Monkey Puzzle Woodturning

by Jim Short

Jim is Artworks Gallery's accomplished and skilled woodturning artist. Here he shares his process and techniques for turning out a beautiful vase created from Monkey Puzzle wood.

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​Recently a stranger came into the gallery and asked if anybody would be interested in monkey puzzle. I was. Here is what I did with one piece.

​Monkey Puzzle has nasty spiked leaves and copious sticky sap, but the branches are on a circle around the trunk and turn up a nice contrasting red color. To highlight the circle of knots, the wood is turned with the pith or center of the tree running vertical. For a change I decided to make a vase.

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1. The rough shape is formed.

2. A ring is cut off to join two pieces together later.

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3. At this point the only thing decided  is there will be no foot. ​

4. The vase is hollowed about seven inches deep.  The crack will be glued shut at the end.

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​5. I don't have the patience for deep end grain hollowing so I cut the top off. ​

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6. ​The reversed top is held between the lathe's headstock and tailstock and the neck is opened up.

7. The body is hollowed out.

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8. ​The ring is glued into the body.

9. The two parts are glued together.

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* The Finished Vase *

See more of Jim's artistry on his Artist Page here.
Contact Jim: [email protected] - ​360-969-3044