Despain Woodturning

New Christmas Ornaments

2009-02-15T22:28:00.003-07:00

I was finally able to work out in the shed again after the Christmas break. I made me an ornament. I have the first one. It is a Banksia pod bulb and ebony top and bottom. It is about 6.5 inches long. If you look closely you can actually see through the banksia pod holes. I love that. The one on the right is island walnut bulb and maple top and bottom. It is the same size. I made the right one for my brother for Christmas.

Spalted Maple Salt and Pepper Shakers

2009-02-15T22:20:00.002-07:00

These are spalted maple salt and pepper shakers. Not as much spalting as the bowl has but still pretty.

Spalted Maple Bowl

2009-02-15T21:55:00.005-07:00

I am pretty proud of this bowl. It is made from spalted maple. I love the contrast in the wood. You can see the worm holes in the wood also. There are some in the bottom and the walls.

More New Christmas Ornaments

2008-11-03T19:21:00.003-07:00

The first one is out of a misc. wood from Hawaii. The other three are out of Black Walnut in the middles and the icicles are out of padauk, chico zapote and maple. The last one is about 8.5 inches long. I was trying to go for the dripping watter into something look and then dripping out the bottom of it. It is a bit awkward looking. Oh well, maybe it will be better next time I try it.

New Christmas Ornaments

2008-11-03T19:11:00.004-07:00

These are all made out of black walnut in the middle. The icicles are from top left to bottom right... chico zapote, bloodwood, chico zapote, and ebony. These are all about 6 inches long. I liked coming up with a different center shape for all of them.

Banksia Ornaments

2008-09-13T23:35:00.003-06:00

I really like the looks of these ornaments. I have decided that I like the longer, skinnier icicles on the ornaments. I have drilled these on the top to put a light in them so they glow from the inside. Starting from the top left to right. Yellowheart, maple, tulipwood. The middles are all banksia pods.

Satine Bowl

2008-09-13T23:29:00.003-06:00

This is a satine wood bowl. It is about 4" tall and about 4" wide.

New Shakers

2008-09-04T22:28:00.001-06:00

I made some salt and pepper shakers for family. The ones on the left are banksia pods and the ones on the right are canary wood.

Even More Christmas Ornaments

2008-09-04T22:24:00.001-06:00

I really like these two ornaments. The one on the left is cocobolo with a maple top. The right one is a bird's eye maple with an ebony top.

Banksia Ornament

2008-07-24T09:33:00.000-06:00

I am really excited about this ornament. I spent a lot of time hollowing it out so the walls are thin. I drilled a hole in the top so I can put a light down in it. I just need to find a bright light. I put a Christmas light in it and it does okay but I want brighter. The top and bottom are made of holly.

Pens

2008-07-24T09:21:00.000-06:00

Here are the collection of pens that I have. I have made many more and given them away and sold them. I just don't have the time to say all the wood types.

Candlestick and Box

2008-07-24T09:15:00.000-06:00

This is made out of knobthorn. It is from Africa and it is very hard.

This is a silver maple box. It is big enough to hold a quarter inside.

Bowls

2008-07-20T20:13:00.000-06:00

This is a walnut platter. I really like the two contrasting grains. My wife thinks it looks like a lid.

This bowl is made out of shee oak. I really like the grain pattern in this wood.

This is redwood burl. You can kind of make out the burl look in the picture on the right. I turned this bowl to under 1/8th of an inch thick and as I started to re-chuck the bowl it cracked and I couldn't finish the bottom.

This is an ambrosia maple bowl. You can see two spots where the beetle has gone through.

This is purpleheart. You can really tell how much light adds to the color. Notice how brownish the bottom the bowl looks, this is because it hasn't seen as much light as the rest of the bowl.

This is one of my first bowls. Its made out of padauk. I like the little bit of sap wood that you can see on the lip.

Salt and Pepper Shakers

2008-07-20T19:56:00.001-06:00

This is a banksia pod before it is turned.

This is what it looks like after it is turned. This process was a little more difficult than most woods that I have turned because of the natural voids. This is the first time that I have worked with voids. I had to hollow it out in order to put the salt and pepper shakers in it. Each of the natural voids that you see also cleaned out

More Christmas Ornaments

2008-07-20T19:43:00.000-06:00

The ornament on the left is purpleheart in the middle and walnut on top and bottom. The middle ornament is birds eye maple with a kingwood top. The ornament on the right is purpleheart in the middle with figured maple on the top and bottom.

The ornament on the left is chakte viga in the middle with mesquite on top and bottom. The ornament on the right is walnut in the middle and cocobolo on top and bottom.

Christmas Ornaments

2008-07-20T10:28:00.000-06:00

For my first post I'll show some of the new style of ornaments I have been making. I really like using two contrasting woods. Its fun to come up with different designs and see how they turn out.
In the picture above the ornament on the left is Padauk in the middle with Canary Wood on the top and bottom. The middle one is made of Birds Eye Maple with a Red Heart top. The ornament on the right is Cocobolo in the middle with Maple on the top and bottom.