Creating a Bunny from Eggs

This is a project I completed four years ago during the spring. I believe I created it for the Spring Vendor Showcase event. You can watch a 2022 video all about it on my YouTube channel. 

Below left is a photo I took of a bunny in our backyard. It was the inspiration for the wooden bunny I created in the photo below on the right.

Project overview

This is a great project to practice making eggs and then using them to create other forms. This bunny uses three different sized egg shapes to create most of the bunny. The legs are straight turned to shape. All the pieces require sanding, fitting and gluing (or magnets) after the turning. Then some basic carving embellishment is used along with some painting and finishing. 

Turning the parts

1. Body: 3” x 2” (76 mm x 52 mm)
2. Head: 2” x 1.5” (50 mm x 38 mm)
3. Ears: 1.35″ x 0.75” (34 mm x 19.5 mm)
4. The legs are 0.5” (13 mm) diameter x 1.125” (29 mm) long and shaped to look like bunny feet.

Here are the essential steps and techniques for turning an egg shape:

Proportions and Layout

1. Dimensions: A standard large chicken egg measures approximately 2.2″ long by 1.7″ high. This is a length to width ratio of approximately 1:0.77.Note that the egg shapes needed for this project may not follow these rules.
2. The Widest Point: The largest diameter of an egg is not perfectly centered. It sits slightly closer to the blunt side. Somewhere about 40% of the length.
3. Preparation: Mount a 2″ x 2″ x 3.5″ wood blank between centers. Using similar centers will allow you to turn the blank end for end which allows cutting either end with your most comfortable tool handling position. Draw lines on the cylinder to mark the ends of the egg and a third line to mark where the largest diameter will sit.

Roughing and Shaping the Blunt End

1. Use a parting tool to cut about 1/2″ deep to clearly define the ends of the egg, then rough the blank down to a round cylinder with a spindle roughing gouge.
2. With a spindle gouge, start at the right corner (the blunt end) and “nibble” away the wood a bit at a time.
3. Start with the tool flute open, and as you push right, close the flute and swing the handle away from you in an arc. You are essentially turning half of a large bead.

Shaping the Pointy End

1. Repeat the nibbling process on the left side to form the sweeping curve of the pointy end.
2. Right-handed turners often find this side challenging because their body naturally blocks the necessary arc of the tool handle. To compensate, you can shift your stance to the left, switch the tool to your left hand, use a skew chisel, or use a spindle gouge with a very short handle. If you are more comfortable, stop the lathe and turn the blank end for end so that you can cut the pointy end on the right.
3. Do not cut the egg completely off. Leave about 1/4″ of wood connected at the pointy end.

Initial Sanding and Parting

1. Sand the blunt end and the main body through your normal progression (e.g., 150 up to 600 grit) while it is still attached to the lathe.
2. Use a thin parting tool or a Japanese pull saw to completely sever the egg from the waste wood.

Jam Chucking to Finish

1. Instead of hand-sanding the rough pointy tip, create a custom jam chuck out of scrap wood.
2. Hollow the jam chuck so it has a 1.5″ inside diameter. This allows you to press the blunt end of the egg firmly into the chuck, securing it right up to its widest point.
3. With the egg wedged in the spinning jam chuck, you can cleanly cut and sand the pointy end and easily apply finishes, dyes, or marbling

Repeat these steps for the three egg shapes needed

1. Use a 1.5” x 1.5” x2.5” blank for the head shape.
2. Use a 0.75 diameter dowel by 5” long for the egg for the ears. The legs can be shaped from this dowel as well.

Shaping and Assembly

Once the shapes are made then texturing, sanding and further shaping is done.

The bunny body needs shaping to sit at the right angle for how a bunny sits normally. For the body I sand a flat on the bottom that enables the egg to sit at about a 30 – 35 degree angle. Another posing angle may suit. I use a spindle mounted sanding disk to complete this task.

Note that I paid attention to having the face grain on the sides of the body. This helps mimic the hind legs and fur shape. This also orients the side grain running down the back which helps with the fur illusion.

The top of the body egg is sanded so the head rest area is parallel to the bottom flat. I also leave a ridge for the head to nestle into. This ridge is created mostly by the edge of the sanding disk. The flat on the head is also created with the sanding disk. I orient the flat so that the nose or pointy end of the egg is horizontal.

The head is held to the body with attracting magnets. This allows for positioning the head for different poses. It really adds to the character of the bunny.

Texturing and Finishing

I used a wire wheel held in the lathe spindle for texturing the fur on the body and head. Be careful with this procedure and protect your hands and eyes. I also used a small powered carving tool (MicroMotor or Dremel tool) to enhance the texture and sand the texture.

I used a thin pull saw to split the small egg for the ears. I held the small egg by the remaining tenon in a scroll shuck attached to my Pro-Mount carving stand. This holding method allows me to be comfortable while using the saw so that I was as accurate as possible. A hand carving chisel was used to sculpt out the inside of the ears.

A 1” or smaller dowel wrapped with sandpaper makes for a pretty good sanding drum for small parts. Mounted between centers I could use the sanding drum to shape the base of the ears to conform to the head shape. I also shaped the eye sockets using the drum sander. Finally, the stumps of the legs were sanded at an angle on the drum sander to conform to the body shape.

Using light grey or white paint to get into the deep texture and then topped with a couple of shades of brown gave me the color I needed to match the bunny that lives in our backyard.

Final Thoughts

This project is a great way to explore egg forms while also learning how small changes in proportion, texture, and pose can bring personality to a piece. The simple shapes leave plenty of room for experimentation, and no two bunnies need to look the same. Whether used as a decorative item, a seasonal project, or a skill-building exercise, this bunny offers a fun and rewarding turning experience.