Project completed- my first bowl, of sorts
Background to this unusual project- Granddaughter designed a bed for me to make. It was to have crystal balls or jewels on the posts. (disclaimer, I long sense gave up questioning either granddaughter's dreams, so long as they appear harmless and I can aid them) A year later I blundered into a source of glass spheres with laser etched figures. After some discussion on the message board for how to attache ball to post, a ring solution appeared appropriate. The ring will be attached with double sided tape and the sphere set in the bowl. Reversible when/if this decoration goes out of fashion.
Some years ago I bought a lathe from a shop neighbor of Nick Cook in Atlanta. Actually, it was two Powermatic lathes welded together to enable porch posts to be turned. The attraction for me was the multitude of fixturing devices that came with it. Getting it's 1000 pounds and 11', 300 miles to my shop is another story that ended favorably. I had therefore on hand a small face plate. What turned out most efficient for the situation I was in was to glue a scrap backer board to a good piece of 7/8" walnut and then band saw out the cylindrical sandwiches of backer and show wood. Paper separated the glued pieces (which turned out to be a pain to remove after parting).A single wood screw through the center of the face plate secured the cylinder for turning.
Hollowing, as predicted, was trivial once I discovered the correct tool presentation. A spindle gouge was used. I began in the center and turned out, producing a satisfying stream of ribbons. The other way appeared to me to require practice to make a secure entry. Even with the lightest shear cuts from a very sharp tool I was unable to avoid sanding the end grain of the disk after turning. The piece was sanded at 180, then coated with two coats of shellac on the lathe. I dip a scrap of 1/2" thick urethane upholstery foam in the finish and wipe it on the slowly turning target. If a wet edge is maintained the result is glass smooth.
