Woodturners Resource

Red Malle Burl NE

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:34:04 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Red Mallee Burl natural edge bowl 3 3/8" dia. x 3 1/2" tall x 3/16" wall Finish: 5 coats of Tung Oil Finish, wet sanded to 1500, buffed with Zam. This was the piece I started months ago for the 2010 calendar. I just got around to finishing this week after having a bit of a break on the leatherworking orders.

11 comments

ornament

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 07:43:36 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Sea Urchin Shell & Cocobolo

Spalted Myrtle Salad Bowl

Sun, 18 Nov 2007 09:52:20 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: 13" dia. x 4 3/4" tall. double beaded rim, 3/8"-7/16" wall thickness. Band textured with Sorby texturing tool. Finished with Mahoney's Walnut Oil finish & walnut oil wax. Sorry for the bad pic, broke my camera so this is from my phone...

7 comments

Maple Burl Bowl

Sun, 18 Nov 2007 09:49:02 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: 7 1/2" dia. x 3 1/2" tall, 1/4" thick sanded to 600 and 7 coats of tung oil finish. Buffed & Briwax. Sorry for the bad pic, broke my camera so this is from my phone...

4 comments

Copper & Blackwood Candleholder

Sun, 18 Feb 2007 05:59:48 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: I decided to get back to my metal spinning studies now that the big turning season is finally over. The next video by Terry Tynan was on complicated forms and harder materials, so after watching it, I went into the shop to play. The base and top are hand spun copper. The middle is a piece of african blackwood I turned today as well. The whole piece is 8 1/4" tall and 4 1/2" dia. at the base. The "cup" will hold a 2 1/2" candle. The blackwood is finished with Mylands Friction Polish.

6 comments

Scalloped Walnut Bowl

Sun, 18 Feb 2007 05:55:48 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Carved Walnut Bowl, 6 3/4" dia. x 6" tall. Finished with Tung Oil. This is my first attempt at scalloping a turning. Still needs to be buffed out and waxed.

3 comments

Sumac Vase

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 04:16:28 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: This was a test piece to see about making waterproof vases that can be used for live flowers & water, a common request & problem for woodturners. Turned end grain, pith centered from a piece of Sumac Ken Grunke sent me a long time ago, it is 8" tall x 3 7/8" at the widest point. The inside is hollowed to 2" at it's narrowest point, big enough to hold a dozen of most flowers. The finish is 2 coats of System Three Clear Coat, sanded from 320-600 between coats.

8 comments

Cocobolo bowl

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 04:12:35 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Sparked by Jay's recent cocobolo bowl, I decided to pull out a piece I had and turn a similar form, one which I haven't turned in a while. 6 1/2" x 2", 3/16" wall. Finished with Mahoney's walnut oil & wax finish for a satin shine.

6 comments

Box Elder & Ebony Lidded Form

Fri, 09 Feb 2007 03:23:00 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Box Elder hollow form with Ebony lid & finial. 4 1/2" dia. x 5 3/8" tall, 3/32" wall thickness. Opening is 1" dia. Body is finished with tung oil and Briwax, lid & finial finished with shellac based friction polish.

13 comments

My sad box...

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 04:52:13 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: This was to be my C & T entry, but alas the fit sucks after some nice weather changes. 3 3/4" tall x 3 1/4" diameter. Curly Pyinma with Padauk finial. For an added surprise I used my sorby texturing tool to do a nice little vortex design on the inside of the lid. Finish with Mylands friction polish.

8 comments

Walnut Sink

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 04:33:56 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: This is the second sink I have done for the same designer/client. Claro Walnut, 13 1/4" square x 3 1/4" tall. The bowl is 11 1/4" diameter with a 5/8" vertical transition into a 2 1/4" deep bowl. The foot is round, 10" dia. x 1/4" thick. SOAKED in Mahoney's walnut oil (still wet as shown here) and now it's buffed back to a very natural polished finish with Mahoney's Walnut Oil Wax. At 18 3/4" on the diagonal, I had 5/8" between the corners and the lathe bed...now that was fun.

9 comments

Cocobolo Bowl

Fri, 29 Dec 2006 06:40:40 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Cocobolo bowl, verging on the definition of a vase...turned end grain (that was a treat). 5" tall x 3 7/8" at the rim (4 1/16" at the widest point). First applied tung oil treatment, but this piece had a very high oil content and the darn oil wouldn't do more than tack up, so I wet sanded it back with acetone and after drying, applied just a simple coat of Briwax. It has a nice soft sheen now that looks like it has a hand rubbed oil finish...strange how one process leads to another to get the results you originally wanted. ;) The foot is recessed and follows the outside curve ala Stuart Batty style. Wall thickness is 3/16" throughout. I posted the 2 views to show the very different faces of this piece.

5 comments

Not a bad save...

Fri, 29 Dec 2006 06:21:06 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: This is the Carob platter I posted a few weeks ago that as a rough turning had warped to kingdom come. After getting brave one night and playing with centering it a few times I was able to shave 3 really bad inches off the diameter and save this much of it. Carob, 13" dia. x 1 1/2" tall. Thickness varies from 1/8" at the rim to 1/4" thick at the foot. Finished with tung oil & briwax.

4 comments

Ambrosia Maple Sink

Tue, 19 Dec 2006 08:06:33 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: This is a special commission I am working on...an actual sink for a guest powder room. The house is being custom built and they wanted one of those sinks that is a bowl that sits on the counter only instead of glass they wanted wood. After discussing it with the architect, this is what we decided on. Ambrosia Maple, 12" dia x 3" tall. The drain flange and tailpipe nut are recessed and drilled through the bottom of basically a salad bowl. The bowl is 1/4" wall thickness throughout. I am still working on the finish, it's a new one for me. System Three "Clear Coat" finish, it's a penetrating epoxy resin that once cured (a couple of days in a room 70 degrees) is waterproof. I think we just found a new solution to all of those "oops" bowls we all have! It was kind of weird putting a hole in the bottom of a salad bowl on purpose!

7 comments

Box Trio

Tue, 19 Dec 2006 07:57:50 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Here are some boxes I did for one of my Christmas orders. From L to R: Mazur Birch - 3 1/2 x 1 7/8 Buckeye Burl - 3 1/4 x 2 3/4 Cocobolo - 3 1/2 x 2 All finished with Mylands Friction Polish. The Cocobolo one is my favorite of the three.

5 comments

Bowl in a bowl

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 05:57:57 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Well, here is my first attempt at a pewter insert in a woodturned bowl. The outside is figured maple about 7" dia. x 2 1/4" tall, quickie tung oil finish.

8 comments

Birdhouses and stand

Mon, 30 Oct 2006 06:29:50 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Had a request for a birdhouse, but didn't know what colors/woods the person was looking for so I tried some cool combinations. The left is Quinta and Carob, the Right is Buckeye Burl (with a bit of turquiose where a bark inclusion flew out) and Walnut. Both have Blackwood perches. The are about 2 1/2" dia. x 3 1/4" tall. After doing them, I got bored and realized I had no way to display them at work so I made the stand. Basic steel grounding wire from the local big box, wrapped with 20 ga. wire to hold them together and then epoxied into the spalted maple base.

3 comments

Turned & Spun Christmas Ornament

Sun, 29 Oct 2006 03:09:39 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Well, here's my first project involving both metal spinning and woodturning. The body is spun from aluminum, 2 halves one with a bead and one without and then epoxied together, cut with grey & white pads saturated with lacquer thinner and then buffed to polish on a buffing wheel, no finish. The top and bottom finials are african blackwood with friction polish. Overall dimensions are 3 1/4" dia. x 7 1/2" tall.

9 comments

Box Elder Rose Box

Mon, 16 Oct 2006 05:59:13 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Box Elder Rose Box...a new project that I tried this weekend for a special request. Rose Bud: 2 pieces of box elder burl, turned natural edge, one piece the body, the second piece the lid and alternate petal. Bleached white and finished with Behlen's sanding sealer, buffed to a silky finish. A Pink Ivory finial tops it off. The stem is maple, turned and then steam bent just lightly to give it a more natural curvature dyed with Chestnut Spirit Stain. The leaf is also maple, rough cut on the bandsaw then carved, dyed with Chestnut Spirit Stain. Both the stem and leaf are finished with Behlen's sanding sealer, not buffed back to give them a natural stem like texture. Overall dimensions: 7 3/4" tall, rose bud dimentions are 1 3/4" dia. x 3" tall. The stem is 3/16" diameter.

21 comments

Camphor NE/square edge bowl

Sun, 15 Oct 2006 07:20:49 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Camphor burl natural edge/square edge bowl. 6 1/2" width & height. Wing thickness is 3/32". The bowl is 3" dia. and 2" deep. The stand is ebony. Tung oil and briwax finish.

4 comments

Birdhouse Ornaments

Sun, 15 Oct 2006 07:03:15 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: A handful of birdhouse ornaments for a new gallery that is showing my work. These are for their holiday display. Clockwise from top left: Walnut, Maple & Ebony Cherry, Ambrosia Box Elder & Ebony Cherry, Ambrosia Box Elder & Ebony Walnut, Carolina Cherry & Ebony Cherry, Ambrosia Box Elder & Ebony They range in size but are approximately 2 1/2" dia at the widest point and about 2 1/2" tall. Wall thickess on the house portion is 1/8".

3 comments

C & T Wall Hanging

Mon, 02 Oct 2006 06:34:23 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Figured Maple & maple dowels, turned, dyed, cut and re-assembled. Dimensions: 9 3/4" x 10" x 1" thick Sanding sealer finish for a soft satin gloss. To get the uncolored stripe, I dyed the piece with an airbrush and then used a cabinet scraper to remove the dye on the flat.

11 comments

Camphor Burl & Ebony

Sun, 24 Sep 2006 07:49:23 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: This was my instant gallery piece for the Rocky Mountain symposium last weekend. Camphor Burl with ebony, 5" dia. x 5 3/8" overall height, 1/8" wall thickess. Finished with Tung oil and briwax. It was fortunate enough to be chosen as a piece in the formal critique by Andi Wolfe, Michael Mocho and Keith Gotschall. They seemed to enjoy it and made much mention (favorable) of the form and the finial design. I was pleasantly surprised.

9 comments

Gift for mom...

Sat, 09 Sep 2006 02:42:28 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: My mom has been pretty supportive on a few things lately so I thought I would give her a cool little box when I was visiting next week during the symposium. Don't have the dimensions yet, but it's about 2 1/2" dia. x 3" tall. Mazur Birch with a African Blackwood lid/finial.

8 comments

Birch Natural Edge Bowl

Tue, 05 Sep 2006 04:55:39 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Just a little NE bowl I turned today from white birch for a special order. It is 2 3/8" tall at the highest point and 3 3/4" diameter. It was a pretty standard branch section with one high point, so to give it a bit more character and movement, I adjusted it off center a bit to get it to "lean" and to get one really low side. The customer also wanted a very light piece, so I bleached it and then used Briwax as the finish. Has a nice fine sheen.

7 comments

First bowl detail shots

Wed, 23 Aug 2006 06:49:27 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Here are some pics of the "first bowl" by itself. I didn't get the measurements, but it's about 13-13 1/2" diam. x 4-5" tall. Double beaded rim, with a band of 3 beads on the outside to signify their team of 3 in the shop. The bowl was a gift for our friend Boyd who owns the shop. Highly quilted maple, the blank was one of Mike Mahoney's that he sells. Mahoney's walnut oil wax for the finish.

6 comments

Ambrosia Maple & Zircote (other side)

Fri, 18 Aug 2006 05:38:49 +0000

by: Chris Wright

3 comments

Ambrosia Maple & Zircote Lidded form

Fri, 18 Aug 2006 05:38:17 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: I didn't get dimensions before packing this up, but it's a birthday present for a certain friend I am visiting this weekend. Ambrosia maple & zircote lid/finial. Danish Oil & briwax on the body, friction polish on the lid/finial. About 4 1/2" dia. x 5 1/2" tall, 3/32" wall thickness except at the base to add some balance.

3 comments

Madrone Burl & Blackwood box

Wed, 16 Aug 2006 14:04:59 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Just a little Madrone Burl & Blackwood lidded box I made for a special request at work. 3 1/2" tall x 2 5/8" dia. Wall thickness is 1/8" throughout. The stem gets to 1/16" dia. at one point. Finish is friction polish and briwax.

6 comments

Tormento del Viento

Sun, 13 Aug 2006 05:17:39 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: This is the piece that I blasted through this week. 38 hours over 5 days (as well as the day job). This piece was made to be a background piece in a independent film that an associate if shooting this weekend. He was nice enough to offer to place my piece in a key scene to help promote my work if I turned something cool for him. 7 1/2" tall x 4" wide, sycamore. Turned, carved, bleached (3 times), sanding sealer and 2 coat lacquer finish buffed to a satin sheen. The name literally translates to torment of the wind, but is also a phrase translated to Thoughts that Torment me. The scene in the movie is a very intimate (non-sexually) and emotional one where essentially a man is with the woman he has recently fallen in love with in her last moments. My initial thought was a piece that celebrated the "happiness" of the moment as they are together, just being in this place but then during the carving stages I realized the duality of the moment, he's in love and happy to be able to be with her in these moments, but at the same time he must be in torment over the knowledge that he will lose her in this life when the moment ends. The thorns represent his torment, twisted and entwined with his happiness, fighting in duality while the soft white exterior represents the purity and innocence of the moment they are sharing.

26 comments

Tormento del Viento - view 2

Sun, 13 Aug 2006 05:05:19 +0000

by: Chris Wright

1 comment

Tormento del Viento - view 3

Sun, 13 Aug 2006 05:04:38 +0000

by: Chris Wright

3 comments

alternate view of lidded hollow form...

Sun, 06 Aug 2006 12:45:37 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: just another view to show the great figure :)

6 comments

Lidded hollow form

Sun, 06 Aug 2006 12:44:55 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Camphor Burl hollow form with African Blackwood lid & finial. about 6 1/2" tall x 5 1/2" dia. 3/16" wall thickness. I turned this as a donation to a friend's charity fund raiser auction. Finiished with tung oil and briwax.

4 comments

Ambrosia Maple Salad bowl

Sun, 06 Aug 2006 12:42:46 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: about 13" dia.x 2 1/2" tall, slight ogee shape. Finished with Mahoney's Utility finish and Mahoney's Walnut wax...this combo is now my favorite for salad bowls, excellent feel to it, much better than salad bowl/walnut oils alone. This is a slab I cut from the piece I bought from Jim Keltron on ebay.

3 comments

Helix bowl - completed

Sat, 22 Jul 2006 19:12:21 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Here is the photo for the local gallery of the Helix bowl completed and in one of the many configurations (my favorite due to the balancing act going on...lots of movement) :) Measurements vary, started out as a 7" x 2" sycamore bowl. Dyed, inked and lacquer finish.

7 comments

Maple burl lidded form

Wed, 12 Jul 2006 00:43:18 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Maple burl body, 5" tall x 5" dia. x 1/16" wall thickness, left at 3/16" at the very bottom for balance. The foot is 1/2" dia. The lid is dyed box elder (didn't have a big enough piece of ebony or blackwood), the finial is blackwood. Body finished with Tung Oil finish, buffed back and briwax, lid has lacquer finish & finial has friction polish finish. Overall dimensions are 5" dia. x 8" tall.

11 comments

Pau Ferro Box

Wed, 12 Jul 2006 00:39:54 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Pau Ferro box, 1 3/4" dia. x 2 1/4" tall. Lines cut to hide join, 1 cut on the lid and 2 cut into the bottom. Lid inside flows in a curve from sidewall to underside into a series of coves. Finished with friction polish.

2 comments

Myrtle Burl NE bowl

Wed, 12 Jul 2006 00:37:54 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Myrtle Burl natural edge bowl, 3 1/2" dia. x 4" tall at the highest point. Still putting the finish on, currently it has 2 coats of BLO.

10 comments

Maple salad bowl

Wed, 12 Jul 2006 00:36:34 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Maple salad bowl 13 1/2" dia. x 3 1/4" tall, beaded and textured rim, undercut on the inside. Finished with butcher's block oil and briwax.

11 comments

Wine stopper display

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 07:33:56 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: I needed something to hold the wine bottle stoppers I am going to have at my art fair tomorrow and wanted to have a bottle to show people what they are/do. Tonight along with the pens and all of the stoppers you see here I also turned the base. It has six spots for stoppers, plus 1 in the bottle makes 7 on display at once. Stopper woods: L to R - Purpleheart (partially blocked), Buckeye burl, cocobolo, buckeye burl, tesota...in the bottle is pymina and behind the bottle is another pymina one. The base is Purpleheart and a cork insert, the base is finished with a quick 2 coats of CA to seal it and then 2 coats of lacquer...made for an awesome gloss finish.

5 comments

"Ambrosia'd" Box Elder Box

Thu, 29 Jun 2006 06:00:23 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: This was a chuck of some gorgeous "ambrosia'd" box elder that I got from Steve (hillbillyred) the night of the WR demo at Phil's house. Thanks Steve!!! 2 15/16" tall x 2 3/8" dia, finished with friction polish.

13 comments

2006 AAW Symposium bowl

Sun, 25 Jun 2006 16:11:45 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: This is a bowl I was demonstrating on the night of the WR gathering at the Symposium. Spalted maple, about 17" diameter, over 4" tall, wall thickness was pretty consistent at 3/8". It has a very low profile foot to make it look like it's floating off the surface. Phil, Rev and I all had a hand in it so we all 3 signed the bottom (see next photo)...

8 comments

Showing the autographs

Sun, 25 Jun 2006 16:09:17 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Since each of us, Phil, Rev and myself had a hand in making this bowl, we all signed it. This may be a prize in the next raffle should Phil complete the finish.

4 comments

birdhouse ornament

Tue, 20 Jun 2006 04:40:30 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: This is my first ever birdhouse ornament, interesting little project these are, lots of pieces took longer than I thought it would. 2 1/2" tall x 2" diameter. The body is bloodwood, lid is figured, spalted maple, the perch and finial are zircote. The bloodwood is the same weird stuff that I used on my elevated challenge piece, it shines on the lathe then after just a little handling it's dull again, still smooth though. Must be sucking up the finish, may try sanding sealer or wax tomorrow.

4 comments

Walnut box

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 02:29:12 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Walnut box, 2 5/8" x 2 1/2". Friction polish finish. I tried to do some chatter on the inside that didn't work out so I recut the recess and enbedded a small chinese coin in the inside of the lid.

8 comments

Buckeye burl & blackwood

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 02:26:44 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: just a fun little lidded form, buckeye burl body with some nice bluing. Blackwood lid with some sapwood showing. 2 1/4" x 2 1/4" friction polish finish. My "good karma" box. ;)

12 comments

Tazmanian Rose Myrtle Burl Box

Wed, 31 May 2006 06:27:21 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Here is the box I had to fix the rim on. Came out pretty well although the fit is more what the public would want vs. a "turners fit". Tazmanian Myrtle Burl, 3" diameter x 1 15/16" tall. Sanded to 800 & finished with friction polish (3 coats).

1 comment

C & T piece - elevated box

Wed, 31 May 2006 06:18:55 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Here's mine, realized after all is said and done that I missed on the diameter a bit, oh well, any wider and it would have looked funny. 6" tall x 2 1/2" diameter. Top down: Bloodwood, Aromatic Cedar, Bloodwood, Padauk. Finished with Hut Crystal Coat. The bloodwood didn't get to a high shine for some reason and the cedar soaked up 3 coats of finish and still has it's own scent!

14 comments

Box Trio

Mon, 29 May 2006 01:20:48 +0000

by: Chris Wright

Description}: Here is a group shot of the three boxes I turned this weekend. Just for fun...