My 1st HollowForm and 1st Collar

[Gil Jones]

6.25" wide X 4" hi. Turned from a green chunk of Georgia Live Oak, and the collar is ebonized Walnut (1st time for ebonizing also). The finish is two-coats of wipe-on Poly (collar finish is Deft), smoothed out with 0000 steel wool, then buffed and waxed. The "blue" is Turquoise filling a crack. After I rough turned it, I put it in a bag and let it slow dry for several weeks. The Scorpion tool worked great.

[Caveman]

Hey Gil - really nice looking piece.
What did you use for ebonising (what solution)?
Did you do anything on the bark inclusion to stop it falling off during the drying out process? I have rough turned a few bowls with some bark remaining and normally over the couple of month drying, the bark loosens itself.

[TTIT]

Beautiful job Gil - very nice indeed. Well worth a green bit. Ironically, I was just on Lee Valleys website earlier looking at the Scorpion and wondering if it was any good! How big a piece do you think you could hollow with it.:confused:

Caveman - I keep laying on the CA to any bark that starts lifting during the drying process - holds most of it, most of the time!

[Caveman]

Caveman - I keep laying on the CA to any bark that starts lifting during the drying process - holds most of it, most of the time!

Thanks TTIT - will try that with the next one.

[Gil Jones]

Thanks Andy!
No rocket science here...I put several ounces of vinegar in a small glass jar, and tossed in a de-oiled piece of 0000 steel wool. It was supposed to sit for 24+ hours, but I am impatient. First I brushed on a coat of very strong tea (as in drinking tea), let it dry, then brushed on two coats of the vinegar/steel wool liquid (letting it dry between coats, and lightly sanding off the raised grain). After the second coat, the Walnut was dark black, and looked even darker with several coats of lacquer.
As for the bark, it did not seem to be loose, but I gave it a coat of thin CA glue, then later, a coat of lacquer. The bark it not loose at all now.
If you want the ebonizing info, I will email it to you.

[Gil Jones]

TTIT,
The Scorpion is made of chrome plated, solid 3/4" steel round bar, so I reckon it can it can handle work that is too big for my 10" lathe. This was my first use of it, I was maybe 6" off the tool rest, and it was easily controllable. This was my first hollowing experience where I could not "see" what I was cutting. Very well made tool in my opinion. I bought it on EBay for $150 USD as a “blemished” tool with a full guarantee. Turns out that the ‘blemish’ was a small area where the chrome plating did not take hold.

[CameronPotter]

Very nice! I wouldn't have gone for the wipe on poly personally, but I like the shape and design.

Cam

[rsser]

Novel use of 'natural edge', being on the side. Nice one!

[ptc]

Gil looks good. nice form.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

What Ern said. :)

Nicely done.

[Caveman]

If you want the ebonizing info, I will email it to you.
Thanks Gil - I have a basic recipe for an ebonising solution (using rusty nails and vinegar) and have used it before but not to the same effect. I gather the tannin content of the wood species used is what makes it darker - had not heard of using strong tea (I guess that helps with the tannin???).

[ss_11000]

excellent piece of work gil. that timber looks pretty cool

[Gil Jones]

Thank you all for the kind words!
Andy, you are correct, the higher the tannin content of the wood, the darker it will turn when iron acetate is applied. I did a test surface (Walnut), and it turned fairly-dark, but the chocolate brown still showed a bit. To increase the tannin, on the surface, I boiled one tea bag in about four ounces of water and brushed on the strong tea. As soon as the iron acetate solution hit the tea coated Walnut, it turned dark black. I do not have real Ebony, so this is a fine alternate for me.
Attached is a composite pic of the finished collar and one with only one coat of iron acetate. You can see the normal Walnut color that I started with.

[TTIT]

I'm suitably impressed Gil. I had no idea you could get wood that black with that method which is why I have been cheating. I use a spirit based black stain from Feast-Watson which works well but you've got me convinced enough to give the vinegar a shot now. Once again - very nice work!:D

[Gil Jones]

Thanks, I had no idea it would work either, but since I had no Ebony it was worth a try. Considering the cost of a few ounces of vinegar, a golf ball sized piece of steel wool, a Lipton tea bag and some water, it seems to be worthwhile. I intend to test it on some very smooth wood (closed pore) like Maple. If a few coats of tea will cause a "black" reaction similar to the Walnut, it will keep me from spending needlessly on Ebony.

[Caveman]

Hey Gil - thanks - a great idea and the result is fantastic. Must try it ASAP.

[ss_11000]

that is a great change in colour gil, thanx for posting

[powderpost]

Very good for a first attempt Gil. Must try that ebonising trick, thanks.
Jim

[Gil Jones]

Thanks, you are all welcome. I hope it was helpful.