Grain Matching Turning Tip

by Phil Colson
Woodturner

Recently I was asked to make a matching pair of wedding cups. I wanted the grain to match so I used an architectural turning trick. I glued two pieces of dry wood together side grain to side grain with a piece of brown paper bag in between.

I use Titebond Molding Glue . The glue doesn't run and dries fast. The squeeze out doesn't drip all over my lathe where I clamp. I turn both cups at the same time with the top of the cups facing each other at the glue line. I put a tenon on both ends, one at the head stock and the other at the tail stock. Once the outside of the cups are turned, textured and sanded, I remove them from the lathe and use a bamboo adze. You can use a chisel and strike them on the paper and they come apart. Chuck them up and turn the inside out and voila two matching cups.

The cup on the right is finished being turned while the cup on the left still has the paper bag glued to the top.

It works for me.

---

Phil can be reached directly via email at woodturnerphil@gmail.com .


Return to The Highland Woodturner front page