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My first cuts are to “face off” the bottom surface so that it is turning true.  I then use a pair of dividers to lay out the chucking recess in the bottom face.  I turn the recess about 3/16” deep.

 

Figure 6:  Chucking recess prepared in potpourri bottom

 

 

Now that the recess is cut I can hog off a lot of waste very quickly until the cherry section has been turned round and shaped to please me.  I switch to heavy, thick scrapers to form the serpentine curve into the bottom surface of the walnut layer.  This is an interrupted cut so you need to pay attention to the “ghost image” as the piece turns and stop the lathe frequently to check your progress.  I run the lathe at about 2000 rpm and use light cuts with the scraper, holding the blade with my left hand just behind the tool rest, thumb on top and forefinger riding on the back of the tool rest to help gauge the depth of cut.  It sounds much more difficult than it really is.  When you are happy with the shape you are ready to sand.

 

Figure 7:  Potpourri bottom ready for sanding

 

 

I power sand with a 3” disk mounted in a hand held electric drill and the lathe running.  The disk mandrel has foam rubber with “hook and loop” on the face of it and the sanding disks are flannel backed to adhere to the “hook and loop”.   I usually work up through the grits from 120 to 400.  I use a 2” disk to sand the interior of the chucking recess and then stamp my initials into the bottom.

 

Figure 8:  Potpourri bottom sanded and ready for finish

 

 

Sanding to 400 grit leaves the surface fairly shiny even before applying a finish.  The finish “pops” the grain and has a nice sheen to it.

 

 

Figure 9:  Finish applied and buffed out

 

 

The outside of the bottom is now complete.  The bottom is reversed onto the expanding jaws of the 4-jaw scroll chuck to hollow the interior.

 

Figure 10:  Potpourri bottom reversed for turning inside

 

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