I have always loved turning sculptural pieces, where the wood is only the beginning, and the surface design seems to come from nowhere! This film walks through that whole process on a piece of mallee burr, which has waited in the workshop for years and finally found the project it deserved.
How do you turn a sculptural piece with pyrography, metal paints and metal inlays?
This film is inspiration for exactly that. Mallee burr is full of tiny fissures and cracks, and that character is what makes each piece unique. I work slowly, around 300 rpm on an eccentric chuck, so the off centre form can develop without the tool catching on all those voids.
How do you get a green copper patina on wood?
Because my daughter really loves green, I wanted to bring green into the piece. I apply Modern Master’s copper paint, then spray it with a patina activator. The reaction turns the copper a rich, natural green. It is a lovely way to add colour to a turned piece without hiding the wood underneath.
How do you fill the cracks and fissures in burr wood?
Burr wood is covered in tiny openings. I fill them with metal powders, bronze, copper and aluminium, worked in with CA glue and then cut back with a sander. The result is fine metallic lines running through the grain that catch the light as the piece turns.
How do you apply metal leaf to turned wood?
The boss, the raised centre of the piece, gets a layer of metal leaf. I brush on guilder’s size, let it reach the right tack, then lay the leaf on and press it into the contours. It gives the centre a precious, jewelled quality.
What finish do you use on a sculptural turning?
After texturing the ash base to look like granite and scorching it with a blowtorch, I seal everything with cellulose sealer and finish with a satin lacquer. The satin keeps the metallic and leaf details soft rather than glossy.
What is the story behind this piece?
This is a 21st birthday gift for my daughter. There is a level of sentiment in a handmade piece that far outweighs anything shop bought. The thought, the craft and the love that go into making something for somebody are huge. And if you are wondering, she absolutely loves it.
Chapters
0:00 The sentiment of a handmade gift
0:18 A piece of mallee burr, waiting for the right project
0:47 Preparing and mounting the burr
1:11 Turning on the eccentric chuck
2:16 Sanding the form
2:38 Design and proportion with the golden ratio
4:38 First colour, Ruby
5:21 Copper patina, green for my daughter
6:16 Metal powder inlays
7:21 Metal leaf on the boss
8:37 The ash base, texturing and burning
9:49 Deep Forest Green on the base
10:18 Pyrography, waves and flames
11:59 The back piece
12:36 Assembly and finishing
12:53 The reveal
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🎓 Want to learn in person? I run woodturning courses at my school in Hampshire for all levels — from complete beginners through to more advanced techniques. Details at www.thewoodturning.school
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📘 Design and proportion in woodturning — I wrote the book: https://www.msabansmith.com/shop
📍 Based at Garthowen Garden Centre, Four Marks, Hampshire — next to the South Downs National Park.
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