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Thank you so much for your comments. No, I have not tried the crown tool. I didn't know it existed. unless you are talking about the decorating elf. I have bought the micro Sorby cutting wheels and made the rest. So my tools aren't exactly like the commercial ones. I recommend that you use a softer maple than the eastern hard rock maple(sugar maple). I find it very difficult to make the deep textures I want with the hard maple. It takes so much longer and my tools get so hot I can't touch them. I really prefer red maple that I have cut into 2 1/2in x 2 1/2 in x 16 in billets. I let them air dry in my shop and prefer them to be drying for 2 - 6 months. After a year they get too dry. They still work after a year, but they texture a little better if they aren't too dry. Coloring before you texture allows for as nice two tone color. Or I should just say that the deeper you texture the lighter the color which adds a really nice effect. I will also color after texturing,, especially to add an accent color. For example, I may color the wood, put a petal texture on it and then add a metallic silver on the tips of the petals. FYI A ballpoint pen makes a very nice fine line, perfect for coloring a highlighting line to set apart different textured patterns. Be safe Think it through Is it safe for you? Happy texturing Burt

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND COMMENT. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I've had a lot of fun making tops. I hope you do too. Burt

Thank you for your kind comment. You are the first to appreciate the procedure sheet at the end. It does represent a considerable effort. And, in doing so, you have encouraged me to think about doing a video on a Christmas ornament penguin. Maybe after the holidays I can find some time. Be safe Think it through Is it safe for you? Burt

Thank you. It was a very fun project that taught me a lot. Burt

Thanks for your kind comments. And yes, they were fun projects. Burt

Thank you again. I'm glad you liked it. They were fun to make. Burt

Thanks for the kind comment Burt

thanks for the kind comment Burt

That is nice to hear. Good luck and be ready to have lots of fun as well as a good dose of frustration. Burt

Thanks! Burt

Thanks. I had a lot of fun with this one. Burt

Thanks for the comment. I use a hairdryer on high for 30 seconds. The metallic colors need more. Burt

You are more than welcome. It is wonderful to hear that the video was helpful. Good luck with the texturing. If you find a new texture, let me know. I hope you have as much fun as I have had. Burt

You are more than welcome. I'm so glad others find value in the video. That was my hope. P.S. This project was a lot of fun. Burt

Thanks for the comment. Lucky for me that I don't make things to sell, so I can dodge that question. For the time it takes there is no way people would pay me a decent wage. It doesn't matter because I have so much fun making them and giving them as Christmas presents. Burt

@@burthovander4873 They look fun to make. I can't wait to try some for myself.

Thanks for the comment. I hope you have as much fun as I had. Burt

Craig, I only use the micro set. With the larger set I have to remove too much material to complete the pattern, and that doesn't work for me since I am using it on little tops and the bottom of bowls.

You are very observant. I believe you are right. I have ignored whether I run the wheel forward or backward and I have never had a problem. That may be due to a fluke in the way I made the tool or that I really tighten the screw. I did put a thrust bushing in it. Maybe that is the reason. Burt

Thanks for saying so. If I make them again, I think I will make them smaller. Burt

Thanks for the kind comment. Burt

Ahh. There was still a square part on top of the head. I think I was thinking that only after having shaped the body and having drilled out the body and head would I really know how deep to drill the belly. For whatever reason, the way I did it worked well for me. By the way, drilling the belly with the forstner bit cut cleanly with no tearout. Try it your way. It would probably be just fine.

Thank You for your response, do you have links to the lights you use?@@burthovander4873

Thanks, Burt

Jim, That's a very good question, one I can't really answer. Being retired, I don't have to be efficient. I just need to have fun. Between turning, coloring, designing, filming, letting the paint dry, etc I probable made about 20 in 3 weeks or so plus a week of editing. If I work in the shop for 5-6 hrs., that's about it before I turn to my other hobby of gardening. Isn't life grand! Burt

Marcel, I was a high school spanish teacher for 36 yrs, but I probably should have been an engineer, at least that is what my wife says along with a lot of other people. But then, teaching was so much fun. How could I have done anything else? Thanks for your comment, Burt

The lights are made to put in a balloon. My wife easily found them on line and they are inexpensive. I believe they come from China. Burt

@@burthovander4873 thanks you for the info you do beautiful work

welcome @@denisdesjardins837

Thanks for your comments. You are the only one to mention the written instructions. That was nice to hear. I didn't use a v-block because I wanted an easy way to perfectly align the belly hole with the face. That is why I had left the four squared sides at the top of the snowman as a way to register it face up and face down. Otherwise I would have been left with basically a cylinder to drill the belly hole and the hole in the back for the optional light. That would have been difficult to secure to the drill press table (even with a v-block) and would have opened me up to being a little off on the alignment because I would have had to just eyeball it. When making a run of the same thing, that is just another way I could screw up. Burt Be safe. Think it through. Is it safe for you?

Thanks for your comment. I got roped into turning tops by my club, too. After a few hundred tops I could see some real growth in my control, especially the push cut with a bowl gouge. I started with a chatter tool and then moved on to the sorby texturing tool, and then later the decorating elf and then the wagner knurling tools.I started making bowls at first, but it was making tops that taught me the most. I'm sure I've made at least a couple thousand tops by now and I can't recommend a better way to learn. Keep making those tops! I hope they will teach you as much as they have taught me. Burt

Bonjour, J'ai utilisé "fine point Sharpie pens". Buena suerte. Burt

Nelson, If you are close to the proportion I gave in the video, you should be just fine. I think we can ignore the type of wood and their differences in weight. From left to right the numbers refer to the body diameter, body height, protrusion of the stem, and the depth of the recess. The stems are flat on the end, which I think is important. The recesses do have a fairly flat bottom but the sides aren't square, so I can't accurately tell you how much wood was removed. These numbers should give you an idea of how much the proportions can vary. All of these worked just fine. 1) 1.33 1,09 .35 .41 2) 1.32 1.00 .42 .40 3) 1.24 1.02 .46 .29 4) 1.43 1.02 .48 .44 5) 1.43 1.02 .47 .54 6) 1.39 .92 .48 .35 7) 1.22 .97 .44 .36 Good Luck! Let me know if you have any success. Burt

Thank you much. I definitely will give it a try, I am absolutely fascinated at the skill level by you and others. As a "new- be - turner" hopefully in the near future I will send a positive message - thanking you even more

That is wonderful! I have no desire to make any money off of my videos. They are there to be of help. So, please rob and steal whatever you want. I feel very honored to share what I have learned. Thanks for the opportunity to share. Burt

This is a very comprehensive tutorial on the Sorby texturing tools. Many thanks for taking the time to share your experiences.

You are most welcome and thanks for saying so. It is nice to know it was worth all the hours and hours it took. I didn't think I would ever finish. Burt

My french is terrible and I can't spell, but here goes. Ce ne pas totalement vrai. seulement c'est que suis acostumbre au système américain. Et je no comprend pas pourquoi nous n'adopte pas le system métrique. C'est un système plus logique.. Merci pour votre comment. Burt

I did look at the video but I'm not sure what you are referring to. I may have been pressing the bevel of the spindle too hard trying to get the cut started. Burt

Thanks!

Thanks for your comment. A plug cutter really makes it easy. Burt