Turned Tulip Bouquet

I made a wooden tulip bouquet as one of my first lathe projects.

Materials:

Wooden blanks

Dowel rods

Stain

Sealant

Tools:

Lathe

Band-saw

File

Forstner (or twist) bit

Sand paper

Sander (Belt or Palm)

Wood Glue

Step 1: Turn Your Tulips

Set your wood blanks in your lathe.

My blanks were about 6 - 8 inches long and 2 inches wide. I was able to get three flowers from each blank.

Turn different styles and sizes of tulips to give more range in your bouquet.

While still on the lathe, be sure to sand and polish. It will be a lot easier on the lathe than off.

Step 2: Separate the Tulips.

Cut each tulip from the blank.

Carefully drill out the center with a twist bit or forstner bit. I like the forstner bits better- they leave a cleaner look.

Next, using a band-saw and file, cut pedals into your flowers. One thing you can do additionally that I did not is engrave a line down the side of the flower, continuing the pedals to give it a more detailed look.

Step 3: Add the Stem and Stain.

Take some wooden dowel rod at varying thickness' and taper down one edge using a belt sander.

Drill out the bottom of each tulip to accept the tapered end.

Attach using wood glue.

Set the flowers into a foam block or drill out some holes in a scrap 2x4 to hold them while you stain.

Stain and seal each tulip.

Now you have flowers that will last forever.