Following doctor's orders

[Les Symonds]

Having spent two weeks away from the lathe because of a holiday over half-term, and then another two weeks away from it because the first two weeks of the new term were manic (and that's putting it mildly), I then met with a horrible accident and my GP said that there was to be no operating of machinery because the vibrations would transmit through my arms into my neck. So that was 6 weeks gouge-less! Well, at last, the doc has said that I can do an occasional hour of light wood-turning, so I've been concentrating on some tourist-friendly, reasonably priced stuff for an Information Centre nearby. Although I did push the boat out and make one large trinket box - perhaps I'll call it a 'Gent's Keepsake Box'.
By the way....if anyone knows what burr that is, please let me know, because I haven't got a clue. It was amongst a mixed bag of offcuts that I bought.

Inspiration for the miniature bird-house comes straight from Dale Nish and his excellent little boo kon the subject. They're made out of all manner of offcuts and bits of reclaimed window frame.



The pendants, once again, use up offcuts of burrs and other woods, so a great way to avoid waste. I made a couple of jigs for making them, the best one being a  wooden cylinder which fits into my 120mm deep-jaws for my Patriot chuck. The cylinder had an off centre circular recess to set the pendant into, and I cut it twice a along diagonals to turn it into a set of 4 jaws....works a dream for drilling and finishing the off-centre work.



I also made a load of spinning tops, but they're not worth showing, but here's the keepsake-box, made of sycamore and about 6" tall x 3.5" diam....





That piece of burr was very oily...it clogged up my Rhyno abrasives.

Can't wait to get physio over and done with, then get a big lump on the lathe!

Les

[Paul Hannaby]

The burr looks like thuya

[woodndesign]

Les .. if this is an occasional hour of light wood-turning, WHAT if you'd been up to speed ...  ..

Turned out the usual excellent work, nice to see credit to Dale Nish.

Now take it easy .. lest Sal sinks that boat ..  ..  Dewi

[Les Symonds]

The burr looks like thuya

Thanks Paul....hadn't thought of thuya, I was assuming Australian simply because there were several other bits of Australian burr in the package. If it helps to confirm it, the dust coming off it was almost peppery with quite a spicy smell, and oh-so greasy.

Les

[GBF]

Hi Les sorry to hear you have not been well.
I love the little Bird houses.

Regards George

[Les Symonds]

I love the little Bird houses.

Regards George

Thanks George....they're a great little thing to make for a quick demo. The hotel where I display and sell my work asked me to do a 1-hour slot on Saturday, so I took a couple of finished ones and the components prepared for a couple more....it really held the crowd's attention.

Les

[Haggy]

Gwyntog you have really got the touch!   I have never seen nesting boxes made like this before, they are garden ornaments as much as  bird houses.  It must have taken some hollowing out- I wonder if the doc . was aware what you meant by 'light turning'.
 Love your little box too, the burr walnut is framed beautifully by the lighter wood.  Your work really does stand out from the crowd for all the right reasons.  Seeing this is so encouraging!
            Regards. Haggy

[Les Symonds]

 I have never seen nesting boxes made like this before, they are garden ornaments as much as  bird houses.  It must have taken some hollowing out-

Cheers Haggy....these aren't full size boxes, they're miniature and just ornamental, so hollowing is just a matter of drilling and then cleaning out with a scraper to get the inside shape to  match the outer. The 'house' parts are between 2.5" and 3.5".

Les

[Bryan Milham]

Les,

I do like the Bird Houses (made my first one a couple of weeks ago). You've certainly managed to capture the feel of them in this collection.

I would like to be able to buy the little birds the Americans can get to sit in the perch though - can't find them anywhere on the internet - anyone seen them?

Not sure about the pendants, the through holes are a bit small for me, but a nice collection of different and interesting timbers.

I agree that the little box burr is Thuya, from N Africa. It really sits well against the Beech(?)

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

Les glad to hear your recovery is progressing, obviously your idea of gentle turning and your doctor's idea of gentle turning are yards apart ............just don't overdo it!!
Like the birdhouses, very different. But what I like even more is your description of the 4 jaw chuck to hold your pendants. I make loads of these chucks and jam type (ish) chucks too but after all these years I have never thought to make an off centered one. Why ? I don't know but for pendants and other applications what a good idea.
Thankyou.

[seventhdevil]

dragon, i think that burr is on a maple not beech.

[Les Symonds]

Not sure about the pendants, the through holes are a bit small for me........

I agree that the little box burr is Thuya, from N Africa. It really sits well against the Beech(?)

Hi Bryan....glad you made that remark about the holes....I simply made them a size that would be comfortable to thread a double thickness of 2mm leather thong through, but didn't think of them as being a feature of the design  -  I might play with that idea now!

The keepsake-box is made of sycamore  -  bought it from G & S Specialist Timber in Penrith. I've got a dwindling supply of sycamore, but it's not dry enough (18%) for boxes, so had to push the boat out and buy a spindle blank ( isn't prepared timber frighteningly expensive?)

Les

[edbanger]

Les

Good to see you are no longer gouge-less, the bird boxes are very effective I think that I might have to have a go at these myself.

The burr inlaid looks great and I can't wait to see what you make out of the big lump

All the best

Ed

[Bryan Milham]

Les,

You've described your jig for turning the pendants 'off-centre' but I can't quite visualise the whole thing.

My jig is reversable so I can recess from both sides to create the through hole (and slim down the whole thing as well). Another idea for decorating them is a point tool at various distances from the centre of rotation to create partial grooves in the main body as well.

And I must be getting senile, you even said it was sycamore and I never saw it!

[Graham]

Hi Les
Hope you are soon fit and well again.
The mini birdhouses look terrific, the way they are hung together in the picture makes me wonder if they could be used for a more decorative form of wind chimes. Love the box as well, the burr insert really brings it to life.