Making A Christmas Ornament

I have made this year's Christmas ornament from a 20-sided icosphere. I made the 20 triangles forming the icosphere by gluing up a length of wood pieces that formed a Christmas tree graphic. I then sectioned that length of wood into the 20 triangles that I needed. I made a jig for the table saw that allowed me to cut the precise angle on the sides of these triangles so that they would all fit together to form the 20 sided sphere. I then woodturned this 20 sided object on the lathe to form a true sphere of about 6” in diameter. It has 20 differently decorated Christmas trees around its surface. It is made primarily of maple Christmas trees in a walnut field. I then decorated each tree by drilling holes in the face of each triangle and inserting different types of dowels.
Reference videos:
How to Woodturn the Earth: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oaOwiHuuZbiErNE
Snowflake Sphere: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6K8mHVpgK6pnK8
How to Woodturn a Sphere: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYuaqpmhd8emn9k
Tools used in this project can be found at
www.frankmakes.com/​
CNC: www.cncrouterparts.com​
Woodturning tools: carterandsontoolworks.com/
To see upcoming projects follow me on social media
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frank.howarth?hl=en
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FrankHowarth
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FrankMakes

[@jonathan__g]

I do enjoy that you kept up the tradition of having your kids say Merry Christmas at the end even though its pretty clear that as the years go on they want to do it less and less

[@eubie67]

The shot of the Howarth kids saying "Merry Christmas" is one of my favorite Christmas traditions! 🎅🎄

[@Dragon4eva]

Its such a good shot though

[@JovemEverton]

It will eventually get to the point they grow out of the teenage years and omce again have no problem doing It lol

[@Rich-on6fe]

They said the words, that's all that counts. Like Sorry, or Please. The deed is done.

[@Blue2swing]

In 10 years they will be begging to do the "Merry Christmas" at the end of the video for old times sake.

[@rzinurov]

That subtle clamp squeak at 7:32 was so adorable

[@troywaller77]

Making the kids say Merry Christmas at the end was the best Dad Grade "torture". Keep up the great work Frank. Merry Christmas!

[@justinofboulder]

I thought the same....loved it!

[@ceasewatercolorarts]

I was starting to think like "oh no, the kids aren't going to say Merry Christmas halfheartedly this year!" Success!

[@wadly99]

Looked like a hostage video.

[@dryroasted5599]

Very nearly killed 'em!

[@nullrout556]

I picture Frank just out of frame threatening them with horrible fates if they don't say the line. At least that's what I got from the strained looks on the kids' faces.

[@Angel_Ghr]

Loved the very enthusiastic "Merry Christmas" at the end! :D And really loved the project, would love to build something like that soon

[@peiroswoodworkingshop4076]

Great project.... Next year, forget to commit your teenagers. That may be a nice presents for them 😉😉

[@nashvillain171]

"Merry Christmas" 😕😒

[@NjniaVanDerWald]

next year they are holding a small hidden "HELP!" somewhere in the shot.

[@misfitramone]

Pask makes has a great video on making your own dowels.

[@thefirststopher]

Coffee and Frank H. on a Sunday morning: Priceless! Thank you.

[@thedistractedmaker]

I'm here for the "Merry Christmas" at the end. Thanks Frank!

[@465maltbie]

The colored pencils area great touch thanks for sharing. Charles

[@nkiey]

A lovely thing Frank. It struck me that you could have used coloured resin or epoxy rods instead of the dowels, then have a light source inside, but that would probably be unnecessarily complicated... Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

[@frankmakes]

It crossed my mind to do a few resin ornaments on the trees.

[@justin.booth.]

I have loved watching the progressively more outlandish sie of the "ornaments" over the years

[@Orangewood76]

I'll be the first to admit that I'm Team Humbug. But this is my tradition of the last few years- To see what Frank's made this year, and "check in" at the end and see how much the kids have grown over the year. Thank you for another great one!

[@fleetswoodshop3339]

frank you are a master with the wood .and the computer.o my god awesome.from doug

[@Kuro_Tsuki]

I would be honoured to have that beautiful work of art displayed in my home.

[@gingeruk555]

" I'm trendy now " brilliant .... Amazing project.

[@ukulelefatman]

Wow kids! That's the Christmas spirit !!

[@justonsvoid]

I’d like to think I can explain my making process pretty well until I watch another one of your videos… your humility and experience helps me still to think and act with empathy and logic whilst making the simplest object or act in my everyday life. Thanks will never be enough.

[@joshstephens3224]

Merry Christmas Mr. Howarth. Thanks for letting us in the shop.

[@ferredamon]

This is by far my most anticipated video of the year across KZbin. You do amazing work. I love that's it's not a given that you put out nice work. It's still a process and learning experience. Thanks for making these videos. You make them and I'll sit and wait for the next one.

[@headlikeorange3600]

Same! I was just thinking to myself 'Hmm, I wonder if Frank made a Christmas ornament yet?' lol.

[@jimmysgameclips]

Now that is effort and execution!

[@Calgary27]

Truly Enjoyable, Howarth Family!! Wishing you the best of this magical season and sharing my hopes for a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous and Enjoyable 2022!! 🇨🇦❤️🇨🇦

[@Brian18741]

Love it! The ornaments project each year is one of my favourites! 👍

[@WoodturningByME]

Very nice Frank. I look forward to all of your turning videos. Keep up the great work!

[@santiagodsl]

You are a wizard Frank!

[@Dragon4eva]

Its not the christmas season until frank kicks us off with an enthusiastic merry christmas from his kids. Thanks for another good one!

[@Slamgod]

The Things you do Frank I unfortunately cannot. But I absolutely love watching people design and create things. I get excited every time I see your videos up on my feed. Especially the yearly ornament! Beautiful Work, as always, Frank. Do to my mothers very recent passing, if there is anything that can put a smile on my face right now it was this. Again, great work, and thank you for what you do! See you in the next one!

[@wandapiedra8973]

I admire your talent and your quest for excellence! Love your work.👍❤️

[@gregthorne4292]

The colored pencils were a great idea, and look great!

[@bedongskifrombedongdesign1062]

Wow what a great project again Frank, beautiful ornament !!!

[@andrewmullen4003]

That's beautiful Frank!

[@garymucher4082]

An amazing and, I am sure, time consuming project. It looks fantastic. But knowing how everything had to fit together, I am sure you spent a lot of time experimenting before you got a finished project. Bravo sir, Bravo...

[@woodmanhugh]

That is celebrating the spherit of the season. Merry Christmas.

[@sgsax]

It's always cool to see how the 2D shape in the flat segments get distorted as the sphere is shaped. Really makes it look interesting to me. Thanks for sharing!

[@mikehunt42069]

Colored pencils were an excellent idea! It looks great

[@AnthonyStabler]

Your screen name sounds like a Bob & Tom bit.🤣

[@r.p.mcmurphy6623]

I noticed that your kids were blinking "HELP US" in Morse Code... 🤣🎅

[@MrMy57]

I try to write in english I wish you a merry chrismas Frank and all your family Il’s alwaysa pleasure to see Your works Merci Et encore bonne fête de Noël Kiss from France

[@jeffcowles8274]

The enthusiastic teenager "Merry Christmas" wish at the end was key.

[@naptastic]

I look forward to your ornaments every year :)

[@afistfulofvideos]

Every year I'm astonished by your ornament!

[@arnhemseptember2009]

Fun project! Great kids! All the best from Holland!

[@robertlevasseur6843]

I watch and appreciate all your videos Frank. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

[@lisaapps6890]

Great work Frank, such patience 😯

[@1974HondaCB350F]

I absolutely love the Christmas ornament series, Frank. It's something I look forward to each December. Thank you for keeping it up! This was my favorite ornament project of yours so far. Very nice!

[@lars.reimann]

Merry Christmas, Frank! I really appreciate your work. You are one of my main inspirations for my small projects. And I love your humble way of looking on your work. You are really a master craftsman and I honour you.

[@alflud]

Merry Christmas Frank.

[@thegrizzable]

This peice would be amazing with a magnetic center and then a magnetic base to make it levitate!!! You are a true artist!

[@taylormoore4991]

Wow that’s amazing! God bless! God is good! Great craftsmanship sir!

[@rollsroyce7325]

That's just AMAZING, Good Job Franck👏👏👏👏👏👏👌

[@nullrout556]

I was watching you and dreading all the end-grain...you have the patience of a super-human my friend! Awesome work! Awesome videograghy! Thanks Frank!

[@sariannas2799]

I look forward to this video every year. :)

[@Dysiode]

This is my favorite ornament yet! I adore all the different styles of ornaments; the colored pencils are so playful, the small similarly colored ones are so classy, and I really like the twice drilled ones too!

[@LerrySanders]

Your incredible. Always a treat to get a new video from you.

[@johnfithian-franks8276]

Hi Frank, one way to make dowels is simple and works very well, get a set of die & taps and use the one that makes the thread of the bolt and use that to make the dowel, you end up with all the sizes you will need and they never need sharpening. Another bonus is you and use the set to make bolts and nuts.

[@owenparker6651]

Try drilling the dowel hole in wood and place a couple jigsaw blades on opposite tangents of the hole to make dowels. Great project, very well deployed! Thanks for sharing!

[@bulldozer7656]

Thanks for sharing w us Frank. Your a master woodworker

[@Joe_Sant]

Great work Frank. Looks brilliant. Your videos are always very entertaining .

[@Steve.Garrison]

Very nice, Frank!

[@elluisito000]

Another extraordinary piece. Thanks.

[@kristenkatz8425]

Awesome as always Frank! Hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas!🎄

[@Aprendeartesania]

IMPRESIONANTE, eres un trabajador de Santa Claus, SEGURO!!!

[@daneekaplan4284]

stunning

[@Tokahax]

In your description of your christmas tree "sausage" or "sushi," I began to think that you have never gone and gotten a tube of christmas sugar cookies with snowmen or tree patterns in them. That's like the 1:1 analogy!

[@azpcox]

Frank, love all of these ornaments over the years! So much planning and care! Can you just make a quick compilation of all of the years with the kids saying merry Christmas and we get to watch them grow up in 5 minutes? :)

[@misterfixie6003]

Frank man I've been waiting! Merry Christmas buddy! Another fine ornament, this time with tape wabi-sabi! -fixie

[@ChefAssassin1000]

Gorgeous, Frank! I look forward to the ornament project every year! Thank you for continually putting out such well made and well planned content. You know how to keep us coming back for more.

[@adamhelsley457]

What a beautiful woodworking piece! You are amazingly smart & should be a geometry teacher. Loved the kids Merry Christmas at the end 🎄

[@shannonvans]

Fascinating and beautiful as always!

[@TheStrangeAlchemist]

What a lovely christmas D20, that you then rounded :)

[@Lutzboater]

Another great lesson in sphere making. I liked the way the red and green colored pencils looked in the final product. Marry Christmas !!

[@TheCourtright]

That's a pretty impressive D20 you built!

[@pjbaddict]

Great job frank… your projects and patience always impresses me

[@kris_kreations]

Awesome, Frank, as usual. And I agree, it doesn’t have to go on a tree to be an ornament. Merry Christmas 🎄

[@lorifarrell5705]

really original pretty ornament; thanks for sharing !

[@tinom.2455]

@23:45 I love the enthusiasm of your kids...

[@billparrish4385]

Hey Frank, for hanging it on a Christmas tree, ever see one of those wrought iron hangers for suspending a dutch oven over a camping fire, made like a horizontal arm extending out from a vertical pole driven in the ground? There's a hook on one end for the bail of the pot to go over, and a twisted spiral loop on the other end that slides down over the pole, then the weight of the pot introduces friction as the arm tilts down under the weight of the pot, and keeps it from sliding down the pole. It seems like a similar horizontal arm could be made for these heavier ornaments, and instead of a spiral twist around a pole, cut a 1/3 slice out of an oversized short piece of PVC (or metal) tubing, then attach the end of the arm to this tube next to the edge of the slice. The width of the slice would need to be wider than the diameter of the trunk. To use it, just jam the arm back in there and hook the tube around the trunk (i.e., the trunk would pass through the missing slice, leaving the trunk centered in the tube). If it does slide down, the next branches would stop it, but the far side of the tube with the curve in it would hook around the back side of the trunk, and the front side where the arm attaches would push into the trunk as the weight of the ornament was hung on the end of the arm.

[@lemm1388]

Love the colored pencils they look the best.

[@jimcoleman749]

What an amazing piece of work! Thank you for this video.

[@eatenkate]

The merry christmas gets more enthousiastic for every year (; Merry christmas to you too Frank & family!

[@beldarin]

Beautiful, thanks Frank, Merry Christmas

[@sapelesteve]

That turned out really nice Frank! Loved seeing the kids at the end of the video! Happy Holidays to you & your family! Be well & stay safe! 👍👍🎄🎄🎄🎄👍👍

[@tomahawker1]

Frank, when I saw the thumbnail for the video in my feed I thought, "No way that is made from wood!" After watching your video, I realize it can be done, but only with an incredible amount of craftsmanship and effort. Outstanding! Thanks for sharing the entire process.

[@MrItchyStitch]

Beautiful ornament, great video. Merry Christmas.

[@minutemark]

Awesome! Merry Christmas, Frank!

[@zohranbloedjes9770]

These orinimants are super cool

[@Rouverius]

Thanks for helping us kick off the holiday season Merry Christmas, Frank!

[@jayballauer8353]

If you have a tap and die set laying around, spin the dowels through the die of the appropriate size. Love the videos, Frank!

[@daveklein2826]

Always perfect when the kids hold the ornament and wish us Merry Christmas

[@plewelly]

The kids always look so thrilled to record that last bit

[@oneturnatatime6309]

I'm very impressed. Great job 👌

[@greghutto6866]

Not sure if it's in the comments but i put notches with an angle grinder around the dowel maker's entrance hole and that worked pretty good for me. Gives it teeth so to speak. As always Frank love your videos.

[@bigburlymikesmswoodworking]

Absolutely beautiful. Merry Christmas to you and your entire family. The holiday season just isn't complete without your ornament project.

[@MrBiggybit]

did you tell them kids at the end to look as miserable as possible or are they just naturally so "joyful" ? that was my favorite part

[@M31glow]

Love th colored pencil idea! Great post

[@sambob6428]

Amazing work - thanks for sharing your talent!

[@plainnpretty]

It’s beautiful Frank

[@c.a.g.1977]

Nice job, Frank! And Merry Christmas to you and your family!

[@RedSpringChest]

It’s like a holiday when frank uploads

[@davidmoffitt981]

That came out great!!

[@shaharsdechen2537]

Looks good Frank!

[@Kristina_Sundkvist_Sweden]

So pretty. Well done. 👍

[@AndrewR74]

Very nice Frank. Merry Christmas to you and your family.