First Attempt at Brush Making

Discussion in 'The Brush' started by GarnerPW, Nov 7, 2017.

  1. GarnerPW

    GarnerPW Well-Known Member

    My Father-In-Law picked up a used second hand lathe and gave it to me. I picked up some tree limbs out of my back yard and tried my hand at turning some brushes.

    The two on the left were my first try. I am not all that happy with the first one on the left. It may not end up with a knot. The right center ended up a little longer and slenderer then what I was aiming for but this was me learning. The one on the right end my inspiration was a Civil War Bullet. I live just 40 miles south of Washington DC with Civil War history all around me. When I was a senior in high school some guys asked my father if they could use a metal detector in our front yard. They found some Civil War artifacts, a couple being bullets from that time period and gave me one.

    First Brushes.jpg

    Now I have to stain/seal the wood some how. I have not decided how to do that yet. I also need to pick up some silicone adhesive so I can set the knots.
     
  2. cliffb599

    cliffb599 Well-Known Member

    Nice work. Like the second from the left.


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  3. sdguero

    sdguero Well-Known Member

    That is very cool! I really like the Civil War "bullet"! :happy096:
     
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  4. jtspartan

    jtspartan appropriately stimulated, via Netflix

    Great work!
     
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  5. lightcs1776

    lightcs1776 Well-Known Member

    Fantastic start to your brush making. I love the history of the War Between the States. It is a great inspiration.

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  6. Jayaruh

    Jayaruh The Cackalacky House Pet

    Supporting Vendor
    Nice work. I like the knots in the sides of the wood. Welcome to wood turning.
     
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  7. GarnerPW

    GarnerPW Well-Known Member

    Thank you Gentlemen. I was apprehensive :scared001:about making this thread as I was putting myself out there, but you gentlemen have put my fears at ease. :signs001:
     
  8. Jayaruh

    Jayaruh The Cackalacky House Pet

    Supporting Vendor
    If I can do it, anyone can do it. I did the first hundred without a lathe though. You should try that. Ha!
     
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  9. poppi

    poppi Well-Known Member

    Great start and they look good. Keep going
     
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  10. Linuxguile

    Linuxguile dating an unusual aristocrat

    Those are some beautiful brushes, Ken!
     
  11. Bobcat

    Bobcat Well-Known Member

    I would say you are off to a very good start!! I look forward to following your progress!
     
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  12. oscar11

    oscar11 Well-Known Member

  13. GarnerPW

    GarnerPW Well-Known Member

    Thank you gentlemen for your kind words of encouragement.
     
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  14. GarnerPW

    GarnerPW Well-Known Member

    Since I posted about the brush making I have turned some more handles and ordered more knots. What I would like to show now is the first brush I have finished.

    First Brush upright.jpg

    I finished the brush with four coats Johnson Paste Wax. I put a 22mm Maggards synthetic in it. I will keep this one to see how the wax holds up as a finish. This holiday weekend I am planning on working some more on brushes and will post them here as I go.

    First Brush with razor.jpg Just to give a little scale I added the razor to the photo.

    First Brush side view.jpg
     
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  15. Zykris

    Zykris Well-Known Member

    Good job!
     
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  16. sdguero

    sdguero Well-Known Member

    I love it! It's a thing of beauty! :happy088:
     
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  17. clint64

    clint64 Blind Squirrel

    Wonderful work Ken. You are off to a really great start. My wife and I were talking about me doing something similar in the future.
     
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  18. IDuck

    IDuck Well-Known Member

    well done @GarnerPW... it has been awhile since I have made a handle and is something that I really enjoy doing...I would say that if you want to learn some little tips/tricks then take a class a your local woodcraft/hobby store...I know my dad teaches some lathe/turning classes there and like most things, its those little tips that can make something so much easier...I will say, get some good super glue (it will really help you in many ways)...but, most of all congrats on the new hobby (even if you didnt mean for it to be one) and keep going.
     
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  19. GarnerPW

    GarnerPW Well-Known Member

    Thank you gentlemen. Does anyone know what the cure time for silicone glue is? The tube states about 3hrs. I let it set for 24hrs
     
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2017
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  20. Jayaruh

    Jayaruh The Cackalacky House Pet

    Supporting Vendor
    The longer the better. I will use one after 24 hours, but I am very careful the first few times. After it is fully cured, you can still remove the knot, but it takes a good bit of effort. In the first week, you can pull it pretty easy.
     
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