First day of spring!!!!!!!!! Let's hope Mother Nature cooperates with the calendar!

 

 

Our Patriot Turners-

@HandyDan has upped his game with the pens he makes. Dan shows us how he changes the finish on the pen parts-

 

He explains the process using a video he found on YouTube-

 

 

What’s Coming Up-

 

Click on the above image for a link to the show's web site.

 

 

If you are anywhere near Lexington, KY this coming weekend, here's something you don't want to miss! A super chance to pick up some of those great Easy Wood Tools ( @Jim from Easy Wood Tools )!!!

 

 

For The Newbies-

If you are lucky someone will offer free wood from a felled tree. "Green" wood is really fun to turn. Shaving peel off in long ribbons and the natural beauty of the wood comes through. Most of us can't just drop everything and immediately turn the piece. Setting it aside for later is not a good idea. The problem with green wood is that as it dries it will crack, often to the point of being unusable. Prepping the piece is essential for getting the most from the wood. Carl Jacobson posted a video illustrating the proper techniques to saving your green logs for later use.

 

Carl mentions using water and dishwashing liquid detergent for preserving the wood as well. I recently read about this article in the Woodworker's Journal explaining about drying your turnings. It includes the water/detergent method along with a few others.

 

http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/options-for-drying-green-bowl-blanks/

 

 

Expand Your Horizons-

Natural edge bowls always attract attention. They combine the beauty of nature along with the artistic lines of the turner. Recently Carl Jacobson posted a video of a natural edge "box". Carl's was made from a maple burl but any beautiful wood could be used- I'm thinking Manzanita Root!

 

 

New Turning Items-

The folks at Woodturners Wonders have put together a really nice sanding package. If you use compressed air sanding units this might be for you-

 

Check out the details at- https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/specials/products/super-simple-sanding-bundle

Everything Else-

...and sometimes the dragon wins...

 

 

 

Safe turning

Some good stuff.  Actually got on the lathe and finished a wine goblet yesterday.  Finish is not yet done but working on it.  Maybe end of the week..

Lew, thanks for the nod on my pens.  I will enjoy perusing the other material you supplied here too.  Thanks for taking the time.

Good job Lew, that sanding package looks pretty good, unfortunately they just got a nice chunk of change from for a different package they'd offered. If that "dragon" vessel is yours, I'd say it's still a keeper, nice form on it.

 

Steve

Thanks for the great topic Lew. So, who made that vessel, the dragon one?

I like it!

 

Thanks Lew.  I really like that natural edge lidded box from Carl Jacobson.

@Woodbutcherbynight Thanks! Looking forward to seeing the finished goblet!!

 

@HandyDan Thank You! Those pens are awesome!

 

@Steve Krumanaker Thanks! Yes, that's the rotten elm branch. Gotta be at least a gallon of CA on it and was on and off the lathe countless times. Invested too much time and thought to just chuck it.

 

@John Morris Thank You! That's mine from a rotten elm tree branch that came down this winter.

 

@Jim from Easy Wood Tools Thanks! I think that's a beauty, too!

Good post Lew. I have a Cherry burl and was wondering what I would do with it. Problem solved.

@Gerald Can't wait to see that!!!

Hey Lew...   BTW, I'll be the guy doing the turning demo all day long.  So if you should stop in I guarantee a friendly handshake, and maybe a tee shirt, but don't expect to learn anything new about turning.  ;o)  My demos are for newbies   haha

1 hour ago, Jim from Easy Wood Tools said:

Hey Lew...   BTW, I'll be the guy doing the turning demo all day long.  So if you should stop in I guarantee a friendly handshake, and maybe a tee shirt, but don't expect to learn anything new about turning.  ;o)  My demos are for newbies   haha

I'd LOVE to be there a little bit of a drive for me.

2 hours ago, lew said:

I'd LOVE to be there a little bit of a drive for me.

Ah, but to get to see Jim, the beautiful countryside and, a trip down the Bourbon trail. It would be well worth the drive. And, ya only live once. 

2 hours ago, Gene Howe said:

a trip down the Bourbon trail

Fortunately, the trail begins west of Lexington- if not I'd never make it there OR BACK!!!

Finally got to the lathe.  Made a goblet for my friend.  His wife dropped the last one and shattered the glass.  Thinking it could not be repaired she tossed it.  Then told him about it two months later.  Have to get some glasses tomorrow so I can set in place with silicone.

 

9 hours ago, Woodbutcherbynight said:

Finally got to the lathe.  Made a goblet for my friend.  His wife dropped the last one and shattered the glass.  Thinking it could not be repaired she tossed it.  Then told him about it two months later.  Have to get some glasses tomorrow so I can set in place with silicone.

 

 

 

Beautiful! Love the combination of woods!