Mesquite burl hollow vessel, using vacuum chuck for the first time.

Mesquite Burl hollow vessel and it's life.Here is a general synopsis of hollow vessel work from the beginning to the end, almost end.

More pewter fill

Starting pewter fill

The base is glued and mortised in place

Can you image the difficulty in melting metal?

See Mortise and tenon

The reason I added mounting blank and pored pewter

Now I can begin the fill

The view

Blocked view

Malikite, Pewter, Ironite and more...

The unfinished view

I rigged my first attempt at vacuum chucking. Shrink wrap to cover leakage

I use parts from a new Hold Fast system I never could get to work

Replaced the shrink wrap with scotch tape over one beetle hole. Vacuum gauge at 15-18 and holding.

Here the is vacuum motor, on it's first run. It was recommended by to turning sites, here's one. http://www.jtturningtools.com/vacuumpumps-kits
I had to dial it down, and it held all three pieces.

Some of the crystals used shine through the reddish resin.

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The making of a sphere jig for the wood lathe, on the fly.

Aluminum block on wood lathe. My goal is to create a sphere jig, (sounds so much better than a ball jig). First things first, I bought the One Way drill jig at the symposium, in Phoenix this year, with the thought of mounting a router. I never thought I would be using it on aluminum. This picture shows my first attempt at making a "T" washer to use to bolt the sphere jig. The second picture has the jig repositioned, parallel to the bed ways, I like this position much better, as it allows me to plunge to the depth I require. Then I reposition it, toward the center by + 1/8" or so. Also you need to play with the speed of the lathe. I believe I was some where around 250-300 rpm. This piece is a cut off, I never measured the thickness. it is just thicker than the 2 enclosed bearing I plan to mount. Also it's thicker because I wanted to add girth, to ensure more rigidity. This picture show the center knocked out. I used the router to go as thin a...

Gallery Book Please fill free to click on link and send any suggestion you might have before I publish this book. let me know what you think.

Osage Orange Chalice, the making of, from green wood

Well I just could resist the attempt to complete this chalice. All was great until I got it home and notice the smallest of cracks at the rim. It must have a cured while I was finishing the bottom. I see another attempt in my future. Turning wet, I soak it with shellac and alcohol. I then turn the interior and coated it with a blend of beeswax, carnuba and walnut oil. I am told that this is the correct finish for a usable goblet or cup. I then turned the upper portion outside, and inlaid some malachite, turquoise and a couple other minerals. I the sanded and sealed the outside with shellac and then the beeswax mix. Turned out pretty good. I then started the base. Using a rotary tool I carved some decoration just below the cup section. I then used a wire brush attached to the cordless drill. I then mixed some 5 min epoxy with green alumilite dye. Sanded all down to just leave the deepest crevices. I also added some gold dust, (very little), I painted the abstract leaves with...

MIND OF A BLACK WOODWORKER IN ARIZONA

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