Turning a Christmas Angel

Transcription

1 Turning a Christmas Angel Introduction I was at work one day and a co-worker asked if I had ever turned an angel. I said no. She said I picked one up at craft fair while on vacation. Would you like to see it? Yes I would was my reply. I do not know the turner that made the original angel that my idea came from. My co-worker allowed me to take the angel home. I how I could make an angel ornament with similar elements by turning two parts and gluing them together in the back. I scaled my idea to work with a 2 inch blank. After a couple of tries the proportions were worked out. The instructions below describe how I make an angel ornament. Design Consideration Since this is an ornament it needs to be light in weight. The shape and size would depend on the size of scrap wood. These instructions are for using a 2 inch square blank 6 inches long. The angel s body and wings will be turned out of the same piece of wood. This ornament can be painted or left the natural color of the wood. The angel s dress and wings can be textured with various turning tools giving each ornament its own character. If the ornament is to be painted the type of wood used does not matter. If using a wood for particular color or grain use a clear finish to best show its character. 1

2 Turning the Angel s Body 1. Start by placing a 2 X 2 X 6 blank of maple or other hardwood between centers and turning it to a cylinder. 2. Turn a 3/8 wide by 1/8 deep tenon on one end of the cylinder. 3. Place the tenon end of the cylinder into a chuck with number two jaws. Tighten the jaws around the tenon securely ( figure 1). 4. First make a bell for part of the angel s dress. To do this measure from the tailstock end of the blank and mark 1 ½ on the cylinder ( figure 2). figure 1 figure 2 5. Next mark 2 ½ on the cylinder. The 1 ½ mark will be the top of the bell of the angel s dress. With a spindle gouge turn a taper from the tailstock end of the cylinder to the 1½ mark. The widest part of the bell/dress will be at the tailstock end and the narrowest part of the taper will be at the 1 ½. The diameter at the 1½ mark should be 7/8. 6. Once you have a taper the next step is to hollow it out to form a bell. This is to make the piece weigh less when finished. Hollowing the taper on the inside can be done with a spindle gouge, small bowl gouge or hollowing tools. The sides of the bell can be turned to within 1/8-1/4 whichever is in your comfort zone (figure 3). 2

3 figure 3 figure 4 7. I like to add lines to the outside of the bell shape for decoration (figure 4). 8. Using a skew you will now make a V cut at the 1 ½ mark. This V will be the waist of the dress. 9. Make a V cut ½ up from the 1 ½ mark. This will be the top of the dress (figure 4). 10. Turn a ½ wide bead that is 7/8 in diameter to complete the dress. 11. Place a mark ½ above the second V cut. Now turn a ¾ diameter bead ½ wide. This bead is the angel s head (figure 5). figure 5 figure To turn the halo cut a Deep V at the top of the 5/8 bead and another V cut on the other side of the halo. This should create a wedge shaped disk sitting on top of the angel s head (figure 6). 3

4 13. Part the Angel s body off from the blank (figure 7). figure 7 Turning the Angel s Wings 1. With the remaining wood still in the chuck clean up the end nearest the tailstock. 2. Turn the cylinder down to 1 7/8 in diameter. 3. Once the cylinder is turned to size, turn a shallow cove on the tailstock end. This cove can be turned with a spindle gouge and should be about 1/8 deep. The cove cut will be the back of the angel s wings (figure 8). 4

5 figure 8 figure 9 4. Using a pyramid tool you can add lines to the back of the wings( figure 9). 5. To turn the front of the wing you will need to turn a shallow half- bead. 6. To make the shallow half-bead you will need to remove waste wood as you turn the half-bead (figure 10). 7. Try to make the wings 1/8 thick. To do this you will need to follow the curve of the cove cut. When you have almost completed your half-bead. Stop Do Not part it off. Take a parting tool, and at the base of the half-bead turn a 1/8 diameter tenon 1/4 long (figure 11). figure 10 figure After you have turned the 1/8 diameter tenon part the wings off. 5

6 Completing the Angel 1. To complete the angel you will need to drill a 1/8 diameter hole between the beads representing the head and the body of the angel. 2. Once this hole is drilled you can glue the wings to the body with wood glue or super glue and let them dry before painting the angel (figure 12). Figure 12 6

7 Wood needed for a Angel Ornament: 1-2 X 2 X 6 piece of hard wood Tools needed for turning: Roughing gouge 3/8 or ½ spindle gouge Parting tool ¼ Round skew Skew or 3/8 beading parting tool Chuck with #2 jaws Sandpaper up to 320 grit Calipers Drill chuck 1/8 drill bit Things needed for decorating: Pencil Small water base Paint brushes White gesso Acrylic paints Clear Gloss acrylic finish (Minwax Polycrylic or other brand) Thin CA glue 7