Review: Ian Ethell – Sunday 23rd June, 2024
9-Axis Offset Honey Dipper with a Holder
Ian provided a template which can be found in the Demo Downloads section.
Step 1: For the dipper, Ian used a 30x200mm rowan spindle blank. On each end of the blank, mark the centre and two offset points equally spaced on either side of the centre. The blank is held between steb centres. Mark out the plan onto the blank using a storyboard taken from the plan. For the turning, Ian used a 1” oval skew and a 3/8” bowl gouge with a 40 degree grind.
Ian made a step-by-step sequence of handles which are shown in the images below. The following steps can be followed by referring to these images and the template.
Step 2: Use the skew to make vee cuts. Then round the tip of the handle (head stock end) by performing an arc shaped cut. Always take gentle cuts.
Step 3: Make a cove on the handle section using the bowl gouge. If there are any flats, highlight them with a marker pen. Continue cutting until the flats are removed from the central section of the handle. Sand using rolled abrasive. Ian went back to stage 2 to refine with a skew to tidy up the edge.
Step 4: Use the skew to make two vee cuts to define the dipper end. Leave extra room on the inside vee. Round the dipper to desired the diameter. Then make a beading cut. The template shows the required arc and the positions of the dipper grooves. Cut the grooves with a thin parting tool, first in the middle, then either side: try to create cutting equal depths. Sand. 120 and 320 grits are generally enough.
Step 5: Use a bowl gouge to make two coving cuts. Use the edge of the gouge to make a shear cut (just as a skew would make). We want a slight taper to this portion of the handle. Sand.
Step 6: Take care from now on as you are in danger of breaking the piece. Don’t try to reduce to the apparent thickness of step 5 as it will end up being too thin. Use a gouge to cut a cove. Stop the lathe to judge the depth of the cove. We want it to be thicker than step 5. Highlight with a marker any flat area on the edge between 5 and 6. Refine to get a crisp edge. Sand.
Steps 7 and 8 as step 6.
Step 9: Remove waste with the skew but leave enough material for step 10! Shape a bit more of the dipper end to leave about 5mm.
Step 10: Use a skew to finish the handle as much as possible, leaving about 5mm.
Step 9 again. Reduce the waste further. Part off at the dipper end. Use a knife or carving tool to trim the nub and to remove the handle waste.
Holder for the honey dipper
For the dipper holder, Ian used a 60*8mm flat piece of wood with a 16x5mm shoulder held in pin jaws. Use a spindle gouge to create a hollow in the end. Sand with the lathe turned off. (We could also make this two using a drill to cut a hole in the blank and then cutting it in two.) Next turn the outer shape of the hook. Sand. Use a gouge to create a cove on the stem. Sand. Use a parting tool to create a cylindrical bottom stem for inserting the holder base.
Bottle stopper
Ian used a 100*40mm walnut spindle blank held between steb centres. Clean the end grain and cut a tenon with a small 1mm shoulder. Hold the blank in a chuck. Flatten the face. Create a slight dome on the end of the stopper handle, making sure you remove the hole made by the centre. Shape the stopper. Ian decorated the end with a home-made “decorating elf”. Apply sanding sealer. Add a little embellishing wax. Use the point of the skew to cut a defining border to the decoration.
Offset the piece in the chuck by about 3mm. Cut a vee using the skew. Try to get a nice crisp edge. Sand but avoid removing the edge.
Remount the piece straight again. Refine the shape using the skew if necessary. Next cut the stopper end using a gouge and a parting tool. Use callipers to determine the required diameter for the stopper attachment. Apply acrylic spray sanding sealer. Part off. Fittings can be obtained from Beadpark or Turners Retreat.
Giraffe
Ian used a 3.5”x12″ blank with an approximately 1/3 chunk cut out: keep a portion of the waste for the head. The centre point is marked on the square end and the centre and a 28mm offset point are marked on the other end (in the direction of the flat face).
Remember to turn the speed down before starting the lathe as the blank will be out of balance. Hold the piece at the centre points between steb centres. Round the tailstock end of the blank (giraffe body) right up to the cut out portion. Mark out two lines at just below a quarter and a half of the way along: half will be the body and the cut-out half will be the neck. Create a cove with the halfway point at the lowest point. Continue to shape the body. Create an narrow angle at the end to represent the giraffe’s foot. Sand.
Now offset at the headstock end. Start the lathe slow because of the imbalance. Remove waste material using a bowl gouge to get the piece into balance. Increase the speed. Refine the area between the body and the long neck: you want a nice sweeping arc. You might need to return to centres to modify the body shape so don’t remove the bulk at the headstock end until you are happy with the shape. Ian slimmed the body near the neck. Re-sand. Once you are happy with body shape you can remove the bulk material at the headstock end. Shape the neck tapering towards to end. Blend in the body. Use a calliper to determine the thickness (size of the drill you are going to use) of the tenon at the end of neck where the head will fit. Blend the neck into the tenon. Sand.
Ian used a high speed drill (Wood art machine) with a mini Manpa cutter to define the four legs. Pencil in quarter sections first. Part off.
Next we turn the head. Drill a hole in the end of the blank and mount in a light pull drive, support by a steb drive. Shape the head to what looks like a sphere with a long nose. Pencil in a line halfway lengthways and across to mark the drill centre for a hole to fit the neck tenon. Drill a hole using a Forstner bit. Drill holes for the ears. Part off.
Turn the ears, horns, from a short sections of wood held by pin Jaws. Turn round. Turn a bevel on the end, shape, create a tenon to match drill size. Sand. Part off. Create matching pairs.
Burn in the eyes and random patches all over. The pattern could also be made using a marker pen.