Thread: Turned Beef Bone Box

Sorry,forgot to add, 9.6mm x 6.3mm.

Chiz.

Chiz,
I DO like that....... Could you please provide some info on turning beef bone and preparation.
I have turned Tagua Nut but not bone. Very keen to try it in miniature turning.
Thanks,
Barbara

Thankyou Barbara,I appreciate your kindness.
I've done a few others if you're interested,
Click the link below,you can click the thumbnails for a larger picture.
More Minis

The blanks are cut from the outer wall of the bone, outside the marrow,so there's not much there.I think these were a shin bone,larger bones have thicker walls.
I bought a couple at the supermarket for cheap but after I boiled them to clean them,I found there wasn't enough to bother with.
So,I went to a pet shop where they sell them already boiled and clean,so I can pick the ones with the thickest parts.
I cut them on my bandsaw,standing them on end and used the thickest parts.
They tend to smell a bit when cutting on the saw,
but there's not much smell when turning.
I was told that you can boil them in water with baking soda and salt for an hour or so,if the smell bothers you.I haven't tried that.

I hold them in a chuck with pin jaws,center best as possible,use the tailstock for support till it's round.It is somewhat brittle till it's round.
I use a skew with light cuts to round it.
On this piece I used a 1/4" skew and gouge for the outside, an old hacksaw blade to cut a dovetail lip on the underside of the lid for a snap fit,then part off with the same.My hollowing tool is made from a masonry nail.

It cuts quite well and requires little sanding,
I used two grades of synthetic steel wool(3M) to polish them.
I have found cracks but just treat them with thin CA.

Thanks again.

Phil.

Phil,
I am very impressed with those bone turnings. I like the clean sharp lines.
I have read a little on preparing bone but when it got to the boiling it up and bleaching and scraping it I backed down. I am encouraged now to have a go.
I find working around the void in the Tagua nut an interesting exercise so bone should not be too different.
Hope you don't mind I added a couple of my pics. The first is of my 3/4" bowl and fruit. The colours are natural Queensland timbers. The second pic is Tagua Nut and Myall.
Thanks for all the info, I have taken notes.
Barbara

Apologies for quality of pics.

Tagua Nut and Myall

I guess I'm not the only one that needs a hobby!
Very impressive!!
I got the push pin idea from "Gallery B" at this link: More Mini Turnings ,but mine aren't that nice.
How do you make the curved stems?Are they carved?

I don't really see a need for bleaching bone, unless you're looking for whiteness.

I've used CA to fill the void in Tagua,turn off the end to expose the void,fill with CA and leave to cure overnight.
I read of others using epoxy with colorants added.
I've done a few Tagua nuts,I'll try to get a picture up later today.

Here's a picture of a bone finial added to a Black Palm box,it's about 3" tall.
If you scroll down to bottom right,click on "Chiz-Turnings",that'll take you to page "3of3", there' some other minis on pages 1 and 2.
Black Palm & Bone

Do you have more pictures?

Phil.

I can see I am going to have to practice, practice, practice! What fine beautiful work you do.
Woodturning is only a new hobby for me and obviously I have a long way to go. I bought a little second-hand Carbatec Lathe which I love.
Thanks for the tips on the Tagua. This information is hard to find in books or on the Internet and I just bought half a dozen and had a go.
The stalks on the fruit are just small pieces of wire. The pic is so close up that the cut shows clearly. (And also shows my amateur turning - I always run before crawling!) They were superglued into the hole drilled pre-parting.
I made three fine tiny goblets from Huon Pine but unfortunately gave them away before taking pics.
I will borrow the digital camera again when I can and post some more pics.
Under is a pic of my first turnings - thinking I was pretty smart. As seen by the "plum" vase, there is much room for improvement. A local turner took pity on me and cut up a heap of blanks for me - timber he had collected out in Western Queensland most of it. I have enough to last me in mini turning for about 500 years!
Barbara

Various timbers small turnings.

I can honestly say are very nice for first turnings,not all my pieces are "gems".
I've been turning about 2-1/2 years,so I'm no expert and have a lot to learn myself.I have found that taking the piece off the lathe and holding it up against a contrasting background helps me see the shape better,then go back and adjust it.

My wife was also impressed with your fruit,so you know what that means!

There's a website with more info on Tagua,but I can't seem to find it right now,I'll keep looking.
<edit>I found it,I was spelling it wrong.

http://home.att.net/~rspragg/

These are the Tagua I've done so far,the 4 on the right have lids,the black accents are ebony.

Please post a picture of the fruit when you have finished them!
Um, yes, taking a look at those Tagua Nut turnings of yours, I need LOTS more practice.
Oh well, back to the lathe.
Barbara

Cheers.

An Australian goblet! Excellent work, DavidG. What timber is that please?
B.

David,that's cool!

What is it...Blue Gum???

Got any more??

Chiz.