I got a nice order from cook woods this morning late.  I decided to start working on them and turning one down at least from square to round.  I'm thinking with this one just going with a round basic round dowel shape for the mill body itself.  Just a little bit more simpler to do and maintain.  With the cook woods order both were 3x3 the bhilwara is a 3x3x12 I am able to get 2 blanks out of that for the 6 inches and I also picked up a pieces of African Mahogany 3x3x24.  I should be able to get at least 4 out of that spindle.  I can't really do too much as far as sanding at the moment I did order up a pair of 1 inch jaws for my chuck to be able to do more projects like this.  I also wound up ordering the jam chucks that are sold by wood craft as well.  But those wont get here until some time next week so it's hurry up and wait.  At least I've got enough of a good start on this one I'm hoping that that will be enough room with that part in the middle I think I'm going to need to eventually invest in a narrower parting tool.

 

 

 

 

If you have an old butcher knife, they make great parting tools. 

 

Yea I was thinking that but no old butter knives unfortunately and with me making it that would probably wind up being risky LOL.  I've hand forged and heat treated and tempered plenty of knives but never once made a proper tool LOL.

Edited March 4, 20215 yr by AndrewB

Thrift stores

Yea I still wouldn't trust myself making one LOL.  Big risk with that and something could definitely go wrong.  It would be easier for me to purchase one.  So I've been shopping around.

Really thin parting tool aren’t too common 

That is some nice looking wood. Looking forward to seeing it smooth and shined up.

It actually shines up quite well I've made a few bowls out of Bhilwara before.  Its a really wet wood when its shipped. 

Andrew I am kinda like you on heat treating metal. I have one from Penn State and altho I did reshape the cutting point to a half moon bottom with a drop point top , kinda a abbreviated Bowie point it works well for me when I want thin. This one is 1/16 thick.

https://www.pennstateind.com/store/LCTEN.html

Just picked one up thanks for the link @Gerald.  @lew also on another note since I'm no longer allowed to forge or have any type of "Open Flame" in my park management wont let me I wouldn't be able to make the tools or attempt to make the tools.  Other wise I probably would have just run down and picked up some coal and fired up the forge.  But can't do that any more sadly to my disappointment.

@Gerald Thanks for supplying the link to the parting tool.

I have the parting tool @Gerald linked and use it the most.  I also have the Sorby fluted parting tool which is excellent and leaves a very clean edge.  I got it in a group of tools at auction so I didn't pay anywhere the price they want.

 

  https://www.rockler.com/fluted-parting-tool-2mm?country=US&sid=V91040&promo=shopping&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=PL&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrLW5otGZ7wIVjtXACh02DAGrEAQYAiABEgJZ2fD_BwE

Well I tried the scraper for parting big time fail with that but either way it was worth a shot while I'm waiting for my parting tool.  How ever I got the holes bored out of this one.  Not sure why but I almost caught the thing on fire from the boring OPPS I should probably pull the bit out more often and clean it off.  Oh well either way they are bored out the top parted off.  I also found a pretty nice way to finish off the top piece using a pen mandril.  I had to order some more spacers seeing that I did not have enough for the mandril so I used a pen blank on it to keep it tight. Seemed to work quite well.  I think I'll use that method for sanding the top when I finish it off.

 

 

 

 

This is a drawing of the grind I have used on the Penn parting tool.I think I copied it from somewhere but it does cut better than the original grind. To sharpen just grind that flat to the point on the point. I do not claim to be an artist. My tool is at the museum for last day tomorrow may take a pic if I remember.

 

Ah I see @Gerald you basically bevel the cutting edge at a curved angle to the tip I get it.

Check here 

https://www.docgreenwoodturner.com/partingtools.html

 

I had a quick read through that makes quite a bit of sense actually I'll have to read over it more tomorrow.

With the tenon cutting tool on order should be delivered HOPEFULLY by usps today but could be here during the week as well.  I had to put the Bhilwara projects on hold for now.  I did not have a long enough piece for the design I wanted to do sadly.  So I started off on the African Mohagany and got a decent shape of it.  Also on the bonus once checks go out I'm going to be in contact with "Got Junk" and have them clear out most of my shed so I'll have more room to work and for materials and tools which will be nice.  Either way the mahogany project is going smoothly.  I cut off a bit more than I needed for it so I knew I had enough for two or three tenons cutting the piece to the recommended length by the kits does not always work out in the best ways.   You don't have enough material to separate the top and the bottom or for the tenons.

 

 

 

 

Good morning project for me its shapped hollowed out.  and drilled I just need to do some final shaping sand and part off the top just got to wait on that tenon cutting tool to arrive.

 

 

 

Sadly NO tenon tool yet.  Either way got the body and top of the mill pretty much sanded up and finished.  I only took it to about 400 grit on the sand paper that's all I have at the moment 60 120 220 320 and 400.  So that's where I took it to.  On the bonus side the African Mohagany I can say I really like working with.  It also seems to want to shine up very nicely.  I'm considering adding a second coat of stain once this one dries.  I've also got a can of shelack I will probably use as well and then of course finishing wax for hopefully a high shine buff.  I think I need to invest in the PSI 3 step buffing system for the lathe.