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Adding a bit of texture and colour to a square platter is a great way to dress up a simple design.
Adding a bit of texture and colour to a square platter is a great way to dress up a simple design.Project #2419 • Skill Level: Intermediate • Time: 1 Day • Cost: $40
Sometimes, it takes experimentation to come up with something fun and unique. Take this platter for example. A bit of power carving around the rim, and some application of paint and colored waxes presents a unique look.
Project Diagram
Getting Started
Getting StartedThe first step is to ensure all equipment is working correctly and all PPE, (Personal Protection Equipment), is clean and in good working order. Next, make sure the chuck is sized with the dividers to get the correct diameter for maximum gripping power. In this case, 2“ is the required size. Lastly, secure your 12“ square by 2“ thick cherry blank to the lathe with a 4“ faceplate. The centre of the blank is located by drawing a diagonal line from corner to corner.
1 Mount the blank on a screw chuck.
2 Measure the inside dimensions of your scroll chuck jaws.
With the piece secured on the lathe, it is checked to be running true. Begin by making the 2“ tenon. Next, a 3/8“ bowl gouge is used to do the bulk removal of the wood. This is done by using the lower wing of the tool. To complete, a parting tool is used to true up the tenon. As the chuck has dovetail jaws, the dovetail is refined with a skew to achieve the correct angle. Lastly, the centre is marked for relocating the piece so as to true up the foot on completion of the rest of the piece.
3 With the lathe turned on and the blank spinning, transfer the measurements from the dividers to the blank.
4 Face off the surface of the blank. Draw cuts and a fast speed are keys to cutting cleanly.
5 Sneak up on the layout line from the dividers. This tenon needs to be accurate for a solid hold.
6 Mark the center of the blank for reference later (if needed).
Turn the Bowl
Mark out the bowl portion of the platter. Try different sizes until you get a proportion you are happy with. Once again, using the lower wing of the tool, the bulk is further removed. Great care has to be taken where to tool is cutting air between the corners
7 Use a pencil to layout the area for the bottom. Try a few sizes until you decide it looks right.
8 Then, start removing material.
9 Once you’ve started to define the rim, scribe a line to give you a targeted rim thickness.
Before too much is removed, I like to establish the underside of the rim. The rest is then removed up to the line keep the rim straight. At this point, the bowl portion is roughly shaped using the 3/8“ gouge.
10 Because the wings of the rim are hitting and missing, it’s easiest to make step cuts. Lay the gouge on its side, and push into the blank, toward the head stock.
11 Once the majority of the material is removed, make a draw cut to smooth out the wing.
12 Continue to work towards your targeted bottom mark.
13 Once the wings are flat, round over the bottom of the platter.
Textured Rim
Raise the tool rest to the centre height and use it as a guide to mark out the lines for you to follow for the texture. To add texture, you will use the ArborTech Mini Carver. Before beginning, it is important to note the rotation of the cutter. Let me explain why. The cutter is used by tipping it off the surface gently in a random pattern but following the lines. The important of the rotation of the cutter is to work from the outside towards the centre. This minimizes breakout on the edges. Also a starting point is indicated by an arrow so as to keep the pattern somewhat uniformed.
14 Lay out radial marks on the bottom of the rim.
15 These marks will help keep the carving in a uniform direction.
16 The Mini Carver uses a small, two-cutter disc.
This texturing technique is done in three passes over the surface. The first pass is completed using the Mini Carver. Remember to work from the outside in. Also note, the base wasn’t finished prior to the texturing as the tool cuts into the base and the marks cannot be removed from a finished surface. Before beginning the second pass, a sharpie is used to highlight any flat areas that need further attention. Complete another pass focusing on these areas. The third and final pass is done with a small burr. It is used to further texture the area between the bowl and flat rim. Once the texture is complete, a wire brush is used to clean up any remaining fibres.
17 Mark a start point, and start adding texture.
18 As you work, continue to keep the cutting action in the direction of your layout lines.
19 Colour flat spots with a marker, then focus on those.
20 Reach into the corner with the Mini Carver (as much as you can) before switching to a handheld unit, like a Foredom.
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22 Once the texture is added, use a stiff brass or wire brush to remove any excess fuzz.
Reverse the piece and secure into the chuck. The rim is textured now working away from the finished portion. Any breakout will be removed when the rim is refined.
23 Repeat the same process on the outside edge of the rim.
Lastly, the top of the piece is trued up with a freshly sharpened 3/8“ bowl gouge in preparation for texturing. As the bowl projects through the rim, I line up the pencil with the underside and draw a reference line on the top. The texture is marked out the same way as the underside including the starting point for a reference mark. Note the bowl portion protruding through the rim. Once again, the texture is done in stages. Remember to work from the outside in. Next, any remaining flat areas are highlighted and further refined with the texture. Lastly, the transition of the bowl and flat rim are refined with the burr.
24 Chuck the blank in your scroll chuck, and flatten the face.
25 Then, use a pencil to mark the “dish” location.
26 Leave the top of the dish a bit proud, and lower the rim slightly.
27 Now, the process is the same as before. Use layout lines and add texture.
28 Concentrate on removing all flat spots from the rim.
29 A little extra time colouring in flat spots, nibbling them down with the carver, then sanding will make the difference between a deliberately textured surface, or one that looks like the texture was an afterthought.
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Ready for Paint
Once the fibres are cleaned and dust removed, the piece is now ready for paint. Wearing respiratory protection, several coats are applied to the surface and underside of the piece. I prefer to use a fast drying, black paint or black tinted lacquer. Now, add colour via a
coloured wax. The nice thing about wax is that you can continue to add more and change the tone. By using a minimal amount on the brush and making fast, sweeping strokes, the colour will only be picked up on the top ridges of the texture. There’s no right or wrong here—apply colour until you think it looks good.
31 Spray the textured area with the black paint or lacquer.
32 Dry brushing tinted waxes give a gentle splash of colour.
33 Using a variety of colours and metallics will yield a different and unique result.
Further Refine the Bowl
A recess is marked out on the top of the piece. Using the parting tool, cut the recess and refine it with the skew to accept the dovetail jaws.
34 Transfer the chuck measurement to the front of the dish.
35 Then make a recess for chucking.
Flip and secure the bowl. The bottom of the bowl is shaped next, working from the smallest diameter to the largest. Care has to be taken to refine the area between the bowl and rim. Proportions of the textured band are key to the visual of the piece. I left 5/8“ as I thought it looked correct. Sand the bottom with 120, 180, 240, 320, and 400 sandpaper.
36 Shape the bottom of the dish, from the centre out.
37 Leave the tenon in place so that you may hollow the inside.
38 A parting tool or detail spindle gouge can be used to create a fillet along the edge of the rim. This makes it appear that the clean shape of the dish is emerging from the textured plane.
The piece is flipped, secured in the chuck, and the hollowing of the bowl portion commences. The last cuts are always best taken with a freshly sharpened gouge to try to achieve a good finish. Be sure to check the wall thickness frequently with calipers while taking the final cuts.
39 Hollow the inside of the dish using whatever tools work for you.
40 An Irish grind bowl gouge does most of my removal work.
41 Check the wall thickness using calipers. You’re aiming for about 6mm here.
42 Sand the inside and apply a coat of spray lacquer.
Final Touches
Lastly, we need to refine the base using Cole jaws. The centre marked previously helps ensure it’s correctly located. Once the foot is turned away, the sanding is carried out. The tail stock is only removed for the very small bit left in the centre. A little hand sanding refines the centre. Once the piece is clean and dust-free, several light coats of satin lacquer are applied. A minimal amount is applied to the rim as it is over a wax. The turned platter looks great sitting on a shelf, and begs to have people feel the texture.
43 Mount the platter in Cole jaws. Remember that centre mark we made? Put the tailstock live centre right on that for support, and nibble away the tenon.
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