Walnut bottle stopper.

[sachbvn]

Alright - this was also in the box from Scott. Same issues with end grain on this one - but after I got it nearly round I switched to a skew, ya hear that guys - I USED A SKEW!!! Now, to be fair - I used the skew to bring it down to size, and to tapper the "stopper end" - that's it. It was starting to get dull and chatter pretty good - you could tell it wasn't cutting as easy. To be honest - it could easily have stood a sharpening before I even started.

So.... after I got a rounded - someone tapered shape, I used a gouge very carefully..... I tried a few different types of cuts - using the wing part of the flute to try some cutting - it had mixed results, all though I really think I was on to something....it seemed to really work on certain instances, but it was the start of the cut that was rough - I contribute that to lack of support for the cutting edge.... it just wasn't being held firmly in place because it was on an angle - kinda weird to describe.

Anyways - I finished using a spindle gouge to ever so carefully clean up the rough parts and any tear out - it worked, very well. I also realized that when the tip ain't end grain it dishes out like a dream!! So I went with it!!


It's a..... so-so trial design.... a few catches made me alter it.... it's unique - not sure that I'd duplicate it ever, but I'm good with it.


(oh, and as you can see - the wood is gorgeous!)

As always - comments, critiques, just wanna poke a rib....

Thanks!
Zac

[sachbvn]

Pictures don't quite show it - but it is dished out pretty far....the bottom one is a little better at showing it.


Zac

[boodrow]

Zac that is a beautiful piece of work. Im glad u took the skew to it and got some practice with it. Again great turnin.
Boodrow

[fredbelknap]

Zac you aren't alone when it comes to skew trouble. I do mostly bowls and hollow things so I don't use it much. My tool rest won't adjust high enough to use it on larger stuff. I use it as a scraper quite a bit.

[Ruffnek]

The skew is an evil tool! Seriously, just when I think I've got it figured out, it will skate off toward the joneses, usually leaving a nice little spiral cut in whatever I'm trying to shape.

I prefer just using a sharp side-grind gouge in a shearing-type cut. The only problem is that a gouge is not pointy enough to do some of the really fine detail so I'm forced back to using the skew.

Oh yeah, that's a great looking stopper, Zac. Really good pic, too as it illustrates the open pores in walnut very well. Well done.

[maverick31]

I agree the skew is hard to tame, I sure have my problems with em. I like the shape on this one and walnut is always nice

[Doug B]

Now that the contest is over I see you are back to making nice stoppers Zac ;D

Congrats on using the skew...it is an evil, wicked, mean, and nasty tool - you just need to be just as mean and nasty to tame it. That "saddle" in the middle of your stopper would be very hard to turn with a skew...the spindle gouge is the right tool for doing that, and the taper down on both ends are something the skew would be good for. The dishing out on the end is where a scraper is very useful normally, but since it was not end grain this time it might not have really mattered.

Nice stopper and beautiful wood!

And I sure am glad you posted this...it reminded me that I threw a chunk of Walnut and another one of Cherry into the DNA bucket back when the box from Scott arrived I guess it is ready now I just took them out and I guess I'll get to see what a couple week soak does to those pieces.

[sdb777]

Like the dish thingy on the end! Give the blanks some more bang by showing the grain better in the top.

Did you soak your blank in the DNA first? Was thinking they were still too high in moisture content to turn....


Scott (looks pretty like me) B

[sachbvn]

Thanks Scott!

Nope - I did nothing to the blank - just drilled the whole and turned, seemed totally fine to me. Hey - you sent another blank - lighter in color.... not sure what kind of wood it is. Hmmm..... let me know if you can't remember - I'll post a picture.


Zac

[sdb777]

Jun 4, 2010 6:18:13 GMT -6 sachbvn said:

Thanks Scott!

Nope - I did nothing to the blank - just drilled the whole and turned, seemed totally fine to me. Hey - you sent another blank - lighter in color.... not sure what kind of wood it is. Hmmm..... let me know if you can't remember - I'll post a picture.


Zac

That lighter colored blank....well?
Not 100% sure on the type of wood. The log/chunk of wood was recovered at a dump site(filling in a waterhole). I was thinking might be a RedGum, and Emerson was thinking Maple...but without seeing the leaves, I can't ID trees for crap.
I just recently purchased one of those National Audubon tree ID books(can't find this kind of information on the 'net...really cool book), but since we've already cut up the wood. I don't have any of the bark remaining....to ID anything.

So long story-short....
I'm going to go with RedGum crotch.



Scott (make something up if you don't know the answer) B

[sachbvn]

I'm not sure the lay person would understand "crotch"


Zac

[sdb777]

Jun 4, 2010 16:53:46 GMT -6 sachbvn said:

I'm not sure the lay person would understand "crotch"


Zac

Oh yeah they would, ::)especially if you pointed at theirs ! I wouldn't be held responsible for what happens next though...that's all on you. ;D


Did you already turn it? Hoping that the cut that was put on it will give some cool grain appearance...and a little attitude.





Scott (I don't condone pointing at crotches) B

[mcbryde]

I really like it Zac, I think that style stopper lends itself to showing alot of the grain in the wood. I really like the dished out part as well.

E

[Doug B]

Jun 4, 2010 16:53:46 GMT -6 sachbvn said:

I'm not sure the lay person would understand "crotch"

Zac

I'm a lay person and I understand crotch. Crotch is very nice if you are a lay person, but, what's it got to do with wood? ;D