Two bottle stoppers

[sachbvn]

Finished these up today.... I am pleased. The first is a Bubinga stopper - I am pleased with it, it came out with a really nice glossy look. I know I've been turning out several "ball" shapes, mainly because it's something I had not really acquired as a skill before - so it's practice to me.... I am successfully making them without getting catches - so.... I think I'm getting much better with the gouge and turning it as I'm rotating.... getting a much better "feel" for it and what will and will not work. I have been able to work the gouge into tighter areas and felt confident that it would not catch.





The second is a Bloodwood stopper - the first one I made that was dished out seemed to be a pleaser so I thought I'd try to make another one.... it's kind of a mix between Boodrow's suggestion of getting some more curves in there - and the first dished out stopper. I am real pleased with the way this one came out.

FYI - the burn lines - I started with one at the fat base transition - and one at the skinny base transition....then I started visualizing burn lines all the way up.... progressively further apart.... I said heck with it and gave it a whirl - I actually really really like this one, even if other's don't care for it. Would I make another one like it? Only if it sold - I certainly wouldn't make several of these to take to a show.... it's kind of a unique thing ya know?





Comments - critiques, and as always - thanks for looking!

(both were made this afternoon)

Zac

[boodrow]

Now ur cookin Zac , I like um both alot. One thing I always do , is turn the blank into a round cylinder , turn the lathe off and say to myself , what can I do thats a lil diff. My friend u have come a long way in a short period of time.
One thang I have to ask , ur talkin bout usin a gouge. Once ive turned it into a round cylinder I then grab my 3/8 spindle gouge , and finish up with a 1/4 spindle gouge. To get a tite fit at the base of a ball and flat like the one u turned I use a skew. Lots of peoples hate a skew , but it will do thangs u cant do with other tools.If u learn to use a skew , it will reward u in the long run. Once again damn nice stoppers.
Boodrow

[boodrow]

Zac one other thang is when ur makin a round ball , dont sweat that it not perfectly round whilst turnin , sandpaper can make anything look good. Just sumpin ive learned of the last couple years.
Boodrow

[sachbvn]

Yep Boodrow - in regards to turning a ball, I don't actually turn the whole thing with a gouge - I turn almost all of it, leaving just a very small flat part, and then smooth the rest of the ball out with the gouge, and finally when sanding go back and finishing rounding it off..... it's work real well - what as Cody put it his 80 grit paper is his a "shaping gouge" or something like that. I start at 150 - but I could probably start at 120 when doing stoppers, I don't like to use super coarse on pens because it east away material so fast.

I appreciate the comments - I had a couple nasty catches with the skew, which I know is bound to happen, but it needs resharpening and I haven't it done it yet.... all BS aside I really need to give it some more practice. That is on the "to-do" list.


Zac

[Doug B]

I could not agree with Boodrow more. On everything he said.

The shapes and and designs are great Zac. I love the Bloodwood one - it reminds me of a train smoke stack - it would look great on Autobodyman's train I like the expanding burn line sections too - that is a great idea and one I'm gonna have to try sometime. But, the best thing about that one is that burn line on the bottom - I really like that a lot right there on the thin edge - I don't think I'd have every thought to do something like that, and it looks great.

The Bubinga turned out real nice too with the burn lines really looking great. And like Boodrow says, a skew can do some amazing things for you once you get the hang of it. I don't know if there is anybody else who does this, but I use the skew 2 different ways for making ball shapes. When used like you would for making a bead, it leaves a very, very smooth finish which sanding usually just makes the finish worse. The other way I use the skew, especially out at the end of the turning, is laying it horizontally on the tool rest - just like a scraper. That does not work on some woods, but with most that I have tried it actually works very well. And it is the easiest way to get a perfectly round shape on the lathe by far.

By the way, using the skew like a scraper works great on Antler and some synthetic pen blanks too, but that's for a different purpose, and is another story.

The skew will cause you more satisfaction and more disappointment than any other turning related tool that I know of. Practice with some fairly small diameter scrap wood, slow down the lathe, and try to intentionally get catches with it - that teaches you what makes it happen, and also is less dramatic when the lathe is slowed down and you are expecting the catch. It's actually kinda fun to do this

Another fun thing to use the skew for is turning beads. That takes some practice, but man it is a fantastic way to make beads once you get the hang of it. It's one of those things where a light bulb went on for me when I saw a video of it...I wonder if I can find that video...I'll see if I can track it down.

[maverick31]

I agree with the other except I am a less is more kinda guy. On the bloodwood one I would like it more if it did not have all the burn lines. don't get me wrong I like it a lot as a matter of fact just would like it even more with less burn lines. Doug I hope you can find that skew video. I have been trying to tame it but have some difficult at times. Would be nice to see someone else using it to see what I am doing wrong

[sachbvn]

Thanks guys! I'm sure I'll have some questions about the skew - but best thing I can do is just do it - get working at it - find out what doesn't work and remember it. Find out what does work and work it until it doesn't work - then I'll know THAT limitation!


Zac

[Mark]

Yeah - Doug's quip "that teaches you what makes it happen, and also is less dramatic when the lathe is slowed down and you are expecting the catch. It's actually kinda fun to do this" is just like learnin' to drive - remember going to the big store parking lot after a snow and learning where the limits of cornering traction were? Ha Ha

Great lookin' pieces Zac.

[imahic]

Looks great Zac. I am not a turner but I really enjoy seeing all of you fellas' work here. Thanks to all of you for sharing with the rest of us.