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Nested Spheres

Overview

Nested Spheres	Nested Spheres with Star
Images courtesy Jean-Louis Meynier

A Nested Spheres, sometimes called a Chinese Ball or Boules de Canton, was popularized and documented by David Springett in his book, Woodturning Wizardry.

Additional pictures of this device

More Information

Published Articles

• Réalisation d'une boule de Canton by Roger Pillot, in the French magazine Le Bouvet n° 158, éditions BLB-bois. This is in French; even if you do not speak French, this is very informative.
• Some OT Ideas by (unknown). Ornamental Turners International Newsletter, Volume 8, No. 1 - Spring, 2001, pg. 2
• Turning Chinese Balls by David Arnold. Ornamental Turners International Newsletter, Volume 12, No. 2 - May, 2005, pg. 2
• Variations on a Theme: The Chinese Ball by Claude Lethiecq. Ornamental Turners International Newsletter, Volume 7, No. 3 - Winter, 2000, pg. 3

Books and Papers

• Manuel du Tourneur, the Plates and Volume 2 (2010) by Jeremy Soulsby (an English translation of Louis-Eloy Bergeron's 1792 book)
• Tour de Force Wood Turning (2013) by Claude Lethiecq. This paper is a great follow-up to the work done by Springett.
• Turning and Mechanical Manipulation, Vol. 4 - Hand Or Simple Turning: Principles and Practice (1881) by John Jacob Holtzapffel.
• Woodturning Wizardry (2005) by David Springett.

Presentations

• This interview with Claude Lethiecq about Chinese nested spheres was recorded at the 2010 AAW symposium.
• Jean-Louis Meynier put together these videos on the making of one. They are in French; even if you do not speak French, these are very informative.
  • Boule de Canton - Part 1
  • Boule de Canton - Part 2
  • Boule de Canton - Part 3
• Paul Texier, a wood turner, opened the doors of his workshop to us. This is his show Ecoutez Voir. Again, this is in French, but still very informative about the process.