Wedding Goblet

This is my second attempt at turning a wedding goblet from green wood. The first one I tried the soap trick but the base cracked badly. This one I boiled it for an hour and then finished the drying in the microwave. The wood is cottonwood from a tree that I cut down this last summer. I wish I knew then that I'd be turning. I would have taken better care of the wood.

The finish is spar varnish with buffed wax.

Photo Details

Robert_Harper

Registered: December 2009
Location: Sandy, Utah, USA
Posts: 375

0

Date: Mon January 18, 2010
Views: 673
Keywords: wedding goblet

Comments

Makepeace

Leo Makepeace

Nice shape on the cup, the rest of it looks good too, but the purists may say its a bit on the thick side,the foot and rings look very well made, for a second attempt or even a tenth, I think this is great, good job.

Ruining lots of good wood to get a few average bits.

#1 Tue January 19, 2010 11:52pm

Robert_Harper

I'm still not too comfortable going very thin. The pith runs right down the center of the stem and it started to wobble badly while I was turning it.

Live long, love lots, and turn fast.

#2 Wed January 20, 2010 12:33pm

Brendan McAreavy

This is a good job Robert. If you see a wobble develop try using a cone centre in the tailstock or even some scrunched up paper held with a live centre to stabilise the bowl.

#3 Wed January 20, 2010 12:40pm

Brad_Mortensen

Good job!! I am not a purest,but I do think the bowl of the goblet could be a touch thinner. Even so, looks really nice.
Brad

#4 Wed January 20, 2010 1:28pm

Mike Baber

Nicely done for your second attempt, I watched Jimmy Clews do one in a demo, when his started to wobble he lowered the speed and took lighter cuts, might be worth a try if you want to go thinner. Thumbs Up!

Wizzy

#5 Wed January 20, 2010 1:56pm

Robert_Harper

I tried the balled up paper on this one and it didn't help too much. I have a POS lathe that I can't change the tail stock so I'm kind of left to the whim of the wood. This was also finish turned while green. I didn't know how far I could take it and how much sanding would be needed after it dried. The stem warped a bit and so all in all, I'm kind of glad I left it a bit thick.

About two months of turning and I'm still learning how far I can take things. I usually don't try to push to the limit because I hate to waste wood. Yes I know it grows on/in trees but I still have a problem with losing a piece.

Practice, practice, practice. It gives me an excuse for why I spend so much time in the shop. "But honey, I'm still trying to figure out how to do this right."

Live long, love lots, and turn fast.

#6 Wed January 20, 2010 2:51pm

Makepeace

Leo Makepeace

After two months of turning ?. I stand corrected, this is fantastic. You are well on your way, well done.

Ruining lots of good wood to get a few average bits.

#7 Thu January 21, 2010 11:34pm

TomTunget

Tom Tunget

Robert you are farther along than I was at two months! WOW Smile!

To avoid a weak stem you can offset the pith so that it is turned away. This accomplishes two things, your stem is stonger and less likely to break and it won't want to warp as much as a center pith stem seems to want to do.

The downside, if you see it as one, is the pith will be visible on your base and bottom of the cup. Most people will just think it is a knot.

#8 Sat January 23, 2010 1:30pm