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Christmas Tree Ornaments

bowlman

bowlman

Joined
Apr 27, 2004
Messages
117
Likes
4
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Website
www.dickgerard.com
Posted photos of ornaments yesterday. These ornaments, along with a couple hundred more, will decorate 3 trees to be auctioned off. Funds raised will be used for restoartion and preservation of the Paramount Theater in Anderson, IN. C&C welcomed.
 

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Dick Thanks to your post in WC I finally started turning some ornaments for out club. I have a lot to do right now but I'm going to try and do at least a few each day for the next month or so if I can find the time.
 
Dick Here are my first attempts. I haven't made any for almost a year so my eye is off. I'll have to work on my forms but I've got another month before I need to turn them in.
 

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ornaments

I have made quite a few of the bird house ornaments from a plan out of Craft Supply by Dale Nish and they are hollowed out to keep the weight down.
 
ornaments

Syd Sellers said:
I have made a few and I'm troubled by the weight of them. I am worried about the tree branch being pulled down.
How do you keep them light???
Syd
Click to expand...

Syd,
I use a lot of birch for the larger ornaments. Cedar is another very light wood. That helps with the weight. Second, for the auction, the trees are all artificial and each ornament, light etc. MUST be wired directly to the tree. Since the branches themselves are fairly rigid, weight doesn't seem to be a big factor. Additionally, for the 3 part ornaments, I turn the upper and lower finials to approx. 1/8 inch diameter.

Hope this helps!
 
I once read that an ornament should way less than 2.5 oz. That's really very heavy. The dogwood ones are solid and even though they are much smaller they are heavier than the Green ones. Those are hollowed. I used to be very picky about how thin I would make them, and I still am if it's a heavy wood. However lighter woods I just go in and quickly hollow them without worrying too much about even thickness or even how thick. Although with experience they get pretty thin anyway.
It really only takes 2 tools and I make them. They are quite easy to make out of drill rod. My earliest ones were made from screwdrivers.
 
Syd-

Depending on the design of the ornament- you can drill out the center and or hollow out the center. Have an old set of allen wrenches that have been turned into hollowing tools. They work well and you don't have to sand the inside of the ornament. Also to help control the weight, you can down size the ornament.

Gary:cool2:
 
john lucas said:
I once read that an ornament should way less than 2.5 oz. That's really very heavy.
Click to expand...

I try to keep mine below 2 oz. if possible. I agree with you John this is getting sort of heavy but consider this. These days more and more folks have artificial tree which tend not to droop their branches with heavy ornaments. Also some of the resin type and animated ornaments sold at that store with the gold crown can weigh over 4 oz. (I have checked).
I always include the weight and if it starts to get too heavy I will point out in the description that it is more appropriate for a stand.
 
Keeping them light.

gary rock said:
Syd-

Depending on the design of the ornament- you can drill out the center and or hollow out the center. Have an old set of allen wrenches that have been turned into hollowing tools. They work well and you don't have to sand the inside of the ornament. Also to help control the weight, you can down size the ornament.

Gary:cool2:
Click to expand...

This is good input.... I have lots of Birch, Pine, Larch so I will give them a go.
Can you show us a pic. of your small hollowing tools?
Thanks
Syd
 
Syd-

Here's a picture of the hollowing tools made from allen wrenches. The bottom side that rides on the tool post is ground flat. The short end is ground down to a shorter size and sharpened on a bevel. You can drill a 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch hole to insert the cutting tool into. If you go up to a 2 inch ball it gets squirrely on the head stock end while hollowing out.
The other is Robert Sorby hollowing tool. I find that it does a better job of hollowing. Have found out through useage that the sides of the tool shaft needs to ground to a round edge or else it will cut your entrance hole to a larger size than you wanted. ( Found uot the hard way.)
 

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