Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Maple burl cap (PIC) *LINK*
Mike Schwing from Md.
>Big sucker at almost 20" wide. Finished with many coats of lacquer and totally hand rubbed to a very high gloss. Sold the last one in a week. Here's hoping something similar with this one.
Comments, as always, welcomed. I should have photgraphed the backside, too, as it is pretty highly decorated.
Full size version at link below.
1000 pixel wide version
Re: Maple burl cap (PIC)
e
>beautiful mike ... is this from some of that burl herm got his from/?
e
Re: Maple burl cap (PIC)
Bernie
>What method did you use to chuck that beast.
Very Very nice as always
Re: Maple burl cap (PIC)
Mike Schwing from Md.
>Thank you.
I used glue blocks. I use a lot of glue blocks. I use one first attached to what will be the top so that I may turn the bottom. I then glue a block onto the bottom, turn it for a compression tenon, and then turn it around so I can turn the top side. When that is done, I take the whole thing off of the lathe, still attached to the chuck, and use a cool little tailstock chuck adapter to perfectly center it. Then my vacuum chuck is turned on and it is moved back onto the headstock so I can finish off the bottom.
Glue blocks rock. I use 5 minute epoxy to attach them.
Re: Maple burl cap (PIC)
Frank Joseph Mantua NJ
>Mike: I admire your work and always look forward to seeing what you will post next. But this is with out a dout one of you best.
I have one question where do you get such fantastic stock.
Re: Maple burl cap (PIC)
Jennifer@Indy.USA
>Wow...that is wicked looking Mike....where are you getting these? You obviously have a nice stash of them :)
Jen
Re: Maple burl cap (PIC)
Mike Schwing from Md.
>Frank, thanks for the nice words. I search long and hard for my stock, and I take chances that others might not be willing to stick their neck out on. For example, this burl came from a 500 pound pallet full that I bought sight unseen and had shipped from Oregon. Look up sawyers in Oregon in Google and make some phone calls.
Re: Maple burl cap (PIC)
Mike Schwing from Md.
>Thank you -e-. Yes.
You really need to let the nice people here see that russian olive carved foot masterpiece you posted on AAW.
Re: Maple burl cap (PIC)
Jim Shaver, Oakville Ontario
>Hi Mike,
Amazed again...I am never more than amazed when I see your work.
Take care,
Jim
Re: Maple burl cap (PIC)
Bill Grumbine, Kutztown PA
>Very nice Mike! You have really progressed quickly in your turning endeavours, and have been turning out some really nice stuff. Just out of curiosity, is this stuff still wet, or has it dried out?
Bill
Re: Maple burl cap (PIC)
Mike Schwing from Md.
>Thank you Bill. That means a lot coming from you. That is dry, dry, dry. It was about half dry when I got it and I finished it off in (shhh...) Mrs. Schwingding's oven when she wasn't around.
Funny thing about this piece - when I hooked it up to the 5" drum chuck and turned on the vacuum, I heard it go thwop, but nothing seemed awry. When I finished it off and let the vac go, I noticed that it had indeed dished in towards the center. I had no immediate ideas as how I was going to deal with that! A minute or two later I heard the identical sound as it returned to its normal state.
