and other times you just have to turn it even if it isn't your tastes. This time I though the idea was pretty cool! She wanted 4 of my goblet shaped stoppers that would double as tapered candle holders. Here's one of them. California walnut (surprise!) with a CA finish. If anything the request simplified the turning. Normally I use a round nose scraper on the end to get a smooth bowl shape. On these, I just just drilled out a 3/4 inch hole about 1/2 deep. And together California Walnut, Lignum Vitate, Claro Walnut, Redheart C&C welcome.

It's pen season again and I'm back on blank duty. Here's a couple of new ones... African Blackwood with sapwood. Finished with CA. Corian segment. Polished to a glass like shine. A nice heavy pen.

Turned from a scrap walnut piece. A very simple turning that has become a dead useful item for the wife. Wonder if there could be any profit in it... hummm

Since the last two bowls I turned died a horrible death on the lathe, I only have stoppers to show. Maybe I'll get lucky next week.

Scored a 6 inch jointer on CL a month ago. Decided against a restore, and instead opted for a quick clean up. The jointer was in pieces but I got it for a great deal. $45 Here's the before and after. About 1 weekend of work. Sold my old 4" jointer this last weekend for $45. So, in my mind this tool was free.