The family has all returned to their homes and our home is slowly returning to "normal". It was a busy but fun time- eating, celebrating combined birthdays and catching up.

 

While they were all here, I tried to get some ideas about what they would like for Christmas. I had already made my brother a couple of small cutting boards and for my  sister- a mushroom shaped garlic smasher. My sister is married to Italian so she does a lot of cooking. I try to get ideas, from her, about kitchen stuff I can make. Her suggestions were from a web site she had seen and thought folks might like a "collection" of 3 or 4 wooden kitchen objects. The web site sells a variety of utensils grouped together as a set.

 

Luckily, some of the items can be made on the lathe!

 

I'm starting with a "Honey Dipper". Made the prototype today and it went well.

 

 

I started with preparing the materials-

The handles are maple and the heads are walnut. The centers of each end are marked and one end of the heads were drilled with a 1/4" hole for attaching to the handle.

 

Next I turned a round tenon on the end of the handle-

 

 

 

Checked to be sure the fit was correct-

 

 

Applied glue to the mating surfaces and the tenon/hole and clamped together-

 

 

Patiently waited for the glue to set (called eating supper) then mounted the blank to the lathe and turned it round-

 

 

 

When I make a bunch of the same items, I usually make a story pole/stick that has all of the layout locations and dimensions. This speeds up layout and reduces the chances that my dyslexic tendencies will ruin a piece. For the prototype, there aren't many marks. They get added if everything looks good.

 

Next, set the end locations with a parting tool-

 

 

 

General shaping using gouges and skew-

 

 

Up to this point things were going great. I used a home made parting tool to create the "honey grooves" and had the handle shaped pretty much the way I wanted it. Time to reduce the diameter of the connecting points so I could get as much sanded as possible. A little more, just a scoch, no- a hair more and then the connection broke @#&^$***&^%@@$#^^^- and that was just for starters-

 

I was able to center the handle close enough for sanding.

 

 

The prototype- it still needs both ends sanded. I'll put the "Wavy Disk System" on the lathe to do that when I get them all to this point.

 

Going to make about a dozen of these, a bunch of oven rack push/pulls, some spaghetti serving measuring devices and maybe some more of the mushroom garlic smashers.

 

 

Safe Turning!

nice.  

I got the stealth gloat on the Rolex too

1976. About  $200 new plus import tariff. 

I love them Lew! Great job and I really like the mixture of the two woods. The Walnut and Maple have a great contrast.

 

Have you ever made a pie crust press?  I haven't but I have had several people ask me about them.

Actually John, I've never seen one. I'll have to check them out. Thanks for the idea!

Here is an image for one. I am sure that are others. I may have to give it a try someday myself.

 

Thanks, John. Doesn't look too bad. Sort of like a tortilla maker.