Finial Globe Ornaments - First Try

[Jon Rista]

I am not sure if there is a more appropriate forum for this kind of post, if so, please feel free to move the thread. I have been woodturning since 2020, although for a couple of years here, until the very end of 2023 and then only the last 5-6 months of this year, did I really get back into it. So I guess I'd say, I'm a couple of years into my "career" as a woodturner, and hopefully fully fledged woodworker by next year.

I am trying to push myself out of my comfort zone, and do things I've never done before, aim for a level of detail and quality I haven't achieved yet. I've never been all that great at finials, and I've never tried to hollow out a small object before. So I tried to create two finial globe ornaments. I'm curious what you experienced woodworkers think. A mistake I made, that was kind of a happy mistake as my solution to fixing it actually made these look a bit better than I originally expected by forcing me to introduce a third wood, was the size of the holes for the finials. I turned the finials out of pen blanks, 3/4" max (and not even that in the end), but the holes turned out to be closer to an inch or more. So I turned little caps out of very small pieces of wood (forced me to think outside the box as far as ways to hold them on the lathe!), and used those to cover the enlarged holes after hollowing.

Anyway, here are my first two. I'm reasonably satisfied. I had a harder time with the finish...I finished, then glued, and glue squeezed out of the cap/finial interfaces more than I expected, which required refinishing without being able to put them back on the lathe. The finish isn't as nice as I had hoped (its shellac with an Acks abrasive paste/polishing wax finish). I also learned that trying to drill holes through the top finials wasn't the greatest idea (also turned some strait finial ornaments that I also tried to drill holes into, including with tape and a few other measures to try and avoid chipout, all with chipout issues.)

I DO feel my finial turning improved dramatically... Took a decent amount of time, but I'm pretty satisfied with the detail I was able to get!

Globe: African Mahogany
Caps: Redheart
Finials: Hard Maple


Globe: Spalted Tamarind
Caps: Macassar Ebony
Finials: Redheart


Thanks for looking!

 

[Russell Nugent]

Looking very good. For drilling holes in the top finial I always try to leave a tiny flat on the top, make a mark with an awl and the use a small drill bit in a pin vise so I can thread my little threaded eye hanger thingy. When I don't get a flat a little gentle swipe with chisel gets me the flat. If you're trying to drill across the finial to put in a string/ribbon, use a brad point bit, go slowly and as soon as the point come out the other side, extract the bit and drill from the other side with the little point hole.

 

[John K Jordan]

I like your introduction of a third wood regardless of the circumstance that lead to it, especially on the first one with a more subtle color difference. (Is that dogwood? Has a kind of pinkish cast, at least in the photo.)

I think the sideway hole for the string on the first one is interesting, I’ve never seen one hung like that, with a point on the top. Now I want to try some like that! I think holding clamping the wood and using a drill press might make it easier.

I usually drill straight down and insert a little brass screw eye. BTW, I usually shape and finish the top while holding it in in pin jaws so it’s easy to get a centered hole with a tiny drill bit in the headstock (put the drill bit in a pin vise, hold the pin vise in a jacob’s chuck in the tail stock.

I usually like to use Myland’s Friction polish if I want a kind of glossy finish (sometimes looks good when it reflects tree lights), quick and easy to apply.

Do you have a set of three “micro” hollowing tools? They help a lot for hollowing small globes. With those I can drill a hole with a 1/2” bit almost to the bottom (after shaping the outside first), use a parting tool to thin the wood holding the ornament to less than the drill bit, hollow, apply finish while the other end is still in the chuck, then drill the rest of the way through the globe which frees it from the shaft.

I like to put glue in the hole, not on the tenon of the finial and top. That way, any extra glue gets pushed inside instead of squeezing out. I’d have to think about how I’d glue a 5-part ornament.

Oh, there’s alternative to hollowing - use a very light wood which doesn’t need hollowing! I sometimes use basswood and don’t hollow. I started using it when I wanted to chip carve around the outside of the globe but even a smooth basswood can look good, perhaps with a bit of coloring. I have she some friends who have much more ornament creativity than I and some of there designs are incredible.

One good way to get ideas of proportions is to look at a lot of ornaments and see what you like. Often, the finials are a little thinner which is attractive (and saves a little weight). For finials, I like fine-grained wood like ebony, holly, dogwood, bloodwood, etc.

Oh, I know a turner who turns wonderfully attractive finials. Problem is, they ALL look the same, or very close to the same. I personally like some variations! When I find myself falling into a design rut I make myself do less usual things to see how they com out. I think the variations on your finials look good and the turning is great, the finials could be thinned a bit more.

I don’t know if there is an ornament depository where you can view other ornaments to get idea. Maybe some others could post some in this thread. If you wantI could show a few when I’m at one of my computers instead of this iPad! I sometimes like to make a variety of globe shapes that are not spheres or ovoids, but sometimes have shape transitions at the ends.

Hey, maybe you’d like to try one of the handbell ornaments I like to make, complete with clappers. (They don’t ring like a bell but at least have make sounds.) I could show some photos and have a drawing that shows the process.

JKJ

 

[Tim Connell]

A note on finials, study Cindy Drozda's work, read some of her handouts, watch videos, etc. She is a true master, and studying her work will do more toward improving your finials than hours on the lathe.