# My new wood hat!!



## Spinartist

The best text I got about trees down from hurricane Irma was this juicy 16" diameter Bottle Brush Burl!
I've been on the look out for a couple years for a fresh burl to make myself a replacement wood hat since a guy bought the one I had off my head at a show. Got to have fresh cut wet wood to make a wood hat.

photos : burl & my size 10 shoe, trimmed down with chainsaw, rounded end view, side view, hat brim with light shining through. Gotta be thin!!

Reactions: Way Cool 9


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## Spinartist

General outer hat shape turned, finished cut & off lathe (sprayed with water), then into the bending jig!!
Tomorrow it'll be dry & I'll sand it then oil. In a few days I'll rub in two coats of Polyurethane for a matt finish. & put on outer hat band and inner cushion spacers as needed! Should fit my head nicely!!

Reactions: Like 6 | EyeCandy! 2 | Way Cool 19 | Creative 1


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## Tony

That is cool! Ome of these days I'd love to turn myself a cowboy hat!! Tony


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## Spinartist

Tony said:


> That is cool! Ome of these days I'd love to turn myself a cowboy hat!! Tony




I've made a few full sized cowboy hats. They're a bit harder than a Bowler hat.
I'm lookin fer the right piece of wood to make a Wood Barter baseball cap!

Reactions: Like 2 | Way Cool 2


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## Spinartist

I was thinking of putting wood veneer as a hat band. Just saw this band & think snake skin would be awesome!! What y'all think? Comment??

Anyone got one to trade??

I'll measure tomorrow. Think I need 26" or so.

Reactions: Like 2


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## Tony

@Wildthings might be able to help. I think it would be awesome! Tony


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## DKMD

You Floridians wear funny cowboy hats... probably ride Shetland ponies.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Great Post 1 | Funny 9


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## woodtickgreg

That's a cool looking hat, reminds me of a derby.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## ripjack13

AWESOMENESS IS AWESOME!!!!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## rocky1

Did you thread the inside of it?

Reactions: Funny 4


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## ripjack13

rocky1 said:


> Did you thread the inside of it?



What are you suggesting? Thats he's screwy?

Reactions: Funny 4


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## Spinartist

woodtickgreg said:


> That's a cool looking hat, reminds me of a derby.




A Bowler hat is a Derby. Just a fancier name.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Spinartist

Tony said:


> That is cool! Ome of these days I'd love to turn myself a cowboy hat!! Tony




You need a 20" lathe fer a cowboy hat!!


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## Tony

Spinartist said:


> You need a 20" lathe fer a cowboy hat!!

Reactions: Funny 1 | Sincere 1


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## cabomhn

Wow that is cool!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## rocky1

ripjack13 said:


> What are you suggesting? Thats he's screwy?




No... The threads will help hold it on in a breeze!

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 3


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## jasonb

Very crestive. Is that also considered as a hard hat?

Reactions: Creative 1


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## jasonb

Tony said:


>


Not sure they make a big enough lathe in your size

Reactions: Funny 4


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## rocky1

Don't worry little buddy... The head pivots on your lathe, you can turn hats as big as you need!

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1 | Funny 1


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## Tony

rocky1 said:


> Don't worry little buddy... The head pivots on your lathe, you can turn hats as big as you need!



You know, I didn't even think about that. Now there's just the matter of my skill level..........

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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## Blueglass

DKMD said:


> You Floridians wear funny cowboy hats... probably ride Shetland ponies.


The cracker horses and cattle were smaller but tough enough to live in this swamp land 100 years ago. I've read some cool stories.

Reactions: Like 2


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## Spinartist

jasonb said:


> Not sure they make a big enough lathe in your size




I got one that fits @Tony 's head. From what I heard, everything isn't always bigger in .

Reactions: Funny 11


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## Tony

Spinartist said:


> I got one that fits @Tony 's head. From what I heard, everything isn't always bigger in .
> 
> View attachment 135149



The mustache isn't near long enough to match mine. Tony

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Funny 3


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## barry richardson

That's too cool! I take it you have made a few? That's a nifty jig too... I always figured you would need to use a tame straight grained wood like poplar, or similar, to make those hats, ...guess not.... That's the first bowler style I've seen, Personally, I like it better than the cowboy hats......

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


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## Ralph Muhs

DKMD said:


> You Floridians wear funny cowboy hats... probably ride Shetland ponies.[/QUOTE
> Donkeys probably


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## rocky1

Cracker cattle and horses don't have much on Shetland ponies or donkeys, believe me.

Grown cracker cow is a roughly the size of weaned feeder calves in ND. Barely got Mexican roping stock beat.

Horses... Oh... Picture the ugliest little mustang you ever saw. They're uglier!

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


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## Spinartist

barry richardson said:


> That's too cool! I take it you have made a few? That's a nifty jig too... I always figured you would need to use a tame straight grained wood like poplar, or similar, to make those hats, ...guess not.... That's the first bowler style I've seen, Personally, I like it better than the cowboy hats......




I like the bowler hat better too. Yes, I've made a few. It's good to use fresh cut wet wood that has a lot of movement or changes shape while drying.
Example - Our Florida Mahogany doesn't "move" enough to warrant making hats from it. Bottle Brush tree does.

The jig is modeled after the ones Johannas Michealsen ( wrong spelling I'm sure) uses. Works well.

Reactions: Like 3


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## rocky1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Cracker_cattle
http://www.floridacrackercattle.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Cracker_Horse
http://www.floridacrackerhorses.com/history.htm


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## barry richardson

Spinartist said:


> I like the bowler hat better too. Yes, I've made a few. It's good to use fresh cut wet wood that has a lot of movement or changes shape while drying.
> Example - Our Florida Mahogany doesn't "move" enough to make hats from it. Bottle Brush tree does.
> 
> The jig is modeled after the ones Johannas Michealsen ( wrong spelling I'm sure) uses. Works well.


Makes sense, you would need it to become oval to fit the skull.....


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## Spinartist

Sanded my new hat today & rubbed in a coat of polyurethane. Still looking fer rattle snake hat band.
Need about 26" long.
I'm thinkin of filling the small voids with Turquoise.

@SpinnerRowe said it all warped & misshaped!!
I replied , that's why it fits my head perfectly!!

The hat really fits well. Front to back I not even 1/8" space. Sides, about 1/4" clearance. I love it!!
Still more work to do on it. Wore it to grocery store an hour ago. Folks I showed it to were blown away.

Who is that masked man??!!

Reactions: Like 2 | Funny 2 | Way Cool 7


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## woodtickgreg

Very cool Lee!

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## Ken Martin

This is one cool concept! I love the twisted wood. Ok ow this one is not for sale, but what kind of price would you put on something like that?


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## Spinartist

Ken Martrin said:


> This is one cool concept! I love the twisted wood. Ok now this one is not for sale, but what kind of price would you put on something like that?




$750.00
& again. This ones not fer sale. Wore it all day at show. Very comfortable on my head. Several folks tried it on. Only fit right on two folks.
Each hat must be custom fit to each persons head.


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## barry richardson

Are you sure you didn't rob the grocery store?

Reactions: Funny 2


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## barry richardson

Lee, after seeing this post, I've decided I want to make one..... someday, when I find a nice wet chunk of fresh cut eucalyptus. Any tutorials you would recommend? youtube or anything else?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## JoeK

Lee and I were at a craft show this weekend and he made quite a splash with his wooden hat. Just awesome!!

Reactions: Like 3 | Thank You! 1


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## Spinartist

barry richardson said:


> Lee, after seeing this post, I've decided I want to make one..... someday, when I find a nice wet chunk of fresh cut eucalyptus. Any tutorials you would recommend? youtube or anything else?




Youtube - making a wood hat. Lots of good videos. Or come visit & we'll make one!!


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## Gixxerjoe04

Nice job, next week I'm taking a class with Chris Ramsey and turning a small cowboy hat, plan on taking more classes with him down the road I hope. If you don't know Chris' work, look him up.

Reactions: Like 1


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