Decorative imprints on turnings

[AJ]

Was recently touring Tassie and called in at a few woodturning galleries. Their were some wonderful turnings to look at and a few of them have a fine decorative embossed imprint on the outside of the bowls, platters etc. The imprint is about 10mm x 10mm and is continuous all around the article and it looks great. Does anyone out there have any ideas how it was done or what tool is used? Better still where the tool can be purchased.

AJ

[jhunt_2000]

Hi AJ, I've seen in a magazine (unfortunately I'm moving so I can't put my finger on it right now) a form of reverse imprinting where the pattern, in this case braille, is stamped into the wood which is then carefully turned down to the level of the stamping and the pattern is steamed to allow the stamped down pattern to return to its normal height. Someone else may have quicker access to the article/magazine and be able to help better with this style. As far as plain stamped patterns go though I have done work in leather and used to make my own stamps out of nails or cut any pattern out of the leather I wanted with a craft knife. Just file or sand the nail heads to whatever profile of stamp you want. Hope that helps...

[AJ]

Thanks jhunt_2000, Thanks for the info and it could be the way you suggested but I had an idea that it could have been done with some kind of imprint on a small wheel that I have seen done with leather work. The wheel is pressed firmly against the timber on the lathe as it is slowly rotated by hand. The only problem is with this method is what happens when the platter or bowl is rotated 360 degrees and the last imprint doesn't line up with the first and overlaps the first imprint and the second and third etc. resulting in a mess. The plot thickens. AJ

[Sprog]

Although not what you are refering to, Arbortech produce a video which shows some really impressive effects made with the Arbortech Mini Grider applied to turned bowls spining on the lathe.

[arose62]

I've seen wheeled tools called "texturing tools", and also "chatter tools" which could have been used.

Sorby sell theirs as a "spiralling tool", I think.

Hope these help your searches.

Cheers,
Andrew