Ian Ethell 2025

Ian made an off-centre bud vase and a shallow square bowl. Here are the notes I took as he demonstrated. I hope they are useful. Safety- Ian always wears powered respirator Stance at the lathe Straight cut- feet parallel with lathe bed Cross grain- left foot forward Any Curved cut- right foot forward Tool handle against body Place feet at where you will end the cut and lean to start the cut Off centre Bud Vase (2000rpm) Lathe speed = 6000rpm ÷ diameter of stock in inches Good strong solid wood Roughs down ends first between centres Add tenon and hold in chuck Drill 13.5mm hole in rounded stock for 13mm glass tube Add chamfer on rim of hole Mark notches for off centre cuts Put between centres 12mm from centres parallel) Second off centre location placed opposite Cut down to steep bevel then move across to cut shallow bevel to meet at bottom of first cut. The drilled hole appears Blend the two cuts Sand Sand edges of hole Put sausage of paper down the middle Stain with whatever. Dry. Spray sanding sealer. Dry. Add liming wax to pick out grain. Dry. Buff. Fix on the opposite off-centre position and cut the steep and shallow Bevel the other way round. If work piece stops on the tool, tighten the headstock Cut until hole appears. Blend cuts cut down shallow side to get length of hole right Sand You can drill hole deeper at this point if needed. Re-centre Cut top at 45° angle cut towards the end Can use skew to clean very top Cut base angle less steeply Sand top and bottom Part off by reversing into jam chuck and parting at tailstock end Can use gouge to undercut base Square Shallow Bowl with 1.5mm tenon Ash Ian starts all bowls between centres (not faceplate or screws) Can use an open chuck as an alternative drive to a steb centre Cut recess reverse on to chuck Cut outside of bowl - centre to outside to support any end grain Refine shape leaving room at tips Cut tenon Refine shape of base and blend if needed with shearing cut next to tenon Can make rim of base into a ring by cutting curve into face of tenon Clean base with negative rake scraper Must have a burr on scraper. It lasts a minute. Keep Sharpening. Reverse onto a small chuck Bring up tailstock Gentle cuts from tips in Thin gouge Bevel matching curve of base Take your time If cuts not level, use curved negative rake scraper Once thickness established and 1cm in, cut a step down (into bowl not across).Then cut deeper and blend Keep checking wall thickness Mind your hand on corners Final cuts always from rim to centre Don't return to the edge once done, unless you use a paper pad behind for support- not cloth. Careful! Measure with calipers in gaps between jaws all way to centre Cut away support Remove tailstock Finish centre Scraper Hand sand along grain You can make a sanding glove with velcro on fingers to hold paper/ mesh