Tongue in cheek? Maybe.

Arch,

No penalties incurred according to my rule book. To turn an object to a desired design is what the rules require. In your case, the book clearly states that if the designer intends for the object to be a stand-mounted ornament of a weight greater than the average tree can support, it is allowed. Hollowing or not and wood species are not designated.

But who are you kidding. A quad axel figure skating jump is not a required discipline in the figure skating rule book either, but the skaters go for it because of the challenge. So, turn a solid, mediocre quality piece. Legal, but boring.

On the other hand, if we are talking about commerce, then the game is different. Legal and boring in the commerce game is called efficiency which leads, potentially, to higher margins.

Joe Fleming - San Diego

PFWHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET! 15 yards for roughing out!

Whassa TIC?

Mighty quick whistle, Lobby. (Tongue in Cheek)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

Hmm. I was thinking Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever or Lyme's Disease.

LD

====>Or "one of pain?"*G*

Leif

I have -- what's the question?

If you have no previous penalties or convictions...

Only for chickadee houses.

Yes!

But you get more points...

Maybe -- but you can purchase an indulgence from the high priest (or the

grand bishop) to El GOT (God of Turning)

You may send the purchase price to my address -- I will personally review your case with the bishop.

Hey Arch:

For ornaments for those who won't steam the top off the birdhouse to look to see how you did it, hollow the easy way. When I am getting my ornaments done (seems more of a family requirement than just a gift these days) I throw the wooden victim in the chuck, round it to about 1

3/4" or so (heavy on the "or so"), and drill out the birdhouse body with a 1 1/2" forstner bit.

I make a few rooftops first, and have them drilled out to the desired diameter of the ornment body. Then I can use my calipers to fine tune the fit of the body to the top/roof perfectly.

Then I glue on the roof, sand, finish, and work on a simple little icicle for the bottom of the ornament (on the headstock side). Part it off and it is done.

My variant is to also make a few icicles out of old pen blank pieces and turn them with a small divot in them like a golf tee. When I am ready to part off the finished ornament, I don't worry about finishing the last 1/4" diameter. I part it off to roughly mate/match the divot in the icicle piece, and glue the finished icicle onto the area left by parting off. After glueing, it is finished.

No matter what your shape is, you can drill these out instead of hollowing. No, they won't be perfect, but probably the folks they go to won't worry if your ornament is pear shaped and your hollowing is a cylinder. How would they know? If they are that picky, turn them a piece of coal!

Set up to make about 10 of these at a time and you will be surprised how an assembly line will work.

Robert

My 7 year old is planning on having a table at this weekend's Kid's Craft and Art Fair at our city library. Entry is free, table is free. 18 year olds and younger. She wants to sell spin tops. I turn them. She's turned some with my hands-on tool guidance, but that would take waaay too long to make any number of the things, so she paints them as they spin on the lathe after I'm finished but before they're completely parted off.

She's using acrylic paints thinned with water which causes raised grain. I *was* sanding the tops to 320, but after the paint dries, they feel on the rough side and resanding removes some of the color. Since she's seems thrilled with the results and is selling them for $1 each I find myself not putting in the time to do my very best.

Don't get me wrong - the shapes are nice, the cuts are clean and smooth, but I'm struggling with letting go of the details and attention I would normally put into a piece.

Anyone got an enema for anal-retentiveness?

Hot Tub.