# Christmas/Holiday Gift Ideas



## mark james (Nov 4, 2017)

Lets use this thread to post whatever we are making for this holiday season (Turning - but not exclusively for you flat work folks).

So post away!  I have three small bells that I will post tomorrrow.  Until then I'll start with a pickie from a few years ago:


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 The bells will be a bit smaller, but nonethless, FUN!

Ideas for everyone else!


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## eduardomachado (Nov 4, 2017)

Following


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## mark james (Nov 4, 2017)

I did a quick picture of this years idea...  I hope to do better, but will turn 10-15 for family and friends.  UTube will give great tutorials.

The next ones will have some segmenting!


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## TattooedTurner (Nov 4, 2017)

Great idea Mark. My mini acrylic bud vases were a hit with the nurses & MA's at the clinic so I'll be making some to give to them. I turned one today and will make another tomorrow, and probably 2 every weekend for the month. I'll get pics up tomorrow evening.

Full disclosure: After inspecting the one today I need to sand and polish it again since it showed some sanding marks. I tried using abrasive paste without using the first 3 MM pads beforehand and it didn't work out. Trying to save time cost me quite a bit more, lesson learned.


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## mark james (Nov 4, 2017)

TattooedTurner said:


> Great idea Mark. My mini acrylic bud vases were a hit with the nurses & MA's at the clinic so I'll be making some to give to them. I turned one today and will make another tomorrow, and probably 2 every weekend for the month. I'll get pics up tomorrow evening.
> 
> Full disclosure: After inspecting the one today I need to sand and polish it again since it showed some sanding marks. I tried using abrasive paste without using the first 3 MM pads beforehand and it didn't work out. Trying to save time cost me quite a bit more, lesson learned.



Post whatever you got!  Even with the blemishes!  It will give others some ideas.


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## TattooedTurner (Nov 5, 2017)

Twig pot/Bud vase #1. I cast the blank with Silmar 41 and colored with Pearl Ex turquoise & bronze mica powders and Castin' Craft (dark) green dye. I recently got the powders and it's the first time I've used Pearl Ex. It costs several times more than the mica I buy direct from China but the colors are brilliant.


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## mark james (Nov 5, 2017)

Nice Jay!!!

What are the approximate starting dimensions?


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## TattooedTurner (Nov 5, 2017)

Thanks Mark. I cast blanks for these anywhere from 3.5"-4.5" tall and 2" diameter. They're actually mini twig pots, but I've given a few as birthday gifts with little artificial flowers in them to some ladies where I work and they love them, and they only take a tiny bit of space on their desks. I got busy doing some shopping today and only turned one after I was done, sanding & polishing can wait until I get home from work tomorrow, along with the cleanup. What a mess!


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## mark james (Nov 5, 2017)

Thanks Jay.  I have a bunch (like too many) of nice spindle blanks that size, so I'm gonna steal your design and play this week.  I've got 4 relatives that this would fit their interests.


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## TattooedTurner (Nov 5, 2017)

mark james said:


> Thanks Jay.  I have a bunch (like too many) of nice spindle blanks that size, so I'm gonna steal your design and play this week.  I've got 4 relatives that this would fit their interests.



Cool! Glad I could help out even if I was completely unaware of it. As for stealing my idea, I stole yours for making modified slimlines so this makes us even! :biggrin:

I actually turn these like a bottle stopper, the only difference being that I sand/finish the top before threading onto the mandrel since it obviously shows. It leaves a little mark if the top is concave but so far the buffing wheels have taken care of that. Strangely enough, it doesn't leave a mark if the top is convex, I can't figure that one out. Yes, the hole is threaded, but that's not even noticeable once a few flowers are in it.


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## mark james (Nov 5, 2017)

Hey Jay!  I'll post a few more Modified Slims tomorrow in this thread, as they are Xmas Gifts.  Urethane is curing yesterday and today (I give them 2 days for good behavior).


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## hilltopper46 (Nov 5, 2017)

*Snowmen*

I turned a baker's dozen of these snowmen to put on my craft fair table this fall.  They have been moving slowly but steadily.  The first weekend they paid for the table fee.

My wife crochets a simple scarf for them from red or green yarn.  She draws the face on them and I burn it with the pyrography pen. They are turned (mostly) from ash with black walnut hats. A couple elm ones got included as well.


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## wouldentu2? (Nov 6, 2017)

mark james said:


> Lets use this thread to post whatever we are making for this holiday season (Turning - but not exclusively for you flat work folks).
> 
> So post away!  I have three small bells that I will post tomorrrow.  Until then I'll start with a pickie from a few years ago:
> 
> ...


Reminded me of Pecans which gives me the idea to use pecans for the body and make the top and bottom.


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## TattooedTurner (Nov 9, 2017)

*Twig Pot #2*

Twig pot #2. Silmar 41 colored with bright bronze & turquoise Pearl Ex and wine red mica I bought direct from China.


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And a quick video to show the shimmering of the colors before I took it off the lathe and buffed it.
https://youtu.be/4H4ZwyjcHe4


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## TattooedTurner (Nov 11, 2017)

*#3*

Made a simple one this morning. The last took a lot longer to sand/polish than I would've liked. I'll probably stay simple just for the sake of saving time so I can make several of them.


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## mark james (Dec 5, 2017)

OK, some of this (Dec 2017) years gifts - these are for family/friends.

The first set of cheese cutters are well worn/scratched, as they are a set that my wife and I received years ago, and the maple blanks were chipping, swelling, etc, ... so I dismantled them and used the 5 blades with Olive wood blanks (From Robutacion).

The second and third set used Olive Wood from Robutacion (a box in 2014), and blades from CSUSA.

The final set used Cherry Wood from my yard, and blades from CSUSA.


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## mark james (Dec 5, 2017)

*A Few Bird House Ornaments*

The first set are timbers from Robutacion in Australia.  Not all is done, need a few more finials and perches.:

The last two sets are misc woods:

These are for my family for 2017 Christmas.


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