Wood Turning Projects - Three Ways to Dress Them Up

Wood turning projects are a great way to learn new skills and to refresh old ones. They generally come with instructions from start to finish and hopefully with lots of pictures to give further guidance. However, the very nature of wanting to learn a new skill determines that the project needs to be repeated several times until the skills are developed. Often it is the case where the first is fascinating, the next couple are fun, and fourth is a challenge and rest are boredom but should be done. Since most of us who turn are hobbyists, boredom can be a killer to the craft. Thankfully, there are three simple ways to dress up a project, each or which may add its own challenges and interests.

First there is the obvious method of adding beads and coves. While it may seem like a simple solution to boredom one needs to ask where each bead or cove goes and whether it "works" with other beads, coves, straights and curves. If it goes on a handle does it make the handle more or less comfortable to use? Are there artistic reasons for placement or utilitarian ones such as distinguishing one tool from another while it is on the bench amidst the shavings? Adding beads and coves to spindle woke is so common that it is good practice for all spindle turning but face plate projects should not be neglected either. One bead at the rim of a bowl may give it an elegant look while a fully beaded surface will change the grain appearance strikingly, particularly in a broad grained wood like oak or ash.

Second one might add a line of color with burning or wood displacement. To burn a line on a rotating piece of wood one first suspends a thin wire between two wooden handles. Holding the wire without handles is asking for burned, cut or removed fingers while using the handles renders the activity safe. As the wood rotates at good speed it is first grooved slightly to prevent the wire from slipping as it is held in the groove. Pressure is applied by pulling the wire taut between the handles and friction causes a burn line to form. The depth of color can be controlled with additional pressure or the duration of the burn.

Wood displacement adds a line of color by actually transferring a bit of wood from one piece to the next and tends to work best on faceplate work although it can be used on spindles. It also works better with dark woods being used to color light ones. For instance if a bowl of maple is turning on the lathe, a thin piece of rosewood about 6 inches long and 1 inch wide but only 1/16" thick may have its edge brought to the spinning wood. Under a bit of pressure a bit of the rosewood will actually be transferred to the spinning maple. The band may be darkened by holding the rosewood in place a bit longer and broadened simply by moving it left and right.

Third is adding color to the wood. For some this is a shock under the belief that wood turnings should always be left natural, but people have been coloring them since turning started. Color may be added easily with felt markers while the wood turns or is stationary. The varieties of paints and stains available are amazing indeed. Leather dyes should not be overlooked. They use an alcohol solvent that will not raise the grain the wood, apply and dry quickly, and allow the grain of the wood to show through. Again there is a wide variety of colors available and they all mix well to give infinite choice.

Each of these methods and many others allow for adaption of wood turning projects to make them into signature pieces for a turner while learning a variety of techniques and style without the boredom of undue repetition.

Basswood Lumber: A Great Wood for Carving Projects

The growing popularity of domestic hardwood lumber is apparent. You can see it in so many different projects around the world. Whether you prefer a hard or soft wood, the beauty of the wood is obvious. One common soft wood is Basswood.

Basswood (also referred to as Tilia Americana) is taken from the beautiful American basswood tree, which reaches heights of 130 feet and diameters of 4 feet. Basswood sapwood is white in color, while its heartwood is creamy white to a pale pinkish-brown. It has straight grains and a fine, even texture. This makes the wood easy to work with. Basswood is most commonly used for picture framing, trim, paint grade trim, glued paneling, boxes, crates, baskets, toys, venetian blinds, veneer, mallet heads, and pattern making. However, it is most popularly used for carving projects, like relief carving. Relief carving is described as carving pictures into wood. Basswood is ideal for carving because is has soft, tight grains, so the wood shows such intricate details. Hobbyists find it to be the best carving wood for airplane models, ship models, and wood sculpting.

Tom Elberson, a lumber salesman, has much experience working with domestic hardwood lumber. Although he enjoys the natural beauty of Basswood, he prefers to paint it.

"Basswood has closed grains, which means it is non-porous. This makes it a great option for painting because the paint doesn't absorb in the wood. It sits on the surface of the wood. However, staining the wood is unsatisfactory. The stain should be absorbed in the wood to show its uniform texture, but the grains aren't defined enough."

Basswood has such great potential for such a soft wood, but it does pose some problems. It has a Janka hardness of 410, which means it is one of the softest domestic hardwoods available. This softness gives the wood unique characteristics, but also specific restrictions in its use. Basswood is pliable, so it has no trouble being glued and it doesn't split easily. For best results, sharp tools are recommended. On the other hand, it has low strength properties, which affects its durability. This causes basswood to have poor resistance to decay. Its softness also influences its nail holding abilities and causes it to have poor steam bending properties.

There is such a wide variety of domestic hardwoods available. Depending on your project, there are different features to look for in a particular wood. Lumber ranges from hard wood to soft wood. Both offer advantages that make them great choices in wood.

Wood Turning Projects - Not Only for Bowl Turners

Wood turning projects, well chosen, are wonderful learning tools for refining or developing new skills at the wood lathe. Most people who take up the craft of wood turning begin with spindle work, turning pieces of wood held between centers with the wood grain parallel to the bed of the lathe. After some time at this aspect of the trade, they move on to faceplate work with the wood held in a chuck or faceplate and the grain running perpendicular to the bed of the lathe. While the skills are similar in each case, there are enough differences that the face plate turner may begin with a series of projects to develop the necessary skills.

However, the wood turner neglects the spindle projects at peril of old skills becoming rusty and unavailable when needed. Sooner or later a friend or relative asks for a spindle to be turned or a piece of furniture requires repair. Besides which, many items such as candle sticks or lamps may call for sections turned in either style and fastened together. Wood turning projects in a spindle orientation will provide the necessary boost in keeping up old skills and refining them to an expert point.

For the intermediate or advanced turner, wood turning projects offer the plus over exercises of being an interesting way to maintain and add to skills. While simply putting a piece of wood on a lathe and seeing shavings fly from it as the wood turns to a stick with beads and coves may seem magic to a novice, it is old hat to an accomplished turner who yet needs to refresh an aptitude acquired some time ago. Consider on the other hand a simple candle stick made with base and stem.

First of all it may be easily made of local hardwood and thus be inexpensive while at the same time beautiful. Secondly, it incorporates a variety of skills. For instance, the base can be turned faceplate style leaving a center mortise to later receive the stem. The stem now needs to be turned with a tenon on the lower end to exactly fit the mortise creating an exercise in precise fitting. In addition, a means must be found to turn a candle cup for the top of the stem that incorporates a fit for the candle, strength to hold it, and a pleasing ascetic.

As the project is repeated for the development of skills it can be made a challenge in at least two ways. First of all it may be an exercise in precise copying, always a difficulty in a craft that relies on hand and eye coordination to make each cut. Else it may become an attempt to make each one different while striving for elegance and not gaudiness, always a source of trouble in the artistic world. Plus this wood turning project and others like it point out the similarities between the two areas of wood turning and the need to learn both.

Woodturning Projects - Why a File Handle is a Good Place to Start

Most of us who turn wood come from a woodworking background in flat work. The wood lathe opens up a new world of woodworking with new tools that have their own learning curve and the preferred way to learn is to turn simple projects. A file handle meets the basic criteria of a woodturning project for learning purposes in being inexpensive, entertaining, and useful as a finished item as well as teaching important skills in basic woodturning.

All that is needed for a file handle is a square of wood and, if desired, a scrap piece of copper pipe for a ferrule. The tools that are used are the roughing gouge to reduce the wood square to round; a parting tool to determine the finished diameters, reduce the ferrule section and part off the handle; and a spindle gouge to leave a finger groove for comfort.

A trip to the woodpile should give a suitable piece of wood for the handle. In fact, since a square of about 1 1/4" will be sufficient, a piece of ash or maple will likely supply three or four appropriate blocks. Just a few minutes at the band saw or other cutting station and the wood should be ready to go.

Mark the centres on each end mount the wood between spur center at the head stock of the wood lathe and the tail stock at the other end. Make sure the wood will clear the tool rest before turning on the lathe. There will be some discussion among wood turners as to what the appropriate speed should be, but basically the speed with which you are comfortable is a good one to use. For things this size 1200 rpm is likely good to start.

The roughing gouge is used to turn the wood to a rough cylinder. In conjunction with a measuring gauge, the parting tool is used to determine the final diameters of the butt end, hand grip, finger grip, and ferrule. Either the roughing gouge or the spindle gouge can be used to cut to the final surface but the spindle gouges will generally give a smoother texture and can be used for all the shaping or for the final cut before sanding.

The finger section gives a comfortable feel to the tool and is coved with the spindle gouge. This is the section that really emphasizes cutting with the grain and is a valuable learning place for new wood turners. Similarly the ferrule section needs precise cutting with the parting tool to precisely fit the pipe section. After a quick sanding and finish on the lathe with a bit of shellac, if desired, it can then be parted off and another one mounted.

One of the delights of a woodturning project like this is giving it away to a woodworking friend. Most commercial file handles are miserable to use and a poor fit to most hands so this is a welcome addition to any woodworker's tool kit. Also, the gratitude is usually more than sufficient to inspire the next one and the one after that. After all, in woodturning as in most other things, practise makes perfect, or at least close.

Woodworking Projects - Paint As a Finish

In designing any woodworking project, one of the first things you need to define is how you are going to finish it. The finish will help define the type of wood to be used. You would not want to use an exotic hardwood with a beautiful grain pattern, and then cover it with paint. In my mind that would down right criminal.  You also would not want to use a common pine for a project that you intend to stain.

There are several options available to you when you paint your project, oil based paints, Latex paints and Milk paints. There have been a recent addition to these choices, Low or No VOC paints. For years oil based paint was the choice of most professional painters however, Latex seems now to be the more popular choice.

Milk paints are a throw back to earlier times. The authentic colors are often seen on many antiques. Unlike oil or latex paints that come premixed, Milk paint is sold only in a powdered format. Using Milk paint is easy; simply mix the powder with water. Mix only the amount you need as powdered Milk Paint will not keep.  A new option for Milk paint is the Pre Mixed Milk paint from General Finishes. There is a top coat available for both options that protects and deepens the finish.

Low or No VOC paints, are the newest entry to the paint options, as an answer to the desires for a greener planet. VOC or Volatile Organic Compounds are part of the air pollution problem. Adding colors to some of the No VOC paints, adds VOC back into the paints, so be sure to check with the manufacturer of the paint you choose. The Low/No VOC paints and the Milk Paints are safe for use around children, and those allergic to the latex or oil paints. 

Ask any professional painter, what is the most important thing about any painting project, and the answer will be preparation. To get a good finish on your project, be sure that you completely sand and clean the project. I sand a painted project to 200 Grit, unlike a stained project, which I only sand to 180 grit; too much sanding for a stain finish will cause the stain to set on top of surface instead of penetrating into the wood.

The other thing the pro's will tell you, use quality primer paint. The old school of thought was the primer must match the final coat, oil primer for oil paint. The current thoughts are to use a good latex primer for all interior projects, and reserve the oil primer for exterior projects. The oil primer will seal the wood better then the latex primer. Latex is the preferred topcoat paint for both interior and exterior.

Let the primer dry completely and then sand it again. The residue will be chalky, so it is recommended that you use a good vacuum to clean the surface before applying a topcoat. One more thing, use a good quality brush. Save the cheap throw away brushes for applying stain. There is no reason to ruin a project with a brush that comes apart while you are painting.

Woodworking Projects Need Wood Biscuits

Wood biscuits - you might not find them on your dinner table, but for a woodworker, they can be almost as important as the food. In a nutshell, wood biscuits are oval shaped discs that woodworkers insert using a special tool called a biscuit joiner. The biscuits are designed to take the place of old fashioned wooden pegs, and they are more durable and easier to use.

Using Wood Biscuits in Woodworking Projects

Sometimes, in woodworking, two pieces of wood are simply joined together using a coating of wood glue. This is fine and dandy, but in some cases, it is not enough. Wood glue won't work if the two pieces of wood need to bend on an angle, and the wood glue won't stand the test of time on a piece that is going to get heavy use. So while wood glue is perfect for woodworking projects that are decorative, when undertaking a functional wooded project, like the building of furniture, wood glue alone is not good enough to get the job done.

For sturdier work, you need wood biscuits. Wooden pegs were used in early woodworking to join two pieces of wood, but these could be difficult to work with. The pegs and the holes were cut at different times, meaning that they often didn't fit quite right. Further, unless you had a lot of time on your hands to cut pegs for every project, you have to buy them pre-cut, which means you had to waste valuable time trying to cut holes to match the pegs - holes that might have to be made bigger that you had envisioned them because you could only find large pegs. Last but not least, while wood pegs were stronger than plain old wood glue, they still could give up under every day wear and tear, which is a big problem for functional woodworking projects.

Wood biscuits address this problem. First of all, they make putting the two pieces of wood together much easier. The so called biscuit joiner cuts the hole in your board exactly to match the biscuit is it is going to join, so there is no more fiddling trying to get things to match up just right. All you have to do then in push the two pieces of wood together so that the biscuit joins them both and you are all set.

The additional bonus of going with biscuits is that they are significantly stronger than both glue and pegs. If you are building furniture in particular, wood biscuits are must have woodworking tools. Your woodworking projects will be easier to build and will last longer with wood biscuits.

Starter Woodworking Projects - Wooden Birdhouse Kits

If you are looking for a great project to do with your kids at home or at school, why not make a birdhouse?! Putting together a bird house can be a great way to bond and spend time with your own kids or your students if you are a school shop teacher. While many people opt to build their birdhouses completely on their own, many people decide to use wood birdhouse kits. These kits can be a great tool for the beginner wood workers of all ages. All the pieces and instructions you need are included for an error proof build.

For the kids who are interested in making their own wood bird houses, there is even kids kits especially designed for the little wood working hands. A great thing about these birdhouse kits designed for children is that they are extremely cheap. You won't typically see these kid kits for over $35-$40.

Typical wooden birdhouse kits will include the project plans, wood for the bird house and screws or nails to secure your birdhouse together. You can opt to use glues or pastes if you prefer on your bird house as well. The plans and instructions included in your kit are really easy to follow and the wood pieces are already the exact size they need to be. If you are building a birdhouse on your own and with your own wood, you have to cut and size the wood to the exact size you need. That can turn into a lot of extra work and if you are a teacher in class you simply do not have the time to waste. This is why getting wood bird house kits is becoming such a popular and convenient activity to do.

Once you have mastered the art of making a basic birdhouse, then you can move onto more advanced and larger projects. A bird house is most commonly known to be a small housing structure, but you can make them as large and extravagant as you want. Your birdhouse could transform from a small house in the tree, to a large bird castle held up by a pole. The great thing about bird houses is that no matter how large you want the structure, you can find kits to fit the plans you have in mind.

You can get a basic birdhouse kit for $10 to $20 both offline and in local home improvement stores like Home Depot and Ace Hardware. These projects are not only educational, but they can be very fun for both kids and adults. If assembling the kit yourself is not up your alley, you can also buy a pre assembled bird house and paint it as a fun activity for you and your children. It can also be a great way to relax.

There are a ton of times and places where making a birdhouse can be a fun way to occupy the guest. Putting together a bird house can be a great way for many groups to learn team building exercises as well. Girl scouts, boy scouts, employee parties, day care activities and even training camps can be great examples of how building a birdhouse can improve communication. If you are looking for a great project or maybe even a new hobby to take up, building bird houses can fill that void. birdhouse kits can be found both locally and online for great prices to get your new hobby or project started.