Santa Fe Pots

[TJ Hamilton]

So a couple of weeks ago Sharon asks if I can make her a Santa Fe pot. Well, maybe I says, what do you have in mind. One like that one, on the bookshelf:



Well, I can do the shape, kinda/sorta, but not all the decoration. I could embellish it with crushed stone. Good, says she, it's for the Memorial Occasions dinner at church, where we decorate the tables and have the guest speaker. I'm doing a Santa Fe theme this year.

Hummm, OK, let's see where this goes.

Cut a few blanks,



I needed four inches tall finished and a five inch waist, so I started with six inch diameter blanks, six inches in diameter. I soon learned that I need more length to turn the base so I increased the length to eight or nine inches. I'll have a supply of nice jam chucks when this is done.

Turn the outside and then add the embellishment. I copied some shapes and taped them to the blank. An awl and mallet transferred the patter to the blank.



And then the dental hand piece cut a mortise for the crushed stone.



I triedd a Dremel for a year but could not figure out how to control it for fine cuts. The dental hand piece is the answer. Should have done it sooner.

Continued next thread.

 

[TJ Hamilton]

With the inlay done, sanded and sealed with shellacI head into the hollowing. A 2 1/8" forstner bit quickly hollows out to below the waist.



Finishing the interior is easy with a Jameison.



Sand the interior, part off and finish the base and we're done!

Sharon needs nine by the third Friday in November. I've got six or seven done, maybe five will make the final cut.

All the best,

Tom, in Douglasville, figuring out this Santa Fe pot project.