Turning Mini Mushroom Ornaments

These mini mushroom ornaments are a fantastic woodturning project! They are fun to make because you can experiment with a variety of different styles and colors to really dress up your holiday tree. Best of all, they’re a great way to use up those scrap wood pieces you have lying around.

The real beauty of this project is the opportunity for some excellent tool practice - specifically, mastering the versatile skew chisel. Throughout this project, we primarily rely on the skew for everything from rounding the blank to executing a clean parting cut.

Prep the Blank and Turn a Secure Tenon

We started with a piece of scrap wood, about 1-1/2" inches by 4" long. You can adjust these sizes based on the ornaments you want to make.

1. Since the blank wasn’t cut perfectly square, carefully aligned the end grain to the center point of the revolving center before clamping down the chuck.
   
2. It’s critical to keep the tail stock engaged while you true up a square blank. Gripping the four corners of a square doesn’t offer a very secure hold until a round tenon is established.
   
3. Using primarily the 1" skew chisel, perform planing cuts to get the end of the blank close to round. Then turn a small tenon to fit securely into our chuck jaws. A small slicing cut and a chamfer help clean up the end grain fibers and prepare the tenon.
   
4. Swap ends, mount the new tenon securely in the chuck jaws, and, keeping the tail stock engaged for safety during heavy cuts, use the skew for quick peel cuts to knock off the sharp corners, followed by planing cuts to create a smooth, clean cylindrical surface.

Skew Tip: For planing cuts, having your tool rest adjusted so the tool is just a little bit above center makes it easier, especially on larger diameter spindles.

Lay Out and Start Shaping the Mushroom Head

With the blank rounded, remove the tail stock and begin shaping.

1. Using a parting tool, mark the length of the mushroom head (about 3/4") and the length of the stem (about 2" ). Remember, these measurements are flexible based on your design.
   
2. Use the parting tool to narrow the material near the stem, but do not go too skinny yet! Maintaining material strength is important to prevent chatter and movement while shaping the head.
   
3. Clean up the rough surface left by the parting tool using the skew, making V-cuts to define the bottom of the mushroom cap.

Mastering the Mushroom Cap with the Skew

For detailed shaping, switch from the 1" to a 1/2" skew chisel. The smaller size offers greater finesse for creating curves and radiuses.

• Start by rounding over the mushroom cap. The key to success is ensuring the bevel is engaged before the cutting edge starts the cut.
  
• We opted for a slightly more complex profile, a cove that blends into a radius. While a spindle gouge is the more appropriate (and easier) tool for a cove, you can use the skew’s long point down to achieve that concave profile.
  
• Once the cove is established, blend the top radius into it. Constant bevel contact is essential. If the bevel slips off and you are only on the cutting edge, you will get a significant catch.
  
• When using the long point down to create a radius, index the tool (start contact) at the corner of the flat and ground section of the tool, then swing the handle towards you. This keeps the cutting edge where you need it without floating the tool and risking a catch.

Shaping the Stem and Preparing for Finish

Once the head is shaped, use the 1" skew for quick peel cuts to remove excess material and define the slender teardrop shape of the stem.

1. Use a series of V-cuts and long-point-down techniques to refine the stem, ensuring the cut is always a clean, bevel-riding, slicing cut.
   
2. Before the stem gets too thin (under 1/4"), sand the entire surface. The skew often leaves a remarkably clean, burnished surface, so you can typically start with a fine grit like 240 or 320.
   
3. Create a small dimple with the skew to guide the drill bit, then drill about 1/4" deep. This depth provides enough room for glue later without excessive squeeze-out.
   
4. Add some color to the top of the mushroom. Apply the dye (we used Tombow Markers) on the lathe at a low speed, ensuring you rotate the marker to keep the tip from drying out and achieving an even saturation of color.

The Clean Parting Cut and Final Assembly

Bring the lathe speed back up and use the skew for the final, critical step: a clean parting cut.

1. Use a series of V-cuts and the skew’s slicing action to define the final half-round radius at the very bottom of the stem.
   
2. Continue with small V-cuts, bringing the diameter down as small as possible while supporting the piece with your hand. The goal is to finish the final cut with the skew held virtually vertical. This bevel-riding technique is superior to a standard parting tool, which often leaves a large chunk of torn grain on the base of the ornament.
   
3. Once the ornament is parted off, lightly sand the base in a circular fashion with a piece of 320-grit sandpaper held in the palm of your hand.
   
4. After letting the water-based marker dye dry, apply a coat of spray lacquer. Once the lacquer is dry, add decorative white acrylic paint dots (for a classic toadstool look) and then apply a quick protective topcoat over the acrylic.
   
5. Use a thick CA glue with a precision applicator to place glue about halfway down the pre-drilled hole. Spray activator directly onto the screw threads, then slowly press the eyelet screw into the hole, allowing air bubbles to escape without forcing glue out onto the lacquered surface.

These mini mushroom ornaments are quick, functional decorations and a fantastic project for practicing precision and control with the skew chisel.