Something a little different

It’s been another busy month, with plenty of interesting projects on the go. One example is this sculptured sphere, made from birch ply. It’s not something I’ve done before, so proved a real challenge at times!

With two large holes meeting in the center and various turned scallops, it certainly took some planning. Every surface (both inside and out) had to be sanded to a smooth finish – and some areas couldn’t be reached! I had to mount the blank on four separate axis, so I could turn each of the different shapes. Hiding, or removing the screw holes was the hardest part.

The two attached photos show the piece nearly complete, with just some internal sanding to do. It’ll then be coated with Danish oil. This is my first attempt at using birch ply on the lathe and I’m surprised at how nice it is to work with.