This last birthday, my parents bought me a lathe, ironically, it was one from my old woods teacher, Mr. J. During the rest of the school year I was looking up projects that I wanted to make on it in the summer, the first of which was a wooden mug, so that is what I made. The wood started out roughly 18"x8" and dad helped me cut it and glue it. I put in on the lathe and began turning it and having a blast.
Soon the mug was done...but it needed a handle to grip it better
After a few coats of mineral oil and butcher block conditioner, and 4 days of curing, I got the finished project after 7 days: (same mug from different angles)
I am proud to say that I drank some water from it this morning and it didn't leak!
Then dad wanted have the part where the motor is connected fixed a little so it would run truer, that meant a few days of no lathe, which was sad. I got the part back and we connected it and I had the need to turn something again, except I didn't have any wood, which is a problem. Dad and I up and down our road, where a bunch of trees were cut this spring, in hopes that we would find a piece that was left behind, and indeed we did. He chopped it up with the chain saw, I put it on and was soon covered in dust.
Soon I got the rough shape I wanted from it...then drilled out the center and began working on it (first time drilling out the center and it went a lot easier)
I had dad help me cut it off after sanding it on the lathe and got this
After a coat of clear sealer and then a coat of varnish, this is the finished project after 2 days.
Now I'm asking all of my friends if they have any wood...en logs so I can turn more stuff.