Making a beautiful briar root wood sphere - Woodturning

 

Tools and materials I propose:

Lathe

Wood turning tools set

Chuck kit

Vacuum chamber kit

Stabilizing resin

Buffing kit

Foredom Woodcarving Kit

Micro mesh sanding pads

This is the most beautiful piece of wood I have ever worked with. It's a piece of briar root. I think the shape of a sphere really makes it's beauty pop out. I really want to thank my friend and awesome craftsman and turner Fotis Kalovedouris for sending this amazing piece to me. 

You can check Fotis's work here: https://www.instagram.com/fotis_kalovedouris

I begun by holding the piece between centres on my sphere making caps. I set  my lathe at it’s slowest speed. I used a round scraper to cut with really light passes.

This was two heavy for my small lathe, so I had a lot of vibrations. I managed to turn the piece with one hand although this is not safe at all.

I kept rotating and turning the sphere until it finally was balanced.  It is important to watch the ghosting effect and turn slowly until it disappears. 

Once my sphere was roughly ready, I put it in the vacuum chamber with stabilising resin. I then put it in the oven to cure the resin. 

I kept turning the ball. I started sanding at 100 and then moved my way up to 220, 320, 400, 600, 800. I polished the ball with fine and super fine polishing paste. I buffed it on the buffing wheels.

To remove the paste from the cracks I used air from my air compressor. 

To make a base I used a relatively neutral wood. I used a piece of oak which I turned into a bowl shape on the lathe. 

I then used my divider to divide the bowl into 4 parts. I used my rotary tool to shape it’s feet. 

I ebonized the oak. I first added a coat of black tea solution. Then I applied the steel wool and vinegar solution. The two solutions interact with certain properties in the wood and make it black. 

I polished the piece with my micro mesh sanding pads and mineral oil. Finally I added a coat of bronze wax paste. 

And that was it. My sphere was ready. Thanks again Fotis for the wood. See you soon with a new project video.

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