Mick O'Donnell Demonstrates August 2002

Mick is from Northern Scotland and is one of the premier turners of green wood. He is noted for his tape and book Turning Green Wood. He has also produced a tape "Tool Sharpening for Results." He has developed the O'Donnell chuck and sharpening jig. Much of his work is done in conjunction with his wife, Liz, who decorates the turned pieces. Together they have authored the book: Decorating Turned Wood - The Maker's Eye.

Mick's demonstration began with a slide show depicting his area of Scotland and his home and shop. His initial job was in the nuclear fuel field. Since then, however, he has been a lighthouse keeper, fisherman and farmer. About twenty years ago he began woodturning and has perfected his work to an amazing degree. He began his turning career using African hardwoods but the dust production causes significant pulmonary problems. He took a course with Richard Raffan turning green wood and has done so since. Because Mick turns so thin, splitting became a problem so he and his wife began to revise the split bowls by removing the split area and designing artistic shapes such as birds and seashells. Using his wife's art and textile expertise, their pieces have taken on dramatic colors. Initially, the coloration was done on cross-grained bowls. This presented a problem because much more dye was taken up by the end-grain areas. Because of this he began to decorate the edge of end-grain bowls with various dyes.

Captured ring making was discussed and the tools used to make them. Mick then discussed his sharpening jig and finally his shop and its contents.

In Scotland Mick uses mostly sycamore. For today's demonstration he used apple from John Hill's property and then blue birch or possibly hop-hornbeam. No one was quite sure. [Editor's note: We are pretty sure it was Carpinus caroliniana American Hornbeam aka Ironwood, Musclewood or Blue-Beech. See: Ohio State University, Trees of Western North Carolina, University of Minnesota, Virginia Tech

Initially Mick turned a thin wall cross-grain bowl. He used a dedicated single screw chuck and not an independent one. This was placed on the top of the piece. This then permitted him to turn the outside and form the spigot on the base. He began turning at 1400 rpm using a deep fluted gouge. The spigot turned was straight. He then placed the chuck on the spigot. He stated that he never finishes the outside when the piece is on the screw chuck because the jaws of the chuck on the spigot, especially on green wood, press into the spigot and cause the piece to then be somewhat off balance. He then finished the outside of the piece and further formed the base. He stressed that he sharpens quite frequently. He then shear-scraped the outside using the long edge of the deep fluted gouge. Mick then finished the rim of the bowl followed by the inside of the bowl. He turns the rim first because the rigidity of the piece is still intact. The inside was turned from the outer aspects inward showing more and more light through the wall. He repeatedly doused the bowl with water to maintain moisture in the wood and to keep the bowl's shape. He uses warm water because his shop is quite cold at times. While thinning the walls he supports the piece with his left hand. His left thumb supports the gouge on the tool rest. He completed the interior of the bowl with a large shear-scraper and he stressed that he always uses the largest possible tool for the job at hand. He wet sanded the piece with 80 to 240 grit paper. He then finished the foot and sanded that area. The piece was then parted off. When asked how to dry the bowl he stated that he used several methods. For quick drying the microwave is used and for more gradual drying a zip-lock bag is used with moist shavings inside.

Mick then began a natural edge cross-grained bowl. The two high points on the rim were the same height as were the two low points. Again, extra wood was left at the base to form the ample spigot and foot. A pin chuck was placed in the center of the top of the piece. He does not use a tail stock. The deep fluted gouge was then used to form the outer aspect of the bowl and the spigot. When cutting near the natural edge he changed direction and cut from the bark downward to prevent splitting. He did not finish the outside because the balance may change after re-chucking. This completed the morning demonstration.

The afternoon session began with the completion of the cross-grained natural edge bowl. The spigot was completed and the bowl re-chucked. At that point Mick discussed the sharpening of the various tools including the deep fluted gouge using the O'Donnell grind. Once re-chucked he placed a piece of white paper under the bowl to better visualize the natural edge. He then turned the outer edge followed by shear-scraping. The inside of the bowl was then formed. The rim was turned first so that mass gave stability. The inner aspects were then turned and the wood wetted repeatedly - the gouge sharpened frequently. The bottom was then shear-scraped. Sanding was done as described above. The base was then turned, sanded and parted off.

The session continued with a discussion of the parting tool, how it cuts and the preferred shape. Mick uses a fluted parting tool which he feels gives the smoothest cut.

Next an end-grain bowl was done using hop-hornbeam, iron wood, muscle wood or blue beech or whatever. Top and bottoms were marked and end centers determined. The top was placed in the head-stock. Speed was set at 2000 rpm. The top was flattened and the vessel marked with the rim on the top. The top and bottom surfaces were separated to prevent splitting of the bark on the rim. The spigot was formed on the bottom and the large spindle gouge used to remove the lower portion of the vessel. The piece was then re-chucked with the spigot placed in the chuck. The rim was turned first to maintain mass, stability and strength. The interior was completed using the shear-scraper and then sanded. He always starts with 80 or 100 grit paper. The outer surface was then turned until the proper lucency achieved. The light provided all the information that Mick needed to determine wall thickness. The outside was sanded, the base completed, the foot formed and the piece parted off.

Finally, a natural edge, end-grain goblet was turned. It was stressed that the center of the goblet, especially the stem, should not contain the pith or branch locations. The best piece to use is a limb piece. The chosen piece was placed with the top in the headstock. It was turned at 2000 rpm. The bark was removed between the rim and the base. A spigot was made at the base. The center section was then removed of bark. The piece was then reversed and the base placed in the chuck. The tailstock was kept in place to ensure alignment and then removed. The interior of the top of the goblet was then turned - the rim, as in previous pieces, being formed first. The bottom of the top was shear-scraped and sanded. The outer aspect of the top was turned - again using the white paper under the piece to better visualize the natural edge. It was then sanded. The stem was then turned with some difficulty due to wobbling of the goblet portion. The base was turned, hollowed and sanded. This completed a very interesting, many times amusing and very wet demonstration.

The edited tape of this demonstration is available in the library.

--Bob Gunther

More of Mick's Work

Mick's Web Site