Dish

I nice looking candy dish.

-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

candy dish never even crossed my mind

-- www.carvingandturningsbyrick.com, Rick Kruse, Grand Rapids, MI

May i ask what kind of dish you were thinking of?

not sure. I just started turning and this is the result

-- www.carvingandturningsbyrick.com, Rick Kruse, Grand Rapids, MI

Wood dishes are fun and the ladies seem to enjoy using them too. They also make great hostess gifts filled with a few cookies or candy. Usually all that is required is regular 3/4” hardwood lumber.

There are several ways you can avoid the hole in the center. The most basic is to glue the turning blank to a disk of waste wood (3/4” plywood is good, not MDF or particle board) using a sheet of news paper or brown paper bag glued in between them. When the glue (I use plain white wood workers glue) has dried screw a face plate to the waste wood disk mount on the lathe and proceed to do your turning.
The paper becomes a separation point when the turning is complete and with a sharp chisel you can separate the disk from the turned item because the paper will come apart and not damage the wood. Then scrape and sand the paper and glue off of the bottom of the turning. If you want the bottom of the plate to curve up a bit you will need to mount the blank on it’s top side first. Turn the bottom, including sanding and leaving a flat area for re-gluing the bottom to the waste wood in order to turn the top.
The best way is mounting the blank with a chuck which you may not have yet…..but you will get one if you do much turning. LOL It saves a lot of work and delay waiting for the glue to dry.
I like to finish mine with processed walnut oil (made for cutting boards) or a salad bowl finish from Behlen’s or General.
The salad bowl finish is more durable and can be used with wet foods.

-- Les B, Oregon