Woodturning creations combined with glass or ceramics?

Alun, try snapping off some cheap wine glasses at the stems and turn some wooden stems/bases to see if you like the concept. As you know, many glass, ceramic or pewter objects, broken or intact look nice with turned stems, bases or glued inside wooden containers. Baseless glass votive cups and wine glasses can be bought reasonably, but being thrifty (aka cheap) I use broken household items. :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

I have a friend here in Texas that blows glass and we have talked about combining art forms. I however just strarted turning about 2 months ago and can't quite make the stem look right. One might be too thin and the next just looks silly. When we finally get togther and make something, i willpost it here.

I have a friend here in Texas that blows glass and we have talked about combining art forms. I however just strarted turning about 2 months ago and can't quite make the stem look right. One might be too thin and the next just looks silly. When we finally get togther and make something, i willpost it here.

I've made a few sets of goblets, and although they aren't all identical, they're as close as I can make them. Getting the diameter of the stem itself right isn't too dofficult, and I've made some cardboard templates for the base and cup to get those parts as close as possible.

One part that I'm worried about is how large to make the cup that the bowl of the glass will sit in ... too large and it won't look right, too small and there won't be enough surface to fasten it to. Also I wonder about what kind of glue to use.

I look forward to seeing your efforts, and I promise not to plagiarise them :)

The problem that i think we are going to have is like you said glueing. I believe that an exact fit for the two is going to be hard for a couple of reasons.

1)If you make the wood stem first, the glass is going to have to be exact and you wont know that until it has cooled down. I suppose it might be easier to make the glass first and fit the wood to it.

The second problem is, even though wood is dry, we all know that it still moves with humidity and climate. A good idea would be to use a flexible glue

For the glue, reminding you I am still new to turning, any clear clue should work. If you have an experienced glass blower, they can put colors in the glass specifically where they want. That said, the bottom of the cupsounds like a wonderful place to me.

Silicone-type works, but put your stem in as deeply as possible to minimize what feels an unnatural flexibility.

I've done a few projects with a lady that has a ceramics kiln.. simple ones like round platters that she routs a square or hex depression in for tiles..

we've talked about 2 projects in the future, liners for goblets, (which seems strange to me) and candle sticks/holders with ceramic bases and turned spindles..

I'm sure that if we ever get started, there will be many possibilities.. *g*

hmm... turned boxes with ceramic or ceramic and wood lids??

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Hi Alun,

I have turned a number of wine and champagne glasses. Like Arch, I buy wine glasses with the bowls that I like and end up breaking the stems just below the bowl. I use a triangular metal file and score the line where I want the break to be. Then I tap (sometimes rather briskly) that scored line on the edge of something metal (like my lathe bed) and hope for the best - which usually happens. I fit the wooden stem to that nub of the glass - yup, each one is different as far as the glass goes so its a lot of trial and hopefully not too much error. I use epoxy for the binding agent and have had quite a bit of luck with that.

Good luck with it and hope to see some of your results!

- Dan Klima

do a search for the work of Al Sils - he does some excellent work that includes metal and wood

Do you try to clean up the end of the broken stem at all, say, by grinding any sharp points or edges off or do you just leave it rough?

That's what I was mainly thinking of.

I take the broken end to my wet grinder (have a Delta, not the almighty Tormek). I just try to smooth the edges. The wet grinding process kind of frosts the glass at the wood joint so it helps to conceal it. It probably helps in the binding process with the epoxy, too.

- Dan Klima

Thanks Dan, that helps a lot. Good point about the frosting of the glass by grinding it making adhesion a bit better.

Check on stained glass places that offer lessons. They frequently will give you access to their equipment if no classes are in session for a few bucks per hour. Here in San Antonio it's about $8/hr. They'll probably have a saw that you can use to cut the stem off with and a grinder to take the sharp edges off. The wife used the stems in the past to make stained glass wands ... I knew I should have kept the bowl!!!!!

Fredman

Well I have also started using ceramic in to my turnings I will team up with a very good ceramic artist here in lima peru and see what happens will post in the near future Ed

Alun, You might want to try incorporating some glass or ceramic ornaments inside an inside-out turning, finishing the pieces before gluing. I've used shells, coral, rocks, and once an 'eight ball', but the 'creations' are unlimited and I think they can be quite 'arty', You might want to try rotating some/all the parts 90 deg. instead of 180 and/or using three instead of the usual four parts. The ornaments can be glued or left free inside the piece.

Leo Lichtman's suggestion to cut the parts after the first turning works for me.

Thanks for starting this thread. I hope others will share their ideas for combining crafts....and arts.

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

Oooohh! I like those ideas.

Would it be plagiarism if I used them?

I just had a bunch of high grade gold ore samples left with me. Maybe=20 that would be a good use... Especially if I cut and polished them...

Not worth that much as they are -- but they could be made into really=20 great conversation pieces...

Wish I was done all the spindles I need. :-)

--=20 Will R. Jewel Boxes and Wood Art

power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those=20who have not got it.=94 George Bernard Shaw

Hi Will, If someone ever did plagiarize something I made, my turning life would be complete. In the heady blush of success, I could conveniently forget who gave me the idea, but who suggested it to her and who suggested to him and who sugge.....?

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

If it will make your life complete -- then I shall at some point oblige you. LOL

As soon as I can see something you did I shall copy it. Just make sure it is exceedingly simple and it must not have any form of roundness as Kirk has claimed that as his own... unless I can get to the patent office first with my prior art of a 30 yr. old bowl. (Or he gives us both permission. :-) ) ROTFL (This a joke -- ok?)

...Perhaps something you have turned in a square form factor and requires no better than +- 1/2" accuracy... :-)

I am a "beginner" at this turning stuff -- again. So think KISS!!!