Jayaruh #384 Started

This brush has been commissioned for a gift. It will be a Celtic Knot handle with a silvertip badger knot and adorned with a Christian cross on the base. I have ordered and received the knot and cross, and they have arrived. I have been waiting for a pretty day to work on the handle. Today was such a day. It got up to 70 degrees and the rain held off. I got out around 1PM and set up to create the blank for the handle. I am using Brazilian Rosewood for the handle with a contrasting wood for the Celtic Knot.

I used a jig I made earlier for cutting the angles. I am making a 35 degree cut. I had intended to make more pictures, but I forgot to take a few.

Here is the first cut.

Then I glued contrasting wood between the two pieces and clamped them. I set them aside to dry.

I forgot to make a picture of the second cut, but here it is after the cut.

I glued it up with another piece of contrasting wood, clamped, and set aside. I forgot to take that picture, but here it is after I make the third cut.

I glued it up with the third piece of contrasting wood, clamped it, and set it aside to dry.

I made the fourth and final cut.

I glued the contrasting wood in place, clamped it all together, and set it aside to dry. 

I am done for today. I will let it sit and dry really well before continuing. I will get on it again if I have some fair weather. If it is above 50 and not raining, I will take the blank and cut off the edges to make it an octagonal prism. Then, it will be ready for me to turn. 

Update: 12 Feb

The weather was cloudy but nice today, so I got out and finished off the handle. First, I cut off the corners, making the blank an octagon. I drilled pilot holes in the center and  sawed a cross on one end so I could mount it on the lathe.

Then I shaped the blank into the desired shape and sanded it smooth.

I took it off the lathe and cut off the waste on the ends.

I made the holes on the ends to take the knot and the cross.

The knot will be set about 52mm.

I sunk the cross deep enough so the handle will be able to stand on the end without wobbling.

Here, the knot and the cross are dry set in the handle.

I prepared the knot for setting by washing it first with Oxi Clean Stain Remover supplied by Whipped Dog. 

I dissolved the Oxi Clean in warm water and soaked the knot. I agitated the knot and rinsed it several times before finally rinsing it and towel drying.

In the next picture, the handle has its first coat of polycrylic, and the cross and knot await their final home.

Update: 12 Feb

I have completed Jayaruh #384. The knot bloomed nicely. The handle is 73mm high, and the knot is 27x52mm.