Walnut Pill Bottle - First Attempts at Turning

Now that I have the boxes completed and out of the way I have room in my shop to set up my lathe. I have had the lathe for a few years but really have not had a chance to use it. I don’t have room to keep it set-up and most of the time ot stands on end in my shop. When I have used it, I mount it on my workmate. Not the most solid set-up.

My wife’s uncle dropped off a lot of small pieces of walnut and maple burl he had collected from trees cut down in his neighbourhood and I have had a chance in the last few days to try my hand at turning. In addition to several very pretty pieces of firewood I have managed to turn a few simple bowls and other shapes. This is the first piece that turned out.

I didn’t have a plan in mind, this is what was left after turning the blank smaller and smaller after several catches. It’s a small bottle with a stopper. Its about 4 ” high with the stopper inserted and 3.5 ” at the widest point. The bottle was turned in two pieces and (with a lip on the bottom half) and joined together.

-- Peter, Woodbridge, Ontario