Page 1
Please note: Woodworking is an inherently dangerous activity. The non-woodworking techniques described here aren't all that safe, either. Sharp tools, powerful motors, big lumps of wood, chemicals, fumes, etc. can cause you serious bodily injury or even death. These pages are NOT meant as a substitute for instruction by a qualified teacher, just as an illustration of how I do certain things. I take no responsibility for any mishaps you may experience during a fit of inspiration. You've been warned.
Photo 1
The spaceship starts with a blank glued up from contrasting wood and veneer. In this case, I used maple and mahogany with dyed black veneer. The maple, mahogany and veneer strips in the center layer MUST be the same height or the spaceship won’t look right when it’s turned.
Photo 2
The blank, mounted between centers on the lathe and partly turned. You can see the nose cone feature starting to emerge from the blank.
Photo 3
The spaceship, rough turned and with the walnut dowels that will become the portholes inserted into drilled holes. Since walnut dowels are readily available in a variety of sizes, I opted to use commercial dowels instead of turning my own. Note, however, that commercial dowels are not always the size they claim to be, they can vary quite a bit.
Page last updated 16 June 2007