Start the sanding process as with the apple. I use Vitex cloth backed abrasive, which is a "j" weight cloth.

Photo 9 Click for an enlarged view

Photo 10 Click for an enlarged view

I start with 100 or 120 grit, depending on the finish I acquired with the skew, and work through 180, 240 and 320 grits, finishing with 400. I like to stop the lathe and give the pear a coat of cellulose sanding sealer at this point, but I thin it down 50/50 with cellulose thinners. With a dry cloth and the lathe spinning, I dried the sealer and then gently rubbed it down with 0000 steel wool. A little bit of paste wax was put on the steel wool to prevent scratching the surface of the pear. I applied a second coat and dried it off as before, flattening it down gently with the steel wool. With a clean lint free cloth I applied some friction polish and dried it off as I did with the sealer, buffing up to a high gloss finish. Then I took a stick of Carnauba wax and while the lathe was spinning, I rubbed the stick over the whole of the pear. Using a clean cloth, I put some pressure onto the coat of wax, melting it, and buffed up with a clean soft cloth. After finishing with the wax, I parted off the top end. (Photo9)

Fit the fruit chuck to the lathe and screw the pear onto it and check that it runs true. With the 3/8" spindle gouge, carefully finish shaping the top end of the pear (photo10) and scrape with the skew chisel to remove any tool marks. Fit the Jacobs chuck, with the 2.5mm brad point drill attached, into the tailstock and bore a 3/4" deep hole into the end of the pear to accept the stock. Sand the top end and finish off as before.