| Project by mtenterprises | posted 03-07-2013 09:38 PM | 1255 views | 0 times favorited | 3 comments |  |
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So the other day I was practicing doing some turnings in fir/pine. I find turning fir a pita I can never get the finish in it that I can get out of hardwoods so I cut some 12” long x !1/2” square and try to get better. I had a piece in the lathe and decided to make first an acorn, then an egg, then a ball and last a mushroom. The acorn turned out pretty good so I reset for the egg. That turned out ok so I reset for the ball and it was ok too. So I set up for the last piece the mushroom and right off the bat the skew caught taking a chunk out of what was left. I was angry to say the least and was going to give the piece a heave then I decided to see if I could at least make something out of what was to be scrap. so there is the picture of the acorn the egg the ball and the mushroom. Strange that’s a funny shaped mushroom but it’s a mushroom because I SAY SO!
MIKE
-- See pictures on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/ And visit my Facebook page - facebook.com/MTEnterprises
3 comments so far
KnotCurser
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2038 posts in 4036 days
#1 posted 03-07-2013 09:49 PM
Strange, your mushroom likes like a perfect shop mallet to me…........ Try tapping your mushroom on the back of some chisels and see what happens. ;-)
I like the acorn as well.
Happy turning!
-bob
-- Robert Rhoades WoodWorks / Email: [email protected] / www.rhoadesclan.com
Grondor
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17 posts in 3411 days
#2 posted 03-08-2013 07:43 AM
I found that turning lots of these no-plan items gave me invaluable practice with and understanding for the various tools, particularly the skew. I made myself a promise to turn one mushroom a day for a year from whatever scraps of wood I had on hand, and I used everything from a branch of apple-tree that we had to remove from our own back yard to oak railing leftovers, various hardwoods (bought a box of exotic cut-offs from Rockler for $20), even some plywood glued together.
I didn’t quite make it to a year’s worth, but I have well over 250 mushrooms, every size and shape I could imagine. Well, the largest is around 5” tall, the smallest around 1/16th. It was fun, I learned a ton, and I don’t regret it. I had the occasional chip-out or cap fall off, but in nature mushrooms aren’t perfect shapes, so you’re allowed to have some wonky ones. ;) If it doesn’t come out the way YOU want it, just shut up about it, because everyone else will think you PLANNED it that way! ;)
Fishinbo
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11362 posts in 3144 days
#3 posted 03-11-2013 02:41 PM
They turned out well, like the beautiful shapes specially the acorn and egg. With a bowl and finish, they’re perfect for a centerpiece.
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