Hey, Santa! I want one of those!


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Nice sixed bowl, how did you drill the stem?

Nice scoop.

You using a particle mask as well?

I use a dust mask when I sand, but lately I'm thinking I need to take things more seriously in that regard.

My old face shield got busted beyond repair so I've been using safety glasses when I feel concerned but usually I am wearing my $3.00 cheater reading glasses and ear muffs.

The mask/safety glasses problem is a real PITA with fogging. They make some pretty nice all in one turning helmets, like this one:https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/i..._air_pro-2.jpg but that is not in the budget.

I have a full face respirator somewhere from my lead abatement adventure, I think I will try that and see if it is comfy for long periods. Failing that I will just get another inexpensive shield since the mask won't fog that.

I am making a lot of inventory for the up coming holiday craft fairs. Here are some examples:

First are little peg dolls, 2" to 5" tall. I plan to make a small village of them, Not sure on pricing at the moment.

2nd are a series of peg tops, unsure of whether to paint, stain, or leave natural or some combination thereof, and a series of small, lidded boxes, the subject of another post in this thread.

3rd we have another view of the lidded boxes in the back ground, egg cups up front along with a bottle stopper and a coupld of tops at the edge of the frame. You can see a wooden shot "glass" behind the egg cups.

4th is a plan view of the same plus a couple of small dishes, one of them square, wooden disks to be discused later, and some map fragments, a garden dibble, albeit a slender one.

Some more stuff, up close and personal:

One of the tops, I am experimenting with color. I have an ass-load of oil paint and am considering using that as a stain or semi transparent color. it is a bit challenging and drying time is slow. I added japan dryer and that sped things up, drying on hours rather than days, but an alcohol based stain would be much faster. However I want to use what I have on hand to keep the cost per unit down. I need to balance that against my time. Since application takes more or less the same amount of time, the drying isn't as much of an issue, I can put them aside.

I think the color, while it obscures the wood, makes the tops more fun. This one is transparent, the opaque top in the previous photo is probably how the other colors will be applied.

Next, we have Tea lights. The branch type will be in sets of three, slightly varying heights with differing species of wood by set. Birch, Apple, Ironwood, Cherry, Locust, Elm, etc.

The other one is turned from Douglas fir. There is a timber framing place nearby that sells 4x4x4 wrapped pallets of off-cuts (mostly pine and doug fir, some oak) for $50. some of the timbers are as large as 12" x 18" x 48". I've got a buddy with a truck who will help me fetch some.


Close up egg cups

Close up shot "glass" I'm debating of whether or not to finish them. Anything that would resist alcohol and washing would be tasting. Beeswax would work, but would add a mild aroma which may or not interfere with your drinking pleasure. Unfinished would work as maple is pretty odorless. It would require careful handling, i.e. rinse and dry right away.

Still thinking about this one.

Those are all looking great!

Not sure why, but those candle votive things speak to me the most.

I like the translucent green color on the top. With the little people, if you're going to be selling these at some kind of craft fair, you could turn it into an activity where kids get to paint their own on site. But maybe that's too involved for the kind of places you want to be.

This is so cool. The turned tops are particularly cool and leave a lot of painted/unpainted pattern options. I'm glad you're creating again.

That is a great idea for a workshop for kids and family, $20 something bucks includes a few peeps and access to paints, with the option of buying more peeps a la carte. Guaranteed sales! I can set something up like that with our local arts center. It would be too attention demanding for a general craft fair. That's a great idea, CF.

Agreed, Hobson's choice really only works if you are the only one offering horses to travelers. We know better!

One lone wretched unneeded complaint, they are beautiful but I don't know anybody ever who has used an egg cup. This appears to be a thing from before we were born.

Or when you're making a breakfast to convince her she made the right choice in spending the night. ;)

They are also great for displaying special rocks and glass eggs/orbs.

Or mini chalices!

They don't use them because they don't have them. I bet if you had an egg cup as nice as these you'd eat more boiled eggs.

;)