Turning a Potpourri
A Pictorial Article by Bob Hamilton
In this article I will attempt to describe how I turn a potpourri
container. This one is built up using black walnut and butternut, but I
have used many different wood species to make them. I turn them in two
pieces and glue the parts together before final turning of the top. I
find them to be fun and easy to make, and they make wonderful gifts. I
hope you find this of interest!
Photo.1: Blank prepared for mounting
This is the blank ready for mounting on the lathe. I made it by
resawing a 5/8" thick slice from a 2" thick butternut board 6"
wide. I then glued a 5/8" thick piece of black walnut to the thicker
of the two pieces of butternut. The butternut pieces are still oriented
the same way they were in the original board. I usually start with boards
3 or 4 feet long, which yields 6 to 8 potpourri containers.
Photo 2: Chamfer the hole
I use a screw chuck for the first mounting of the pieces. It
requires a 9/32" pilot hole, which you can see in Photo 1. Here I am
using the fingernail shaped end of a 1/2" spindle gouge to chamfer the
edges of the hole which makes it easier to get started onto the screw chuck. I
just hold the gouge vertically and rotate it in the hole.
Photo 3: Top mounted for turning
I now have the top for the potpourri mounted on the screw chuck in
preparation for turning a recess. This will be the inside surface of the
top in the finished piece.
Photo 4: Top recess ready for sanding
Here I have completed turning the recess and it is ready for
sanding. I used a 1/4" bowl gouge to remove the bulk of the waste,
then a wide, heavy round nosed scraper to fair the curve. Butternut is a
quite soft wood and it is difficult to get a clean cut with a scraper.
Photo 5: Top recess sanded
The recess in the top has now been sanded and is ready for
finish. I use a product called Clapham's Salad Bowl finish, which is a
blend of beeswax and mineral oil. I rub it into the wood with the lathe
stopped, then buff it out with the lathe running. I try not to get any of
the finish on the gluing surfaces, but it is still a good idea to wipe them
down with mineral spirits prior to gluing the top and bottom together
Photo 6: Top recess finished
Now the recess has been finished and the top is ready to be removed
from the lathe. The outside surface of the top is not turned until after
it has been glued to the bottom