FLYING SAUCER, OFF CENTER WOOD TURNING CHALLENGE

In November I joined a Facebook site called WOOD TURNING. For the month off November the turning challenge was to turn something off center. I had been thinking of a off center turning project that I wanted to do anyway so it fit right into what I wanted to do. I just refined my idea, once I got started I just added to my original idea, solving problem along the way, I envisioned a flying saucer soaring to distant galaxies. It would have to be suspended in the air and tipped to one side like one sees in your minds eye.

So lets get started, mounted a birch disc on a small block with a face plate. size of the disc was determined by the width of the plank I had. NO pre drawn plans. Lath a dome on each side, easy..

Now let the Fun Begin. Sand a flat spot towards one edge, glue a block of wood to it and mount it at an angle off center.

Turned it slowly over by hand, marking a line where the bowl part depression would be, looked like I got it right the first time. Now comes the challenge, It flopping around and wobbling too. My home made lathe is shaking and jumping. I glued it on with a sheet of paper first, Not a great idea, It came off and flew by ear. Second try, glued solid. It still was scary, but turned out great.

Next was to make a base that would elevate it. off enter as well.

Made larger with added wood for the post, Circle drawn so post was at one edge, cut out with bandsaw and then all edges shaped and sanded to the bottom edge.

After all that wobbling lathing the lid was a breeze, so I had to try turning an off center finial, That was a real challenge, I knew what to do on the first part, but didn’t have a clue how to do it, though of this and that and finally settled on an idea, and was successful the first time.

Paint the base satin black and time for a test flight.

Resting on it base in the hanger

If interested I made a video of some of the procedures when I made this project, wobble wobble, shake
shake.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj2k86sdluw&t=29s

Thanks for looking, comments are encouraging.

Oh yes, don’t mean to brag but I did receive first place with this entry.

-- Brian - Hazelton, British Columbia