First of all I round & taper one end on a sanding disc then turn a corresponding socket in a Birch ply faceplate then glue the Mahogany into the socket with medium viscosity cyanoacrylate.I would normaly use the thicker CA as it has better gap filling properties but the shop was out & medium is sufficient if not ideal.I warn you to be very,very,very careful with THIN viscosity CA,it is incredibly fluid & can give a nasty burn if spilled onto skin.
The sanding disc has 80 grit paper PVA glued to a Birch ply faceplate.
The turning tool is a 2.5mm square graver that is sharpened like a parting tool on one end & like a round scraper on the other.It has a friction fit into the mahogany handle & is easilly swapped end to end when required.
You will notice that I sprinkle some dust onto the base of the blank after gluing.This is to soak up any spare CA making the bond stronger & it also speeds up the curing time.
I will usually leave the blank for a minute or so to cure but Mahogany seems to react slightly with CA making it take a little longer to set.
http://www.youtube.com/user/ajbbbt#p/a/u/0/Jmus9Dq5yOc
The second video is of me turning the actual mushroom.
I must confess,I didn't use the Mahogany blank I mounted in the previous clip as that one took me a tad over 10 minutes to turn & I didn't realise that Youtube has a 10 minute limit for videos.I'm actually happier with this mushroom though,only took 7.5 minutes to turn & is a slightly better shape than the first.
As well as the 2.5mm graver I used to mount the blank I also used a 1/4 inch spindle gouge sharpened to a ladies fingernail profile.I parted the mushroom with a piercing saw fitted with a 3/0 blade.
Much of my work is finished to 600 grit then given a wipe with good old petroleum jelly.Not the most durable finish in the world but it is easy to reapply & allows the true texture & warmth of wood to shine through.
http://www.youtube.com/user/ajbbbt#p/a/u/0/3D1jEsj3w58
I need to have a word with the director & lighting technician of the video as neither of them seem to have much of a clue...
Here's a pic of the finished article.
At first I thought that your tool rest was riding on a track, but then I realized you were holding it in place with just hand pressure. You have steady hands! Thanks for posting the videos--that lap lathe is nifty and the turning is lovely. I also like that your films are silent. There's nothing to distract the viewer from focusing on what you're doing.
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