# Ornaments II



## kent4Him (Nov 29, 2006)

Here are four of the ornaments that I sold last night. I was just showing them to our small group and they sold themselves. $17 a piece. I have a craft show this weekend. The pictures didn't turn out great. I have a good camera, now I need a macro lens.











After hearing the success that Roger Garrett had, I thought I would try them myself.  I made 39 in 10 days.  They are fun.  A lot of creative effort.  Most of the wood was laying around the shop.  This is also a great way to use the hundreds of pen cutoffs that were starting to pile up.

I am borrowing a friends macro lens, so I will take pictures of the other ones I made and put them in my album.

I hollow out the inside with a forsner bit and created my own spindle jam chuck from a piece of hard wood.


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## darbytee (Nov 29, 2006)

I like those Chris. One of my friends teaches the ornament class at Woodcraft and I've really been thinking about giving it a try. Everyone I've talked to says they sell as quickly as you can make them. Are you using a spray on finish?


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## johncrane (Nov 29, 2006)

very nice Chris l think your on a winner there.[]


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## kent4Him (Nov 29, 2006)

What has worked best for me is to use a lacquer sanding sealer to bring out the color, and once the house is put together, I use a spray on glossy lacquer.  I've used both Masters Magic and Deft.  Both work great.  I also tried a spray shelac.  I need to do more testing, but it seemed to give a similar result.  Given that these will not get handled a lot, I think that the finish will last.


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## NavyDiver (Nov 29, 2006)

Very nice!  Good luck with the show.


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## clewless (Nov 29, 2006)

did i detect a cb on #2?  if so, finally a place to get rid of them[]


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## alamocdc (Nov 29, 2006)

Those look very nice, Chris!


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## dbriski (Nov 29, 2006)

What are the approximate dimentions of those Ornaments?  Length and Diameter?


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## kent4Him (Nov 29, 2006)

The shortest one is about 4" and the longest is 6".  In my total collection, they range from 3 1/2" to 8".  Diameter ranges from 1 7/8" to 3".

The longest one is too long, but it turned out nice.  The biggest problem with the larger ornaments is the weight.  It helps to use lighter woods for larger ones.


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## boadywoods (Nov 29, 2006)

Where do you get the instructions on how to make these. I would love to try one.


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## kent4Him (Nov 29, 2006)

There is one set of instructions on the CSUSA site.  I'm not sure if I got it directly from searching the site, or getting there from Google.  I also know that Dick Sing wrote a book on them.  I have put it on my Christmas list.  Not necessarily for directions, but for designs and shapes.  I'm not saying that I can't learn anything from Father Sing, but I like my process so far.

With selling 5 last night without really trying, I am busy trying to make as many more before Sunday as I can.  Back to the shop.  My Forsner is getting dull.


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## johnnycnc (Nov 29, 2006)

Those are really something.[]
Very nice,Chris.


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## bob393 (Dec 1, 2006)

I like it. Well done.


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## RogerGarrett (Dec 19, 2006)

> _Originally posted by boadywoods_
> <br />Where do you get the instructions on how to make these. I would love to try one.



Chris - 

You've been a very busy boy - nice job.  I agree with you that smaller and lighter is better.  Most of my ornaments are only 4 inches in total length or less - most of the length being the finials.

About the finish - if you invest in a spray gun and a compressor, you will find that you can skip the sanding sealer step and still get magnicificent color.  The secret is in the transfer rate of sprayed lacquer.  An aerosol can just can't give you the transfer that you need - and you will spend a lot of $ on cans of the stuff.  I go right from 600 grit sanded - blow it off with the air - and spray a coat of lacquer on.  Sponge sand and put a second coat on.  The cocobolo only needs one coat - but spalted woods need more.

Regarding instructions - here are some simple ones:

Machine a 1.5 - 2 X 4 - 5 inch block of exotic wood (other woods that work well for the body are aromatic cedar, mahogany, figured cherry, tiger maple).

Machine a 1 inch thick block that is slightly larger than the main body out of a contrasting wood - such as holly.  Glut the pieces together - end to end - centering the smaller diameter piece on the larger.  I use Gorilla glue - pretty strong stuff.

Drill a hole down the center for a 7 mm brass tube.  Glue it in like you do a pen blank.

You can fit two of these on a pen mandrel - I use slimline bearing between and on the ends.

Turn your favorite shape.

From a smaller piece and using a chuck - turn your finials beginning with the tenon that will fit in the 7 mm tube.  Test fit it.  Once the tenon is right, you can turn your favorite shape - sand, part, and glue it in.

For the top finial, I drill from the tail stock with a chuck - the size for my decorative eye ring or whatever you are using for the hanger end.  Then I sand, part, and glue it on the top.  I then glue in the eye ring.

After it is all assembled, I use forstner bits to drill the 1/4" hole for the dowel (bird perches on it) and a larger size for the hole that  simulates an entrance into the house.

I hang it from a Christmas ornament hook and spray it as described above - before putting the dowel in.  After the first coat, I sponge sand, glue in the short dowel and spray the second coat.  

I hot glue the bird in place - and I have a final project done.

I'll include a pic here - but maybe I should do a full pictorial tutorial?  If there is an interest, let me know - I've got Christmas break and a few ornaments on the bench not done yet - would be happy to share.

This particular birdhouse was one of the few that did not sell at the crafts show - so we put it on our tree!  BTW - I took the picture with the new Cannon Rebel XTi.


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## BigRob777 (Dec 20, 2006)

Some year, I'll get to doing some of these.  I like your shapes.  Nice work.
Rob


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