Wednesday's Wisdom For Woodturners March 9, 2022

[lew]

Lovely spring day here in south central PA. My grandmother would have called this "the robin snow"

 

 

 

Our Patriot Turners-

Not too much happening from our turners this week. @Gerald did post about some of his sales on a different forum in answer to questions about craft shows-

 

 

 

What’s Coming Up-

From "Meet The Woodturner"-

 

A two day event featuring quite a list of presenters and a wide variety of topics.

 

Click on the above image for the link to the home page and associated information.

 

 

From Ruth Niles-

 

Click on the above image for the link to registration.

 

 

For The Newbies-

Turning can be like dancing- there are lots of subtle moves that makes it an enjoyable pastime. This video from Kent Weakley demonstrates body movements that can really improve your turning abilities.

 

 

Cap'n Eddie has a nice little video with a shop tip on protecting your lathe ways. Simple device and easily made-

 

 

Our shops are almost always in a state of flux. New equipment, saying goodbye to old stuff and changes in interest can all lead to rearrangements. Some of you may be lucky enough to have local friends to compare notes and idea. Others need to rly of folks like Mike Peace to help with ideas on shop reorganization.

 

 

 

Expand Your Horizons-

Lyle shows shaping and hollowing small objects with Hollowing System and laser measuring.

 

 

Richard Raffan posted a couple of really nice turned box videos. Both are cross grained turnings. The second video shows making a suction fit lid.

 

 

 

 

New Turning Items-

 

The folks at Woodturners Wonders have a new lamp available. Check it out at- https://woodturnerswonders.com/products/nebula-led-lamp

 

 

 

Everything Else-

Rick Turns list of YouTube woodturning videos from last week-

 

 

 

You may remember from last week, I was trying to figure out what to do with that piece of Manzanita. Gerald suggested carving it instead of turning. I seriously considered that, however, that would have required the purchase of new realm of tools/equipment. As I have already spent my allowance on a new laser engraver, turning it seemed to be the least expensive option.

 

The piece had 3 nubs on the most flat side (circled) which seemed to say "these will be my feet". 

 

 

That meant some sort of mounting had to be made, on this side, for chucking the piece. The stumper was that the opposite side was anything but flat!

 

Using scraps under what would become the top, and hot melt glue, the piece was fastened to my very old shop made chuck; making sure the 3 nub feet were at a level plane.

 

 

 

Various length posts added to hold the piece while spinning.

 

 

And some additional safety taping.

 

 

 

Turned a recess. I wanted to leave as much of the natural shape as possible. If I had cut a dovetail mortice for the main mounting, the chuck would not fit with all of the natural shapes. Made a glue block and a paper joint. Utter failure! Considered just a plain glue joint but recently saw a lot of information on hot glue for mounting. I'm Sold! That stuff really holds!!

 

 

 

Re-chucked in the lathe. Fairly well balanced and had no trouble with vibration up to and above 1000 rpms.

 

 

 

Ready for sanding on the front.

 

 

 

First coat of wipe on gloss poly. After the second coat, I'll see what it looks like. Then remove the glue block, reverse chuck it and finish up the area where the glue block is located.

 

Safe turning

 

[Gerald]

Thanks for the mention Lew. Some interesting videos for sure this week.

[HandyDan]

Thanks Lew.  I like Richard Raffin's boxes.  I used to make quite a few boxes.  I think it is one of the most satisfying lathe projects.  This reminds me I haven't done one in awhile.  Hmmm.

[DuckSoup]

9 hours ago, HandyDan said:

This reminds me I haven't done one in awhile.  Hmmm.

 I can hear the wheels turning all the way on this side of the valley

 

@lew, you sure did get that grain to pop, looks great!

[lew]

@Gerald Thank You!

 

@HandyDan Thanks! Hope you show us, when you make one!

 

@DuckSoup Thank You!

[Woodman]

On 3/9/2022 at 8:35 PM, lew said:

hot glue for mounting. I'm Sold! That stuff really holds!!

I've been thinking the same thing. Still old school, Titebond and clamps, but the immediacy of hot glue has its place.

 

Still cannot figure out how you did the turning!    I'll lose sleep for a few days, then it'll click in place, no doubt.

[lew]

2 hours ago, Dovetail said:

Still cannot figure out how you did the turning!

Took me about a week of looking at the original piece to figure out what needed to be removed. Then, how to hold it on the lathe. That's where the hot glue came into play. The results were as good as regular TiteBonded  glue blocks and less work to finish off the bottom.