Woodturning - How to Turn a Perfect Wooden Egg
Striving to make the perfect wooden egg, I saw a technique online that I was able to adapt for an egg shape and the end result was a perfectly turned wooden egg. I class myself as a complete amateur woodturner, so to be able to turn such a neat looking egg (or two) was a great achievement for me. The beauty of this technique is that it allows for multiple copies of a piece to be produced accurately everytime and I'm pretty sure it can be adapted for other shapes and fruits...pears, apples and of course, spheres.
About Me
Looking for a way to escape the stresses of daily life, I found my answer after stumbling across the New Yankee Workshop on the TV. I could watch Norm Abram for hours…the videos were very relaxing to watch.
Thinking I could be like Norm, I went out and bought a shed load of tools…only to discover that woodwork wasn’t as easy as Norm made it look. So I watched more and more Norm videos and scoured the internet for videos on woodworking. I watched a whole bunch of videos...mainly guys like Marc Spagnuolo of the Wood Whisperer, Steve Ramsey from Wood Working for Mere Mortals and Alex Harris from ThisWoodwork…all with videos here on KZhead. Thinking ‘Ah, I could do that’ I set out to give it a go…but I then discovered that talking over video wasn’t one of my strong points.
I was ready to give up when a friend suggested that, as I had a hobby making cheesy music, I should record audio tracks and put up subtitles instead of trying to conquer the fear of ‘the voice over’. So, looking for something to make, I decided to start off with something really simple…A Virtual Pinball Machine :) The experience was great fun, a huge learning curve, and inspired me to make more videos and upload them here on KZhead. As a child of the 80’s, with a love for synth music, retro gaming and a passion for all things wood, I thought it’d be a great idea to combine the lot…
So, my channel is a bit of a mixed bag…it has woodworking videos, retro gaming projects, gameplay videos and I’m learning woodturning…so I’ll be posting videos of me at the lathe too. And of course…It’s also a chance for me to compose the cheesy background tracks that accompany all the videos :) I try and upload a video or two every week or so, and I’m always open to suggestions for new projects.
Most Used Equipment:
Maxicam Cnc Maxi-S 0609A (modified gantry)
Axminster Table Saw AW10BSB2
Record Power Bandsaw BS350S
Tormek T7 Grinder
Supertouch - Nitrotouch Gloves
Blackfriar Danish and Kitchen Oils
Staedtler Pencils :)
Great video! Perfect for Easter projects
A simple, very effective method Lee, great video. Thanks for sharing.
No problem...I really enjoy using this method as it allows for accurate repetition.
Awesome idea! That would be very handy for turning several exact copies of a desired project. Thanks for sharing.
No probs...and yeah it works great for making several copies. It’s something I use quite frequently when I’m turning.
Using the shadow to shape the egg was a great idea!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
No problem...currently trying it with some snowmen...hopefully it should make the process of repetition a lot easier.
Eggcellent idea, works with balls as well. Good luck with your woodturning. John.
Thanks John...and I think Im right in saying that if the piece being turned has a horizontal line of symmetry then a shadow template can be used. Ive turned quite a few things now using this method...and my turning skills aren't great...so its really helping.
That is a eggstremly clever idea and I can see many uses for this technique and I am going to try this for myself today
I use this a lot now and I'm whilst part of me feels like it's 'cheating' Im really finding its helping to improve my confidence with the tools.
Very neat! Thanks for sharing.
No problem. 😊
Great idea! Thanks for sharing.
No problem :)
That's bloody genius! Thanks for sharing dude.
No problem 😊. It works well with most of my turning projects and I’d probably struggle without using it now 😂
Oh my garsh!! That is so simply brilliant!
Works really well. Ive a ton of printed sheets now with all kinds of little projects ive made...mainly for repetitive work though as I can usually get away with turning one offs :-)
I like the shadow idea, might try that - I've been freehanding them. But another tip if you have extra length in the blank. After turning the blank round I turn one end into a Morse taper shape (using an easy template as my guide) and then I can "chuck" the blank into the lathe without actually using my chuck. I can then turn the egg shape and take away the tail stock to finish and sand the narrow end completely and then part off the bottom part and only have a minor bit of hand sanding to do.
Ah yeah I think I know what you mean. I used to do something similar when making light pulls. Just gotta take it nice and easy though so it doesn’t fall out 😊.
Brilliant!
😊
Wow Awesome idea I can see how this could work for many things. Thanks for sharing.
You're very welcome. It works well for a number of things. Im actually in the process of trying to make a more permanent setup above my lathe for some projects I have planned. My turning skills aren't brilliant and this really helps :-)
What a fantastic idea
Works really well. Used it for lots of turning projects. I’m pretty amateurish when it comes to turning but found this method to help me turn some really nice items.
Smart thinking 👍
Definitely made a tricky task a lot easier 👍
Nice idea well done
Thanks Thomas.
What a great idea 💡 you could make all sorts of templates well done 👍🏻
You can...Ive made tons now. Smaller pieces like chess pieces can be a little trickier but Ive just made a few and it worked quite well :-) I now use it quite a lot for things like kitchen roll holder etc...items that i need to all look the same. Takes a bit of setting up...but worth it in the long run i think.
I saw you're post on woodworking UK (Facebook) and I'm super impressed by your channel, really professional videos and this technique is incredible!!
Thanks...I really try and make the videos to be the best quality I can with the limited knowledge I have. Its one huge learning curve for me but hopefully Im slowly making progress. Thanks for the feedback. :)
Great idea
😊👍
Thanks Lee, great video, wwuk
My pleasure :)
That is genious. Only started turning yesterday. This is a must try.
I use this method quite regularly. Takes a bit of practice but my skills aren’t great and I’m able to make pretty much identical pieces if needed. Enjoy your woodturning journey 👍
@@Smugwood Thankyou.
👍👍
Very cool with the shadow! We use wooden eggs like this to coax our chickens to lay eggs. They see another egg and they want to lay their own.
Thats a great idea...ive made loads of these eggs now and was wondering what I could possibly use them for... :) A few years back we put some cadburys mini eggs in a cage with some love birds to see if it would encourage egg laying. The birds had never laid eggs but after placing the mini eggs in, they laid real eggs. We thought it was just a coincidence, but perhaps the mini eggs really helped.
what is can I say better than perfect could not be better the sweet part ego satisfaction you put your creation and feel delighted
Thanks...was a fun little project :-)
Awesome!
It works well :-)
this ws a great tutorial!!! I'm on my way to lear woodturning and my project are egg's. This method save a lot of money since I do not have to buy a lathe that duplicate your woork. Thanks a lot for showing this!!!
No problem...glad it was of help. The technique works great...Im using it all the time now. Obviously not all shapes work...but most of the projects I make work well with this method.
Clever!
😊👍
great job
😊👍
wow this is so smart! I need to try it!
It works well. The key is to get a nice crisp shadow from the lighting. :-)
Very good idea, thanks for this nice video.
No problem...😊
great idea.
😊👍
Eggcellent!
😂
Very clever indeed!
I find it works quite well 👍
Muy buena idea, Genial.
😊👍
Nice job.
😊👍
Great idea and so simple and could be used on other turning projects to get uniformed sizes.
Yeah definitely...hoping to try making a chess set shortly....just i need some smaller turning tools first :-)
Genius !!!!!!!!
Was actually making some more today :-)
Eggcelent!
Haha :-)
Genius idea with egg template !!
Works really well. Made lots of different things now using this technique. I’m not great at woodturning so I need all the help I can get 😂
Eggstraordinarily simple idea, why didn't I think of it. Congratulations. Thinking on, wouldn't this technique work for most spindle work. My b-i-l wants me to make some mock truncheons and I'm struggling to get anywhere near the originals that he gave me to work from. If I lay the truncheon on the bed way and cast the shadow I should get the same result as you have with the egg, I think.
Yeah it works with most spindle work...I’ve used the method to make loads of items. Bigger items are usually easier than smaller more intricate items...but I’ve even made chess pieces with it. 👍😊
I like the tape over the gouge, make's it easier on the fingers.
It does for sure 😊👍
Did you have to focus the light by adjusting the light ?
Sort of yes...Above the lathe I use an inverted 'L' shaped piece of wood and bu using a light with a clamp I can move the light up or down to give the best shadow :-)
Is the type of light important and the distance from the lathe? The shadow silhouette appears perfect.
I think on this i used a clip on led light. I have a bigger led light now...not sure which is best though. But it was a case of experimenting with distance to get the best focus. I found it easier at night as light was coming through the window and affecting the shadow, but at a push, it was doable. With the led clip on i was able to adjust quite well and it spot focused making it easier and clearer for me to see. It is a case of experimenting but ive used this shadow method now to make a whole host of items. My lathe skills are real amateur but ive made some really nice things using this method. :-)
Thanks. It's a great idea I hadn't seen before and I'm definitely going to give it a try. Gene
No Probs :-)
Annoyingly smart and simple...
Works a treat...something i now use all the time :-)
@@Smugwood I bet... I'm new to woodturning and had my thoughts about getting an egg egg shaped, if I can't do it now, there's no hope...
I am looking for largish (6' high) wooden eggs for craft projects. The hitch: I would like them to be hollowed with top and bottom parts fitting together so that you can lift off the top and place a small gift inside. Is it possible to do this?
Oddly enough this is something ive recently been trying to do but struggling...although Ive not quite given up yet. Maybe worth looking up Richard Findley...hes a woodturner and makes something similar with spheres.
@@Smugwood Wow. Thanks. If you get there, let me know. mark.tauber@gmail.com
Well I must admit it, it is a lot better than I thought and very close to perfect but you have to admit it it is not perfect,very good job though
Thanks...maybe I should have entitled it How To Build An Almost Perfect Egg 😂👍
@@Smugwood thank you, it's for human beings to make mistakes but only a wise man admit them, what I'm trying to say it's you are a wise man, may God bless you.
… Pretty sure this is Genius
Ive used this technique to make quite a few things now...currently attempting to make some pegs for a rack. Once set up, it does make things so much easier when duplicating work.
where u get the egg picture
Cant remember where I got the original shape/image from, but i used photoshop to make a few changes then saved the file as a .psd file so that I could edit/resize the egg shape whenever necessary. (Sometimes its easier to adjust the image slightly rather than the lathe setup.)
Can you share the tenplate great idea subscirbed
Thanks...something I use a lot now...which template?
Smugwood the egg template thanks
I'll have to see if i still have the original file. I have the printed copy...but lost a lot of stuff in a workshop fire. But I can check.
Smugwood sorry to hear thank you
🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
😊😊
I could never get that perfect I only did it once
Probably one of the most difficult shapes to master.
To be honest...no egg is like another, so is there even a "perfect egg" in nature? :-P
You bring up a valid point :-)
can you sale me one pleas
Ok
😊
great video. But lose the gloves on the router table.
I tend to wear gloves due to a wood allergy...though I realise it is a bit controversial at times. I kind of risk assess the process I'm doing first and if i think the risk is low, i'll wear them. If i think its not worth the risk...I'll leave them off. I used to wear them at the lathe but thats now something i consider a bit too risky... :)
Warning ⚠️ Kids:Don’t Try this without a adult or never do this by yourselves
Do you add stupid comments like this to all videos
CHEATER!
I call it working smart 😊
looks a great idea but you conveniently left out your lighting set up - I'd argue it's nearly impossible to get such sharp shadows as you show. Plus you could of given credit to the original source of the idea
Great idea
Yeah it works really well. Oddly enough I’m actually working on a better setup for it today. The jig I made works really well but I’m trying to make something a bit more useable and adjustable.
That's genius!
Works a treat :-) Been in the workshop tonight oddly enough trying to improve the jig ive been using for this. Im looking to make a chess set and my skills suck haha so I thought id shadow turn them.