More recent turnings (by Duncan)

[duncanh]

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Sycamore salt and pepper grinders using the Crushgrind system. 30cm high

A wedding present for my sister. My other sister got similar grinders from sycamore when she married last month.

I like the idea of grinders for a present as they are likely to get used everyday. I've seen the goblets with connected captured rings round the stem that turner often give but I really can't see the point of them.

 

[Paul.J]

VerY nice Duncan
i'm sure your sister was very pleased with them.
Another question.
How did you find trying to get the 2 the same. :?:
Paul.J.

 

[duncanh]

If you look closely (or even not closely!) you'll notice that they're not the same - that's the beauty of giving someone a hand-crafted present - it shows that it's not mass produced.

Seriously though, it's reasonably straight forward - turn the first one and then put it in front of you whilst you turn the second. You can transfer dimensions easily from one to the other with calipers

 

[Paul.J]

Thanks for the tips Duncan
I had a go earlier this year to make 2 table lamp stands.
They were simliar,but not the same. :roll:
Paul.J.

 

[Anonymous]

Mahogany platter ...new trophy ...

Nice work Duncan.... must be more than a little pleasing to know your work is going to be around and admired for some years to come :wink:

 

[CHJ]

I like the Platter Duncan, clean lines and proportions look good.

 

[duncanh]

These are a collection of juggling club pepper grinders ordered by friends and acquaintances.
They're approx. 50cm tall and the variation in shape and size reflects the different clubs that are available.
The central ones are two-toned in the lower body to represent the decorations often used on clubs (and also to save using wider wood for the full length).

click for a larger version

They can be juggled but you have to adjust the pattern slightly because catching them normally aims them downwards and they eventually come apart

 

[Bodrighy]

I really do like these and have thought of making some for my son who both juggles and cooks. My main concern has been the level of accuracy that is needed for the mechanism. It involves measuring :lol:

Pete

 

[Paul.J]

Cracking pieces Duncan as per usual.
What woods have you used,and finish did you apply :?:
Paul.J.

 

[PowerTool]

Very impressive work,Duncan - and what a great idea as well

Andrew

 

[duncanh]

Thanks for the comments.
All the handles (top part from below the small knob down to the wider body) are sycamore,
starting from left the main bodies are oak, then a trio of mahogany + sycamore + mahogany, then mahogany + oak + mahogany, then beech
The knobs at the top are rosewood (I think) and oak.

Finish is sanding sealer followed by several coats of sprayed on lacquer and then a mixture of carnauba and bees wax.

They are glossier in real life than they appear in the photo.

Yes Pete, there's quite a bit of measuring involved. Especially the part where the mechanism fits inside the wood

 

[duncanh]

Something a little different for me.

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Unknown wood for the body, connection between body and lid is ebony, finial is an old ebony piano key. Total length is 23 cm
Finish is cellulose sanding sealer, melamine lacquer, beeswax/carnauba wax mix

Rather than my usual turning practice of designing before turning I came upon this body shape by just mounting some wood and seeing what emerged. I wasn't planning on using it as a box but after staring at the 3 vessels I produced I had a light bulb moment. With the weight in the tail the box/vessel lies so that it can't roll sideways - just in a small circle.
This one was for a friend' birthday

 

[TEP]

Very neat Duncan, really like this piece, and as much as I like making practical pieces. These ornamental pieces have a place in my stock of ones to make. Hope you don't mind me pinching your idea :lol:

 

[Bodrighy]

The only thing I don't like about this is the fact that I didn't think of it first. Love the lines, choice of wood etc. Brilliant. =D> =D> :mrgreen:

Pete

 

[CHJ]

Love the flowing lines and proportions.

 

[PowerTool]

Very nice work,Duncan;finials look particularly elegant and delicate

Andrew

 

[Paul.J]

Very nice Duncan.
The wood looks beautiful what ever it is Like it all
Paul.J.

 

[duncanh]

Finally got round to taking more photos...

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These are the forms from which I developed the box that I posted previously
Timbers are yew, oak, flamed beech, olive, laburnum
The yew one is about 20cm long. Can't remember the finishes.

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An excellent way to use up small off-cuts - decorations for the xmas tree. Also an excellent way to practice with the skew. All were turned with just that tool with occasional use of the 3 point tool. Skew was even used for roughing out.
Clockwise from the front - unknown, ebony piano key, 2 x unknown, elm burr, hawthorn, elm burr, 2 x hawthorn
The longest is 15cm. Finishes are wax, oil, lacquer

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Turned the day after a demo at the local club by Nikos Siragas. The spiral is all turned by hand and during the demo Nikos used an angle grinder but explained how to make it without, which is what I did - use a lot of parallel vertical saw cuts up to the outline of the spiral and then prizes them out with a chisel. This was very monotonous so next time I'm thinking of creating a jig and doing it on the band saw. He then suggested using a variety of rasps to smooth out the curves but I had more success with a small drum sander in a flexible drill shaft. The cup at the top is just the right size for a night light (but that's more luck than design). I'll be doing more early next year and will try to photograph the steps if anyone is interested
The top is mahogany (I think) and the base is sycamore
Height is 29cm. Finish is buffed Chestnut finishing oil

 

[Paul.J]

Lovely pieces again Duncan
I'd be interested in seeing how you do the spiral cup,and will look forward to seeing a wip.
Paul.J.

 

[Hans]

As always (well most of the time) admiring your work Duncan.
This time however I was struck as much by the coincidence as by the workpiece.

For some years I had the Axminster eccentric-spiral chuck lying around, waiting for inspiration. In the process of making a batch of candleholders, I tried something different:

In general I have followed Jack Cox' instructions from Beyond basic woodturning. The exif data tell me the picture was made 17 december 2006.

Hans