Another use for Beech....

[Raym]

Several years ago a lot was cleared for a new house. There was a large beech (30") and not having a need for it but didn't want to see it wasted either, I had it taken to a mill and sawn. It was sawn into 2" slabs of various widths. it has been stickered and air drying for quite a while.
Fast forward....Last Fall I had the Idea of turning little spinning tops for the Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes. (for more information on these, use google). I rallied up all of my woodturning buddies and last year we turned over 1000 tops. this year we are set to hit over 1500 tops. The cool thing is that now this Beech tree that was in a small town in Virginia is now scattered all around the world in the hands of children and it looks like I still have enough Beech for a couple more Christmas's....


 

[rasman57]

Everything about those Christmas Tops story is cool!  Your effort and idea, the unique old fashioned toy in today's plastic junk world, and the gift of giving.   Well Done!

[Magicman]

Those tops are amazing, but even more so is you story.  What a nice Labor of Love.   8)

[drobertson]

You Bet! nice job from top to bottom! 

[kczbest]

Good Work, Good Story and a Great Cause! smiley_clapping

[windy hill farm]

Well done, great job on the tops very good story. Nice to hear some good thing's that people do, instead of the bad crap.

[thecfarm]

Raym,1000 tops!! You have a lot of buddies or you guys are some busy. And now you need 1500. Good for you and all your wood working buddies.

[Raym]

Raym,1000 tops!! You have a lot of buddies or you guys are some busy. And now you need 1500. Good for you and all your wood working buddies.

we have learned to "spin" them out pretty quick....the coloring can take up some time but the joke is that the coloring brings out the little girl in all of us :D

[SawyerBrown]

Just think, all those tops are little sons of a beech ...

[Sorry 'bout that] 

Nice project, well done!  But how do you make the patterns after they're turned?

[clww]

Awesome product you turned out! 8)

[Peter Drouin]

Nice Job.

[Raym]

Nice project, well done!  But how do you make the patterns after they're turned?

That is done with a sorby texturing tool. They can create some very interesting patterns and the density of the beech lends itself to texturing

[Deese]

Wow great job!  8)

[Raym]

for your entertainment only, here is a video of how these tops are made. Please excuse the dirty shirt, unshaven look and bad hair. Vanity was never my strong suit.....

http://youtu.be/UWpV9dBpbME

[MSSawmill]

Really awesome! Thanks so much for doing that for those kids!

[Jemclimber]

That's a very nice gesture and One very nice lathe.

[SawyerBrown]

Nice, in every sense. Thank you!

[WmFritz]

That's one mighty big heart under that dirty shirt.  ;)

My hat is off to you.

[DeerMeadowFarm]

That's awesome!

[Magicman]

Thank you Sir for sharing your talent in such a giving way.