Offset Wooden Pendant

Most woodworkers I know, myself included, have many small pieces of wood that are just to pretty to get rid of. This is an excellent project for those scraps and you end up with a gift for yourself or another special lady in your life.

There is a video at the end of this Instructable if you just want to skip to that.

Double sided adhesive is needed for this project. I like the Scotch brand of clear mounting tape. GET THE 5lb. STUFF! I know we all think bigger is better but you either won't be able to remove the blank or you'll break it if you use the 10lb. tape.

Find some pretty scrap wood. You'll need a piece approximately 3/8"x2"x2" but as long as it is at least 1/4" thick you can make the pendant any size you'd like. I made some that were 1-1/2" in diameter and some that were 2-1/4"+.

I used a bowl gouge, 1/4" round skew and 3/8" detail gouge to turn the pendant. You can use whatever tools you are comfortable with.

Get a chunk of 2x4 or some other scrap and turn yourself a jam chuck. This one is approximately 1-1/4" at the big end about 3/4" at the small end. Mine was designed to go in a scroll chuck. I turned it to rough shape between centers and then put it in the chuck and trued it up.

If you don't have a chuck, you could screw a piece of scrap to a waste block and turn a tenon on it to attach the blank to it.

Use a compass or some round object approximately the size of the desired pendant to mark the wood and then cut it out on the bandsaw. The rounder you cut it now the easier it will be to turn.

I used a bowl gouge to flatten the back. You could also use a scraper if that is what you are comfortable with. Sand the back. I start with 120 grit and work until 1200 grit. You don't have to go that high but I would I would recommend at least 220 grit. Finish the back. I used EEE polish and Myland's High build friction polish. You could use poly (either spray on or wipe on). I would not use an oil finish because it may bleed and stain the wearer's clothing.

Turn the blank around and remount it. Use a new piece of tape. TRUST ME! Try and mount the blank as close to center as possible.

Use the bowl gouge to turn a disc shape on the front of the pendant. The thickest part should be about 1/8" thick. Sand it again. Don't skip any grits. Finish the front the same way you finished the back.

Remount the blank off center.

Use a forstner bit to drill the blank. I used a 5/8" but you can adjust it to the size of the pendant.

Turn a dish shape into the hole. Stop the lathe often to make sure you don't make it too large.

Sand the dish shape and finish it.

You can use pinch bails or just wrap the cord through the hole.

If using pinch bails, find the top most point of the pendant and drill a 1/16" hole there. Open the bail and pinch it through the hole.

For some I used chain instead of cord.