Wednesday's Wisdom For Woodturners March 28, 2018

[lew]

This seems fitting for today-

 

 

Supposed to be damp, cold and miserable the remainder of the week.

 

@Steve Krumanaker asked for opinions on a metal working lathe/mill combination  from Grizzly. He received several responses. If you have any experiences with this unit, I'm sure he would appreciate your input.

 

 

 

@Ron Altier has been experimenting with a new style of ornament. He is using epoxy as part of the construction medium. Ron posed a question concerning finishing the hardened epoxy.

 

Several members offered suggestions. Maybe you can give him some ideas.

 

 

 

@Cliff ended up with a warped bowl. He has a theory that steam can be used to "un-warp" it. Check out the steam box he has constructed for experiment.

 

 

 

 

The Segmented Woodturners organization is holding their  6th Segmented Symposium  on October 12-14, 2018 in St. Louis Missouri.

 

Registration information is at their site-

http://segmentedwoodturners.org/?album=1&cover=0&occur=1&photo=39

 

 

 

Usually a turner, posting a video on YouTube, will edit out any mistakes. Rick Turns posted a video "attempt" at making a birds mouth vase. Rick kept the mistakes. I hate to admit how many times I've made the same ones.

 

 

 

 

 

Mike Peace posted a very short video showing his turning jigs for gauging spindle diameters. Maybe some ideas here you haven't considered.

 

 

 

Not sure if I posted this in the past. Sometimes I'd like to get an idea what a turning will look like before starting the actual process. Sketchup will work but there's a nice, FREE software program called LatheMagic. The software is not completely intuitive but does come with tutorial videos and instruction manuals. 

 

You can download the software from-

http://www.lathemagic.com/

 

At the same site there is another program called ShapeMagic that can be used with 3D printers. 

 

 

 

I'm finally getting the manzanita turning done. The last coat of poly is slowly drying in the basement. I call this one "hidden in my heart". Mimi was in the basement when I opened the box of roots and said this piece looked like a heart (she's a nurse), thus the name. These images were take before the final coat of poly. It's a little more shiny now. Also the finial wasn't seate completely. It needs glued in place once dry.

 

 

 

The finial was made from a piano ebony key. A buddy salvaged them from a trashed instrument and gave me a couple. I really need to refine my finial shapes. Maybe I should have used that software!  @Jim from Easy Wood Tools this was turned completely with Easy Wood Tools!

 

Safe turning

 

 

Edited March 28, 2018 by lew

[Grandpadave52]

16 minutes ago, lew said:

I'm finally getting the manzanita turning done.

Great recovery & save. Beautiful piece and appropriately named Lew.

Another excellent mid-week recap & refresher...well except for...

I'm beginning to believe this is really true.

[HandyDan]

Nice recap to the week Lew.  Your new turning is simply gorgeous.  I'll bet Mimi latches on to it and never lets go.  Love it.

[Steve Krumanaker]

Nicely done on that little burl box, I think the finial works just fine for that. If you do want to watch a good DVD about finials, check out Cindy Drozda's videos. "Elegant finials" and "Fabulous finial box" are both excellent resources I think.

 

Steve

[Gene Howe]

Wow, Lew. That manzanita piece is fabulous. 

As to the cancellation notice...it'll be 77 out here by Saturday. But, geeze. It's only gonna be 64 today. 

[Jim L]

Thanks Lew...  that manzanita piece is beautiful.  Reminds me of another piece you did!  Beautiful work. 

[lew]

@Grandpadave52 Thanks! The sun actually peeked out yesterday for a few seconds!

 

@HandyDan Thank You! Mimi has been hinting about keeping it.

 

@Steve Krumanaker Thanks! I remembered you talking about her and her finials. I did look at her website at the time and I should have looked again before starting this one. I wanted more of a "ball" shape to begin the top portion.

 

@Gene Howe Thank You!

 

@Jim from Easy Wood Tools Thanks! I think that one had more color!

 

Thanks everyone for the continued support of "Wednesday's..." posts. Please if you have any ideas on subject matter, turners or other thoughts, let me know!

[Gene Howe]

Lew, even though I don't turn on a lathe, I thoroughly enjoy your Wednesday posts. Thanks a bunch for the time and effort you give to them. 

[lew]

32 minutes ago, Gene Howe said:

Lew, even though I don't turn on a lathe, I thoroughly enjoy your Wednesday posts. Thanks a bunch for the time and effort you give to them. 

Thanks, Gene!

[Grandpadave52]

2 hours ago, Gene Howe said:

Lew, even though I don't turn on a lathe, I thoroughly enjoy your Wednesday posts. Thanks a bunch for the time and effort you give to them. 

+1 Thanks!

[Dadio]

Lew, I agree with everyone above, I love the turning work, and admire what you guys do on the lathes, and you are doing great on the Wed. report,keep it up.

 

Herb

[Gene Howe]

Lew doesn't toot his own horn so I will....

That beautiful manzanita turning was awarded a "Top 3" by the discerning staff over on the Lumberjocks site. Take a look. Hidden in My Heart.

Well, heck. It looks like LJs doesn't want us to link to them. You'll have to go to the site to see it and read all the accolades. There's a bunch.

[lew]

On 3/30/2018 at 1:43 PM, Grandpadave52 said:

+1 Thanks!

Thanks @Grandpadave52

 

On 3/30/2018 at 5:41 PM, Dadio said:

Lew, I agree with everyone above, I love the turning work, and admire what you guys do on the lathes, and you are doing great on the Wed. report,keep it up.

 

Herb

Thanks @Dadio

 

On 3/30/2018 at 7:30 PM, Gene Howe said:

Lew doesn't toot his own horn so I will....

Now you have me blushing, Gene.

[HandyDan]

I just enjoyed watching the video on the Bird's Mouth Vase.  I liked how Rick left the mistakes in because we all know how quick these things can happen.  I went and looked and found a video by Ernie and viewed it too.  Seems Rick may have missed the part on choosing a limb.  Ernie says an "oval" limb works best so if you want to make one view this video by Ernie. 

 

 

[lew]

@HandyDan Thanks for posting this!

 

When I got my first lathe, I bought Mr. Conover's book on learning to turn. I'm not much of a reader but it was well illustrated and helped me learn.

[HandyDan]

1 hour ago, lew said:

When I got my first lathe, I bought Mr. Conover's book on learning to turn. I'm not much of a reader but it was well illustrated and helped me learn.

 

I have watched his videos and used to get the Woodworkers Journal and enjoyed his articles.  He is a good turner with safety in mind.  I recently learned he lives an hour and a half from me and I may sign up for one of his classes.