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It seems we are always looking for that perfect way to tackle our dreaded weeding, and Beth Ireland shows us how to make your own masterpiece out of cherry wood to do just that. Woodturning is a skill that can be picked up by taking a course and will grow on you like any relaxing hobby that you may enjoy.
Materials:10" by 10" by 2 ½" (seat)2 ½" by 2 1/12" by 10" (stem)
Tools:3/8" Bowls Gouge3/8" spindle gouge Round nose scraper Parting tool Face plate Drilling chuck Drill bit 1" Sandpaper 120, 150, 180, 220 grade Salad bowl finish Rags Calipers Spur drive (Steb Center is perferrable) Roughing gouge Yellow wood glue
Seat:
1. Start with 10" x10" x 2 ½" inch piece or also known as a blank 2. Take a ruler and connect corners to make a cross with a pencil in the center. 3. Set a compass to 9 inches. Put point of compass at the center and make a circle. 4. Mark back side of blank the same way so you will always have a reference for the center point. 5. Cut circle on bandsaw. 6. Screw a face plate onto the back side of the blank. 7. Screw the face plate onto the lathe. 8. With a bowl gouge true up (level) the top and sides of the blank. Remember when using the bowl gouge that the handle should be in a down position. Touch the bevel and roll it over until the cutting edge engages and the chips are flying. Cut from the front of blank toward the sides. 9. Round over edges of stool seat with the round nose scraper. 10. Sand all surfaces with the lathe on a slow speed using the lowest grade, 120 to the highest grade 220. 11. While lathe is off, soak finish into cherry wood. 12. Spin lathe at a medium speed to take off excess finish. 13. Remove from lathe and unscrew face plate. Drill hole for the stem to fit in on the back of seat, about 1 ½" deep. That can be done on a drill press with a 1" drill bit.
Stem:
1. Find centers at both ends of 2 ½" by 2 ½" by 10" blank same way as step #2. 2. Put spur drive in lathe. 3. Engage wood between spur and live center (at the tailstock). 4. Rough piece into a cylinder (as big as possible). At tailstock end, mark a distance of a little less than 1 ½". 5. Spin cylinder by hand with pencil touching the mark. 6. Use a parting tool to size the tennon to fit the hole in seat, this can be done by setting the calipers to the 1" drill bit. 7. Turn the tennon with the parting tool in one hand and the calipers riding in the slot you make. Keep the calipers pressing against the back while you cut, till they come through the cut. Do this all along the tennon (it is important to file the tips of your calipers so they are smooth and round. If they are used out of the package they will jump when touching the spinning blank). 8. Remove from lathe and test fit into the seat. 9. Return to lathe and continue till the fit is snug but easy. 10. Return spindle to lathe and turn desired shape for stem. Top of stem is about 3 ½" diameter and a gradual taper down the shaft for 8 ¼" to a diameter of 2 ¼". A 1" wide bead detail follows with a 3 ½" diameter ball at the foot of the leg. 11. Go through the same sanding process as in step # 10. 12. Drip some glue into the drilled hole on seat and twist in the stem. 13. Put finish on any surface that did not get it with face plate on. Let it sit overnight. Add as many coats of finish as desired. Special Thanks: Wood Blanks Lathe Wayne Collins
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