Turning a Baby Cradle

by JoHannes Michelsen

Having your first grandchild makes you do crazy things. I've had this vision of a turned baby cradle, but mind you, not your average baby cradle. I wanted this cradle to be based in turning because that is what I am, what I do and my ultimate hope and intention is to be the best turner I can be.

This project did a lot to propel me in the right direction. From original concept to final result this cradle took four months to make.

The horn shape was done of a wet log about 6 weeks before all the other processes to give the rough legs time to dry. The first concept for this design actually came from a small horn shaped vase that I did for my youngest daughter when she was up for visit back in August. While I was turning it I was thinking about my cradle desires and I just “saw” the corner legs jump out at me from this vase form. So there it was a cradle with its design basis fully anchored in woodturning, it was too cool. It begged to become reality.

It turned out to be far more complicated than I had anticipated so heavy doses of perseverance were required. I’m very happy to say I did persevere and pulled it thru, super happy with the result. I’ve done some serious head scratching woodworking projects in my time but this one was certainly the scratchingest!!!

The following pages and photographs chronicles my adventure in cradle making.

Step 1 - Create the legs

For this step, I'm using a cherry log. I'm going to create a pleasing horn shape which will then get cut into segments, each being one leg.

First mount a large cherry log onto the lathe. Shape the outside as a long cylinder with a horn top.

 

Here I'm shaping the horn of the turning.

 

Here I'm measuring the length that I can drill using my quill, forstner bit and extension. This way I have a start at hollowing out the inside of the log.

 

Getting ready to drill out the inside of the log.

 

Now we're getting somewhere; the outside is turned, the inside of the horn has been shaped and I've drilled to the final depth of the piece. Now off to the bandsaw to cut the horn into legs.

 

Go to Step 2 - Separating the Legs