I just finished three new boxes made on my lathe.  They are a little larger then normal.  I made them from a neighbors fallen tree.  I had to put new tops on them because the trees natural wood cracked and they were unacceptable to make good lids.  Linda selected the colors and design features of the tops.  Gary Bingahm

I made these two boxes for our next door neighbor.  She had a tree cut down in June and offered it to me.  I immediatley roughed out five boxes.  None of the blanks turned out well because of significant cracking in the lids.  I went ahead and made two boxes from the wooden blanks and there are inperfections in the lids which I do not like.  I filled the cracks with wood dust and coffee.  I gave her these two and threw away the remaining three blanks.  A lot of work for imperfections. 

Just finished five new bowl (three elm and two liquid amber wood).  Linda wanted them all decorated and each one has a feature cut into it. 

Two More Sea Urchin Christmas Ornaments and a 8 1/2 by 2 1/4 inch bowl
Recently completed a  new bowl and two more Sea Urchin Ornaments.  The Sea Urchin Ornaments are time consuming to fashion.  The wood is made of Maple, bamboo skewers hold the pieces together, wall filler sprayed inside.

This is my first attempt at making a Sea Urchin Christmas Ornament.  I read a number of articles, bought a DVD, had a class at my Wood Turning group.  I ended up taking a little bit from each source and invented some techniques to do it.  Linda and I have bought a box of these Sea Urchins so there are more to come.  I hope I am as successful with the rest of them as this one.  Gary

Tipuana vase.  Had to use scrappers to make it.  Wood is the hardest I have ever worked with  Almost impossible.  It is a shade tree from South America and its sap is a blood red resin.  Considered an invasive weed.  11 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches. 

This wood is almost impossible to work (Tipuana).  From Bolivia considered an invasive weed.  Feels like I am cutting steel.

Gary and Linda collaborate on a bowl.  Linda did a hand rubbed finish.

I am making bottle toppers for my Tai Chi Group for Christmas.  I have made ten of them.  I have them in special plastic containers with a description of the wood I am using.  I am using Bocote, Cocobolo, Zebrawood, Birdseye Maple and Bubinga.  I hope they like them.  I plan to make ten more of them.

Just completed making a 10 1/2 platter and 9 inch bowl made of Liquid Amber.  Used Russ Fairfield finishing process involving 10 steps and two types of wax, brown steel wool and rottenstone.

Just finished making three small serving trays made from walnut.  Used extensive finishing process.  They feel smooth and soft.

I recently made this small wood platter.  I attended a wood turners group meeting in Sacramento last week with the Nor Cal wood turners group.  One of their semi professional wood turners named Neal Devore demonstrated making square, rectangular platters.  I bought four pieces of raw wood from him and was able to turn this piece.  I added a small nob to carry it based on Linda suggestion.  The piece has nice figuring.  I will make three more with the walnut wood I have left over.

This is my first effort to make a box where the top screws off from the bottom.  I used plastic at the join glued to the top and the bottom to cut the groves.  Learning experience and it works.  The hat is from the Bay Area Wood turners which I am a member of.  We meet in Pleasant Hill once a month.  Terrific group of over 140 wood turners.  We get expert wood turners from the U.S.A. and world to make presentations to us showing various techniques.

I have been working on this 13 inch Acacia Tray since December 2016 when I cut it off of a large piece of wood.  I really like the knots, configuration of the wood.  The different coloring is also a nice feature.  The wood was seasoned when I got it and I made the tray slightly thinker then I would normally because of fear that I would destroy it while turning it on the lathe.
Gary

Lichtenburg (fractal) Figures in Wood Turning.  On May 20, 2017, I attended my wood turning group (BAWA) meeting in Pleasant Hill.  At that meeting a presentation was made of making a homemade Lichtenberg figure wood burner.  This device can be made from a neon light electrical motor or a refrigerator electrical machine.   The device once plugged into a standard American socket can transmit Thousands of watts of electricity.  Two metal probes are attached to this homemade device and used on a piece of wood to make intricate designs.  You can see this being done by going to You Tube.  German physicist George Lichtenberg discovered the device.  He used it to make fractal patterns with it with appearances such as lightning or trees.  During the demonstration we were warned to be very careful because people using this device had experienced heart attacks when 1200 volts of current went through their chest.  After the demonstration our parent wood turners organization (American Wood turners Association) out lawed such demonstrations at our meetings.  Not being brave enough to make my own device, I ordered one from Conestoga Works.  After ordering the device, I almost returned it because of safety concerns.  Linda, very bravely marched us out on our patio and we used the device.  It operates off of a foot pedal.  I set the device up and from a distance, pushed the pedal.  A solution of baking soda and water must be spread on the piece of wood being electrocuted to make it work.  I followed these instructions and the designs on this bowl you see is the result.  Many burnings were required.  Linda had me stain the piece orange.  I am sure it will be one of our Halloween decorations.  We like how it turned it out.  The piece is made of Oak and is 3 ¼ by 6 inches. 

I just completed two wood turned objects.  One is a 3 ¾ by 8 ½ inch acacia bowl finished with Tung Oil.  The other is a competition Frisbee that Linda and I collaborated on together.  She did the very good colors on the wood grains visible on the Frisbee, which I had turned.  My wood turning group (Bay Area Wood Turners) has a competition scheduled for this summer to make Frisbees and see how far we can throw them at our annual picnic.  Mine is too heavy and is a threat to the spectators

6 1/4 by 1 3/4 Oak Cork bowl, gift for golfer.

I just finished making this Oak Cork bowl.  The cork part of this bowl makes it unique.  It is 8 1/4 by 3 inches.

I spend a long time working on this.  Unfortunately, it developed some cracks. Linda wanted it kept because of the exposed grains.  It is 7 1/2 inches tall and 9 inches wide.

I just finished making a 3 3/4 by 8 inch bowl for my Step Sister Mary Graham.  It is made of Carob wood and finished with walnut oil.