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Five platonic solids

Pierre---

Full Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2016
Posts
231
Location
France
First Name
Pierre
Four, six, eight, twelve and twenty sides. With stars, some of them are independent from the outside shell. And 50 little balls not to be too aggressive:
100_3386.jpg

The complexity of each stand grows with the number of faces of polyhedrons: you will notice some sculpture, a hollowed column:
100_3382.jpg

...a lightly spiral-ribbed pedestal:
100_3317.JPG

Four of the stands are in fact boxes with screwed lid. Snakewood and boxwood, solids are 50 mm dia.

The whole family:
100_3376.jpg
 

Penpal

Grand Master
Joined
May 26, 2013
Posts
25,340
Location
Canberra AUSTRALIA
First Name
Peter
ABsolutely nothing platonic about the relationship in each piece. They mesmerise me classing you now as a master turner in every way mate. Best in turning for me.

Peter.
 

AllenN

Fellow
Joined
May 20, 2013
Posts
2,242
Location
Lancaster, UK
First Name
Allen
My goodness Pierre, those are simply amazing. They must have taken an age to make. Did you have to grind your own small scrapers to make all the internal shapes? I am truely in awe of your skill in making these.
 

Pierre---

Full Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2016
Posts
231
Location
France
First Name
Pierre
Thanks for your kind words, mates.
Did you have to grind your own small scrapers to make all the internal shapes?
One bespoke cutting tool is a small bedan 1 mm large, I used an old bit I glued in a piece of wood and ground it. I made all the internal cuts with it.
100_3342.jpg

The other one is a iron bar I drilled in the axis. It is surprising efficient to make the little balls really regular : I roughly turned it a wee too big, and then touched it with the edges of the hole. It makes some shavings (or merely dust) and when the wood goes into the hole, the ball is smooth and has the good size.
100_3358.jpg
100_3361.jpg
 

Dalboy

Executive Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2014
Posts
7,679
Location
Kent
First Name
Derek
No wonder you have been very quite as i can see you have been working away on these. All of them are just fantastic so many different techniques involved with making these:claps::claps::claps:
 

21William

Fellow
Joined
Jan 21, 2016
Posts
1,618
Location
Dorset
First Name
William
Amazing work Pierre. Must have taken you ages.

I’ve seen the ball turning tool before but for the life of me I can’t remember where.
I saw an article many years ago where a guy made a set of mini turning tools using masonry nails.
 

Unique

Registered
Joined
May 7, 2017
Posts
251
Location
Kent
First Name
Tony
These are absolutely amazing pieces of art and craftsmanship. What/where next??

Tony
 

Penpal

Grand Master
Joined
May 26, 2013
Posts
25,340
Location
Canberra AUSTRALIA
First Name
Peter
FRom America came an expert hat maker ,gave us a demo we found a 40 kg block of Silky Oak he became allergic while turning and was covered in blisters but made an incredible American Cowboy Hat .

Peter.
 

Pierre---

Full Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2016
Posts
231
Location
France
First Name
Pierre
I’ve seen the ball turning tool before but for the life of me I can’t remember where.
I saw an article many years ago where a guy made a set of mini turning tools using masonry nails.
The guy could be David Ellsworth, he makes plenty of them for his well-known vessels

About the drilled iron, a friend of mine showed me the trick, he told me he never saw it anywhere: it seems it is an invention that appears in different places at the same time...
 

Penpal

Grand Master
Joined
May 26, 2013
Posts
25,340
Location
Canberra AUSTRALIA
First Name
Peter
Great minds think alike Pierre but I do believe the French are leaders in intricate woodwork like yours.Grateful to share by seeing your skills.

Peter.
 
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