Woodturning A Triple Loop Celtic Knot Pencil Cup

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This project video is a second pencil cup to answer this month's club challenge. After I turned the first one, I felt a pencil cup would be perfect for a Celtic knot.

The process I follow does not restrict my knots to four loops. The process enables as many loops as could be desired. Eight loops is as easy as four except for the additional cutting and gluing.

After turning my wood down to a uniform cylinder, I measured the diameter. At my computer I drew a circle of the same diameter. Since I had decided on three loops, I drew a triangle to enclose the circle. I printed the diagram, glued it to scrap hardboard. After cutting out the triangles, I screwed them to the ends of my cylinder and applied a little hot melt glue to stop spinning.

After outlining my cylinder with triangles on my table saw sled, I hot melt glued blocks so that I could place it again with each turn.

After that the process gets repetitive. For each kerf, I hot melt glued a reinforcing board to the top of the cylinder in case the cut goes completely through the cylinder or enough to allow the cylinder to flex. Then make the cut, and glue in the accent strip. I used 5 minute epoxy for gap filling and setting time properties. With the glue hard, I cut away the excess accent wood and the reinforcing board.

With the knot complete, the rest is normal turning adding a top and a base.

Enjoy!

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Music: Traumerei by Shumann performed by Becky Schlappi. Used with permission.