Tall Cedar Hollow Vase

[woodturnerdon]

This is a Cedar vase that's hollowed all the way through. It's 19" tall X 5.5" dia. at the globe. I saw this technique in a British turning magazine and thought I'd give it a try and share it with you folks.

It was turned into a cylinder and then parted in half just above the globe. The recess for the tenon was formed on the globe and it was then hollowed out. The stem was drilled from both directions and then the tenon was formed to fit in the base. Then it was turned to final shape and the top hole was flared out with the help of a steady rest. The joint was hard to see, but I put the 3 rings there just to make sure. The middle one totally hides the seam.
Lots of fun watching people pick this up and because it's so light, try to figure out how it was done.

Anyway, it was finished with Tung oil and Beall buffed. Thanks for looking and all comments welcome, Don L.

PS - It was GREAT meeting a bunch of you at the picnic! I had a ball, even if I didn't win the dust collector :gar-Cr. Turns out I bought a beautiful used Jet collector from Dan while I was there :gar-Bi. Thanks Dan!!!

 

[SubGuy]

Think you might need to adjust your links to the pictures.

 

[woodturnerdon]

Well, the photos didn't show up, then I noticed that it said I can't post attachments at the bottom of the screen. Is this be cause I'm a new guy? What's up with that? I had a hard enough time figuring out how to insert them in the thread. Am I doing something wrong?
Man, I hate computers :dontknow:.
Don L.

 

[woodturnerdon]

Hi Zach!

Thanks, but I don't know what you mean.

Don L.

 

[SubGuy]

I don't think so, did you upload it to your gallery? I'm pretty sure you should be able to post pics.

 

[woodturnerdon]

Here goes nothin'. It says insert URL. I don't even know what that is.

[/url][/IMG]

 

[woodturnerdon]

Well, I put the photos in the gallery, copied the URL and pasted it in here. Still nothing. I give up.
Don L.

 

[Trent Mason]

Here ya go Don. :icon_thum

Outstanding work! :eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap :icon_thum


To post photos from your photo gallery:

Open up two browser windows. One for your photo gallery and one for creating the thread.

In your photo gallery, click on the photo you'd like to post. Scroll down and copy the link under "Best Size."

In your thread, click on this icon at the top

Paste the link that you copied from your gallery into the blank in the popup window and you're good to go. :thumbs_up:thumbs_up

 

[woodturnerdon]

Thanks a million, Trent!

I'll try that next time.

Don L.

 

[woodturnerdon]

Think I have it now.

Thanks!
Don L.

 

[Trent Mason]

You got it now buddy! :icon_thum

 

[erasmussen]

Beautiful turning :icon_thum

 

[eyekode]

Wow, you are a ton better at turning than posting pictures . That is wonderful! I have never seen how someone turns this kind of hollow form. It looks like one small mistake and it would explode!
Salem

 

[woodturnerdon]

Thanks RAS! Appreciate that.

Eyekode - I'm still laughing at that one! I know, my computer skills are limited to what I know already
and anything new gives me a brain hemorrhage. Ouch!
Thanks for the compliment though, it's appreciated!

Don L.

 

[Mt. Gomer]

Wow, that is gorgeous. I'd love to have a more fleshed out "how to" on the process. I'm totally ignorant when it comes to turning so I'm having problems wrapping my brain around how you did it.

Thanks for the posts and especially the pics!!

Travis

 

[Rob]

I saw this at the picnic, awesome looking. Didn't know how he did it until I read this post. I too would like more detailed information.

 

[woodturnerdon]

Hi Rob and Travis!

Thanks for the interest guys. I'll do my best to detail this a bit more:

It started as a green and big branch of cedar. I turned it down to a cylinder that was a little bigger diameter than the final piece would be. I then used a parting tool (a little tricky. get it down to about an inch in diameter and saw the rest off) to cut it right above the round section.

Make a recess for the tenon in the bottom section which is still on the lathe. This will hold the top section to the bottom. Then shape the outside of the globe section till you're happy with it. Then hollow out the rest of it.

Take it off the lathe and put the other piece (the neck) in your chuck (you'll need tenons on both sides). I used a steady rest to hold the tailstock end of the piece while I drilled a hole halfway through the neck.

Reverse it and put the other end in the chuck and do the same thing. The hole should be all the way through. The tenon on the neck should fit right in the bottom section. Then glue it (I used thick CA) and push your tailstock up against it for a clamp.

Now it's back together and all you have to do is put the final shape to it being real careful not to go through any part of it. I used the steady rest again to flute out the top hole. Sand and finish and you should be good to go.

If I left anything out, please let me know. I can also PM my phone number to anyone who wants to talk one on one. That would be nice actually, I haven't typed this much in years!

Sure hope this helps.Don L.

 

[Mt. Gomer]

It helps but it still blows my mind a bit. Thanks!

 

[Tar Heel]

Don, I met you yesterday and enjoyed talking with you. You do incredible work. I not only examined each piece you had on display, I looked at all the photos too. I might add that your photo skills aren't too shabby either. The biggest surprise I had when talking with you was when you told me you had only been turning for 10 months. You, obviously, are a fast learner and also had some creative skills lying dormant that are now in full bloom. Excellent work. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[eyekode]

Thanks for the play by play. It looked impossible to me .