Gift for my father second brush I made on a lathe

Very nice indeed!!!!

 

Beautiful! and cedar smells wonderful too!

 

I likey! How long does a brush take to make? You really are good!

 

I will make a thread on how to make a brush without a lathe even though I now have a lathe and I'm teaching myself to make them on the lathe now. I actually like my hand carved ones better.

I lately have been cutting a limb around 4 to 6 in wide and when I go to my dads I get him to cut them in 2 inch by 2 inch squares around 6 in long. I then start sanding with a hand sander with 40 or 80 grit paper to round it. I prefer one with a neck in the middle and a round knob on the bottom to hold that is most comfortable for me so I det a dremmel with a sandpaper head and sand a neck into the I will carve it out some with a carving knife and when I get the shape done I sand with 80 then 110 then 220 then 320. After that I have to hand sand with 600 then 1200 then 2000. After that I drill the hole with my drill press. I coat it with Danish oil let dry then coat with a poly coat. I know there are other ways to finish and the people who use crazy glue say it's the only way but I don't like it. I taught myself how to do this and bought all my equipment from selling hand carved make up brushes so I'm not an expert I started with a sander and a drill gun I can't believe I made brushes just with those two tools sometimes. All that takes about 6 to 8 hours plus drying time I usually work on them a few hours a day. My brushes are large 30 mm knots and you can hold it in your hand not just with your fingers. I recently discovered setting the knot deep really makes them nicer to use.

Recently I have made several on the lathe they are nice but I'm really liking my hand made better, on a lathe you spin it and carve a shape and when you have your shave it's done maybe it's pretty maybe not. When I carve by hand it's slow and I don't make a preconceived shape I follow the natural pattern of the wood to enhance its beauty. If there is a swirl or a knot I change the shape to keep it or enhance it. These brushes are not finese like the ones the pro wood turners make or companies sale but the are large and easy to hold and have a rustic beauty to them. The most satisfying part of this is I took something that was dying naturally and hopefully turned it into functional art that will live on for a very long time. I use expoy to glue the knot so if you steam it to re knot later even if the wood cracked it won't matter because they are not fragile some crack while I'm making them and adds to the aesthetics of the brush with black lines in them. They are so sanded down you can't feel the crack if they have one.
Here are some brushes and make up brushes I made

 

Sweet

 

I like the larger handle, I have arthritis, in the mornings it takes my fingers a little while to get working. A lot of times I'll need to soak my fingers before I shave in the sink. The time you're spending is good peaceful time in sure. I really like what you've done with your hands and tools.
Kerry

 

Beautiful work and the grain just eye candy. Have you ever thought of using a pattern makers file?

 

What are pattern makers file, I am new to wood working and had no formal training I am learning as I go?

 

A type of wood working file, that has fine teeth, pattern makers files shave wood vice tearing wood as a rasp does. Mine is a half round type. Nothing wrong with being self taught.

 

What kind of wood, and knot?
Looks great!

 

Thanks I will check in to finding one and try it out

 

I also like the brush holder. Nice and compact.

 

This is the link to the thread how to create your own brush without a lathe

http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/how-to-make-your-own-brush-without-a-lathe.37567/#post-665041