Bruce Wood – Balls

Club Meeting: 6 September 2023
Report by: Bob Yandell

The subject covered, in one, what is normally  covered in three and as usual at a speed only possible if your name is Bruce Wood. Informative, creative and new toys.

Part 1

Bruce began by turning a sphere using Soren Berger Sphere Calipers(SBC). The process involves creating a cylinder of equal diameter along the length of a piece 100x70x70 between Steb Centres.  Determine the center of the piece to guide the marking out of the diameter of the sphere; the Diameter is defined by the long arms of the SBC. at approx 50mm. Clearly mark out on the length of the turned cylinder. cut down using the Parting tool and remove the waste wood from the line to toe Steb Centers. Face off ends to ensure square to cylinder and the length of the cylinder now equals the diameter.

Using the large beak of the SBC mark lines on each end, one from the ends on the outer surface on the outer surface and one on the squared off face from the outer surface.
The next step is to remove between these lines so that there is a straight line/surface NOT CURVED.

 Using the small beak of the SBC mark lines on each end, one from the ends on the outer surface on the outer surface and on the squared off face from the outer surface.
The next step is to remove between these lines so that there is a straight line/surface NOT CURVED.(You can follow the process on Youtube)

Using a stainless steel tube, with a handle in one end and sharpened on the belt sander to create an squared face, carefully remove the remaining high points to form the sphere. Part off. 

Re-mount between so waste at right angles having cut off as much as possible of the nipples left using a saw or knife centres using cups with leather inserts, turned to fit  over live Steb centres or on the drive center albeit a threaded piece or designed to fit an insert in a chuck.

Part 2

Bruce used  pyrography to define the lines of the design using a pyro knife. light pressure to start and cleaning carbon from blade. The design called for areas to be “excavated” so a pyro chisel bade was used and again frequent cleaning. Bruce then used cup spheres of different sizes in the design and these are available from Regal Castings,(Check with Kevin D??)

Part 3

Bruce then coloured to work starting with Indian Ink/ He illustrated a trick to remove the gloves used to protect hands – blow into the glove at the point the glove and inside of the wrist.
Several water colours were applied using a brush. A drop of paint on a paper towel, put a little on the brush and then brush/wipe to remove the majority before applying residual on top of texture/embossed to form highlights on work and dry with hair dryer between coats.
Colours used – Yellow, Red, Blue, Green, White and Gold.

A thoroughly absorbing and informative demo – Thanks Bruce.