Project by Joel Hunnicutt from Siler City, N.C.
It was the purchase of an old country farmhouse that prompted a craft that has now become an obsession for Joel. Eagerness to create furniture that would match the architecture of his house eventually brought Joel to his lathe work. In this project, he makes a beautiful dyed-maple vase out of many pieces of wood.
Materials:
wood (maple)
glue
sandpaper
dye
lacquer
lathe
table saw
India ink
black paint
Steps:
1. Draw the vase on graph paper. Transfer drawing to computer to develop cut list for segments.
2. Plane maple to uniform thickness.
3. Begin cutting wood segments on the table saw; rip wood to correct width and then cut 16 segments per layer. (Vase has 10 layers.)
4. Cut out a wooden circle and attach it to a lathe faceplate. This will become the foot of the piece.
5. Starting with the first layer, glue 16 segments per layer to build the piece. Gluing is done at the wood lathe using an indexing wheel to maintain proper spacing between the segments.
6. Continue gluing layer upon layer. Build the piece in two halves.
7. Once the halves are all built up, turn the interior of the two pieces on the wood lathe.
8. Paint the interior of both pieces black.
9. Glue the halves together.
10. Turn the piece to its final shape on the wood lathe and sand smooth.
11. Paint the rim and foot of the piece black using India ink.
12. Spray dye on the vase until desired color is reached (two or three coats).
13. Wet sand with 400-grit sandpaper.
14. Spray clear lacquer (four to six coats).
Website: www.joelhunnicutt.com
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