Seed Pod Follow Up and Yorkshire Grit Give-Away

Following my Alien Seed Pod post and video, I have created a simplified version this week which uses a separate piece of wood for the tail.  This not only speeds up the process, but is also cleaner, easier and more achievable for most turners.  This was still only a prototype and proof of concept.  More work is required!

 

Pod 4 Relief CarvedI started by preparing a spalted Sycamore blank for the seed pod, with a tenon on both ends. After mounting in my chuck I drilled a 12mm / ½ inch recess to receive the tail section later.  After reversing the blank in the chuck I then proceeded to turn and hollow the seed pod shape, leaving a thicker rim for a little bit of carving.  On this pod I shaped the ‘leaves’ around the opening in relief unlike previous ones.

Next I cut a small section of board (in this case American Cherry) suitable for the tail section and mounted this in my chuck, end on.  I then turned a tenon to suit the recess in the pod, checking a couple of times to get a good fit.  I could have turned some of the waste board away at this point but it was easier to do this all in one on the bandsaw.  After removing the section from the Pod 4 Draw Tailchuck I drew my intended tail shape on one side and one edge, then cut the waste material away.

Moving to my pillar drill, I mounted a sanding bobbin in the chuck and proceeded to shape the tail, in all directions and dimensions, until I was happy with the result.  I hadn’t considered this method previously, but it was suggested by Alan Adler and turned out to be a most wonderful technique.  I then used regular woodworking glue (Titebond Original) to join the two pieces together and left this for a few hours to set.
Pod 4 Joined HalvesAfter joining the two halves I returned to the drill and cleaned up the joint between the two parts with the sanding bobbin.  I have only ever used the bobbins for light touch up jobs before this.  I now really appreciate the benefit of an oscillating spindle sander and will be looking to add one soon.  Following this I gave everything a hand sanding to 400 grit before texturing the tail with my pyrography machine.  I made sure that the burning came up above the joint between the two pieces to ensure that it was totally disguised.  I took the opportunity to experiment with textures again, though it isn’t too clear in the picture that the ‘scale’ effect gets smaller as it reaches the ‘hairy’ end of the tail.

 

Give-Away is now over, but Yorkshire Grit is available from http://yorkshire-grit.com

Yorkshire Grit Woodturners Abrasive Paste

Tin of Yorkshire GritThere has been plenty of discussion online recently about a new product on the market called Yorkshire Grit.  This is an abrasive paste produced by a chap local to me and is used to ‘wet sand’ a piece after sanding to 240 grit.  It is basically a blend of wax and grits that break down to finer and finer mesh sizes as it is worked over the surface of the piece, abrading to around 800 grit.  I have been lucky enough to ‘blag’ a tin of the product and I’d like to give it away to one of you.

Between now and 17th June 2016 simply watch the video above and sign-up for my FREE NEWSLETTER on this site and I’ll enter you in the draw.  Don’t worry if you have already subscribed and signed up, your name is already in the bag!  Hopefully the lucky winner will be drawn by Mike Waldt at the UK and Ireland Woodturning Symposium on 18th or 19th June 2016.  Unlike many other give-aways this isn’t country specific and will be shipped anywhere in the world.  There are only three rules:

  • Only one entry per person
  • No alternative is available
  • You have to be signed-up for the newsletter to be entered in the draw!

 

You can see more about the product in these videos:

 

Mike Waldt: Woodturning – Yorkshire Grit Review

Keith Barrow: Woodturning at 54a. #79 Trying out Yorkshire Grit abrasive paste