How to Woodturn a Bud Vase
Turning wood can add a whole new dimension to woodworking. Bud vases make a good wood turning project both for ease of working and for the vase's functionality. With a little practice, turning can produce outstanding finished products from vases to spindles to bowls.
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Things You'll Need
- Wood lathe with chuck
- Wood blank
- Square gouge
- Gouge
- Skew chisel
- Drill and drill bit
- Sandpaper in 150 and 220 grits
Instructions
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1
Determine a size for and general shape of your bud vase. The wood blank should be large enough to accommodate the length and the largest finished diameter of the vase.
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2
Chuck one end of the wood blank into the lathe. Chucks operate differently depending on the type and the manufacturer so be sure to follow the instructions that came with the chuck. Set the lathe speed to about 400 RPM.
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3
Round the blank by using a square gouge held firmly against the lathe's tool stop and applied slowly and evenly across the surface of the spinning blank. Be careful to maintain steady pressure as the tool could fly back without a firm grip applied. Continue rounding until the exposed portion of the blank becomes a cylinder.
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4
Make two grooves about an eight inch apart on the blank near where it is chucked. These grooves will help the chuck grip this end of the blank in a later step. Use the point of a skew chisel to make the grooves.
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5
Make a slight indentation on the end of the blank using a skew chisel. This indentation will allow the finished bud vase to rest on a rim instead of on the flat bottom which could cause it to be unsteady.
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6
Stop the lathe, remove the blank from the chuck, flip it end for end and re-chuck the blank. The grooves you cut earlier should help secure the blank into the chuck. Increase the speed of the lathe to about 800 rpm.
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7
Shape the vase using a skew chisel. Work the chisel up and down the length of the blank starting at the point where the neck will join the body. Ease the chisel into the wood to produce a taper from the body to the neck. Continue easing the chisel into the wood a little at a time to create a neck for the vase. Finish by shaping the end that will be the top of the vase and leave enough wood on that end so the vase flares slightly.
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8
Indent the top of the vase using a skew chisel. An tapered indentation about one quarter inch deep works well.
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Stop the lathe and use a drill and drill bit to make a hole that will accept either a tube to hold water or flower stems in a dry arrangement. Make the hole long enough to accept the tube or stems but be careful not to go all the way through the vase.
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10
Turn the speed back down to 400 RPM and turn the lathe back on. Use 150 grit sandpaper to lightly sand the spinning vase. Give another light sanding with 220 grit sandpaper. Since the chisels usually leave smooth surfaces, this operation should only take a few seconds. Use extreme caution because your hand is near a moving piece of wood.
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Tips & Warnings
A gentle but firm touch is needed when cutting wood on a lathe. A good way to tell if you are using the right amount of pressure is to examine the waste material. If you are producing long, thin curls of wood, the cutting pace is just right.
Be sure to wear a full face shield or at least safety glasses when turning wood. Be very careful how tools are gripped and how close your fingers and hands are to the spinning wood on a lathe. Never wrap buffing cloths, sandpaper or any other objects around fingers or hands. If they catch, they could seriously damage extremities.
