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Woodturning creations combined with glass or ceramics?

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Alun Saunders

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Mar 10, 2005, 11:54:00 AM3/10/05
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Just wondering the other day whether anyone here had any experience with
combining woodturning together with either glass or ceramics? I'm
thinking along the lines of, say, wine goblets with a wooden stem and
base and a hand blown glass bowl, or flat burls with inlaid shallow
glass or ceramic bowls.

So ... anyone done anything like this at all? I know a few ceramic
artists around here who may be interested, and I'm sure I could find a
glass-blower somewhere.
--
Alun Saunders

Arch

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Mar 10, 2005, 3:37:08 PM3/10/05
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Alun, try snapping off some cheap wine glasses at the stems and turn
some wooden stems/bases to see if you like the concept. As you know,
many glass, ceramic or pewter objects, broken or intact look nice with
turned stems, bases or glued inside wooden containers. Baseless glass
votive cups and wine glasses can be bought reasonably, but being thrifty
(aka cheap) I use broken household items. :)


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter

http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

brock b.

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Mar 10, 2005, 4:13:11 PM3/10/05
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I have a friend here in Texas that blows glass and we have talked about
combining art forms. I however just strarted turning about 2 months ago
and can't quite make the stem look right. One might be too thin and the
next just looks silly. When we finally get togther and make something,
i willpost it here.

brock b.

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Mar 10, 2005, 4:13:26 PM3/10/05
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Alun Saunders

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Mar 10, 2005, 4:26:11 PM3/10/05
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I've made a few sets of goblets, and although they aren't all identical,
they're as close as I can make them. Getting the diameter of the stem
itself right isn't too dofficult, and I've made some cardboard templates
for the base and cup to get those parts as close as possible.

One part that I'm worried about is how large to make the cup that the
bowl of the glass will sit in ... too large and it won't look right, too
small and there won't be enough surface to fasten it to. Also I wonder
about what kind of glue to use.

I look forward to seeing your efforts, and I promise not to plagiarise
them :)

--
Alun Saunders

brock b.

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Mar 10, 2005, 5:12:56 PM3/10/05
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The problem that i think we are going to have is like you said glueing.
I believe that an exact fit for the two is going to be hard for a
couple of reasons.

1)If you make the wood stem first, the glass is going to have to be
exact and you wont know that until it has cooled down. I suppose it
might be easier to make the glass first and fit the wood to it.

The second problem is, even though wood is dry, we all know that it
still moves with humidity and climate. A good idea would be to use a
flexible glue

For the glue, reminding you I am still new to turning, any clear clue
should work. If you have an experienced glass blower, they can put
colors in the glass specifically where they want. That said, the
bottom of the cupsounds like a wonderful place to me.

George

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Mar 10, 2005, 7:35:25 PM3/10/05
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"brock b." <bbo...@ci.temple.tx.us> wrote in message
news:1110492776.5...@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...

> The problem that i think we are going to have is like you said glueing.
> I believe that an exact fit for the two is going to be hard for a
> couple of reasons.
>
> 1)If you make the wood stem first, the glass is going to have to be
> exact and you wont know that until it has cooled down. I suppose it
> might be easier to make the glass first and fit the wood to it.
>
> The second problem is, even though wood is dry, we all know that it
> still moves with humidity and climate. A good idea would be to use a
> flexible glue
>

Silicone-type works, but put your stem in as deeply as possible to minimize
what feels an unnatural flexibility.


mac davis

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Mar 10, 2005, 8:37:51 PM3/10/05
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On Thu, 10 Mar 2005 16:54:00 +0000, Alun Saunders <not...@notsaunders.net>
wrote:

I've done a few projects with a lady that has a ceramics kiln..
simple ones like round platters that she routs a square or hex depression in for
tiles..

we've talked about 2 projects in the future, liners for goblets, (which seems
strange to me) and candle sticks/holders with ceramic bases and turned
spindles..

I'm sure that if we ever get started, there will be many possibilities.. *g*

hmm... turned boxes with ceramic or ceramic and wood lids??

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Dan Klima

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Mar 10, 2005, 9:16:38 PM3/10/05
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"Alun Saunders" <not...@notsaunders.net> wrote in message
news:1130ut9...@news.supernews.com...

Hi Alun,

I have turned a number of wine and champagne glasses. Like Arch, I buy wine
glasses with the bowls that I like and end up breaking the stems just below
the bowl. I use a triangular metal file and score the line where I want the
break to be. Then I tap (sometimes rather briskly) that scored line on the
edge of something metal (like my lathe bed) and hope for the best - which
usually happens. I fit the wooden stem to that nub of the glass - yup, each
one is different as far as the glass goes so its a lot of trial and
hopefully not too much error. I use epoxy for the binding agent and have
had quite a bit of luck with that.

Good luck with it and hope to see some of your results!

- Dan Klima


william_b_noble

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Mar 11, 2005, 1:25:43 AM3/11/05
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do a search for the work of Al Sils - he does some excellent work that
includes metal and wood


"Alun Saunders" <not...@notsaunders.net> wrote in message
news:1130ut9...@news.supernews.com...

Alun Saunders

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Mar 11, 2005, 6:11:52 AM3/11/05
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Dan Klima wrote:
> I have turned a number of wine and champagne glasses. Like Arch, I buy wine
> glasses with the bowls that I like and end up breaking the stems just below
> the bowl. I use a triangular metal file and score the line where I want the
> break to be. Then I tap (sometimes rather briskly) that scored line on the
> edge of something metal (like my lathe bed) and hope for the best - which
> usually happens. I fit the wooden stem to that nub of the glass - yup, each
> one is different as far as the glass goes so its a lot of trial and
> hopefully not too much error. I use epoxy for the binding agent and have
> had quite a bit of luck with that.

Do you try to clean up the end of the broken stem at all, say, by
grinding any sharp points or edges off or do you just leave it rough?

--
Alun Saunders

Alun Saunders

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Mar 11, 2005, 6:12:38 AM3/11/05
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That's what I was mainly thinking of.

--
Alun Saunders

Dan Klima

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Mar 12, 2005, 7:37:45 PM3/12/05
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"Alun Saunders" <not...@notsaunders.net> wrote in message
news:1132v7o...@news.supernews.com...

I take the broken end to my wet grinder (have a Delta, not the almighty
Tormek). I just try to smooth the edges. The wet grinding process kind of
frosts the glass at the wood joint so it helps to conceal it. It probably
helps in the binding process with the epoxy, too.

- Dan Klima


Alun Saunders

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Mar 13, 2005, 6:00:23 AM3/13/05
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Dan Klima wrote:
> "Alun Saunders" <not...@notsaunders.net> wrote in message
>>
>>Do you try to clean up the end of the broken stem at all, say, by
>>grinding any sharp points or edges off or do you just leave it rough?
>
> I take the broken end to my wet grinder (have a Delta, not the almighty
> Tormek). I just try to smooth the edges. The wet grinding process kind of
> frosts the glass at the wood joint so it helps to conceal it. It probably
> helps in the binding process with the epoxy, too.

Thanks Dan, that helps a lot. Good point about the frosting of the glass
by grinding it making adhesion a bit better.

--
Alun Saunders

Fred Mayfield

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Mar 15, 2005, 9:19:53 AM3/15/05
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"Alun Saunders" <not...@notsaunders.net> wrote in message
news:1132v7o...@news.supernews.com...

Check on stained glass places that offer lessons. They frequently will give
you access to their equipment if no classes are in session for a few bucks
per hour. Here in San Antonio it's about $8/hr. They'll probably have a saw
that you can use to cut the stem off with and a grinder to take the sharp
edges off. The wife used the stems in the past to make stained glass wands
... I knew I should have kept the bowl!!!!!

Fredman


peruturner

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Mar 15, 2005, 4:04:52 PM3/15/05
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"Dan Klima" <dkl...@cox.dot.net> wrote in message news:<277Yd.4988$N15.4208@okepread06>...

Well I have also started using ceramic in to my turnings I will
team up with a very good ceramic artist here in lima peru and see what
happens will post in the near future Ed

Arch

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Mar 16, 2005, 9:15:30 AM3/16/05
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Alun, You might want to try incorporating some glass or ceramic
ornaments inside an inside-out turning, finishing the pieces before
gluing. I've used shells, coral, rocks, and once an 'eight ball', but
the 'creations' are unlimited and I think they can be quite 'arty', You
might want to try rotating some/all the parts 90 deg. instead of 180
and/or using three instead of the usual four parts. The ornaments can be
glued or left free inside the piece.

Leo Lichtman's suggestion to cut the parts after the first turning works
for me.

Thanks for starting this thread. I hope others will share their ideas
for combining crafts....and arts.

Will

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Mar 16, 2005, 10:20:46 AM3/16/05
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Oooohh! I like those ideas.

Would it be plagiarism if I used them? <evil grin>

I just had a bunch of high grade gold ore samples left with me. Maybe
that would be a good use... Especially if I cut and polished them...

Not worth that much as they are -- but they could be made into really
great conversation pieces...

Wish I was done all the spindles I need. :-)


--
Will R.
Jewel Boxes and Wood Art
http://woodwork.pmccl.com
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those
who have not got it.” George Bernard Shaw

Arch

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Mar 16, 2005, 4:17:52 PM3/16/05
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Hi Will, If someone ever did plagiarize something I made, my turning
life would be complete. In the heady blush of success, I could
conveniently forget who gave me the idea, but who suggested it to her
and who suggested to him and who sugge.....?

WillR

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Mar 16, 2005, 4:44:00 PM3/16/05
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If it will make your life complete -- then I shall at some point oblige
you. LOL

As soon as I can see something you did I shall copy it. Just make sure
it is exceedingly simple and it must not have any form of roundness as
Kirk has claimed that as his own... unless I can get to the patent
office first with my prior art of a 30 yr. old bowl. (Or he gives us
both permission. :-) ) ROTFL (This a joke -- ok?)

...Perhaps something you have turned in a square form factor and
requires no better than +- 1/2" accuracy... :-)

I am a "beginner" at this turning stuff -- again. So think KISS!!!

--
Will
Occasional Techno-geek

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