In the run up to Christmas our family went to Dickens Faire, and my son really wanted to buy a wand at the wand shop.  I told him we could make one at home.   Now that the Christmas rush has passed we’ve finally gotten around to making one.

We chose a length of dowel rod, and I marked the hand-grip section out with a pencil.  Then I put it in the lathe and turned it out freestyle.  We did it out in the driveway to keep my shop from getting full of wood shavings.  I really should put some roller wheels on the end of that lathe.  It’s kind of small but still not much fun to haul out from under the workbench and lug out to the driveway.

My son tries the wand’s grip to test the comfort level.

I couldn’t find all my turning tools, but was able to track down a big gouge and I made do with some chisels I had around.   My son seemed to enjoy the process.  He was amazed at how the dowel seemed to stand still after the not-so-centered wobbly parts were turned down and it was running true.  The wand is not going to win any awards but he can hardly put it down.

This summer we dug for Herkimer Diamonds and we’re planning on gluing one to the tip of the wand.   I also will try to make  a secret compartment in the handle by cutting that trailing ball off, center drilling, and re-attaching with a dowel.   Lord only knows how I’ll hold the wand in the lathe for center drilling.   I guess I should have though of that first.