Anyone have a resource for wood snowflakes?  My wife asked if I can turn some Christmas ornaments....so what I’m looking for is 1/4 inch thick by (approx) 3 inch snowflakes.  My intention is to insert them into a wood block and turn them round.  I tried google and I can find some that are 1/8 inch thick Baltic birch plywood.  I think that would be to thin and break when I began turning, plus I’m not thrilled about the Baltic birch.  I’d prefer maybe maple.  Any help is appreciated.  Hope you all had a safe Halloween.

This is not turned but it is moderately easy and I have done this.

How to make Wooden Snowflakes

12 minutes ago, Gerald said:

This is not turned but it is moderately easy and I have done this.

How to make Wooden Snowflakes

Thanks Gerald.  That is certainly an option.  Thanks ...

Snowflakes are usually done on the scroll saw.  Plenty of patterns out there.  Any purchased wooden snowflakes will be that thin since they would probably be laser cut.  Weight is also a factor for ornaments.

On 11/2/2019 at 2:22 PM, HandyDan said:

Snowflakes are usually done on the scroll saw.  Plenty of patterns out there.  Any purchased wooden snowflakes will be that thin since they would probably be laser cut.  Weight is also a factor for ornaments.

Thanks Handydan.

On 11/2/2019 at 10:30 AM, Pauley said:

I can find some that are 1/8 inch thick Baltic birch plywood.

Hey Pauly, can you link us to some of those turned snowflakes you found, I can't find any in my search. I'd love to see what you are seeing.

21 minutes ago, John Morris said:

Hey Pauly, can you link us to some of those turned snowflakes you found, I can't find any in my search. I'd love to see what you are seeing.

This one is a bit larger than what I was looking for.  I was looking for 3 inch, but wanted solid wood, not plywood.

https://factorydirectcraft.com/catalog/products/1302_2110_1397-59626-unfinished_wood_snowflake_cutout.html

 

10 minutes ago, Pauley said:

This one is a bit larger than what I was looking for.  I was looking for 3 inch, but wanted solid wood, not plywood.

https://factorydirectcraft.com/catalog/products/1302_2110_1397-59626-unfinished_wood_snowflake_cutout.html

 

Are you trying to turn a snowflake? Or cutout? The one you show seems to be a cutout. I am really interested in the method you talk about by inserting into wood block and turning? Thanks sir!

1 hour ago, John Morris said:

Are you trying to turn a snowflake? Or cutout? The one you show seems to be a cutout. I am really interested in the method you talk about by inserting into wood block and turning? Thanks sir!

Here is a pretty shameful drawing of what I’m attempting to do.  Is a square piece of wood with all sides equal.  Where it says “snowflake”. I would bore a hole the size of the snowflakes diameter.  I would do this 4 times around it.  The top wouldn’t have any holes, but the bottom would have a hole to accept one of those little tea lights to provide behind the snowflakes.

Interesting idea.  I like it.  I think the thin laser cut flakes would work fine for your idea.  Turn a hole for the snowflake and leave a small shoulder to glue it to.

 I don't know you ability and what equipment you have so it would be hard to suggest anything...I would think Baltic Birch would give you the best snowflakes using a scroll saw. .

I would suggest checking out Wooden teddy bear and look over their snowflakes and if it is a round one you are wanting to make then stack cut three of any one then slice two of them and glue the halves onto the one you didn't cut up.. ending up with a round snow flake....  just a thought ..

1 hour ago, HandyDan said:

Interesting idea.  I like it.  I think the thin laser cut flakes would work fine for your idea.  Turn a hole for the snowflake and leave a small shoulder to glue it to.

That’s exactly my thoughts, but using the Baltic birch plywood flakes concern me a little.  Once the snowflake starts getting turned, I think it will show a different color wood.  This would not be the first time I over-thought something....

25 minutes ago, Smallpatch said:

 I don't know you ability and what equipment you have so it would be hard to suggest anything...I would think Baltic Birch would give you the best snowflakes using a scroll saw. .

I would suggest checking out Wooden teddy bear and look over their snowflakes and if it is a round one you are wanting to make then stack cut three of any one then slice two of them and glue the halves onto the one you didn't cut up.. ending up with a round snow flake....  just a thought ..

The concern I have with Baltic birch is the underlying wood.  Once I began to turn the ornament and and cutting into the snowflake (as I’m wanting to make this completely round) I’d be sowing the underlying wood, which is usually a different color.

A snow flake is white so want white paint cover up what you are worrying about??

6 minutes ago, Pauley said:

The concern I have with Baltic birch is the underlying wood.  Once I began to turn the ornament and and cutting into the snowflake (as I’m wanting to make this completely round) I’d be sowing the underlying wood, which is usually a different color.

 

I get it now.  You want to turn the cube into a ball after the snowflakes are glued in.  Fantastic!  I think you will have to make your own snowflakes.  I sure hope you do this.  Sounds amazing.   

7 minutes ago, Smallpatch said:

A snow flake is white so want white paint cover up what you are worrying about??

My plan wasn’t to use paint.  I rarely ever use stains or paints when I do a woodturning.  I like to let the beauty of the wood come through.

8 minutes ago, HandyDan said:

 

I get it now.  You want to turn the cube into a ball after the snowflakes are glued in.  Fantastic!  I think you will have to make your own snowflakes.  I sure hope you do this.  Sounds amazing.   

I may make my own, but I think I’ll use a wood that will contrast with the outer shell.  “If” I do make one, which I’m going to give it a shot, I will definitely post it here.

Pauley this is what I did this morning after reading your post. I got this picture of a snowflake out of a book. Not very big? I had Rapid Resizer enlarge it to about 4" and made a copy.

 

 I took it out to the shop and cut up six pieces of 1/8" Baltic Birch, put clear packing tape on one of the pieces. I drilled pilot holes for four long small diameter finish nails and put the nails in the 4 corners of the wood. I sprayed  glue on the packing tape then installed the pattern I had Rap[id Resizer to make…..It took about 20 minutes to cut the one out , I pulled out the nails and I ended up with 6 snow flakes. 

 I am about out of ink in the printer and when enlarging a pattern from what I started with to this size makes it hard to see where to saw. Sometime I use a pen to connect the lines better.

 

Now if you don't stack cut this many you would be sawing all day long!!! and you only have one pattern to remove but when using clear packing tape on to the bare wood then spray the stickum on to the tape everything is easier.

  Okay, now if you want a snowflake roundish you can slice two of these showing here exactly down the middle and epoxy two of them on each side of one and you will end up with a six sided snowflake....

  I just thought showing pictures is better to understand. If I had have used hardwood instead of 1/8" Baltic Birch plywood I would end up with lots of pieces falling apart. Maybe had clued you in saying BB is not worth using and I say they are not woodworkers and something else!!

  Any questions?

  What if you were to glue up a 4 sided box, mitered on the corners. Before glued, bore the diameter hole you want in each side and as @HandyDan said leave a shoulder on the inside. Then as @Smallpatch said or if you purchase the snowflakes glue them into the shoulders then glue the box together with the top.

 Now the part I am not sure of is, how much material or thickness of the sides and top you would need from the face of the snowflake out to be able to turn the ball.

Edited November 7, 20196 yr by DuckSoup

54 minutes ago, Smallpatch said:

Pauley this is what I did this morning after reading your post. I got this picture of a snowflake out of a book. Not very big? I had Rapid Resizer enlarge it to about 4" and made a copy.

 

 I took it out to the shop and cut up six pieces of 1/8" Baltic Birch, put clear packing tape on one of the pieces. I drilled pilot holes for four long small diameter finish nails and put the nails in the 4 corners of the wood. I sprayed  glue on the packing tape then installed the pattern I had Rap[id Resizer to make…..It took about 20 minutes to cut the one out , I pulled out the nails and I ended up with 6 snow flakes. 

 I am about out of ink in the printer and when enlarging a pattern from what I started with to this size makes it hard to see where to saw. Sometime I use a pen to connect the lines better.

 

Now if you don't stack cut this many you would be sawing all day long!!! and you only have one pattern to remove but when using clear packing tape on to the bare wood then spray the stickum on to the tape everything is easier.

  Okay, now if you want a snowflake roundish you can slice two of these showing here exactly down the middle and epoxy two of them on each side of one and you will end up with a six sided snowflake....

  I just thought showing pictures is better to understand. If I had have used hardwood instead of 1/8" Baltic Birch plywood I would end up with lots of pieces falling apart. Maybe had clued you in saying BB is not worth using and I say they are not woodworkers and something else!!

  Any questions?

 

55 minutes ago, Smallpatch said:

Pauley this is what I did this morning after reading your post. I got this picture of a snowflake out of a book. Not very big? I had Rapid Resizer enlarge it to about 4" and made a copy.

 

 I took it out to the shop and cut up six pieces of 1/8" Baltic Birch, put clear packing tape on one of the pieces. I drilled pilot holes for four long small diameter finish nails and put the nails in the 4 corners of the wood. I sprayed  glue on the packing tape then installed the pattern I had Rap[id Resizer to make…..It took about 20 minutes to cut the one out , I pulled out the nails and I ended up with 6 snow flakes. 

 I am about out of ink in the printer and when enlarging a pattern from what I started with to this size makes it hard to see where to saw. Sometime I use a pen to connect the lines better.

 

Now if you don't stack cut this many you would be sawing all day long!!! and you only have one pattern to remove but when using clear packing tape on to the bare wood then spray the stickum on to the tape everything is easier.

  Okay, now if you want a snowflake roundish you can slice two of these showing here exactly down the middle and epoxy two of them on each side of one and you will end up with a six sided snowflake....

  I just thought showing pictures is better to understand. If I had have used hardwood instead of 1/8" Baltic Birch plywood I would end up with lots of pieces falling apart. Maybe had clued you in saying BB is not worth using and I say they are not woodworkers and something else!!

  Any questions?

I think this is the way I’m going to go.  I’ll try making them myself...thanks so much for going through all the trouble to give me a visual.  It certainly helps a lot.