John Kartchner: Turned Flowers

I first learned of the art of turning flowers from Stuart King's video. It intrigued me so much that, in spite of my handicaps, I kept at it until I could turn a reasonable facsimile. Not finding any of the wood he uses (hazel) I began experimenting with the woods at my disposal. My most satisfactory results have been with 4/4 white, straight-grained Colorado aspen. I have had some interesting results from green apple, green cottonwood and various dowels, but I have only had consistent results with the aspen. (You may find a wood you like better. One of the Utah Woodturners Association club members got some very nice flowers from small mulberry branches.)

After somewhat mastering the flowers, I began to wonder what they were good for other than female adulation (faithful wife and daughters). The inspiration came to me that I could turn 1/8" tenons on the bottom of each flower and could then make a hardwood cone into which I would drill holes for the flower tenons. The tenon idea extended to a tenon on the cone which would fit into a hole drilled in the top of a small vase. Once again the result was pleasing to my female critics, but some of them wanted single flowers with a long stem. Not wanting to turn long stems, I drilled a small hole (#57 wire bit) in the bottom of the flower and inserted small green floral wire. The results were acclaimed by the local critics, but they wanted color. The color problem was solved by Tombow water pens. (Colors are sometime limited locally, but there is an incredible array of colors available on the web.)

An unexpected filial request resulted in leaves. Using the "inside-out" concept, I discovered that thin leaves could be turned from holly. These "leaves" colored green could be added to bouquets with either tenons or wires. With careful off-center turning of the tenon, the leaves can be encouraged to point any number of directions to complement the floral arrangement. (I might add, that aside from the local female critics and one or two other kind folks, the leaves have not proven to be so popular as the flowers. Perhaps I have not yet discovered the right form, or maybe my floral arrangement skills are lacking.)

The flower saga seemed to have ended until the Golden Spike Turners decided to do a Christmas tree for the Ogden Festival this year and challenged all the members to make at least five ornaments. The thought came that a small vase and bouquet could be made into an attractive ornament which was accepted not only by the female critics but also by the male club members (whose wives demanded that their husbands follow my good example and make them a bouquet ornament).

The final creative chapter was to make a stand for the ornament so that it could "stand" alone. This brought orders from one of our neighbors, so I feel adequately rewarded for the "flower child" phase of geezerhood.

Tonight’s Exercise: Flower, cone, vase and base.

My Woods

• 4/4 Colorado Aspen for the flowers.
• Persimmon (American ebony) for the cone, vase and base.
• Holly for the leaves.

The Tools I Use

• 3/4" skew (with rounded edges and long grind) for the flower petals 1/8" parting tool for the flower tenons.
• ¼" and ½" "skewchie" gouges for the cone, vase and base.
• ¼" spindle gouge to help shape the top of the vase.
• Various Tombow pens to color the center, petals, back and stem of the flowers as well as the cone.
• Number 57 wire bit to drill holes in the base (and also in the bottom of the flowers.
• ¼" bit to drill the hole in the vase which will receive the cone tenon.

My Procedures (you will undoubtedly develop your own methods as you practice.):

The Flower

1. Prepare a 4/4 pen blank 3" to 4" long and secure it in a 4-jaw scroll chuck.

 

2. Pare the blank round to your selected diameter (7/8" to ¼") and true the end with the point of the skew. (I like 1200 - 2400 rpm)

 

3. Using the heel of the skew and working from the tip of the blank back toward the headstock, carefully peel successive layers of wood. Depending on the flower size, the first peel will be ¼" to ½" long. After the first, each succeeding peel should curl the "petals" up against the previous layer. Continue peeling into the center. Your last peel may be turning a toothpick size cylinder into "threads" which will contribute to the stamen.

 

4. Use the toe of the skew to start a parting cut at the base of the first layer of petals. Get as close as you can to the petals without touching them. (Touched petals frequently choose a life separate from the flower.)

 

5. Use the parting tool to create a 1/8" tenon ½" to 3/4" long at the base of the flower.

 

6. Color the flower as you wish. I make the center different that the petals and color the stem green. (If you have variable speed, coloring at a low speed will be less damaging to the tips of your color pens.)

 

7. Part the flower off with the point of the skew.

The "Cone" or Flower Holder

1. Prepare a 4/4 blank about 2 ½" long and chuck it up.

 

2. Turn the blank to round with your tool of choice. (I use a small roughing gouge.)

 

3. Create a dimple in the end of the blank and drill a ½" deep hole with the #57 bit. Test fit your eye hook before finishing the "cone."

 

4. Turn a 1/8" nipple ½" long on the end of the blank.

 

5. Create a spheroid 5/8" to 3/4" thick which blends into the nipple.

 

6. Undercut the bottom of the spheroid to achieve a tight fir with the top of the vase. (For 2 through 5 I use a ¼" "skewchie.")

 

7. Cut a ¼" tenon ½" to 5/8" long for insertion into the top of the vase.

 

8. Screw in the eye hook and color the flower holder. (I use green.)

 

9. Starting at the top, near the nipple, drill a 1/8" hole in the spheroid and insert a flower tenon to begin your bouquet. A drop of CA on the tip of the tenon will secure the flower. Working from top to bottom, continue drilling and inserting flowers until you are satisfied with your floral arrangement.

 

10. Part off your bouquet

The Vase (Modified Grecian Urn)

1. Prepare a 4/4 blank 3" long and chuck it up.

 

2. After rounding the blank and truing up the face, measure back from the face making one mark at 3/8" and a second at 1½". With your tool of choice peel the 3/8" section down to ½" to 5/8" in diameter.

 

3. Dimple the face of the blank and drill a ¼" hole at least 3/4" deep to Accommodate the bouquet tenon.

 

4. Using a ¼" spindle gouge (or a "skewchie"), cut a cove in the end of the vase beginning at the hole and ending 1/8" from the edge.

 

5. Go back to the corner (shoulder) 3/8" from the top of the top and round it over, taking care to blend it with a cove which you excavate in the neck. As you are making the cove, leave a 1/8" flat on the right-hand side This will leave a corner between the neck cove and the top cove. Once you are satisfied with the contour, of the shoulder and the cove, cut the corner off.

 

6. Using a parting tool make a cut at the 1 ½" line which will define the bottom diameter. (To me it is pleasing for the bottom diameter to be slightly smaller than the top diameter.)

 

7. Widen the cut to allow for clearance as you shape the vase between the shoulder and the base. I try to avoid flats. (To me it looks better if there is a continuous curve from the shoulder to the base.)

 

8. Sand and finish. (I use sander sealer or melamine lacquer.)

 

9. Part off the vase undercutting the base slightly as you do so.

 

10. To finish the bottom of the vase, make a jam chuck with a ¼" tenon over which the vase aperture will slide (without any play). Slide two rubber bands over the shoulder to the cove in the neck of the vase. Twist them (once is enough) and stretch them over the chuck so that they catch in the spaces between the jaws. This gives enough stability to finish the bottom with light cuts.

 

11. Placing a bit of CA in the vase aperture, insert the bouquet tenon and leave it until it dries.

 

12. Insert a wire hanger in the eye hook and your ornament is finished.

Additional Finishing Idea

Since Tombow color is water-based, I spray the ornament (bouquet and base) with lacquer. To do this I have created a highly scientific and precise paint booth (however the cost is negligible).

Spray Booth Parts

1. A 4 to 6 cubic foot cardboard box.

 

2. A ¼" dowel long enough to reach from one side of the box to the other with 3" protruding on either side.

 

3. A 4" loop of strong thread (thread, not string).

Assembly

With the box standing on one end and the opening facing you, poke a ¼" hole through each side 1" from the top of the box. Slide the dowel through one hole, loop the thread over it then slide the dowel through the opposite hole. Modus Operandi: Move the thread loop to the middle of the dowel; suspend the ornament from the thread; twist the thread loop several times; following spray can instructions, spray the ornament as it is unwinding. This process can be repeated until you are satisfied with the results.

Base for Wire Hanger

1. Secure an 8/4 hardwood blank 3" to 5" long in your scroll chuck.

 

2. Once the blank is round and the end is true, cut a recess in the face which will accommodate the jaws of one of your chucks. (I cut a recess 1" in diameter and 1/8" or so deep.) This will be the bottom of your base and should be finished at this time. With careful cutting, little sanding is necessary.

 

3. Part off your base blank leaving sufficient thickness to accommodate your design. (I generally just make an uncomplicated little mound. I don't want detail on the base to detract from the ornament itself.)

 

4. After making a dimple on the top of the base, drill a #57 hole for the wire "question mark" from which your ornament will hang.

If you want to try leaves: Use reinforced shipping tape on each end to form four ¼" × ¼" blanks 3½" long into a bundle. Proceed as with any other inside out turning. When you have almost finished the second phase, secure the bundle in a scroll chuck, remove the tail stock and sand until the top flies off and you have pointed leaves.

Click on any picture to see it full size.

Demo illustrations...

Show and tell

Wood exchange