Overview:

Michael Mode, from New Haven, VT, is a professional woodturner who makes wood vessels with lids. These are formed from burl woods, exotic and colorful tropical woods, and highly figured domestic woods. Frequently these are laminated into intricate geometric designs which are then incorporated into segmented, polychromatic pieces. His motivation is driven by his imagination and his fascination with the art and architecture of India and the Middle East. Geometric surface designs, color, unusual and exotic woods, graceful forms, fine finishing, great attention to detail and integrity of craftsmanship are all equally important and significant to him. Michael feels "A lidded vessel, like a person, offers a choice of openness or privacy; possesses secret inside spaces that can't be touched; harbors hidden surprises; presents a stature and a posture to the world; these aspects I find endlessly fascinating."

Michael's work has been placed in the Renwick Gallery of American Craft of the Smithsonian, Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Yale University Art Gallery. He has taught at symposiums of the American Association of Woodturners and at local chapters of this same organization. He has also taught at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, TN. He has written articles for Fine Woodworking, American Woodworker, and Wood magazines. Besides his works being in prominent museums, Michael's pieces are also included in numerous private collections and he has won numerous awards throughout the United States.

Morning Session:

John Hill introduced Michael who then presented a slide show of his past work leading up to his present work using concentric rings.

A square piece of stock was used to create the piece. It was about eight inches square by three-quarters of an inch thick. The angle used on the bandsaw cut determines the shape of the resulting bowl.

In planning a bowl's shape Michael draws on graph paper a diagram of a cross section of the bowl. First the bowl's bottom size is determined. The diagram drawn represents one-half of the bowl's diameter. Then the angles of subsequent rings are determined - each being different with the angles decreasing out from the center. The last ring should pass through the edge of the board in order to utilize all the wood available. With thinner boards you need to use smaller angles. In order to better visualize a bowl's shape you can draw cross sectional layers or rings and essentially stack them. This will not only show you the shape but also the thickness of each ring. This thickness then determines how much you can alter the shape and produce details such as a top bead. Greater angles will give you more rings but each ring will be thinner. Angles too large may prove it impossible to turn the piece after gluing. On the other hand, the smaller the angles, the thicker the rings will be. When beginning this technique use fewer and thicker rings to make stacking, gluing and turning easier and less frustrating.

Once the diagram is completed the pattern is laid out on the wood plank using concentric circles. The predetermined angle is written on each ring. (A line should be drawn across the plank so that the rings can later be lined up so that grain patterns match from ring to ring.) These rings are then cut on the bandsaw. A protractor is used on the bandsaw table to measure each angle's cut. The outer ring is cut first. In order to cut from the first to the second ring you need to cut a slot. The slot cut on each ring should be in the same location so that when stacked all the slots will be on the same side of the bowl.

In the demonstration, as each ring was cut the angle of the bandsaw blade was changed to the predetermined angle for the next ring. Each ring had to have a slot cut in order to proceed to the next one. This was continued until the final ring was cut and the bottom piece or ring was reached. Subsequent rings were cut each with its own angle. A quarter-inch bandsaw blade was used. (A scroll saw could also be used where a hole is drilled so that each ring can be cut. Here no slots would be made but the process would be more time consuming.) The bandsaw should be stopped when backing out of each slot so that the wood is not damaged.

The rings were then stacked and a trumpet-shaped bowl was formed. Prior to cutting the rings Michael had glued a thin layer of Wenge to the bottom of the plank. This produced a thin, dark band between the stacked rings. The slot in each ring was then glued using polyurethane glue (Excel Express from Woodworking Supply). The sides of each slot need to be kept aligned to ensure a smooth ring surface. The larger rings are easier to glue because the rings are more flexible. Kiln dried planks are used. In his shop Michael does not have to cut slots on his rings because he uses a pattern makers lathe. Once glued the ring surfaces can be sanded on a drum sander. Polyurethane glue expands when drying whereas yellow glue such as Titebond shrinks over time and a glue joint may shift.

An alternative approach to ring making would be the half-moon one where rings are drawn on the plank, the plank cut in half and then the rings cut. In this method yellow glue would be used to glue the ring halves together. Each ring would have two glue lines.

At this point the individual rings were glued together to form the rough shaped bowl. A piece of plywood was clamped to the lathe bed to provide a gluing surface. The rings were stacked with the previously drawn pencil line lined up so that the ring grain patterns would match. Michael moistened each ring surface prior to gluing so that the polyurethane glue would function properly and expand. Some kiln dried lumber does not have enough moisture on its own to aid in glue function. Gloves should be used to prevent skin staining. When applying the glue a small bead was placed on each ring. This bead was then brushed over the entire ring surface with small, disposable paintbrushes. The glue was applied to all the rings and they were then stacked. Once stacked alignment was confirmed starting with the smaller to the larger rings. Pressure was applied with clamps (at home Michael also uses weight as well as clamps). Alignment needs to be constantly checked to ensure there is no slippage of the rings. (Probably it would be wise when beginning this ring technique to use yellow glue because you don't need gloves and cleanup is much easier.)

Michael then addressed the checkerboard design bowl. A board is glued up with alternating strips of dark and light wood. You need even numbers of strips. As above, rings are cut with the appropriate angles. When stacking the rings are turned to alternate the colors and produce the resulting pattern. By not alternating the rings you get a very dramatic pattern but the lines have to be lined up perfectly.

This completed a very informative morning demonstration.

Afternoon Session:

A previously glued up multi-ring bowl was turned. A jam chuck was placed on the chuck and the tailstock, which was fitted with a block of wood, brought up. The block was used to center the piece. Once centered, the block was carefully removed and the point of the live center was brought up to the foot of the bowl. The exterior of the bowl was then trued-up and the surface more refined. A bead was formed on the edge of the bowl. A tenon on the foot was formed in preparation for re-chucking. The exterior was shear-scraped as was the bead. The piece was then reversed.

The interior of the piece was trued-up. (Lighting is critical when turning the inside.) Michael used a glove on his left hand as a steady-rest when turning the interior of the piece. The upper portions of the bowl were thinned prior to going deeper into the piece. [Remember - in a trumpet shaped bowl the ring next to the bottom is the thinnest because it has the steepest or largest angle of all the rings!] The interior bottom was then cleaned up with the round-nosed scraper as were some high spots on the inner sides. The interior was sanded with 80 grit - then the outside. Next 150 grit was used followed by finer grits up to 400 grit. (Michael uses very little power sanding.) He used a small piece of beach towel as a sanding pad. After sanding Michael coated the interior and exterior of the piece with thin CA glue to act as a sealer. Polyester quilt batting was used as a brush to apply the glue - a small amount of tape was used to make a handle for the polyester applicator. It's important to apply an even coat of glue. Once applied, the surface was quickly wiped with toilet tissue. Then both the interior and exterior were sprayed with accelerator. The piece was then sanded with 400 grit. Next shellac was applied. (Michael makes up his own using shellac flakes and alcohol solvent.) The shellac was applied with a small strip of velour beach towel, saturated then squeezed of excess, in one even coat with the lathe at a slow speed. The shellac hardens very quickly due to the evaporation of the solvent. The CA glue prevents the solvent from being absorbed. Next shellac and boiled linseed oil were applied with a small piece of velour beach towel. The shellac and oil were placed on opposite ends of the towel. The shellac portion was brought up to the wood first, followed immediately by the oil portion. The piece of towel should be replaced when clogged with shellac. (Note: linseed oil is highly combustible.)

At home Michael uses a light tower with several lights to illuminate the surfaces of the piece and to produce multiple reflections. This will show any variations in the surface finish.

Michael reverses the direction of the lathe when finishing the exterior surface because he can then apply the shellac and oil with the towel piece oriented the same as when applied to the interior. Sometimes one coat is used, at other times several coats are applied over several days. After the final coat has dried for several days a paste furniture wax can be applied for protective purposes.

Michael then discussed the re-chucking of a previously turned and finished piece in order to refine the base of the bowl. He did not actually turn it because it was not ready at that stage. He did show how the piece is taped to the jam chuck for security and to enable him to take away the tailstock when final finishing is done.

There is an article written by Michael in American Woodworker in April 1995, Issue 44, that gives a complete overview of French polishing. It is a good idea to practice French polishing on a six-to-eight-inch long cylinder. Application is easy and you look down on the piece to observe the finish as you develop it.

This completed a detailed and well-organized presentation. An edited tape of this demonstration will be available in the club library in May 2005. It will include drawings of various stages in the stacked ring process.

--Bob Gunther

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