Jump to content

Search the Community

Showing results for tags 'alan stratton'.

  • Search By Tags

    Type tags separated by commas.
  • Search By Author

Content Type


Forums

  • The Woodworking Discussion Forum
    • Introduce Yourself
    • General Woodworking
    • Wood Turners
    • Finishing
    • Wood Carving
    • Hand Tools
    • Scroll Sawing
    • CNC
    • Shopsmith
    • Show Us Your Woodworking Shops
    • Machinery, Tools, Research, Reviews and Safety
    • Plans and Software
    • The Veterans Corner and Causes Forum
  • The Old Machinery Discussion Forum
    • Old Woodworking Machinery
    • Old Metalworking Machinery
    • Old Machinery Operating and Restoration Tips
    • Old Machinery Badges and Decals
    • Old Machinery Swap and Sale, Classifieds
    • Old Machinery Hitching Post
    • Old Woodworking Machinery Archive
  • The Home Improvement Forum
    • Home Improvement
    • Patio and Outdoors
  • The Scrap Bin
    • Free for All
    • The Patriot's Pulse
    • Announcements
    • Network Tutorials
    • Bugs and Issues

Categories

  • Honoring the Fallen
  • Warrior's Christmas

Calendars

There are no results to display.

Categories

  • Book and Literature
  • CNC Files
    • CAD Files
    • CAM Files
    • CNC Reference and Tutorials
  • General Woodworking
    • Shop Charts
    • Shop Jigs
    • Shop Furniture
    • Arts and Crafts
    • Furnishings
    • Musical Instruments
    • Wooden Toys
    • Yard and Outdoors
  • Home Improvement
  • Old Machinery Manuals
  • Old Machinery Badge & Decal Images
    • Beaver Power Tools-Callander Foundry
    • Delta Specialty Co.
    • Delta Mfg. Co.
    • Delta Milwaukee
    • Delta Rockwell
    • Walker Turner
    • Sears Companion
    • Sears Craftsman
    • Sears Dunlap
  • Sketchup Sharing Center
    • Furnishings
    • Shop Jigs
    • Arts and Crafts
    • Sketchup Tutorials
  • Scroll Saw Patterns

Blogs

  • Building A Walnut Shotgun Case
  • Military Challenge Coin Display Build
  • SJUSD Veterans Recieve Plaques from Patriot Tigers
  • The Pastor’s Table or I Think My Sister Is Trying To Buy My Way Into Heaven
  • Small Patch Musings and Such
  • Steve Krumanaker
  • Christmas 2016
  • Photography
  • Cherry Entertainment Center
  • Another Church Table
  • Inside Out Turning
  • Segmented Turning
  • Canon Ball Bed
  • Situation Normal, All Fired Up
  • DUST COLLECTORS 101
  • Workbench PIP
  • Republishing the French Rolling Pin blog
  • Thickness Sander
  • Shopsmith lathe setup
  • Drying Turned Wood
  • New Projects, shop stuff, new tools,
  • Bill Kappel
  • Bowl Drying Adventures
  • Chess set

Product Groups

There are no results to display.

Categories

  • Members
  • Sponsors
  • Administrators
  • Forum Hosts

Find results in...

Find results that contain...


Date Created

  • Start

    End


Last Updated

  • Start

    End


Filter by number of...

Joined

  • Start

    End


Group


First Name


My Location


My Woodworking Interests


My skill level is


Website URL


Favorite Quote


AIM


MSN


ICQ


Gmail


Yahoo


Jabber


Skype


Facebook URL


Twitter Feed URL


Twitter Feed URL


My Clubs and Organizations

  1. Stonemasons finished the chimney today. Mimi says it looks really nice. Our Patriot Turners- Member @keithlong asked a question about carbide, negative rake bead cutters. He was curious if anyone had experience with them. Please check out his post and maybe give him your opinion. The "What's OFF Your lathe..." and "What's On Your Lathe..." topics had activity this week by @kreisdorph. He showed us some really nice bowls and one that didn't quite make it. From Off the lathe- New stuff and comments start here- And, What's On the lathe The new stuff starts here- Some good discussions in both posts. What’s Coming Up- This is the video from last Friday's Tool Talk from Cindy Drozda. It was a little different as she talked about the new "gadgets" she has in her shop. Click on the following images for links to registration and more information- For The Newbies- A couple of turning tips from Lyle Jamieson- Sam Angelo has created a new YouTube channel to help the new turner get started. It's called "Learn 2 Turn With Sam" The introduction to the channel And one of the first lessons- For a woodturner, one of the most useful machines, besides the lathe, is a bandsaw. In this video, Kent Weakley discusses Bandsaw Basics. The latest issue of Woodcraft Magazine (April/May 2024) has a great article for someone thinking about getting started in woodturning. It covers just about everything you need to consider. There's also a how-to article on turned fishing lures. Check it out at your local newsstand or in the magazine section at the local Borg. Expand Your Horizons- A couple of weeks ago, we included a video from Alan Stratton on multi-axis star ornaments. Alan has refined his process and posted this video- One of our member from a long time ago, @Charles Nicholls, used to turn light pulls. It's a great way to use up scraps and Charles sold many of his turnings. Mike Waldt shows us how he does it. New Turning Items- Even though I turn almost exclusively with carbide tools, I do have and can use traditional HSS tools. For sharpening the HSS tools, I use a Tormek slow, wet grinder. Tormek has an extensive lineup of sharpening jigs to aid in getting those razor sharp edges. Now, those styles of jigs are available from Woodturners Wonders, for other types of grinders and they are on sale! Click on the above image for the link to the sale page. Everything Else- I had some sycamore bowls roughed out and dried. Spent an hour or so this afternoon working on the closed bowl shape. The wood itself is pretty unexciting grain wise so I added some extra details to make it more interesting. Maybe tomorrow I'll get to reverse it and finish out the bottom. Used Yorkshire grit and beeswax/mineral oil for finishing. Burned rings. Beads made with EWT beading cutters. Safe turning
  2. A little early with Wednesday's post. 71° outside and I've just been informed I'll be cooking supper on the grill tonight Our Patriot Turners- @John Hechel posted in our Ringmaster Sub-Forum showing us an awesome bowl he fabricated from a neat glue-up. Check out his post for more information- We had activity on both our continuing posts about projects on and off the lathe! From "On" the lathe- From @calabrese55, @RustyFN, @Pauley and @kreisdorph showed us these beautiful pieces! Catch up on all the action and comments beginning here- From "Off" the lathe- Both @RustyFN and @Gerald shared their fantastic projects- More here with comments from our group- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration- For The Newbies- I always struggle with the concept of "Form vs. Function". Lyle Jamieson gives us his thoughts in this short video- Richard Raffan adds another chucking idea for hard to hold pieces- We sometimes post links to the Woodturners Wonders site for their products/sales. I found this link with videos about many of their products. (Full Disclosure- I am not affiliated with Woodturners Wonders. I do purchase some sanding supplies from them from time to time). https://woodturnerswonders.com/pages/videos?_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQGZ2p91Dzyb6Hq8u86HRP26F2J3AVp8xSSqd_hTF8cT.VJvU8R Expand Your Horizons- If you do the Craft Show circuit, Carl Jacobson shows us a project that might be an addition to your product line. This project from Mike Peace would make an awesome gift and could also be a craft show article. It lends itself to design customization- When I saw this from Alan Stratton, I thought of some of the embellishments done by @Gerald. New Turning Items- Couldn't find anything this week Everything Else- Something I need to learn more about, from Rom Brown's Newsletter- Technical Skills or Wisdom and Discernment? When you see a finished piece that is visually stunning, do you ever wonder what made it that way? Perhaps the end result was because the maker has superior technical skills with lathe chisels. It is much more likely they got the proportions just right, presented a balanced form, and knew when to stop and call it done. A great form can make even a bland piece of wood appear pleasing. If the material is ordinary, that is an opportunity to add embellishment such as painting, carving, or texturing to the great shape. Out of balance shapes, non-fair curves, sloppy transitions, deep sanding scratches, tool marks, and torn grain all contribute to a less pleasing finished piece. While technical skills go a long way toward reducing the time and energy needed to complete a project, I’ve seen many beautiful pieces completed by much less skilled turners who developed an eye for forms, paid attention to details and worked on the finish until they got it right. That means having the wisdom to know what shapes go together to make a pleasing finished item. A prime example where discernment is key might be a lidded hollow form, lidded small box, or Christmas ornament. Getting the finial in balance relative to the piece, or a lid and knob combination that compliments the box can be challenging. Discernment is knowing when to stop and move on to the next step. Those of us who have a loving partner will benefit mightily by asking their opinion on how a project can be improved. Ask for their honest observations and tell them you can only learn by seeing through someone else’s eyes. They won’t want to hurt your feelings, but this is a time for brutal honesty if you really want to improve. “Technical skills are important, but a discerning eye is importanter.” I would encourage you to develop your understanding for the things that result in a pleasing form along with your technical expertise. I studied shapes in other media including pottery and ancient vessels that survived the ages and it really helped. Don’t forget how important the Fibonacci formula is throughout nature. Safe turning
  3. March already! Some of the trees are starting to show signs of waking up and I have garlic greens showing through the mulch! Our Patriot Turners- @Fred W. Hargis Jr posted an inquiry about a new tool rest. He asked particularly about the curved type used for turning bowls. Several of our members offered their opinions. Maybe you could hop on over to Fred's post and provide additional insights. @HandyDan posted a link to a site for turning tool handle inserts. If you make your own handles you might want to check it out. The site is for Trent Bosch tools and there are lots of other items there. Here's the link to his site's home page- https://trentboschtools.com/ @Gerald showed us the setup for his new JaHo jig in the "Good Monday Morning" forum- There is additional information in his post- Our continuing thread on the "What's On Your Lathe" post continues to showcase new and beautiful items. This past week @teesquare, @kreisdorph and @Gerald all posted projects! Catchup on all the activity at- In addition to the ones still on the lathe, We had entries into the "What's OFF Your Lathe And Finished". @Gerald and @kreisdorph both added their finished items. The new entries and comments start here- What’s Coming Up- Click on the image for the link to more information and registration- For The Newbies- Not quite ready to make the deep bowl? here's an intermediate step from Alan Stratton. Reading a post on social media from a turner who upgraded to a larger lathe. He was lamenting that his expensive Cole Jaws were small and would not allow him to use the maximum swing of the new lathe. One person recommended this video from Alan Stratton- Expand Your Horizons- Several of our turners give back to others by participating in events such as Turning Pens For Our Troops and Beads Of Courage Boxes. This month the turners participating in the "4-Ways" turning collaboration are making Wig Stands. Anyone who has suffered the ravages of cancer and chemo would certainly appreciate one of these items. New Turning Items- Many turners tint their epoxy/acrylic work with various products. Up until now, tinting CA glue was limited due to the reaction between the glue and the tinting substance. Starbond has released an assortment of materials to tint their CA glues. Check it out at- https://starbond.com/collections/powders-inlay-supplies?utm_source=1. Starbond Newsletter Subscribers&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SB - TOTD Mica Mix (01HR9F16QNEP00ZFQF4704JB87)&_kx=UWBjOrBvGqdgxjbKJKjzdYtukO2Hko9tBjUvyv5yRmCPEYlA8GzGmWiEh-BS_64B.KAnW2a Wasn't sure where to put this but Woodturners Wonders is having a give-a-way contest- If you do that sort of things, here's the link- https://woodturnerswonders.com/pages/giveaway?_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQM0F3UvGVbQKzhWGippDlk.VJvU8R Everything Else- From Ron Brown's Newsletter When Size Matters What is the second major difference between a 12” swing wood lathe and a 16” swing wood lathe? The first difference is obvious, the 16” lathe can swing a 4-inch larger vessel. The second major difference is in the motor or horsepower. The smaller lathe is most likely equipped with a ¾ or 1 horsepower motor while the larger lathe will typically have 1-1/2 to 2 horsepower motor. Why does horsepower matter anyway? When all you turn are pens, wizard wands, and bottle stoppers, HP doesn’t matter. But when you are roughing out bowl blanks, plates, platters, drilling salt and pepper mills, or virtually any hollow form, the extra HP keeps the lathe from stalling. The larger the diameter, the more HP is needed because you lose the advantage of leverage. Imagine going up a steep hill with a heavy load in high gear. With the smaller HP you are forced to take lighter cuts and can’t be aggressive without stalling the lathe in its tracks; been there done that. You can turn little stuff on a big lathe, but it is much more difficult to turn big stuff on a little lathe. It can be done, of course, it’s just not as fun, safe, or easy. I have discovered recurring patterns after observing many thousands of turners over a few decades: 1) Most new turners start with a mini-lathe if they buy it new. 2) If they inherit the lathe from a relative or purchase it used, they are likely to get a larger machine to start with. 3) Although they planned to sell the smaller unit when they upgraded, they most often kept both lathes. I had 5 at one time. Now I’m down to only two. 4) These days, 2020 and later, most new turners start with carbide-tipped tools rather than the High-Speed Steel traditional tools. They are easy to use, quick to become proficient with, and they don’t require frequent sharpening or an expensive sharpening station. 5) After the new turner decides to pursue turning as a hobby, (1 to 3 years later) most will undertake learning how to use and sharpen HSS tools. They will invest in a fully equipped sharpening station including a slow speed grinder and sharpening jig. A no-fail way to introduce someone to turning wood on a lathe is to help them turn a wooden pen using a carbide-tipped tool. They treasure that pen and use it every day. They can spend the minimum amount of money and easily make lots of pens to give away or sell to their friends and associates. Their sense of accomplishment is validated often and they will have firmly joined the family of wood turners. Just like everything else in life, we all have to start somewhere. Me too. If you recognize the path each of them must walk on their journey, you will be better able to help and advise other turners who are not as experienced as you are. Experts were once beginners too. That is why we are always ready to help whenever we can and invite folks to call with their turning questions. Where are you on the path? Safe turning
  4. Lots happening this past week! Our Patriot Turners- @keith long stopped by to say "Hi". He is busy with life and doing well. He had some questions about lathe parts. Check out his post and see if you can add to what has been said- Keith also had a question about what wood species would be best for making duck calls. If you make them or know what would work best, maybe you could help him out- @kreisdorph resurrected an older post about bowl drying. He added some great additional information. Check out the entire thread here- Kent also gave us a nice review on a book for identifying wood species. Thanks!!! @Gerald is recovering from knee surgery and snuck back into the shop to work on some projects. Hope he got back into his recliner before the Mrs. got home See what else he did at- Our "What's On Your Lathe" thread continues to generate awesome projects. @kreisdorph, @teesquare and @RustyFN showed us some fantastic work. Start here to catch up on all the projects- @StaticLV2 continues to work on his segmented turnings He posted this one in the "What's On Your Weekend Agenda" And, from our "OFF The Lathe and Finished' thread- @kreisdorph and @RustyFN posted some gorgeous turnings. Catch up with all these items here- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to registration and more information- For The Newbies- Ask ten turners what is the best finish and you will likely get at least 15 different answers. One finish that often mentioned is shellac. This video from Kent Weakley explains why shellac is appropriate. This is the link to his article on shellac and how to mix it- https://turnawoodbowl.com/make-shellac-wood-bowl-finish/ Turned wooden boxes make nice gifts. Sam Angelo demonstrates turning one from start to finish. Looks like Sam needs to turn the heat up in his shop. I don't endorse wearing gloves, but that's just me. Craft Supplies USA has a step by step video on turning a pepper mill. Expand Your Horizons- Richard Raffan demonstrates turning one of his signature scoops. Awesome skew work and check out the shop made, lathe mounted sanding disc. Lyle Jamieson provides tip for preventing vibration when turning finials New Turning Items- Ron Brown has a new parting tool to use with his "Bowl From A Board" jig- Everything Else- This past week, in another Patriot forum, there has been a very informative discussion on liability for the stuff we make. This video, from Alan Stratton, addresses some of the regulations for a specific item. Safe turning
  5. Our member @Gerald is recovering from knee surgery and some complications. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Our Patriot Turners- @Steve Krumanaker decided to get a head start on next years Christmas ornaments! Steve does awesome turnings and embellishments. Check out our member's comments- @RustyFN asked a question concerning a specific bowl saver system. If you can give him some information, I'm sure he would appreciate it. @knockonit posted some of his recently turned rolling pins in the "What's On Your Workbench" forum. You can see his post at- @Grandpadave52 gave us a heads up on a video from Tom Silva (This Old House). Tom makes a segmented bowl. Dave's post is here- We've had entries in both our continuing threads of lathe projects. From "What's On Your Lathe" an almost finished platter And from the "Off The Lathe And Just Finished" thread- @RustyFN showed us his sweet pyrography work on his latest bowl- Also posted was a little, odd shaped walnut bowl- You can catchup on this thread at- What’s Coming Up- Just after the first of the month and the "4-Ways" video series continues. From Sam Angelo From Tomislav Tomasic From Richard Raffan- From Mike Peace- Free web presentation from All Things Woodturning- Registration link- https://streamyard.com/watch/gGs2fUP3i5Fq?receiptful=65c254ccf68490003ed627d1&utm_source=CM Commerce&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter-314&utm_term=newsletter&utm_content=other&receiptfultype=newsletter For The Newbies- A turning tip for finishing, from Lyle Jamieson- Expand Your Horizons- I saw this finished item on a couple of social media sites and was intrigued by how it was made. Then this popped up! Tim Yoder turned a "bowl from a board" In the video he used a device from Ron Brown's Best. https://longworthchuck.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=64 Kind of a neat idea from Alan Stratton. I'm always amazed at how easily he make it look to turn spheres. New Turning Items- From Ron Brown's Best- And a sale on sanding supplies from Woodturners Wonders- https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/ultimate-sanding-system?_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQM0F3UvGVbQKzhWGippDlk%3D.VJvU8R Everything Else- Today was laser day in my shop. Had several turnings and other stuff that needed signed/dated. The little scissor lift works really well for focus adjustments. I usually wait until I have several items as it requires a little space to set up everything. Safe turning
  6. End of January already. Friday is Groundhog Day and in 2 weeks it's Fastnacht Day! Our Patriot Turners- @Steve Krumanaker posted images of a bird turning. This one is different than the small birds he adds to his bird house ornaments Check out Steve's post for his description and inspiration for these lovely likenesses. Keeping with the bird theme, @HandyDan posted some awesome birdhouses/gnome houses Dan has gotten those tiny birds down to an science! See his post for more images and additional information about these fantastic turnings! @Fred W. Hargis Jr posted a safety oriented video that reminds us there are dangers lurking when using the lathe! I, for one, will take this video to heart. A few things were added to our "What's On Your Lathe" continuing thread. You can catchup with all the comments and more images starting at- A gorgeous ring box made by @calabrese55 An incredible lighted turning from @teesquare And a walnut bowl along with a white oak platter with a Pewa patch What’s Coming Up- Click on the above image for the link to more information and preregistration. For The Newbies- If you are considering using traditional tools for bowl turning, you may be confused by all of the different "grinds" or shapes for the bowl gouge. In this short video, Lyle Jamieson discusses his signature grind and why he uses it. Here are a few more resources for learning about the various grinds- https://turnawoodbowl.com/bowl-gouge-basics-beginner-guide-parts-use-sizes-grinds-inforgraph/ https://turnawoodbowl.com/bowl-gouge-sharpening-angles-illustrated-guide/ https://www.woodworkersjournal.com/video-understanding-bowl-gouge-grinds/ https://stuartbattytools.com/free-videos-%26-articles#11a33c77-bf25-4de7-9257-fd1dbc667a1c When you first start down the slippery slope of turning, it is tempting to purchase expensive exotic woods for those beautiful pieces you've seen. In these two videos, the common thread is to use "green" (freshly cut) wood. Green wood turns much easier than dried wood. It is less expensive than the exotics. And, you'll often be surprised at the beauty hiding within the pieces. Expand Your Horizons- Add some finesse to your next lidded box with a finial! Lyle Jamieson discusses finial design considerations- Mike Waldt has started a multi part in-depth guide for turning a lidded box- Part#1 New Turning Items- Woodturners Wonders has become a dealer for Easy Wood Tools Check out the products at- https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/easy-wood-tools?_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQM0F3UvGVbQKzhWGippDlk%3D.VJvU8R Everything Else- Safe turning
  7. This month is quickly coming to an end! Our Patriot Turners- @Gerald posted a beautiful bowl he finished. This one has some gorgeous embellishments on the bottom and the rim. Gerald received lots of positive comments on this one! Please keep Gerald and his family in your prayers. He had a knee replacement done recently. @calabrese55 is working on a staved bowl. He built a really nice steady rest to do part of the turning. This was posted in our "What's On Your Lathe" continuing thread- Check his comments about the wheels he used and see more images! We've had an additional post in the "What's Off Lathe And Just Finished" What’s Coming Up- This is the video of the recent Tool Talk from Cindy Drozda, in case you missed it live. She demonstrates Hook and Cygnet mini hollowers. Cindy and Todd Raines will be hosting free Q&A session. Click on the image for the link. From the Keystone Woodturners via their Facebook page. Click the image for the link to more information. For The Newbies- Some things about making turning more safe. Over the years, I've heard and read about something called "shake" or "wind shake". However, I had never had a piece of wood that displayed the characteristic split. Recently, the tree man called and said they were taking down a cherry tree and was saving me a couple of pieces. As I was making blanks from the logs, one of them plainly showed the results of wind shake. The beginning of this video, from Tim Yoder, address the potential dangers of turning wood affected by this and other types of defects. This short video illustrates why it is a good idea to grasp the Jacob's Chuck when using it for drilling, on the lathe. I usually hold it when advancing the quill. Now I'll hold it for movement in both directions. Expand Your Horizons- Some weeks back we posted a video, from Carl Jacobson/Niles Bottle Stoppers, demonstrating the use of the Joyner Offset Jig. Mike Peace decided too build a similar device to do offset embellishments. Alan Stratton is still making goblets. These are done in three pieces. New Turning Items- Woodturners Wonders continues with their weekly sales. https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/weekly-sale?_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQM0F3UvGVbQKzhWGippDlk%3D.VJvU8R Everything Else- Safe turning
  8. Been really cold here, compared to last winter, even had some snow! Our Patriot Turners- @PostalTom asked a question about vacuum chucks. He received several responses on various brands. If you use a vacuum chuck, please help Tom with your experiences to help him make an informed decision. We had another entry into our "What's On Your Lathe" thread. What’s Coming Up- Click on the above image for the link to more information and registration or you can use the following link- https://streamyard.com/watch/pNG2QZxkG2uY Picked this up from the Niles Bottle Stopper Newsletter- Live Remote Video Demos As you all know, we are doing live remote videos of any Niles product for turning clubs free of charge. There are presently 7 club videos scheduled, you can ask questions or comment and you do not need to be at the meeting, you can watch from home on your PC, smart phone or tablet. We also discuss other aspects of turning or can try to help with problems or techniques and finishes. Here is a list of the clubs we have scheduled so far for 2024. You can contact one of your officers for the link to get access to the video. Wed. Jan. 17 = Gold Country Woodturners, northern Sierra Nevada foothills. Threaded bronze urn inserts will be the subject. Thurs. Jan 18 = Georgia Assoc. of Woodturners, Metro Atlanta area. The Joyner Jig will be demonstrated with many of it's uses. Thurs. Feb. 15 = Diamond State Woodturners, Jacksonville, Arkansas. Bottle stoppers and other kitchen utensils. Sat. April 20 = Oregon Coast Woodturning, cover the whole coast of Oregon. Demo on various embellishments for your projects. Thurs. June 13 = Willamette Valley Woodturners, Oregon Threaded bronze urn insert rings is the subject. Thurs. July 25 = Beaver State Woodturners, Coburg, Oregon. The Joyner Jig is to be demonstrated. *note: We are working on a "Calendar" or "Events" page on our website where all club demos will be listed as they are scheduled. This will give you time to get the link to attend. For more information or to schedule a demonstration, contact Carl Jacobson at "nilesstoppers@gmail.com" or call 503-939-4565. For The Newbies- If you spend anytime watching turning videos, or visit another turners shop, you'll probably notice that the turner has an impressive assortment of chucks. We are not talking chuck jaws but complete setups. In this video, Richard Raffan discusses his collection. Ask "why" and they will tell you that they do not like taking the time to change jaws. If you haven't purchased a chuck, yet, consider a chuck that doesn't use screw to hold the jaws. Hint: the Easy Wood Tools "Easy Chuck"- I know, I know but I couldn't resist after seeing the video. Lyle Jamieson's Tuesday Tip can help with clearing chips when turning hollow pieces that have an entry hole smaller than the inside diameter of the piece. Expand Your Horizons- If you have a nice laser setup and thinking about making a segmented turning, Alan Stratton has you covered! @Gerald does a lot of embellishing using various tools. Mike Peace recently posted a video on making a chatter tool. Unlike tools that use wheels that are crosshatched or spiked, this tool uses vibrations to create unique patterns. New Turning Items- Not really new, but a recommendation from Tim Yoder about a supplier for turning blanks. I know some of our members are customers. If the Easy Chuck is not in your future, Woodturners Wonders has the Axminster Systems on sale- https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/axminster?_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQM0F3UvGVbQKzhWGippDlk%3D.VJvU8R Everything Else- Safe turning
  9. Looks like things are picking up, now that the holidays are over. Let's get to this! Our Patriot Turners- @RustyFN is participating in his turning club's annual contest. He has posted a couple of images as he begins to create his entry. Rusty has more in his post at- @forty_caliber gave us a look at another one of his Hays County pecan bowls- Monty supplied some additional information about his drying process- There have been a couple of new entries on our "What's On Your Lathe" continuing thread. @calabrese55 added some process images of this - Also posted was a red oak platter- Check out all the comments starting at- @Gerald is making a design change on his little spinning tops. I really like the new design and the colors he uses. In his post, Gerald added a picture of his previous design for comparison- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for more information and registration- Todd Raines continues his presentation on the spindle gouge- If you missed Cindy Drozda's live tool talk last week, here's the YouTube video- Also from Cindy- For The Newbies- The skew chisel is a powerful tool, once you have mastered it. Richard Raffan shows us how that done- Mr. Raffan goes further, in this video, demonstrating using the skew to turn finials- There are several ways to chuck mount a bowl. Two of the more popular ways are the Mortise and Tenon. I typically use the mortise because it allows me to finish the bowl bottom with my preferred method. The mortise, however, is not without pitfalls as Kent Weakley points out- Jim Rodgers demonstrates how to make a bottle stopper. Unlike the metal stopper kits, Mr. Rodgers uses corks to seal the bottle. Also check out the home made mandrel at the end of the video- Tim Yoder offers up a short video on turning a curve Although a chuck is a really nice piece of equipment to own, especially when making small items. Lyle Jamieson shows us the chuck is not the only way to to accomplish it. Expand Your Horizons- If you are ready to move up to bowl turning, Craft Supplies USA has a nice video illustrating the process step by step. The bowl blank in this demonstration was partially dried commercially- Never too early to start those ornaments for next Christmas! Here Alan Stratton creates an 8 point, 3 axis item! @Steve Krumanaker turns items for artisans in his area. Recently he started making "drop spindles" for a craftsperson who works with wool. I thought this might be another thing Steve could use as a money maker From Woodworker's Journal, a Three Winged Jewelry box. The how-to article is at- https://www.woodworkersjournal.com/project-three-winged-jewelry-box/ Check out what Tim Yoder does with a small 3 branch crotch piece- New Turning Items- A sale on Woodturners Wonders LED lights https://woodturnerswonders.com/ Everything Else- From Ron Brown's newsletter- You Are Called To Be A Mentor You have to know something about your subject. First-hand experience is helpful. If you can explain What, How, and Why so a 5th grader can understand it, you will be a good mentor. It only takes a very small portion of your time (15 minutes to 1 hour) here and there to show individuals or groups of folks what you are talking about. You might need to take an occasional phone call to clear up misunderstandings. In this day and age, you might need to answer a text message or send a YouTube link addressing the issue. Unless you are a paid demonstrator, you must accept that you most probably will receive nothing material in return from those you help so unselfishly. Some won’t even say thank you and some will argue that you are wrong. A few of the people you help will go on to accomplish even greater things than you did. Some of the students will indeed go on to become the teachers. You need to accept and appreciate that others gave of themselves to help you achieve the things you know. Even if you learned most of what you know by yourself (so-called self-taught), chances are that you watched YouTube videos, attended a trade show demonstration, or a club demonstration. Perhaps you were just a member of the crowd and not in a one-on-one situation. Someone took their time to show you something you didn’t know in a way that helped you be more successful. Sometimes folks will want to be paid for their advice. They are still exercising mentorship. I was very fortunate during my early turning career to encounter some very talented and generous mentors; Nick Cook was the very first and Don Russell gave of his time and energy unselfishly on numerous occasions. I hosted Chris Stott from England for a full week! That turned out to be a magnificent chapter in my turning career. Kirk Deheer of Craft Supplies in Utah gently guided me over a period of several years and I will be ever grateful for his wisdom. Mike Mahony offered guidance and freely answered my list of 20 questions over dinner many years ago. Others have given their time and energy and are wonderful examples of mentorship even when they didn’t realize it. Of course, it required me to put their advice into practice to make it my own, but, as they say, the way you get to Carnegie Hall is practice, practice, practice. A mentor simply guides someone willing to learn. It is really that simple and anyone can and should do it when given the opportunity. Safe turning
  10. Chilly, damp, rainy day. Hope everyone had enjoyable Christmas. Our Patriot Turners- @Fred W. Hargis Jr Asked our turners a question about tear out. More specifically, Fred wanted to know what tools and techniques could be used to prevent/repair it. Please see Fred's post and check out what our members had to offer and provide some input. New member @Barbara asked about getting a lathe as a gift for a novice. If you live in the Chicago area, maybe you could offer some leads. @RustyFN Showed us the shavings left from a bowl turn and mused about perhaps purchasing a coring system. Of course our gang had lots of other suggestions and some good natured ribbing- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for more information and registration If you missed Cindy Drozda's presentation on her recess tool, she has it posted on her YouTube channel- For The Newbies- Lyle Jamieson has a short video on preventing vibrations while turning- An article from Kent Weakley help reduce/eliminate tool marks when turning a bowl- https://turnawoodbowl.com/10-tool-marks-tricks-wood-bowl-understand-fix-remove/?ck_subscriber_id=1577117793 Nice video from Craft Supplies USA on bowl turning- Expand Your Horizons- A couple of ideas to add more excitement to your turnings Ebonizing- https://turnawoodbowl.com/5-magical-ebonizing-wood-tricks-how-to-techniques-recipes/?ck_subscriber_id=1577117793 Make your own spalted wood- https://turnawoodbowl.com/spalting-and-spalted-wood-bowls/?ck_subscriber_id=1577117793 Mike Waldt demonstrates turning a goblet in real time- New Turning Items- Woodturners Wonders has made a change in their available sharpening systems- Click on the above image for more information. Everything Else- Sometime back, we included information on the Christmas Ornament Challenge hosted by Alan Stratton of "As Wood Turns". He has posted a video of the winners. Check out these beautiful and imaginative works of art! Safe turning
  11. Hope everyone has an enjoyable and relaxing Christmas. Our Patriot Turners- Our continuing thread of "What's On Your Lathe" has been really busy this past week! @forty_caliber, @Fred W. Hargis Jr and @Gerald have been busy cranking out some awesome turnings. Catch up on all that's been happening here- @Gerald also posted in the thread "Off The Lathe And Finished" - Gerald's description is at- @John Hechel asked our members for their opinion on a lathe set up for his Mrs. She needs to turn small items and still be near her store. Check out John's post and see if you can provide some input- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration- Email to: neowta.events@gmail.com For The Newbies- A simple turning to practice hollowing, and a place to put your spare change, from Craft Supplies USA. Some bowl turning techniques from Richard Raffan- Expand Your Horizons- Want to get into bowl turning but you are holding off to purchase a chuck? Wait no longer- Kent Weakley, from Turn A Wood Bowl, has the answer- This short video, from Lyle Jamieson, offers other reasons why a chuck may not be what you need to make some turnings- A neat project from Alan Stratton using yet another one of his shop made jigs. Offset turned icicles! And not to be outdone, Carl Jacobson turns a lidded bowl with an offset turned finial. Carl uses the Joyner Offset Jig for his turning. Everything Else- From Ron Brown's Newsletter- The Genius Of Simple Simple can often be complex. The adage “KISS – keep it simple silly” is a foundational principle and applies to virtually every area of our daily lives. As a lifelong salesman, I was often coached to give my presentation to a 5th grader. If I could explain my product or service in terms a 10 to 12-year-old child could understand, my story was simple enough for most adults to understand. I would have more success in a shorter amount of time. When we try to explain how we approach a project or execute a particular cut, we too must keep it simple. You don’t have to explain every little detail and nuance you’ve discovered. When teaching a subject or giving a demonstration, think of levels like schools; 101, 201, 301, etc. Club demos are almost always at level 101, while all-day hands-on might be at level 201 or even 301 in rare cases. Remember that your knowledge base comes from your lathe, in your shop, with your tools ground for you. Everyone else has a different situation. When you explain your subject in level 101 terms, they can adapt your insights to their situation and enjoy newfound success for themselves. When it comes to design, simple classic shapes with fair curves and flowing transitions usually work best. Even projects that are greatly embellished fall flat if the core shape is not pleasing. Here are two examples of what I mean: 1) Pens: Slimline pens (the most popular) are not meant to incorporate beads, coves, or lumps and bumps. They always look best as a simple cylinder relying on the figure of the wood or other material to impart beauty to the project. Even the larger pen kits are always more appealing with simple lines rather than bulbous shapes. You can always spot new turners who feel they must offer more than just round and straight. (Just my opinion). 2) Finials: One of the best-known finial turners is Cindy Drozda. If you study the finials she turns, you can’t help but be blown away. There are always 4 elements to her work; a. a large Fibonacci cove as the base (Golden Mean) b. next is a large bead c. followed by a tall ogee-curved taper d. ending in a delicate tip usually with a series of small disks with a point. Here is a link from The American Woodturner Magazine in the spring of 2006 where Cindy gives an analytical approach to her finial design for comparison. (Not Simple) If folks want more details, they will tell you. Tell them a little more while still keeping it simple and so on. I was prepping some turning blanks when the washing machine bit the dust. Everything needed to be moved to allow access for its replacement- tomorrow. Sycamore, cherry, red oak and somewhere back in there is a chunk of walnut. Merry Christmas to us. You know those old ringer type never wore out. Safe turning
  12. About midway thru December, need to start thinking about doing some Christmas shopping soon. Our Patriot Turners- @Masonsailor updated his post from last week to show us the finished Christmas bowl he turned. Talk about a beauty!! Paul added a little more about the experience in his post- https://thepatriotwoodworker.com/forums/topic/39795-a-bowl-for-christmas/?do=findComment&comment=325402 @Fred W. Hargis Jr asked us a question concerning carbide cutters and dust creation. Our turners had lots of advice. Please check out Fred's post and see if you can add your own experience- What’s Coming Up- A list of some of the 2024 woodturning events- https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/l/Woodturning-Symposiums For The Newbies- It is always helpful to see how other turners approach a similar project. That is the premise of the "4 Ways" series at the beginning of each month. This month the project is to turn a serving tray. Expand Your Horizons- A hodgepodge of ideas from a few well known turners- New Turning Items- The Woodworker's Journal recently reviewed the new Jet 1221 VS lathe. Here's the article- https://www.woodworkersjournal.com/weekly/vip/turning-techniques-features-and-benefits-of-the-jet-1221vs-lathe/ This would make a nice stocking stuffer- Orders can be place here- https://store.popularwoodworking.com/products/woodturning-basics-with-jimmy-clewes-combo-pack?utm_campaign=PWW - NL - Sunday Newsletter&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=285905188&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8uGMQyOk6eL8OM6vb4iIlMHuyz4aaNDe4RqU3IspCLxylrDDkN6ElsI4ye1O2d9kMfSAXtgKU-uLXs_pPcNIOxAtLHFQ&utm_content=285905188&utm_source=hs_email Everything Else- From Ron Brown's newsletter- Think Ahead “If I had thought about it, I would have done this first, or at least before now.” Certain things make your life much easier if you do them at the proper time. Woodturners learn the importance of WHEN to do something, usually after they forget to do it and have moved on to the next step and can’t go back. Sometimes you see it coming after it is too late. I have a couple of examples to consider as you think ahead: Twice turned projects 1) You rough-turned a bowl from green wood and it has now dried. You are ready to finish turn it but it has gone dramatically oval, including the tenon and your scroll chuck won’t seat properly. You are finding it very difficult to center your work. You could have added a very simple 5-second step that would greatly simplify your life. You could have left a divot in the center of your tenon. 2) Bring the tailstock with a pointed live center into the divot and secure your bowl. 3) True up the warped oval tenon to round again and the scroll chuck will now hold the bowl properly for final turning. (This is a perfect time to use our natural edge jam chuck since the rim of the bowl will not be flat or level either and won't sit flat against cole jaws or a longworth chuck.) Rework a finished project: On the outside or bottom 1) There is no tenon and you are having difficulty centering your work. You didn’t want to leave the divot as it would have been unsightly. a. Alternatively, a single nearly invisible small circle or series of 3 small rings on the foot will make finding the center much easier and will look like a decorative detail to most onlookers. b. I use the tip of a skew, my micro detailer, or a point tool for this. Removing sanding scratches: Before moving on to the next finer grit, STOP! Blow the dust off your project and use a strong light to LOOK at your project. Are all of the scratches gone? I see otherwise beautiful work with elegant shapes and excellent finishes on the internet that have scratch marks showing through. That ruins the piece for me every time. If you find scratches that are still visible, go back one grit and sand until they are gone. Then LOOK AGAIN before moving on. Otherwise, you will either have to live with ugly scratch marks or remove the finish and go all the way back to where the scratches are and start over. I’ve done that, but it is much easier to take a few seconds to discover them as you go. I find this happens often when turning pens. Over time, you will develop those little things that save time and effort if you do them as you go Safe turning
  13. October is almost in the books! Our Patriot Turners- @Gerald was busy turning out some really neat projects- He posted these in "Friday's Weekend" thread. See his post for some other colorful items- He even managed to score some beautiful cherry over the weekend- There are more pictures at- And he managed to get at least one piece underway- Our resident Christmas ornament professional, @Ron Altier, posted some beautiful maple items. I think he used his patented epoxy finish on them. Check out his post for more about where he got the wood- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration- For The Newbies- New turners typically have difficulty getting proficient with the skew. I still haven't mastered it! Watch Richard Raffan make it look easy- Mike Peace demonstrated how to do some tool "makeovers" Woodturning Monthly was published by the Woodworker's Journal. Some nice projects and articles- https://www.woodworkersjournal.com/woodturning-monthly/?utm_medium=email Expand Your Horizons- Alan Stratton is always coming up with unusual turning ideas and this one is no exception- Wish you had a Genie? Well Carl Jacobson has turned a Genie Bottle in case you ever find one New Turning Items- Niles Bottle Stoppers has added a couple of new items- https://nilesbottlestoppers.com/product/artisan-coffee-scoop-kit/ https://nilesbottlestoppers.com/product/artisan-rasp-grater-kit/ Woodturners Wonders is having a sale on their lathe "Track System". Check their website at- https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/lathe-track?_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQM0F3UvGVbQKzhWGippDlk%3D.VJvU8R Everything Else- From Ron Brown's newsletter- Side Gig – Sage Advice I had a long visit with a friend who will be retiring in 5-6 years and is thinking about starting a woodworking business to keep busy and generate some extra income. I have been hearing from more folks than usual about generating a little cash from a side hustle in view of the current economic situation with a dollar buying less every day. I’ve made extra income from my side hustle for the last 55 years. Even when I was in the corporate world, I still made and sold wooden items on the side. Sometimes for pocket change, sometimes as a second income when the first one wasn’t enough. I’ve picked up a few things along the way that you might be interested in or passing along to a friend. 1) Demand – don’t just make and try to sell what you love, make and sell what they want to buy (even if you don’t particularly like it). I tell my family that I would sell dried cow patties if that was what the demand called for. a. In general woodworking the good sellers might be cutting boards, stove top covers, 2x4 basic bunk beds, etc. b. For woodturners it could be pens, tops, pepper mills, salad bowls, etc. I’ve learned from experience that just because I’m wild about something, doesn’t mean it will sell. 2) If an item is in high demand and everyone else is doing it, don’t be afraid to make them also. a. A prime example of this is metal tumblers like the Yeti. In the laser engraving world, there are thousands of people making laser engraved tumblers, wrapped tumblers, or personalized tumblers. I know, my kids have given me several every Christmas for the past bunch of years. My church even gave me a pair. b. Hamburgers are another great example. If people were afraid of making something someone else made, there would only be one place to get a hamburger instead of a hamburger joint on every corner. 3) Don’t be the cheapest guy on the block. Find out what the market price is and be somewhere around there. You might have to be creative to make a profit. 4) If no one is doing it, there is probably a good reason. No demand, impossible to make a decent profit due to the material cost or excessive labor. Before you bring something totally new to the market, get half a dozen regular items well established and selling consistently before you attempt to blaze a totally new trail. 5) You might be a perfectionist, but your customers won’t pay for perfection. They will pay for great or even good, but perfect is in the eye of the beholder. You can be perfect if you don’t mind making $2/hr. But that is not how you make a profit in the real world. 6) Listen to your wife. She loves you and wants you to succeed. She will tell you things your friends won’t. There are many more tidbits of advice, based on years of experience, but these are some of the important ones. Safe turning
  14. Missed last weeks post so this one will be have a little extra. Our Patriot Turners- @nevinc posted a couple of projects he has been working on. First, a neat little table item that would be useful in any kitchen- Nevin combined woodworking and turning to complete the project- He also posted a question and his method of storing sawdust from various species of wood he uses as fillers. He was wondering what storage method the rest of us use for storage. Check out his post and let him know your method- And, Nevin showed us some beautiful walnut bowls he had finished- He received lots of positive comments in his post- @Steve Krumanaker has been busy fulfilling orders to some of the artisans in his area. He has been working with one who sells "Bee Products" for whom he make honey dipper lids. Steve posted a couple of short videos on how he has upgraded his manufacturing process. Steve is also making drop spindles for another craftsperson. These are used in the process of turning wool into yarn. He developed a neat jig to create shop made dowels for part of the pieces. In this post, he explains why he made the parts instead of buying them- @Gerald added a project to our "Off The Lathe And Finished" thread. These beautiful ornaments got lots of great comments and a couple of questions as well. Head on over to the thread and check out more on these- Gerald was also kind enough to provide links to videos on sharpening. I must apologize for not recording who asked the question on sharpening. Gerald had entered the AAW August Turning Challenge and provided us with the link to the voting and winners- https://www.aawforum.org/community/threads/august-2023-turning-challenge-final-results.21511/ @KevTN Asked for help identifying a specific pattern for the rim of a platter. Our turners had several suggestions. If you can identify this patter, please help out Kevin- @RustyFN has a gorgeous spalted bowl on his lathe! What’s Coming Up- Cindy Drozda is live tomorrow- Thursday, October 12 at 2pm EDT. She will be discussing how do you protect your eyes, ears, and lungs in the workshop. For registration, follow this link- https://streamyard.com/watch/PsF54zh7XSVb For The Newbies- Kent Weakly's video on what tools are not suitable for bowl turning- Carl Jacobson makes an oak lidded box. Notice that Carl uses both traditional and carbide tools to complete the project- A simple bowl turning to use as a succulent planter from Craft Supplies USA From Tim Yoder on choosing your sandpaper Richard Raffan demonstrates how to make your turned bowls look really top notch by refining the bottom. Expand Your Horizons- Several articles from Kent Weakley on bowl finishes. https://turnawoodbowl.com/my-favorite-food-safe-wood-finish-waterproof-almost/?ck_subscriber_id=1577117793 https://turnawoodbowl.com/make-shellac-wood-bowl-finish/?ck_subscriber_id=1577117793 https://turnawoodbowl.com/spray-lacquer-illustrated-guide-equipment-system-set-up-technique/?ck_subscriber_id=1577117793 Jim Rodgers continues his series on hollowing- Alan Stratton posted this video on YouTube. It reminded me of a similar project that @Gerald had shown us sometime back- The Four Ways videos from the first of the month- Mike Peace- Richard Raffan- Sam Angelo- Tomislav Tomasic- New Turning Items- From Niles Bottle Stoppers- https://nilesbottlestoppers.com/product/cocktail-muddler-set/ From Woodturners Wonders- Diamond wheels for both bench grinders and Tormek grinders- https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/diamond-wheels?_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQM0F3UvGVbQKzhWGippDlk%3D.VJvU8R Everything Else- From Ron Brown's Newsletter- When you share the joys of your craft with someone who has never seen shavings fly off a fresh bowl blank or get to watch a spinning top appear in just a few minutes, you might change their world. A small pebble can create a world of ripples. Members of our woodworking club have attended county fairs, woodworking shows, and symposiums which always included live demonstrations. Why? Most people can’t visualize what we do. I’ve seen people become fascinated with turning after they made a simple maple or oak pen at one of these events. I’ve seen their entire family get interested and turning became their family hobby. They’ve planned family trips around turning shows and symposiums along with week-long hands-on learning at folk schools. I’ve witnessed folks buying their first mini lathe and accessories then go on to develop a lifelong passion for the smell of freshly milled lumber and the shavings from another bowl blank. The benefit to you of doing something like that is they bring their non-turning skill sets from their regular jobs, i.e. management, leadership, and organizational skills. Many have become club officers including President. One such fellow served three terms and on a personal note, became my dentist until he retired. We’ve seen lawyers, engineers, business executives, moms, teenagers, pastors, and doctors get the turning bug all because they saw a turning demonstration at a craft fair or other public event. I’ve told the story many times of how I attended a two-hour club demonstration in a cold dark basement one Saturday between Christmas and the New Year. Nick Cook made a top, a garden dibble, a honey dipper, a toothpick holder, and a mahogany plate plus some other things I don’t remember. One couple thought that was terrific and booked a day's instruction with Nick. Then they started a turning club, then I attended, then I got hooked. Now I make a great living inventing and offering turning accessories to the turning community worldwide. During the thirteen years I was on the Woodworking Show Circuit, I was able to demonstrate turning in front of over a million people. That’s a pretty good ripple! Thank you, Nick Cook. In order to cause the ripple, you have to toss the stone in the first place. I would encourage you to invite someone to a club meeting or over to your shop for an hour or two for coffee and to make some shavings. You never know how big that ripple might become Safe turning
  15. Last Wednesday in September but at least we had a sunny day here, for a change. Our Patriot Turners- @Roy showed us a really neat segmented turning that will be used a traveling trophy at his wife's work. He asked our turners several questions including their opinions on carbide tools. Please check out his post and see if your can provide any insights from your experiences. @nevinc posed a question about a turning blank he purchased. Seems the blank was quite wet and he was wondering about the turning options. Please check out his post, the comments and add your ideas. Nevin also showed us another cool bowl turning he made. In his post, there are more images and comments from our turners- @HandyDan needs to get a couple of "barn cats" to take care of his problem. Seems he has mice!! As usual, Dan has gotten ahead of us all with this years batch of Christmas ornaments. Check out his post for more images- @forty_caliber completed another one of his beautiful pecan bowls- He received lots of positive comments in his post- @RustyFN finished up a request from his wife to turn a pumpkin (hope she didn't mean he was to turn INTO a pumpkin) Rusty describes the turning and its purpose in his post- We've had more activity on our continuing thread of "What's On Your Lathe" @forty_caliber and @calabrese55 both added what they have been up to. You can catchup up starting here- What’s Coming Up- Live tomorrow, September 28, with Cindy Drozda- Preregister here- http://www.cindydrozda.com/html/Signup.html For The Newbies- Jim Rodgers' video describing some of the various turning tools used for hollowing A short video about woodturning safety equipment from Cindy Drozda- If you have started turning bowls, you know it can be challenging to find a way to hold the work. This video, from Richard Raffan, he demonstrates the process from start to finish on a rough turned bowl. What is interesting is how he has prepared the rough blank for being held by the chuck on the inside of the bowl. A video short from Tim Yoder on turning stance- Expand Your Horizons- A different kind of winged bowl from Alan Stratton- Over the last several weeks we have had information on various thread cutting processes. Sam Angelo prepares a new set of chasers for use. Sam explains why and how he modifies his chasing tools- Mike Peace explores what the term "Food Safe" finish- New Turning Items- Mike Waldt reviews a new vase steady rest- Woodturners Wonders has expanded their product line. They now carry "Hold Fast" vacuum chuck systems. Here's the link to that page on their website- https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/hold-fast?_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQM0F3UvGVbQKzhWGippDlk%3D.VJvU8R Ken Rizza added a YouTube video to further explain the additions to their product line- Everything Else- I think I would buy the game instead of this, but Richard Raffan turns what we used to call Pick Up Sticks! And from Ron Brown's Newsletter- 22 Things I Wish I Knew In The Beginning Friends, here is a partial list of things I wish someone had told me when I first started wood-turning. I plan to do a follow-up article based on your responses to things you wish someone had told you. Things I didn’t mention. Send your comments to me at ronbrown@coolhammers.com. 1) I wish I had a “Turner’s Reference Guide” It is now a free download and very worth your time. Get it at www.ronbrownsbest.com or <Here> You have to be logged into your account. 2) When you get a lathe, you’ve just started to spend money 3) You can turn small things on a big lathe, but it is difficult to turn big things on a small lathe. 4) There are four pillars to woodturning: a) The lathe itself, turning tools (HSS & Carbide), Chucks and work holding devices, and sharpening 5) There are 6 basic types of HSS turning tools but lots of sizes of each type. a) Skews, parting tools, scrapers, spindle roughing gouges, spindle gouges, and bowl gouges 6) Buying HSS tools in sets is usually not a good idea. Get the tool you need when you need it. Learn to use it, learn to sharpen it. 7) Carbide tools are a separate category and 98% are scrapers a) Diamond, round, square, square with radius 8) Hollowing tools can be a separate category a) Scrapers (HSS and Carbide) & ring tools 9) You don’t need 150 different tools, about 15 will do a) It is easy to overpay for turning tools if you only buy brand names because of the brand. Save the expensive stuff for when you are more experienced and can tell the difference in quality. b) It is never a good idea to buy based on the cheapest-priced tool. c) Most mid-priced turning tools today have excellent quality M2 steel for the hobby turner 10) Sharp tools are safer, easier to work with and leave a better finish 11) Develop the habit of sharpening often 12) Hone your skews, avoid the grinder if at all possible 13) Sharpening is a cornerstone skill and worth the investment in time and money 14) Some kind of HSS tool sharpening jig is one of the things every woodturner needs to own as soon as possible. Tools last longer, grinds are repeatable, and you will sharpen more often because it becomes quick and easy. Turning will be more fun and safer. 15) At least one Scroll chuck is mandatory 16) Free wood isn’t free 17) Green wood is like lettuce, it goes bad very quickly so seal it immediately 18) Use PPE, accidents happen in microseconds. Direct pressure usually stops the bleeding 19) Good tool technique along with sharp tools eliminates much of the sanding 20) Stop! Carefully examine your work at every step before going to the next process a) If you can still see individual sanding scratch marks, go back and do it again before moving up to the next finer grit. 21) Swing diameter is far less important than horsepower on larger projects. 22) When your workpiece flies out of the chuck or comes loose from between centers, are you in the correct position to avoid injury? Safe turning
  16. Summer's about over and the days are getting shorter. Less yard work means more lathe time! Our Patriot Turners- @nevinc has really put his lathe to work this week. He showed us a bunch of bowls, with different design! He describes what he has done in this post- Nevin also worked on a box elder bowl with a unique shape- He provides us with more information in his post- @forty_caliber also has been busy with more of his pecan stash! he posted a couple of bowls for us to drool over- There's more images and descriptions at- Forty then had a chance to finish up the bowl on which he used epoxy and diopside inlay- More images and specifics can be found in this post- @Gerald added a video of a neat little toy on which he has been experimenting. He calls them "Tippy Tops". Check this post to see what they do! Another addition to our continuing thread- "Off The Lathe And Just Finished" What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for more information and registration- For The Newbies- A few video short from Tim Yoder and Ron Brown Both Tim and Ron have been producing these short videos to help the newer turner understand some of the nuances of turning. You can check out their series at https://www.youtube.com/@woodturningwithtimyoder/featured and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMD5dw_8FCyaHPjztP5sklw I think everyone knows how I hate to sand, mainly because I never get the results I see from other turners. Cindy Drozda recently did a live Tool Talk showing her sanding techniques. I learned a lot. Expand Your Horizons- @Gerald's post on Tippy Tops coincided with this video from Alan Stratton. Alan revisited these in hopes of having better success. Check out Alan's process from turning spheres freehand. Kent Weakley turns a wooden bowl but not without some difficulty. He explains what happened and how to correct it. Mike Peace shared a video of an IRD he recently conducted. The video is rather long but the demonstration of the threading jig/device is interesting. Not all tree logs are suitable for turning bowls or larger pieces. Richard Raffan explains the phenomena of "wind shake" or "cup shakes". New Turning Items- Not new but some better prices- https://lylejamieson.com/ Free shipping continued until September 25. https://woodturnerswonders.com/ Everything Else- Woodworker's Journal published their Woodturning Monthly newsletter. https://www.woodworkersjournal.com/woodturning-monthly/?utm_medium=email Safe turning
  17. A big THANK YOU to all of our members who donated to our summer fundraiser! Our Patriot Turners- @Steve Krumanaker has been really busy! Steve produces turnings used by local artisans in his area. This week he showed us a new item he was asked to make- These are called "drop spindles" and Steve explains their use in his post Steve also turns and engraves items for jars used by another artisan. His lids are works of art- You can see more in his post, here- Another addition to our "What's On Your Lathe" thread- And these were added to "Off The Lathe And Finished" thread Thanks @Gerald! That's bowl has awesome grain and color! What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration- For The Newbies- Spalted wood can produce some fantastic turnings but it is not without its problems. This article from AAW provide tips and insights into using it- https://www.woodturner.org/Woodturner/Resources/Woodturning-Fundamentals--Publication-/2023/03-August/Turning-Spalted-Wood-A-Beginners-Guide.aspx A couple of weeks ago we posted a video that featured the proper stance/movement when working on the lathe. Tim Yoder gives us additional thought- Every corner of my shop has wood pieces that are too precious to pitch out, although I suspect some may disappear on trash day when Mimi thinks I'm not looking. Mike Peace tells us what he does with those pieces- Expand Your Horizons- Alan Stratton has some thoughts on purchased vs. shop made Donut Chucks If you have the opportunity to serve as a woodturning instructor, Jim Rodgers has a video to help understand the various types of learners and some strategies for assisting each. New Turning Items- Not a new item but FREE shipping on your purchase, from Woodturners Wonders- https://woodturnerswonders.com/?_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQM0F3UvGVbQKzhWGippDlk%3D.VJvU8R Safe turning adkjasbd
  18. ONE DAY LEEFT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our Patriot Turners- @Gerald started a new topic for our turners! I hope we can make this one as popular as the one @RustyFN started for showing what's on our lathes! So far we've had two members add items. Let's make this topic sail to the "Most Posts" list! Our other continuing topic of "What's On Your Lathe" also had activity! @RustyFN and @forty_caliber both added some of what they are working on! Check out this post for more images! @forty_caliber also posted a nice little "catch-all" bowl. I think these bowls are so useful. Not too large to take up a lot of space but large enough to hold most small items. Great for pocket dumps! See more images here- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration Well, it happened last week, but if you missed it, Cindy has posted the video- For The Newbies- How fast should I turn is a question we often hear. There really isn't a hard and fast rule. Ron Brown has some thoughts in this video "short"- Mortice or tenon to attach the bowl to the lathe. Ask 10 woodturners and you'll probably get at least 15 different answers. My personal choice in a recess and use it to incorporate the foot. Here's what Kent Weakley thinks about it- Of course, if you don't have a chuck, there are other ways to attach a bowl blank to the lathe. Sam Angelo shares his thoughts on some methods of securing that blank- Expand Your Horizons- It's just past the first of the month and the videos from "4 Ways" is available. This month Richard Raffan, Tomislav Tomasic, Sam Angelo and Mike peace each turn their version of a natural edge bowl. Tim Yoder turns a beautiful Flame Elder platter. He eve uses some of his Easy Wood Tools in the process! It is not too soon to start thinking about making Christmas ornaments. Alan Stratton creates one that is out of this world! Craft Supplies USA has an idea for something that the ladies in your life might enjoy- New Turning Items- Ron Brown has a new Ladle Chuck System- Safe turning
  19. Only ONE week left in our summer fund raiser. Please consider donating to help keep our site alive- Our Patriot Turners- @forty_caliber hasn't used up all of that pecan stash. Check out this beauty- He tells us a bit more in this post- @Gerald was turning a tenon and uncovered this unusual shape. He asked what we thought it could be. Check out more images and the thoughts of our members- Boy, did we get a bunch of neat turnings posted on our "What's On Your Lathe" topic! @Gerald, @calabrese55, and @RustyFN all were busy in their shops- You can catchup starting here- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration For The Newbies- Form Mike Peace. Some good tips about the size of a tenon vs. the diameter of the piece- Mike also has some thoughts on purchasing kits- A hint from Tim Yoder about retaining those beautiful colors in your turnings- Are there little ones in your family? Sam Angelo shows how to create some simple turnings that could become favorite toys. Expand Your Horizons- You pulled that bowl round off the shelf and discovered it had a nasty split, now what! Here's what Richard Raffan does- Got the outside turned and starting to hollow out the inside and then this! What would you do? Tenon or mortice?? How about neither! Mike Waldt's video short of turning a large platter illustrates the strength of hot glue! New Turning Items- Several of the vendor attendees to SWAT did a live video showing much of what was happening and is available for viewing. I did catch one unique item from Niles Stoppers. Audio is a little off. https://streamyard.com/watch/8dzBZqCXEzpu A couple of weeks ago, we posted a new item from Ron Brown- the lathe disk sander. Ron has since added a short video of its operation- Woodturners Wonders is now handling Crown Tools. Check out more at- https://woodturnerswonders.com/search?type=article%2Cpage%2Cproduct&q=crown* tools*&_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQM0F3UvGVbQKzhWGippDlk%3D.VJvU8R Everything Else- From Ron Brown's newsletter- I Meant To Do That! Show-and-tell is an important element at any gathering of craft people, turners included. I implemented a guideline at the Gwinnett Woodworker’s regular Saturday morning meetings: "Don’t point out flaws.” If it isn’t blatantly obvious, don’t talk about it. Stay positive and share what you enjoyed about making this piece and possibly what you might have learned. In an attempt to appear humble, we sometimes point out our shortcomings or mistakes so we won’t appear to brag about what we’ve accomplished. You put in the time, energy, and effort to create something you are proud of. Don’t diminish it by pointing out the smallest of mistakes. One of our members was describing his piece which was very impressive by the way, he mentioned what became known as “the hanging hole.” None of us could see it, folks asked him to show us what he meant because it was so minor that even if you saw his mistake, you wouldn’t think anything of it. Most of the pieces woodturners make are unique because the wood's character can vary dramatically. Often there is no standard for comparison. If your piece didn’t turn out exactly like you intended, don’t be disappointed, be proud of what you did accomplish. Mistakes Can Be An Opportunity For An Object Lesson! A famous highly skilled local woodturner was demonstrating hollow forms when he suddenly pierced the vessel's side. Rather than giving up, he brilliantly used this turn of events as an object lesson on what to do with the remaining material. If you have never come through the bottom of a bowl or through the side of a hollow form, just wait, you will sooner or later. It’s a little more difficult when you do it in front of 30 other turners! Things are rarely perfect and yet most are still beautiful. Only someone lacking wisdom would criticize your work and point out small flaws. Don’t be easily offended and don’t do it yourself; that can lead to false humility. You’ve put in the work and practiced for untold hours, sometimes years, to gain your specific skill set. In other words, you’ve earned it Safe turning
  20. Please keep in mind we are having our community fund raiser. Check out the cool prizes- Our Patriot Turners- Our "What's On Your Lathe" thread had several additions this week- @forty_caliber, @nevinc and @HandyDan were busy- Check out what they were up to- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration- ❗️For invitation to attend this zoom, simply send an email with the subject line “Invite Me” to sales@exoticblanks.com❗️ Keith was kind enough to share this from the Easy Wood Tools newsletter. The email is sent to the folks EWT has on file. If you don't get it, call @Jordan Martindale at (859)246-0294 and asked to be put on the list. For The Newbies- Some turning tips, hints and general information from Tim Yoder and Ron Brown- Expand Your Horizons- Richard Raffan- waste not, want not- And... Mr. Raffan also turns a lovely "breakfast bowl". Note in his description his formula for turning time to make a living! I'll never make it! Alan Stratton turns a beautiful shallow bowl leaving natures imperfections Carl Jacobson does a variation on the Mason jar vase lid- Woodworker's Journal published their monthly Woodturning Monthly newsletter. Some neat projects for all skill levels https://www.woodworkersjournal.com/woodturning-monthly/?utm_medium=email New Turning Items- From Woodturners Wonders a new item to help keep grinder dust under control- https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/grinding-wheel-accessories/products/grit-grabber-magnet-with-sleeve?_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQM0F3UvGVbQKzhWGippDlk%3D.VJvU8R Niles Stoppers posted a video describing their threaded inserts- Everything Else- Some interesting thoughts from Ron Brown's newsletter- Copying vs. Stealing in Woodturning This subject comes up frequently and is not very well understood. What, then, is morally permissible and what is wrong and probably illegal? “Art Plagiarism Defined: Plagiarists copy sketches, paintings, photos, and even sculptures. When you copy someone else’s art without consent or credit—you are stealing. Even mere using of filter, changing of color, and adding of clip art or text are part of this poor practice. Like literary plagiarism, art plagiarism also comes in many forms such as theft and tracing.” Source: College of Arts and Technology Q: Is it OK to copy well-known turners work? • Yes, provided you name the original artist as the inspiration for your version. • You don’t try to pass off or sell yours as a piece made by them. • Give credit where credit is due. • If the item is for your own private use or collection and it isn’t for sale, there are no limitations, IMHO. My first real venture into turning was making turned-lidded boxes for Christmas presents for all of the women in our extended family. I worked directly from the book “Turned Lidded Boxes – 50 Designs” by Chris Stott. I copied examples from his book as exactly as my inexperienced turning skills would allow. That Christmas I even showed everyone the book and the pages their present was displayed on. Everyone knew I wasn’t that creative on my own. By this time in my turning career, I’ve made thousands of different items. Virtually none of them were purely my own design. Each one was taken from something I’d seen in a magazine, book, or on YouTube. Yes, I added my own twist, but the core idea was almost never original to me. I am always quick to acknowledge the source of my inspiration by name if possible. As an example, the 10,000-plus spinning tops I’ve made are in the Bonnie Klien style. I added my own twist and used different texturing tools eventually, but I can show you the exact pages where the designs originated in her book. I even met Bonnie at an event in Provo, Utah where I was turning "her tops." As she looked over an assortment of about 50 spinning tops, her comment was “Not Bad”. Famous turners develop their own recognizable style over time and so will you. Think of Mike Mahoney’s Calabash bowls, David Ellsworth’s hollow forms, Cindy Drozda’s hollow forms with fancy finials, Dick Sing’s miniature birdhouses, and John Jordan’s turned and carved hollow forms. All of these styles are readily identifiable. It is normal and healthy to study the work of folks who have figured something out that is distinctive and outstanding. The very best way to learn something is by doing practice exercises; drill for skill. In sports, you run the same plays over and over until they become second nature. In school, we call that homework exercises. I would encourage you to copy work you admire, acknowledge their inspiration give them credit for the idea when showing it to others, and add your own twist when appropriate. Sometimes theirs can’t really be improved on so have fun and let everyone know who inspired you in the first place. I've been taking a hint from @Gerald and making "friendship bowls". Mimi has pretty much depleted all of the bowls I've had setting on the shelves. Some of my earliest ventures aren't of the quality I'd like people to see so I needed to replenish. Have some elm and some walnut from the woodshed. These are under 6" in diameter and have 2 more blanks this size. Then a couple about 8". The largest two will be for special gifts. Safe turning
  21. If you haven't seen the post, we are beginning our summer fundraiser to help support the operations here at the Patriot. Please consider donating to this worthy cause and maybe be lucky enough to walk away with some cool prizes- Our Patriot Turners- @nevinc posted a couple of beautiful bowls- Head on over to his post and check out additional images. @calabrese55 finished up that gorgeous segmented bowl. What a beauty! Check out his post to see what his plans are for this turning- @Gerald posted a vessel he is doing on the "What's On Your Lathe" forum. His image shows the business end of his hollowing rig and the laser attachment- @forty_caliber turned some more bowls fresh from the blanks in his drying kiln. I really like how he does the feet on these- There are more images in his post- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration- These first two might be a bit of a drive- If you missed Cindy Drozda's live presentation with Carl Jacobson. She has it posted on YouTube- For The Newbies- Drilling on the lathe may not require a Jacob's chuck, especially for smaller diameter bits. Tim Yoder demonstrates- Tim also shows a quick and easy way to round over the ends of handles- Pretty neat explanation about lathe speed- Kent Weakley on the importance of good lighting. Mike Peace demonstrates how to make a soft touch cone for the live center- Expand Your Horizons- What do you do when the bowl becomes a funnel- fix it or toss it? Mike Peace has some pretty strong feelings about it- Couple of turnings from Richard Raffan- Alan Stratton modified his Celtic Knot idea to create swirls and added it to his goblets. I had done this on some bottle stoppers- New Turning Items- Robert Sorby has a new multi-tip hollowing tool- Sorby tools are now available from Woodturners Wonders https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/sorby?_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQM0F3UvGVbQKzhWGippDlk%3D.VJvU8R From Spiracraft, a new drilling device for those who make salt/pepper grinders https://spiracraft.com/product/woodcut-tools-mill-drill/?inf_contact_key=48786b7cec548ebb0bc98929c43bd777 Everything Else- Safe turning
  22. Hazy, hot and humid. A good day to be in the basement workshop Our Patriot Turners- @calabrese55 finished up another of his segmented bowls and it is a real beauty! Check out his post for more images and additional information- He also posted this in our "Friday's Weekend Agenda" Our "What's On Your Lathe" was busy this week! @forty_caliber and @HandyDan contributed their projects! Catchup here- What’s Coming Up- Cindy Drozda is presenting the second part of her Threaded Boxes and Vessels. Here's the link for more information http://www.cindydrozda.com/html/IRD.html?fbclid=IwAR0fpla9tf09DBhqd_P3EoM2XqNAFPxY4ahLw1eWdvPcbnT9Sd4-O0rwPNc Want to have recognition for your turning skills? Easy Wood Tools ( @Jordan Martindale ) would like to hear from you! Click on the image for the link to register. For The Newbies- Tim Yoder has been creating short videos to help us get better at sharpening our tools- The "turner's dance" is important to get the most out of the lathe tools. Richard Raffan demonstrates how moving your body can help you improve your turning skills- Expand Your Horizons- Mike Peace demonstrates how to make a "screw chuck"- Mike also upgraded the knockout bar for his new Powermatic lathe- Mike Waldt demonstrates turning another finial. A lot of skew chisel work! Alan Stratton is starting in on his Christmas ornaments! These segmented bells will make some fine gifts- New Turning Items- Not a new product but this video from Carl Jacobson demonstrates using the Niles Joyner Off-Center Jig Everything Else- Finally got back to the lathe and finished up the little elm bowl that had been waiting for me to complete the garden shed project. Had so much fun that I turned another one. I'm taking the lead from @Gerald on "friendship bowls" so Mimi can give them away when she needs a gift. Mine aren't nearly as fancy as Gerald's bowls. One is 5" in diameter, the other is 6". Both turned with Easy Wood Tools and finished with Yorkshire Grit and Hampshire Sheen Safe turning
  23. Lots happening with our turners this week! Our Patriot Turners- We have a new member at the Patriot who is also a turner! @calabrese55 showed us some of his work when he introduced himself. How about this beautiful segmented turning- Check out his post and give him a Patriot welcome! He also posted another bowl in our "Monday Morning" forum- Check it out here- Our "What's On Your Lathe" was also hot this week. New posts start here- Some of the images from @teesquare, @forty_caliber and @calabrese55 @Steve Krumanaker turned a cane for his daughter and his son cast the knob. Andy his an expert on casting! See the cane and the back story in Steve's post- Our resident ornament expert, @Ron Altier, gave us his impressions on turning bamboo. Ron's conclusions are that's it's probably not the best overall species for turning. In one of our posts, there was a mention of the Lichtenberg burning process. @Gerald was kind enough to do a little research on safety when doing this. The process, when ALL safety precautions are observed, can create beautiful patterns. High voltage is dangerous when we become complacent. My neighbor, the electrical safety training officer in our borough, was electrocuted on the job. Insulation, isolation, incomplete human electrical path and full awareness are a must. This is what Gerald found- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration- For The Newbies- Richard Raffan turns a nice little shallow dish in real time. Mike Peace shows how to turn a simple but elegant lidded box. He even makes a special chuck to hold one of the pieces. Holding turnings can be challenge. Home made chucks supplement purchased ones. Sometimes adding modifications to a purchased chuck is the answer as Alan Stratton shows us. Looking for an inexpensive gift? How about salt and pepper SHAKERS. This video from Craft Supplies USA shows us how to make them- Expand Your Horizons- Mike Waldt completes a beautiful elderberry vase- Mike also demonstrates his method of turning finials. This video is from a live feed so it is a little long- New Turning Items- Last week we posted a review from Mike Peace on his new Powermatic 2014 lathe. Mike has a chance to use it and has posted more of his impressions- Ron Brown has release his new lathe mounted disk sander Here's the link to more information- https://www.longworthchuck.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=66&product_id=477 Woodturners Wonders is now a Vicmarc Dealer Check out their complete line- https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/vicmarc?_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQM0F3UvGVbQKzhWGippDlk%3D.VJvU8R Some great prices, at Spiracraft, on Easy Wood Tools products @Jordan Martindale ! https://spiracraft.com/?inf_contact_key=d8ae9197ac7a87c978260b58c8e41427 Everything Else- Boy did this bring back memories! Safe turning
  24. Middle of July, almost, and it feels like summer here in south central PA. Our Patriot Turners- @forty_caliber showed us a beautiful bowl made from Pyinma. In his post he tells us more about the species and the purpose of this little bowl. Forty is also working on his stash of pecan. Really gorgeous bread platter- Here's his post along with a bunch of great comments- And speaking of pecan platters, @Gerald is putting the finishing touches on one he started several years ago. Gerald answers questions on this one in his post- A platter wasn't the only thing Gerald was turning. He was successful in turning a circular form, that when cut apart, created a specific silhouette. I wonder what other designs could be made. Gerald's post- "What's On Your Lathe" had a little action this week. Both @Gerald, @nevinc and @teesquare posted their turnings! See all the images and more information at- What’s Coming Up- The AAW has a multi-part informative tutorial on doing demonstrations. You need to be a member of the AAW to take advantage of these lessons. Log into their site using your credentials to learn more. If you missed Cindy Drozda's tool talk last week, here is a replay- https://streamyard.com/watch/p2Dx5CgdwBbq From Todd Raines- https://streamyard.com/watch/D83QTW86cQcx?receiptful=64af360be3d57500388bb7b5&utm_source=CM Commerce&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter-261&utm_term=newsletter&utm_content=other&receiptfultype=newsletter For The Newbies- Alan Stratton shows us an inexpensive safety device to protect your fingers and knuckles when using a chuck- As an aside, the Easy Chuck was designed to reduce finger/knuckle scrapes. We've all heard the term "ride the bevel" but unless someone has actually shown you how, most description leave a lot to be desire. In steps Tim Yoder and as usual makes thing much easier to understand. Tim also gave us a lesson on how importance lighting while turning- Mike Peace turns a small, lidded box. Notice his use of shop made chucks and that, even for experienced turners, things don't always go as planned Still learning sharpening techniques? Richard Raffan has some help with your bowl gouge- Kent Weakley demonstrates just how much weight is lost when turning a bowl. I think this makes a good case for a bowl saver tool! Some good turning tips throughout- Expand Your Horizons- We've all been told DO NOT DO THIS! His spindle gouge has a really beefy tang. Richard also reviews the "burned" turning from last week- Carl Jacobson turns an apple wood burl vase- New Turning Items- Cindy Drozda's tool talk (above) demonstrated the use of the new Stuart Batty sharpening platform. Cindy sells these on her site- Check Cindy's site- http://www.cindydrozda.com/html/SBTplatforms.html Woodturners Wonders has a sale on lathe lights- https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/lamps?_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQM0F3UvGVbQKzhWGippDlk%3D.VJvU8R Don't drool on the keyboard, but Mike Peace got himself a new lathe- Everything Else- Tim Yoder continues to experiment with his new laser- From Ron Brown's newsletter- One Universal Secret All Successful People Share When successful people try and fail, they understand that failure is part of the process that eventually leads to victory. Almost no one succeeds the first time they try. When you learned to ride a bicycle, you fell. You got up and tried again, and again. You eventually learned how to ride a bicycle successfully. The first several dozen times I tried to make elegant finials for my turned-lidded boxes and fancy Christmas Ornaments, they broke or looked like I turned them with a hammer. But eventually, I figured it out. Now I can turn a fancy finial that approaches a Cindy Drozda class finial out of ebony or African Blackwood without worrying that it will fly into a million pieces before I’m done. That skill level took many failures before I was able to call myself a successful fancy finial turner. You can do it too. It just takes practice and experience. If you are willing to practice, nothing is beyond your reach. I’m encouraging you to pick yourself up and try again. Success will come if you don’t quit. I must be an inventor at heart because I love figuring out ways to solve common problems for woodturners. As a long-time woodturner, myself, I share the same difficulties and frustrations you do. I’ve taken those challenges as my personal mission to invent unique solutions that make tasks easier, safer, and quicker. Safe turning
  25. The 4th has passed and Beauregard the Basset made it thru his first fireworks display without the use of valium. Garden shed has all the vinyl siding in place but still need to add trim coil on the facia and door trim. Our Patriot Turners- The "What's On Your Lathe" has some interesting posts this week! From @nevinc And @forty_caliber Check out more images on this thread at- What’s Coming Up- Click on image for links to more information and registration- For The Newbies- Adding this future event to this section only because it is something often asked about. Sharpening is something we need to learn as we start on out turning journey. This weeks free tool talk is about spindle gouge sharpening. Expand Your Horizons- On the first of each month, 4 turners are challenged to create a similar project using their own ideas how it should be done. Sam Angelo, Mike Peace, Richard Raffan and Tomislav Tomasic embellish a bowl. Speaking of embellishing a turning, Richard Raffan is on fire! Not all bowls are destined to be soup bowls. Check out this piece by Alan Stratton- New Turning Items- Announcing the release of a new upgrade for the Bowl From A Board Easy Cut System; Steel Guide Pin Accessory. Free upgrade for current users and will be included automatically with all Bowl From A Board Easy Cut System purchases after July 1, 2023. https://www.longworthchuck.com/ Everything Else- Tim Yoder's laser adventure continues- Safe turning
×
×
  • Create New...