Egg and Rosebud – part one

In part one of his project Dave Springett turns the egg…

1. On two sides of the sycamore blank mark centrelines, grain direction and a relocation triangle and cut down a centreline’s length. Plane the faces. Make a sandwich: planed face of blank, glue, veneer, glue, 6mm walnut piece, glue, veneer, glue and planed face of blank. Be sure the triangle, grain direction, edges and ends are in line. Clamp and leave to dry

2. Bandsaw the centreline on the second face of the blank. Plane the faces and make a sandwich as before and clamp. Make sure the intersection of the laminated pieces are aligned at both ends. Leave to dry

3. The driving dog and cup centre must be central at both ends and bind the blank at either end with cable ties. This will make sure the piece cannot break apart. Remember to turn between the cable ties to 75mm

4. At the tailstock end measure 15mm towards the headstock. Turn down to 22mm to match a drill that size. From that measure 45mm. Mark a line around that point, this will be part A. Measure a 10mm gap and turn down to a 25mm diameter. This is where the two parts will be parted. From the end of the gap measure 65mm towards the headstock. This will be part B. Turn down the remaining 15mm to 25mm diameter to match a drill that size. Mark a datum across A and B, then saw the two pieces apart through the 10mm gap. Set the two pieces aside and remove the driving dog from the headstock

5. The discs separate the two halves of the egg. On a faceplate fit a softwood disc about 150mm diameter and 50mm thick. Turn the face flat and true, and square the edges. Onto the softwood faceplate fix, concentrically, an 80mm diameter, 6mm thick piece of laburnum using newspaper and glue so the piece may be split off once turned to shape. Bring the tailstock forward to apply pressure while the glue dries

6. Once dry, turn the outside of the disc to 75mm diameter. Mark a 64mm diameter circle on the face of the disc. On the outside of the line turn a 2mm deep step towards the outer edge. Mark a letter A on the disc

7. Split the disc off the softwood and set to one side

8. Face off the softwood then newspaper and glue the second 80mm disc in place. Allow the glue to dry. Turn the disc to 75mm diameter. Mark a 60mm diameter circle and on the outside of that mark, turn a 4mm deep step, flat and square. Mark the letter B on the disc, split the joint and set to one side. Mark a datum on the edge of each disc to indicate similar grain direction so they can eventually be aligned to the datum mark on the blank laminated blocks

9. Face off the softwood disc. Drill a 22mm diameter hole, 18mm deep to accept the turned tenon on the end of part B. Glue the tenon and end face of part B. Push the tenon into the drilled hole in the softwood disc. Bring the tailstock, with centre, forward and press the centre into the face of B to apply pressure while the glue sets

10. Once the glue has set face off the end of B and mark upon that surface a 60mm circle. On the inside of that circle turn a 4mm step

11. Take the laburnum disc marked B. Check that they fit well. Make adjustments if necessary. Glue the disc in place aligning the datum marks on both. Apply pressure from the tailstock while the glue dries. While the glue is drying mark and cut out from card the three templates shown in step 3, as interior A, interior B and exterior A and B

12. On the now exposed face of the laburnum disc mark, in pencil, a 62mm diameter circle. On the inside of this pencil line turn through the laburnum and into the sycamore, hollowing out the interior of the blank to match the template ‘Interior B’. Turn to a depth of 32mm

13. Check the internal shaping regularly with the template. Keep the gouge sharp. When the internal shaping is correct sandpaper to a smooth finish and polish

14. Part off part B close to the softwood disc

15. Face off the softwood disc then drill a 25mm hole 18mm deep. Take part A and glue it onto the softwood faceplate bringing the revolving centre, in the tailstock, up to add pressure while the glue dries

16. Once the glue has dried, face off the front of part A flat and square. Mark in pencil a 64mm diameter circle and cut a 2mm deep step on the inside of that line, flat and true towards the centre

17. Glue the laburnum disc A to the sycamore block, aligning the datum points. Apply pressure from the tailstock while the glue dries

18. On the face of the glued laburnum mark a 58mm diameter concentric circle. Turn a step 3mm deep on the inside of that line

19. Turn out A to a depth of 52mm and carefully match the shaping to that of the template ‘Interior A’. Sand and polish

20. Take part B and measure its internal diameter. It should be about 62mm

21. On the face of part A mark a 62mm circle and on the outside of that line turn a 2mm deep step

22. Fit part B onto part A aligning the datum marks and the laminated veneer/walnut. Bring forward the tailstock, this time holding a cup centre. This will spread the pressure around the laminated centre of the blank

23. Measure from the joint line, between the two laburnum pieces, 44mm towards the headstock. This is line Y. On the headstock side of this line, turn down to 30mm  diameter. Measure from the joint line, between the two laburnum pieces, 32mm towards the tailstock. This is point X. On the tailstock side of this line turn down to 35mm diameter

24. Now turn the whole blank down to a precise 68mm diameter

25. Carefully turn, from the centre joint line, first towards line X (at the tailstock end)…

26. … then to line Y (at the headstock end) accurately matching the shape on the card template. This will bring the wall thickness of the egg to 3mm

27. Withdraw the tailstock and remove B. The thickness of the wall can now be judged

28. Carefully turn the rest of part A. The parting off point should be about 55mm from the joint line. Refer to step 4 to see the the internal and external profiles of parts A and B. Saw off or part off close to the softwood faceplate

29. Turn a 68mm hollow into the softwood faceplate to accept parts A and B. Use hot melt glue to ‘tack’ the part B in position allowing the end to be turned

30. Sand and polish. The hot melt glue ‘tacks’ can be picked off when the turning is complete

31. The end of part A can be turned using the jam chuck and hot melt glue to hold