Little turning for the commision

Don Baer

Moderator
Staff member
For those who don't wander into the flatworks area I am doing a commision for all of the altar furniture for a new catholic church. If your interested in it you can ready about it in this thread. As part of the design I am incorporating a chalis and a communion host on the front of the altar. Altar%203_1.jpg
attachment.php
I turned them both today. IMG_1563.JPG The host will be bleached white and the chalice will be cut in half and gilded. I started to hollow the chalice but decided that it will be easier to mount if it is solid and no one will be putting anythiing in it anyhow. The host is 6" Dia and 1/4 thick, The chalis is 5 1/4" Dia and 9"tall. Both are made of soft maple.
 
Last edited:
Don, I don't know the relative hardness of what you class as soft Maple (not an abundant wood in UK) but would not a hard wood be more desirable for longevity against knocks etc. If it is anything like our Sycamore then it bruises easily.
 
Don, I don't know the relative hardness of what you class as soft Maple (not an abundant wood in UK) but would not a hard wood be more desirable for longevity against knocks etc. If it is anything like our Sycamore then it bruises easily.

Chas,
When I had finished turning it and was sanding it the screws on my face plate let go and it went flying, didn't even phase it. Besides, This will be mounted in a recess in the front of the altar so chances of it getting any abuse are very rare.
 
...When I had finished turning it and was sanding it the screws on my face plate let go and it went flying...

If you're losing pieces off a faceplate while sanding, then something is seriously wrong with the picture. :eek: Too short of screws, too much speed, too much pressure, or any combination thereof. ;)
 
Top