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Our Patriot Turners- @Steve Krumanaker showed us his rendition of a turned Dragon Fly! Steve's turning are always on the cutting edge of imagination! In his post, Steve explains where the inspiration came from and some of the construction details- We've had a couple of additions to our "What's Off" post. @Fred W. Hargis Jr added another coin holder plaque to his collection. Awesome segmented turning and species selection- Check out our members comments here- The Turners Warehouse and Easy Wood Tools are working together and hosting a Christmas ornament contest/auction to benefit the Saint Jude Children's Hospital. Ornament will be auctioned off and all of the proceeds will go the hospital. We will have more information about where and when you can bid for the donated turnings very soon. I mailed my donation today- What's Coming Up- Click on the image for link to registration- For The Newbies- Tomislav posted a video where he discusses turning speed, as in RPMs. Lots of great information- Here's a really cute seasonal idea from Carl Jacobson. Expand Your Horizons- Just past the first of the month and the collaborators have posted their "4Ways" project. Some hollowing and some spindle work. What happens when that bowl becomes a funnel? Alan Stratton has a solution- Turning Time With Easy Wood Tools- Easy Wood Tools products in action this week! AQPO3Hj67uJvmtXV37O9OT1s1Z5heHCyW5GulW3tuyaXjq2Hxjs7RuyyDBxs9POEw4vpberawNlxYTgeRr137CLzreJLpPCsleFP0To.mp4 Check out the Easy Wood Tools demonstrators for next week! https://woodshows.com/ https://www.woodcraft.com/pages/store/oklahoma-city @Jordan Martindale New Turning Items- Mentioned this last week and now here it is in action. The new Easy Wood Tools chuck mounted mandrel Not new but on sale from Niles Bottle Stoppers- https://nilesbottlestoppers.com/product/threaded-rings-for-urns/ Everything Else- Safe turning
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Our Patriot Turners- @Headhunter posted another fantastic bowl in our Ringmaster sub-forum. Tony is always coming up with spectacular ideas for his work and this one is at the top of the list! Check out his post for more information and images! An entry on our continuing post of "What's On". Seems this happens often when a turner says "just a skosh more" What's Coming Up- Cindy Drozda's Tool Talk from last Friday is available on YouTube- Also, Cindy is hosting a IRD on making a ginger jar. This is from her email. Saturday, October 25th, 1pm Eastern (17:00 UTC). Click on the image for the link to registration For The Newbies- Thinking about buying that first lathe or upgrading to a newer model? Tomislav Tomasic has some thoughts- Halloween Ornaments!!??!! Give these a try from Craft Supplies USA Expand Your Horizons- Are you considering selling your turnings? Craft shows, Etsy or other venues? Carl Jacobson and Ruth Niles have some things to think about https://nilesbottlestoppers.com/marketing-tips/ Alan Stratton creates a sphere, a box and a multi-axis pumpkin! Turning Time With Easy Wood Tools- Easy Wood Tools and Woodcraft are teaming up for some great prices and demos for this weekend! And, here's where you can find the EWT demonstrators next week! https://www.woodcraft.com/pages/store/tampa https://www.woodcraft.com/pages/store/tulsa https://www.hartvillehardware.com/middlefield-location https://www.woodcraft.com/pages/store/orlando https://www.woodcraft.com/pages/store/orlando https://www.woodcraft.com/pages/store/raleigh https://www.rockler.com/retail/stores/oh-cincinnati-store?utm_source=local&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=cincinnati https://www.woodcraft.com/pages/store/cincinnati https://www.woodcraft.com/pages/store/harrisburg-york https://www.woodcraft.com/pages/store/sacramento Tim Yoder turns a hybrid blank into a Sorcerer's Wand using Easy Wood Tools! @Jordan Martindale New Turning Items- San Angelo reviews the Peke Safety Powered Air Filtration System Everything Else- Safe turning
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Our Patriot Turners- Member @Steve Krumanaker showed us a neat setup he concocted for easily transporting a lathe for demonstrations! In his post, Steve explains his setup and some of the design features- I was watching @Handfoolery's guitar build on YouTube. He has posted some of his journey on the Patriot woodworking forum. What caught my eye was the equipment he was using to apply finish to the guitar. Finishing is not my strong suit and the spray set up he used looked like it would work well for turned items. https://preval.com/diy-pro-products/preval-sprayer/ The video showing him finishing his guitar- New member @Tay-da-Tay asked us for information oh harvesting a tree with burls. I've never been fortunate enough to have been able to have this experience. Hoping our members/readers can offer some advice. What's Coming Up- If you missed Cindy's Tool Talk, last Friday, she has it posted on line- For The Newbies- Sam Angelo has a video comparing/contrasting the bowl gouge and the spindle gouge. Tomislav Tomasic discusses bowl gouge sharpening- A cool Halloween turning project from Craft Supplies USA- Expand Your Horizons- More skew practice! Richard Raffan turns some spatulas!! Alan Stratton is back posting! In this video he combines segments, Celtic rings and glass hardware. First of the month and the "4-Ways" collaborators are at it again. This month we are missing Tomislav Tomasic. He is recovering from some surgery. The project is a carvers mallet. Turning Time With Easy Wood Tools- Easy Wood Tools demonstrators are in full swing! https://www.mcfeelys.com/ https://www.woodcraft.com/pages/store/tampa https://www.woodcraft.com/pages/store/charlotte https://www.facebook.com/CBWTurners/ https://www.woodcraft.com/pages/store/tulsa https://www.woodcraft.com/pages/store/colorado-springs Turners everywhere are discovering the benefits of Easy Wood Tools products. Tim Yoder- Download.mp4 Carl Jacobson- @Jordan Martindale New Turning Items- Woodturners Wonders has a sale on Axminster products. Click on the image- Robert Sorby has a buffing addition to the sharpening machine- https://robert-sorby.co.uk/product/proedge-buffing-kit/ Everything Else- Safe turning
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Tomorrow- Our Patriot Turners- @Steve Krumanaker showed us some of his spectacular little bird houses and some other objects! Steve is not going to let Christmas creep up on him this year! Check his post for more images and our member's comments- @Gordon asked our opinion on comparing the Longworth chuck to a vacuum chuck. Several of our members employ the vacuum chuck and Gordon received some great advice. Check out the post and add your ideas- @Headhunter posted some of his bowls in our Ringmaster Sub-forum. Hop over to Tony's post to see where the idea for the design originated and the species used- From our "What's Off" an example of waste not - want not. A little spalted sycamore bowl salvaged from a failed project. What's Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration What have you been working on in your shop? Share it with all of us at this Friday's free Zoom Sharing Session! September 12th, 2:00 pm Eastern, 18:00 UTC September 19 through September 21 2025 For The Newbies- Tomislav Tomasic discusses scraper sharpen and how it can reduce your sanding efforts- So you've started turning bowls but you want to make them more aesthetic looking? Mike Peace has some tips- Expand Your Horizons- Alan Stratton is back! I've followed Alan for years and really enjoy his projects. Of course I'm a "jig junky" and Alan loves to make jigs!! @Headhunter uses a Ringmaster to make his bowls from a board. In this video, Alan puts his own spin (see what I did there ) on doing one. Tim Yoder showed us how he uses a "story stick" in a short video, last week. This week he gives us a look at what the overall project was and an insight into making wood live on. Woodturning has gone through many changes from the spring pole lathe to carbide tools. But are we ready to embrace "AI"?? Check out what Tomislav thinks- Turning Time With Easy Wood Tools- Lots of Easy Wood Tools demonstrations happening in the near future! https://www.mmwtc.org/ https://www.woodcraft.com/pages/store/appleton https://okstatefair.com/ Last week we posted the short video of Carl Jacobson with the Joyner Offset Jig. This is the step by step setup tutorial. See how the Easy Wood Tools products compliment the use of the jig. @Jordan Martindale New Turning Items- A couple of sales on turning equipment- https://longworthchuck.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=30 Click on the below image for the link to the sale Everything Else- A video series that will help you appreciate your lathe when making a bowl- https://www.finewoodworking.com/2017/11/02/ep-1-finding-the-bowl-within-the-log Safe turning
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Our Patriot Turners- Things have been a little slow around the lathes this past week. We did have lots of comments on Ron Brown's newsletter discussing the use of sharpening jigs. The comments start here- On our ""What's On" post, a few bowls in various stages of development. More information can be read here- What's Coming Up- If you missed Cindy Drozda's Tool Talk last Friday, She made it available on YouTube- Click on the image for the link to more information and registration- For The Newbies- Tim Yoder shows us how to adjust the banjo locking mechanism- A nice video from Craft Supplies USA on bowl gouges If you've already ventured into bowl turning, Richard Raffan demonstrates how to shape the outside of a bowl using a "pull cut" Expand Your Horizons- Tomislav turns an "emerging bowl". a round bowl with square wings. Looks challenging! Carl Jacobson turns a resin urn. Check out those Easy Wood Tools with negative rake cutters! Mike Peace discusses the use of friction polish and how to get the best finish on a turning. Turning Time With Easy Wood Tools- In Mike's video, the Yorkshire Grit abrasive paste is used to further refine the surface. Both the Original and Microfine products are available from Easy Wood Tools. https://www.easywoodtools.com/copy-of-shop-apparel JP Woodwork uses Easy Wood Tools to turn a natural edge winged bowl An Easy Wood Tools demo for those in and around the Oklahoma City, Woodcraft, next week https://www.woodcraft.com/pages/store/oklahoma-city @Jordan Martindale New Turning Items- Not new but back in stock at Woodturners Wonders- https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/8-inch-wheels?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=8.15.25 Free Ship%2C CBN Wheels&_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQM0F3UvGVbQKzhWGippDlk.VJvU8R Everything Else- Apologies if I missed any turning post this week. Between computer changes and other "emergencies", it has been a challenging week. Safe turning
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Our Patriot Turners- @calabrese55 has been exploring the differences in acrylic epoxy blends. He recently tried a new type and shared the finish results with us and his observations- Check out what Mike has discovered and our turners' reactions- What’s Coming Up- Cindy Drozda's Tool Talk, from last Friday, is available on her YouTube channel- For The Newbies- Mike Peace shares his thoughts and experiences for coring bowls with his favorite coring system- Carl Jacobson turns some simple craft show projects and talks about various chucking techniques- Expand Your Horizons- The beginning of the month means it is time for the "4 Ways Collaboration"- Turning Time With Easy Wood Tools- Did you know Easy Wood Tools has their own University?? Here you can find helpful videos, technical information and articles covering a wide spectrum of information! https://www.easywoodtools.com/resources The Easy Wood Tools negative rake cutters are designed to be used to shape acrylics. Watch McCollim Woodworking (https://www.youtube.com/@mccollimwoodworking/featured) start to shape a light saber. Light Saber 2.mp4 JP Woodwork uses Easy Wood Tools to turn a vase from a branch- @Jordan Martindale New Turning Items- Everything Else- A little while back I asked for help on identifying a species of wood cut from a tree in a nearby cemetery. We pretty much settled on mulberry. I cut some bowl blanks, roughed them out, soaked for a couple of days and now they are in my little dryer. They are all about 6" in diameter and between 2" to 4" tall. Probably reach moisture equilibrium in 8 or 9 days. Mimi wanted the bowls as a remembrance of her cousin, as he is buried in the shade of that tree. Safe turning
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Congrats to all of the Summer Fund Raiser raffle winners! Thanks to all who participated. Our Patriot Turners- @Headhunter posted some of his gorgeous bowls in our Ringmaster Subforum. Check out his post for more images and the comments from the group- @BuckeyeHomestead added his latest project to our "What's Off" posts! What an amazing transformation took place with this turning! This is what he started with- Check out his post to see the finished piece!!! @RustyFN showed us a neat segmented bowl he turned as part of his club's challenge. Rusty always comes up with amazing items for these contests! In his post, he tells us a little more about this item- We all thought Rusty's basket weave illusion vase was incredible. Well, so did the folks at the art center where it was displayed!! Read what Rusty told us- What’s Coming Up- If you missed last weeks Tool Talk, from Cindy Drozda, she has it posted for viewing- For The Newbies- Our generous sponsor, Woodcraft, posted a great blog on getting started in woodturning. Read the entire blog here- https://www.woodcraft.com/blogs/woodturning/getting-started-in-turning?utm_source=Meta&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=July25&utm_id=SocialOrgainc&utm_content=MiM Mike Peace reminds us of the importance of protecting our lungs. In this video, Mike reviews an affordable dust mask. I used an earlier version of this mask which had "ear loops". I found that particular model a bit cumbersome because of my glasses and BTE hearing aids. The filtration properties, however, were excellent. Expand Your Horizons- The flavor of the week is hollowing- Turning Time With Easy Wood Tools- Next week's Easy Wood Tools demonstrations around the country. If you are near one of these demonstration, stop by and chat with the demonstrator! They are ready and willing to answer your questions and show you how to get the most from the Easy Wood Tools products. @Jordan Martindale New Turning Items- Thinking of a new chuck? The Axminster Discovery GK88 Chuck might be something for your stable. Everything Else- Somehow I missed posting this notice from @Gerald about the passing of renown artist/turner David Ellsworth. Kent Weakley also posted a tribute to Mr. Ellsworth- Safe turning
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More rain to fill the PA potholes Our Patriot Turners- @Fred W. Hargis Jr is making progress on his coin displays. He is turning the pedestals for each coin and ran into a little problem and asked our advice. Check out Fred's post for our members suggestions. I finally dug out the chainsaw and went for some sycamore. Cut everything on site instead of manhandling big chunks of logs. A bunch of approximately 6 x 6 pieces and some a little bigger. Ends sealed with old Titebond glue. Seven of these pieces have been rough turned, 4 soaked and in the drying box and 3 more in the soak now. I was surprised how much the log had spalted since the last time I cut from it, especially since it was not in contact with the ground. What’s Coming Up- If you missed Cindy Drozda's tool talk with Emma Cook, it is available on YouTube- For The Newbies- From Tomislav Tomasic on the importance of tool rest positioning- Expand Your Horizons- No Longworth chuck, no Cole Jaws? No problem! Sam Angelo demonstrates how to finish off the bottom of a bowl without those special chucks. Spindles, bowls, hollowing-- been there, done that?? But have you turned a Jelly Fish?? Carl Jacobson shows us this turned art work- Turning Time With Easy Wood Tools- Easy Wood Tools has a great selection of accessories for holding pieces on the lathe. For the headstock, besides their awesome Easy Chuck, they have faceplates, faceplate rings and drive centers. Faceplates- Faceplates are available for lathes with headstock spindles threads of 1 x 8, 1.25 x 8, M30 x 3.5 and M33 x 3.5. With diameters ranging from 2" to 4.5". The faceplates have a large number of holes to ensure secure mounting even on rough surfaces. Faceplate rings- The faceplate rings are machined from cold rolled steel. These heavy rings will work with most 4 jaw chucks. These are available in 3, 4.5 and 6 inch diameters. As with the EWT faceplates, the large number of holes provides secure mounting on uneven surfaces. With faceplate rings, there is no need to replace the chuck with a faceplate. Drive Centers- Being able to mount spindle work without removing your chuck can save time. EWT offers two styles of chuck mounted drive centers. 4 Prong- This heavy duty center offers a retracting point for easy centering and will work with most chucks. Multi-Spur As with the 4 prong drive center, the retracting point makes for easy centering and will fit most chucks. EWT hasn't ignored the tailstock either. Live Center- Standard #2 Morris taper with a 3/4 x 10 threaded nose for additional adapters. The center point position is adjustable. Stabilization Cones- Available in 1.5" and 4" diameter with 3/4 x 10 threads Some of these items are demonstrated and reviewed by Carl Jacobson- Another well known woodturner demonstrating EWT tools- Upcoming EWT live demonstration- Be sure to check you local Woodcraft store for additional live EWT demos during the month of June. @Jordan Martindale New Turning Items- Everything Else- From Ron Brown's newsletter Opportunity "There is little opportunity when nothing changes...but with change comes opportunity." My daughter is brilliant! As a scientist working in a large laboratory developing poultry vaccines, change was constant: personnel, protocols, facilities, and equipment. It bothered her every time. My counsel was always to welcome changes because there is little opportunity when nothing changes. But with change, opportunity always comes, and it always did. For the hobby woodturner, this speaks to stagnation. If your techniques remain the same, your projects look the same, and your understanding of wood and tools doesn't evolve, your opportunities for growth and enjoyment are limited. You might become proficient at a few specific tasks, but you'll likely hit a plateau. • Limited Skill Development • Repetitive Projects • Missed Learning • Lack of Innovation "...but with change comes opportunity." This is the exciting part! Change, even when it feels a little daunting, opens doors to new possibilities and growth in your woodturning journey. • Learning New Skills: Experimenting with different wood species or mastering a new finishing technique (like CA), expands your capabilities and opens up new project possibilities. • Exploring Different Project Types: Moving beyond simple bowls to tackle complex spindle projects, or even furniture components, can lead to greater satisfaction. • Adopting New Tools: Investing in a new tool, jig, or fixture, even a seemingly small one, can revolutionize your workflow and the types of projects you can undertake. • Discovering New Materials: Experimenting with epoxy resin, metal inlays, or even incorporating non-traditional materials into your woodworking can lead to unique and exciting results. • Sharing and Learning from Others: Engaging with the woodturning community online or in person exposes you to different approaches, ideas, and critiques, fostering growth and new opportunities for learning. Other key precepts to consider: • Master New Forms: Progressing beyond basic shapes to complex forms (hollow vessels, segmented/off-center turning) provides significant skill development. • Experiment with Different Woods: Exploring various wood types (hardwoods, softwoods, figured, green) reveals diverse textures, colors, and challenges. • Learn New Tool Techniques: Utilizing different gouge profiles, scrapers, and specialized tools expands achievable effects and forms. • Explore Embellishments: Incorporating carving, burning, painting, or resin inlays adds artistic dimensions to turned pieces. • Improve Sharpening Skills and Techniques: Continuously refining tool sharpening and lathe stance improves cut quality, control, and intricacy. • Embrace New Technologies: Integrating modern technologies like laser engravers and advanced finishes offers new creative possibilities in woodturning. Don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone at the lathe. Embrace the challenges that come with learning new techniques, experimenting with different materials, and exploring new forms. Each change, each new skill acquired, each different wood you turn, is an opportunity to grow as a craftsman, to create more unique and satisfying pieces, and to deepen your enjoyment of this excellent craft. Safe turning
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Beautiful couple of days here in south central PA, especially for mid March! Our Patriot Turners- I think our turners are taking advantage of the nice weather and are catching up on their yard work! What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration- For The Newbies- One question often asked by new turners is- "What chuck should I buy?" Here are some compare/contrast videos to help answer that question. Also, Check out the video in our new Easy Wood Tools section below. Expand Your Horizons- Last week's posts by the "4 Ways" collaborators discussed cutting threads in a project. Three of the turners used hand chased threads. This week we are adding some additional information on thread cutting for those who might want to dive in a little deeper. Turning Time With Easy Wood Tools- Welcome to the latest addition to our weekly post for woodturners. As many of you know, Easy Wood Tools has been a sponsor of our site for a very long time. As a small family owned business, I felt we should provide a little more exposure for them. They have always been kind enough to support our fundraising efforts. What you will see, in this sub-heading, are turning ideas, tips, projects, and tool reviews focused on Easy Wood Tools products. Let's start this journey with the Easy Chuck, reviewed by Craft Supplies USA- Easy Wood Tools current sale- New Turning Items- New product from Niles Bottle Stoppers. An Ice Breaker Available at- https://nilesbottlestoppers.com/product/ice-pick/ Everything Else- What is your opinion on the addition of then new EWT section.
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Lots of stuff this week! Our Patriot Turners- @calabrese55 posted a concept for modifying a set of calipers- See his post for what he proposes and additional information. @Gerald posted information concerning Teknatool USA Bankruptcy filings. Lots of folks use their products. Guess we will have to wait to see how this shakes out. @Fred W. Hargis Jr added a comment to the end of last weeks "Wednesday". Fred said that even though he has watched a lot of turning videos, he is still having trouble with tool presentation to the work. I did some searches on the topic and found several videos that might help him, and others having the same difficulties. For bowl gouges, this one has really great closeups- These are from noted turners, however, they are from live demonstrations. There are not a lot of closeup images- This link is to free Stuart Batty videos and other information that may be helpful- https://stuartbattytools.com/free-videos-and-articles What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration- For The Newbies- If you are new to carbide tools, Easy Wood Tools has posted a nice videos demonstrating the making of a little LED candle holder. There are lots of opinions about whether the tenon or mortice is the best option when holding work on the lathe. Stuart Batty explains pros and cons in these 2 videos- Expand Your Horizons- It is just after the first of the month and the "4 Ways" collaboration continues. Threads are this month's challenge. Thanks to Tomislav Tomasic, Mike Peace, Richard Raffan and Sam Angelo for posting their turnings. Mimi puts decorations in our front window for every season/holiday. If your Mrs. does the same, she might appreciate this for March 17- New Turning Items- Many of our turners use casting resins for different applications. This information came in an email from Alumilite The email linked 3 turners who pretty much specialize in each one of the 3 types of resin. If you have access to Instagram, you should be able to see example of their work. Click on the images for links to their Instagram accounts Jake Thompson- Clear Slow. Michael W Kusmierz – Amazing Deep Pour Troy Shipley – Alumilite Clear Not new but Woodcraft is having a sale on turning kits. Specials and closeouts! Click the image for the link to the sale age. Everything Else- Picture of the Easy Wood Tools demo in Harrisburg, PA last Saturday- Had a great time! They set us up right inside the front door. Lots of interest! The one for March had to be cancelled due to scheduling conflicts @Jordan Martindale. Safe turning
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Looks like southern PA was once again spared the "big one" as far as snow is concerned. Still mighty cold out, however. Our Patriot Turners- Member @Gordon posted a question about using dyes on a turning. Specifically. he was asking about bleed through. Several of our turners posted their thoughts and advice. Maybe you could help Gordon with your input. Please check his post at- @Headhunter added a post in our Ringmaster Subforum. He made a jig to aid in measuring angles when cutting the rings. Check out his post at- We have had several entries to our "ON/OFF" the lathe this past week! From ON- Thanks to @Gordon and @calabrese55 for their gorgeous turnings! You can see all of the comments and more images at- And from OFF- @calabrese55 and Lew posted vessels, both lidded and open. Love the knob on this lid! Lots more images and comments at- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration- For The Newbies- From Craft Supplies USA, a video on fundamental woodturning safety tips- Turning tops is a great way to practice tour spindle turning skills and create some neat toys for the kids, grandkids or neighborhood kids. Mike Peace adds a new twist to the mix! Expand Your Horizons- Basket illusion turnings always seemed very daunting to me. I think this one from Carl Jacobson is one I might consider tackling. How do you measure the wall thickness of your bowls? This is how Richard Raffan does it! New Turning Items- Not new but on sale. For the coffee connoisseur in your life. The Niles coffee tamper kit for their espresso machine. https://nilesbottlestoppers.com/product/coffee-tamper/ Everything Else- From Ron Brown's newsletter: You Will Never Fail If You Never Try Failure is a part of trying and is needed for success. If you’re going to be successful, you need to try more than once and usually fail more than once. If you never try, you will never fail. You will also never accomplish anything. Fear Of Failure Can Paralyze You Go ahead and try that new project or method. You will probably fail the first time or two. That is how we learn. Persistence is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. As someone who has been given a certain responsibility and a pretty broad platform to shout from, I have come to realize that no matter what I do or say, someone is going to be offended. I could avoid negative comments by never saying or trying anything, but although I have the right to remain silent, I do not have the ability. For every 100 encouraging and uplifting comments I receive on this weekly column, I will receive one that is less encouraging. These comments provide opportunities to practice what I preach. Some comments are very harsh simply because they disagree with something I’ve said or implied or because I believe differently from them. “Don’t throw them away” was the advice recently given to me by a good friend. When people say something nonsensical, you can only control how you respond. I’ve heard it said the greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. Nobody will agree 100 percent of the time, and in the wood-turning world, there are almost always many ways to accomplish the same thing. I choose to practice what I preach, especially when responding to someone who disagrees with me. As you evaluate someone else, realize they might see things from a perspective different than your own. That doesn’t make them wrong; it makes them different from you. Safe turning
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Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. Please don't forget that we have started our annual Christmas project to help a veteran and their family- Our Patriot Turners- @RustyFN posted an inquiry about a lathe stand for handicapped turners. If you have any plans, or know where plans can be obtained, please let Rusty know- @Gordon asked our members a question concerning bowl finishes appropriate for specific uses. He received some input from our members. Hop over to Gordon's post and let him know what your favorite bowl finishes are! @DAB turned some cute little ornaments. He posted it here- @Fred W. Hargis Jr had turned a Christmas tree finial. This is where he used it- Pretty cool project. Fred explains more, here- Fred's project prompted @JimM to show us his version. Notice the "finial" on his tree- Jim's post is just a few entries down from Fred's. What’s Coming Up- Signup at- https://community.woodturner.org/events/event-description?CalendarEventKey=421c6cad-b842-4f3e-8278-01934ad538d5&Home=%2fevents%2fird-demonstrations&_zs=ceDib&_zl=eLHJ4 For The Newbies- Just starting out and looing for a simple but useful project? How about a Garden Dibbler (Dibble). Watch how Mike Waldt creates his- Expand Your Horizons- A cool project from Glenn Lucas that will test your sphere turning skills! Carl Jacobson does a live demo on turning a lidded box using the bronze threaded inserts. If you are planning to do something like this, there are some good tips- Some more Christmas ornament ideas from Alan Stratton- @Steve Krumanaker does a lot of "Bee Specific" turned items. I saw this in a news letter from Niles Bottle Stoppers and thought I'd share it- Steve also turns birdhouse ornaments. For his work, he also turns the little birds that live in them. This Craft Supplies USA video demonstrates turning birdhouses along with a source for tiny premade birds. Visit- https://woodturnerscatalog.com/collections/new-products/products/mini-mushroom-birds-4-pack?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=product_shelf for the birds. New Turning Items- Nothing new but I did notice there are lots of "Black Friday" sales running at most of the woodturning sources Everything Else- Safe turning
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Well another election is in the books. I, for one, will be glad to return to commercials for Ozempic and Liberty Mutual car insurance. Our Patriot Turners- @RustyFN picked up some great looking Sycamore logs- He received lots of comments on the popularity of Sycamore for turning. Check out the comments at- Rust also made a super score at his local Woodcraft store. Our resident Ring Master turner, @Headhunter, posted some awesome bowls he has completed! Head on over to Tony's post and see more images and the comments from our gang- @Fred W. Hargis Jr was perusing some of our older topics and posted an observation about a commonly turned wood- @DAB turned a nice little bowl from a wood I had never heard of- Ohia. I found this from an Internet search- https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/forestry/plants/ohia-lehua/ He has some interesting stuff he is thinking about storing in this one! @forty_caliber has several serious hobbies along with turning. It's fantastic when you can meld them together. In this post from "What's Off Yor Lathe...", Monty turned an adapter to help build his short wave radio antenna farm. Also, in the "OFF" topic is a really nice bowl posted by @user74- The new items start here- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration For The Newbies- Safety video from Craft Supplies USA. PSA- not just for Newbies!! With Christmas coming, a gift idea from Alan Stratton @Steve Krumanaker Practice your spindle turning and a little hollowing with this item from Mike Waldt Expand Your Horizons- The "4 Ways" collaboration is back! A winged box!! A neat project for the seamstress in your life from Carl Jacobson- New Turning Items- I think we posted this before from another source. Here is Tim Yoder's assessment of the Tru-Arc tool Everything Else- Safe turning
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Now don't be eating all of the candy for tomorrow night's Trick or Treaters!! Our Patriot Turners- @Masonsailor posted a follow up on his turning class. His students turned some tool handles and a segmented bowl! Check out Paul's additional information and more images here- @Gordon is working on some of that silver maple he scored! He has a beautiful blank on his lathe and gave us a peek at how it's going- See more images and comments here- From OFF the lathe and finished, a "Wave Bowl" in cherry and walnut. The design concept is from John Beaver. What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration For The Newbies- @Ron Altier makes knitting/crocheting needles for his Mrs. If you know a quilter, Alan Stratton shows us how to turn a quilting tool. Great project for practicing your spindle turning! A close up view of using some of the typical woodturning tool, Tomislav Tomasic. This might be helpful to the beginning turner to be able to see just how the cutting edges interact with the wood being turned. Cute Christmas ornament from Mike Peace- Expand Your Horizons- Jimmy Clewes is a world renowned turning instructor and many of us would love to be able to attend one of his courses. Well, Popular Woodworking has done the next best thing. They have paired with Mr. Clewes to create a video course. Click on the image below to the registration site and more information! "Electrified" Christmas ornament form Carl Jacobson- New Turning Items- From Ron Brown, more information on his "Bowl From A Board" tool- Everything Else- Last week @Gordon asked a question about the variations in his bowl wall thickness. Several of our members gave possible reasons for this. Just happens that I had the same thing happen to me, yesterday, when turning a sycamore bowl. I was doing the second turning and had sanded and finished the outside. Had gotten started on the inside. I was giving extra thickness to the walls to allow some waste as the wood was quite soft and needed stabilized. I used some shellac and CA to strengthen the wood and would turn away any staining to reach the final thickness. As it so often happens, an "emergency" showed up at the front door. By the time I got back to the lathe, the bowl blank had warped. The blank had been dried to moisture equilibrium. Turning it to the final thickness caused the rim to have thinner areas. If I hadn't put finish on the outside, I could have touched up both the outside and inside to correct the problem, but alas, I'm lazy. Moral- don't stop half way through! Safe turning
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Where did the summer go?!?!?!?!? Our Patriot Turners- We've had more activity on our "What's On/Off Your Late..." From "ON"- @Gerald posted several of the things he is currently completing! Some amazing looking pieces. Check out the post to see how Gerald created those amazing colors on the vase- And from "OFF"- @kreisdorph completed a couple of gorgeous bowls. I just cannot get over how beautiful the spalted one came out! Catchup from last week starting here- @AndrewB continues to grow his tool inventory. Check out what he has done this week- What’s Coming Up- If you missed Cindy Drozda's live tool talk last week, she posted it on YouTube- Click on the following images for links to more information and registration- For The Newbies- Kent Weakley, from Turn A Wood Bowl, has a nice video demonstrating the body positions during the turning process. Mike Peace turns a great little item that may just be something the Mrs. would like- Expand Your Horizons- Another installment of the "4-Ways" collaboration. I must be a cheap skate- I keep mine in an old scuba diving net bag Seems lately that baby rattles have been the current flavor of turning. Carl Jacobson has a special reason for this one- he's will be a grandpa soon! New Turning Items- Sorry, couldn't find anything this week... Everything Else- I've been working on a cane for my brother. First time trying one of these. There is a lot of lathe use but much of it is just a way to hold the cane while working on shaping it. I did turn the tapered shaft. I can't take credit for the design as I liberated much of it from "mmh's" blog I found when doing research. I am at the point where the sanding is finished and I need to laser engrave his name and put on a finish. Have to set up the laser and play a little with test pieces to get a nice engraving. The Derby handle is tiger maple- the stripes show better when I wiped it down with mineral spirits. The collar is cherry and walnut. The shaft is hard maple. The black dots are dowels that go through the cane to pin an internal oak dowel that runs from the handle to the shaft. The pins are ebony turned from old piano keys. Safe turning
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August is coming to an end. Our local schools start back tomorrow. Our Patriot Turners- We have a new member at the Patriot site. @Gordon joined this week and posted some of his turnings. He does some beautiful work! If you haven't already welcomed him, please take a minute to stop by his post and check it out! @AndrewB continues to rehab his shop and posted some more images of what he is doing. Pick up here from last week- What’s Coming Up- If you missed Cindy Drozda's most recent live tool talk, she uploaded it for replay- For The Newbies- Mike Peace demonstrates turning a clamshell. During the turning process, Mike encountered some grain tear out. He has a pretty neat way of handling the problem. His solution is at about 9 minutes into the video. Captain Eddie posted a short video on the importance of keeping the lathe's Morris tapers clean- John Lucas discusses techniques for sanding the inside of hollow vessels Expand Your Horizons- Lyle Jamieson provides tips on matching grain between the bottom and top of a turned lidded box and why grain orientation is important. When I learned to turn bowls I used a mortice to hold the blank to the chuck. It just seemed that it wasted less material on the bottom of the blank. I could easily convert the mortice into a foot for the bowl. Alan Stratton uses a similar technique to turn a Sapele bowl- How about embellishing your turning with clouds! Tim Yoder shows us how- New Turning Items- Last week we posted a link to the Niles Bottle Stoppers tenderizing kit. Since then, Carl Jacobson produced a video on turning handles for those items- Everything Else- From Ron Brown's Newsletter= The Difference Between Perfect And Good Enough Perfect Definition: “Having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics; as good as it is possible to be.” In life, things are seldom perfect. When turning wooden objects, things are rarely perfect. I recommend that you strive to be better this time than last time. Three main areas within your control always make a huge difference in the final product and require surprisingly little extra effort. Shape Learning what shapes are pleasing is a lifelong quest for most of us. When you are making something for someone other than yourself, you have to consider the shape. It must be visually pleasing with the proper proportions. The curves must be fair and the separations must be sharp. A great way to develop an understanding of pleasing shapes is to study ceramics and glass vessels similar to the projects you undertake. There are tons of resources on classic shapes that have been around for centuries. There are good reasons for certain shapes to remain popular over the centuries. If you try to swim upstream for too long, you will soon tire and fail. Sanding This is an area most easily and quickly improved. 1) Half a Grit: if you start with 100 grit sandpaper, don’t go finer than 150 grit next. Then don’t go finer than 220 grit and so on. 2) Take time to visually inspect that all of the 100 grit scratches are removed before you finish with the 150 grit. If you don’t remove all of the scratches at each step, they will show through in the final finish. 3) I recommend using compressed air to blow off all of the sanding dust along with a strong raking light to inspect your work before moving to the next grit. If you are working with very hard wood i.e. ebony, cocobolo, African blackwood, padauk, acrylic, or epoxy, this is especially important. Take extra time to get it right now or you will have to do it over. 4) NOTE: I stop sanding wood at 320 grit. When using finer grits, friction can overheat the lignin in the wood and make it resistant to film finishes adhering to the surface causing the finish to fail much sooner. Finish 1) If you rush the finishing process, you will have ruined all your hard work. 2) Film finishes (lacquer, varnish, shellac, epoxy, friction finish-shellac) are more durable than wax finishes. But they take more time and effort. 3) Wax is a quick finish that will dull over time and need to be renewed either by reapplication or more buffing. Wax finishes are quick to apply and look shiny and sparkly in the short term. Wax is perfect for projects where saving time is important and the durability of the finish is of no significance. Wax or oil is mandatory for utility vessels such as salad bowls or kitchen utensils. 4) Multiple coats of lacquer (10 to 30) applied over several days and when allowed to cure for 30 or more days, can be polished to a brilliant mirror-like finish. This is the finish of choice for art and display-only pieces bringing top dollars such as in a gallery. Try to do better each time than the time before and you will quickly reach Master Status Skill Sets. Consider the end use for what you are making and decide how much time you can devote to making something perfect or just good enough. Safe turning
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Please don't forget our summer fund raiser is in progress! Check here for more information and the raffle tickets- Our Patriot Turners- Again, THANKS to everyone who takes the time to show us all what you have been working on. We've had several additions to our "What's On Your Lathe" post. @User74, @Gerald and @kreisdorph posted this week! The new items start here- What’s Coming Up- If you missed Cindy Drozda's tool talk last Friday, she has it loaded up on her YouTube channel. This discussion was on Box Hollowing Tools- Todd Raines, from the Woodturning Tool Store will be demonstrating the Robust Tru-Arc tool- Registration and more information can be found here- https://woodturningtoolstore.com/live-stream-woodturning-with-tod-raines/?receiptful=668c77471ee11bbc67cec8e6&utm_source=CM Commerce&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter-363&utm_term=newsletter&utm_content=other&receiptfultype=newsletter Cindy and Todd will be doing a Zoom Sharing event on August 2, 2024- Registration for the sharing event- https://community.woodturner.org/events/event-description?CalendarEventKey=22337b94-ff08-4811-a511-019074232f14&Home=%2fevents%2fird-demonstrations&_zs=ceDib&_zl=5jU94 For The Newbies- Lyle Jamieson's Tuesday Tip is about removing that little nub from the inside of a bowl- Anxious to turn that first bowl. It doesn't have to be a monster! In fact small bowls are very useful as Kent Weakley demonstrated- Another nice little hollowing project from Mike Peace that doesn't require a large hollowing system. Couple of neat tips included! Expand Your Horizons- Now that you have that laser, how can you use it with your turning projects? Carl Jacobson has some ideas- New Turning Items- Not any new products but Woodturners Wonders has revamped their website. https://woodturnerswonders.com/ Everything Else- I know it seems like I don't do any turning but I have a valid excuse. A month ago, I committed to creating rolling pin blanks for the local woodturning club. They've been a little slow in getting me the remainder of the materials. My shop is a "one man" shop- literally!! Only one person can fit at a time! Now I have everything waiting for more materials as time is critically short. Also, a little over a week ago I did an Easy Wood Tools demo and will be doing another in about a week and a half. All my stuff is packed for transport and not easily accessible. In the middle of all that, I'm trying to work on a new jig (ala Alan Stratton) for the bandsaw. Safe turning
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Happy Birthday, America! Here's how it really happened! Our summer fund raiser is underway! If you haven't gotten your raffle tickets or checked out the great prizes, see the following post!!!! Our Patriot Turners- We've had some additions to our continuing post of "What's On Your Lathe" @Gerald and @kreisdorph both added images of what they have been up to- Catch up on all this week's action starting here- What’s Coming Up- It's been awhile since we've done a recap of the upcoming AAW events. Click on the images for links to registration and more information. Southwest Florida For The Newbies- Mike Peace posted a video to help turners understand the various methods and tools for center finding. Expand Your Horizons- Last week we posted a video on turning a trembleur. I guess the YouTube algorithm was watching me because this one showed up a couple of days ago. It's really neat how the turners create string steady rests- Carl Jacobson turns a cool paper clip holder- The collaboration between the "4 Ways" turners continues- New Turning Items- I received an email from Wood World of Texas covering their Kitchen Essentials products/kits. Check out their products here- https://woodworldtx.com/ Everything Else- Pulled this from a Woodturners Wonders email. Carbide vs. traditional HSS tools. This week, we want to share some helpful information so you can choose the best turning tool option for you. Additionally, we are offering a 15% discount on Sorby, Crown Hand Tools and Easy Wood Tools! * The discount will be reflected in the cart * Choosing the Right Turning Tools: Traditional vs. Carbide Woodturning is a craft that blends artistry with precision, and selecting the right tools is crucial for achieving the best results. At WoodTurners Wonders, we offer a wide range of turning tools from renowned brands such as Robert Sorby, Crown Turning Tools, Easy Wood Tools, and Yellowhammer Turning Tools. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned turner, understanding the differences between traditional and carbide turning tools can help you make an informed decision. Here are some factors to consider when choosing your turning tools, along with a comparison of the pros and cons of carbide and traditional tools. Factors to Consider When Choosing Turning Tools Skill Level: Beginners may find carbide tools easier to use due to their low-maintenance nature, while traditional tools offer greater versatility and control, which can appeal to more experienced turners. Maintenance: Consider how much time you're willing to invest in maintaining your tools. Traditional tools require regular sharpening, while carbide tools typically only need occasional replacement of the carbide inserts. Material and Projects: The type of wood you work with and the projects you undertake can influence your choice. Traditional tools are often preferred for fine detail work, while carbide tools excel in roughing and removing large amounts of material quickly. Budget: Evaluate the initial cost and the long-term investment. Traditional tools might have a lower upfront cost but require ongoing investment in sharpening equipment, whereas carbide tools have a higher initial cost but lower maintenance expenses. Comparing Traditional and Carbide-turning tools Traditional Turning Tools Pros: Versatility: Traditional tools come in a variety of shapes and sizes, allowing for a wide range of cuts and finishes. Control and Precision: Skilled turners can achieve intricate details and smoother finishes with traditional tools. Lower Initial Cost: Typically, traditional tools are less expensive upfront compared to carbide tools. Cons: Maintenance: Requires regular sharpening, which can be time-consuming and necessitates additional equipment like sharpening stones or grinders. Learning Curve: Mastering traditional tools takes time and practice, as each tool and cut requires different techniques and angles. Safe turning
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Looks like a thunderstorm brewing off to the west. Garden could use a little water. Our Patriot Turners- @Headhunter posted a couple of beautiful segmented bowls he created using a Ringmaster! These became gifts for friends. He tells us more about them in this post- Our What's ON/OFF Your Lathe again had some gorgeous content! From "ON"- @kreisdorph worked with several different species of wood to produce these lovely pieces- New items start here- And from What's OFF Your Lathe- @kreisdorph and @User74 showed us what they are doing! You can catch up and see more images here- What’s Coming Up- Just a reminder that this Friday, May 24, Cindy Drozda and Todd Raines are having a free Sharing Q&A Session on Zoom. Here are 2 links for signing up for the Zoom meeting. https://www.cindydrozda.com/html/Signup.html https://woodturningtoolstore.com/event/sharing-session-free-and-live-on-zoom-4/ If you don't have Zoom on your computer/phone, here's the link for the free download- https://zoom.us/download For The Newbies- Mentioned before that Sam Angelo has started a new YouTube channel to assist the new turner. This video compares and contrasts the spindle and bowl gouges. New turners are often confused why/where to use these two gouges. This is the opening lecture from a nine-hour seminar on how woodturning tools work, from Jim Rodgers. Lots of good information on the various HSS materials. Craft Supplies USA has a nice video on chuck maintenance. Although this video is for a specific brand/model, much of the information is common to all scroll chucks. Expand Your Horizons- If you have watched Richard Raffan for any length of time, you've probably noticed most of his turning tools have been resharpened many, many times! Not one to let tings go to waste, Richard repurposes an old spindle gouge. I remember @Gerald using various painting schemes and came across this method of creating a Cosmic Clouds motif with iridescent paints. I think this was done by Tim Yoder- Cosmic Clouds #shorts.mp4 Thinking about working with acrylics? Craft Supplies USA posted a start to finish hybrid handle. Casting and finishing tips included! Last week we posted that Niles Bottle Stoppers had their bronze threaded rings for sale. Carl Jacobson created a very stylish urn using a set of rings- If hand chasing threads is more your thing, Mike Peace recently posted this video creating threads in a piece of Palo Santo Wood, Bulnesia sarmientoi, from Argentina. Finally, the Woodworker's Journal published their Woodturner's Monthly newsletter. Here's the link to the entire newsletter- https://www.woodworkersjournal.com/woodturning-monthly/?utm_medium=email New Turning Items- OK, this is something you can create in your shop. I thought it was pretty neat as I do not have an accurate cross sled for my drill press. What is the vertex#diy #woodworkingtools #woodworking.mp4 Everything Else- A few thoughts from Ron Brown- Sharing Makes You Better Three reasons you will be better: 1) When you explain your process, you must organize your thoughts. You will discover some steps are unnecessary while others need more attention. 2) Your audience usually asks questions that spark new ideas to improve your process and ultimately the result. 3) Explaining how you do it will often uncover why you do it this way. There is always room to be more efficient and you usually discover them by accident often during an explanation. The skills you have learned are a gift and make you who you are. The laws of sowing and reaping are in full effect. The more you share what you have discovered, the deeper your understanding will become. This is true with any skill or knowledge set you have Safe turning
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Please keep @John Morris and his family in your prayers. John lost his Dad this week. Our Patriot Turners- @kreisdorph received a new toy this week- Please avoid drooling on the unpainted surfaces- we don't want no rust! Thanks everyone for the continued support of our 2 running post of "What' On/Off Your Lathe"- ON- @Gerald and @calabrese55 added their projects and some updates Catch up up here- And OFF- @User74, @RustyFN and @kreisdorph posted what they finished- More images and information about each of these projects are at- What’s Coming Up- Click on the following images for links to registration and more information- For The Newbies- Jim Rodgers demonstrates how to make a couple of helpful turning tools to add to your arsenal- Craft Supplies USA posted a nice video using some of their exotic species for making projects. Some good tips on working with exotics. Expand Your Horizons- Mike Peace demonstrates several embellishing tools- Alan Stratton turns some unique flowers for mothers day. Check out the materials he uses for the stigma and stamen! @Gerald's hollow form reminded me of this one turned by Carl Jacobson- New Turning Items- This item has been available from Woodturners Wonders for awhile. Mike shows how to set it up and runs it through its paces. Also from Woodturners Wonders, a sale on Yellowhammer HSS turning tools https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/yellowhammer?_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQM0F3UvGVbQKzhWGippDlk.VJvU8R Everything Else- Trying to use up those little pieces of wind shake cherry by making tiny vases for Mimi. I tried pure beeswax on these an buffed them with an old T-shirt but they feel sticky. I think I will burnish them with shavings, again, and see what they look like. I have some Hampshire Sheen wax that might be better. My predicament now is how to reverse chuck them, to finish the bottoms. The entry holes are not identical in diameter. Thinking on making an expandable piece to fit into the holes The piece will need to be adjustable to take care of the minor variations in diameter. Safe turning
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Well, Al Jolson was certainly right about April showers! A little over 3" since Sunday evening and a little more yet to come Our Patriot Turners- Member @calabrese55 posted a great tip for protecting turnings when chucked to a set of Cole jaws. In his post, he shows us how he made these foam protectors. Thanks, Mike, for this great idea! @Fred W. Hargis Jr posted a question about the Easy Wood Tools square cutters. Our members offered lots of great information. Please check it out and share your experiences. ( @Jordan Martindale ) Member @User74 gave us a couple of interesting surveys this past week. Don is interested in our shops and our preferences for turning species. It is really nice to get to know our members on a more personal level. First off, Don inquired about the lathes we are using: LOTS of responses and we learned that @HandyDan wins first prize!! Secondly, he asked what our favorite wood to turn. Again, no one was shy about sharing their picks: We really appreciate having our members getting actively involved in these conversations. Lots of projects finished and OFF the lathe this week! @kreisdorph and @RustyFN gave us a peek at what they were up to The new posts start here- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to registration and more information: For The Newbies- Sam Angelo continues to offer videos for the beginner interested in learning woodturning. This one is about considering grain direction when turning- Well, you found a nice size log along the road and you are thinking about turning it into a bowl(s). A couple of videos to get you started. First from Richard Raffan showing how to break down the log- And from Craft Supplies USA demonstrating the roughing out process- Expand Your Horizons- It is a new month and the 4 Ways collaboration group has posted a new project. Each of the turners creates a version of a mystical goblet. Another turning from the antiquities. From Craft Supplies USA, an artifacts pot. Check out the microwave tip at the end! A neat birdhouse from Carl Jacobson. Maybe @Steve Krumanaker could shape it a little more like a bee hive to add to his product line! New Turning Items- For our Canadian friends, Lee Valley is now carrying some additional Laguna equipment. Check their site at- https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/tools/laguna-tools?utm_campaign=485417_Apr3-ProdFeature-Wood-LagunaLaunch-CA&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Lee Valley&dm_i=6EER,AEJT,12YD53,1HQJS,1 Everything Else- This was originally posted in the Woodturner's Forum. In case you missed it- From Ron Brown's newsletter- Just A Few Things I’d like to talk to you about incrementalism for your turning journey. Let’s assume that you already have the basics; a lathe, chucks, spur centers, faceplate, etc. And that you have at least a basic set of turning tools including a few carbide-tipped tools. Also, that you have at least a basic sharpening station for your High-Speed Steel tools. You’ve made the major capital investment needed. Now let’s suppose you want to turn pens and pencils. You only need a few more things like a pen mandrel to hold the blanks, a drill bit to make the hole for the brass tubing, and bushings to help make the proper sizing easily. You might add a pen press and a drilling fixture if you really decide to make lots of pens, but that’s about it. What about threaded lidded boxes? There are two routes, hand chased threads, and a threading jig. A great set of thread chasers from Robert Sorby including a depth gauge is only $149.94 on Amazon. With that set you’ve expanded your repertoire to small turned lidded boxes, burial urns, hollow forms with threaded lids, etc. You can add different thread pitches for around $100 with the addition of new thread chasers. Threading jigs begin at around $250 and go up to over $500, but there is practically no learning curve and you seldom fail. Let’s say you become fascinated with turning salt and pepper mills. You need a couple of forstner bits and a drill chuck for the tailstock. A drill bit extension for the taller mills is handy along with a couple of mandrels to hold the blank between centers as you shape the body. Pepper Mill kits are inexpensive and now you have added salt and pepper mills to your arsenal for about $100. And my latest favorite, Bowls From A Board. For under $150 you can add a basic system to your collection and open a whole new world of fascinating possibilities limited only by your imagination. Think segmented turning with 90% less work. It turns out there are hundreds of YouTube videos on making “bowls from a board” so you are guaranteed a quick start. Turning wood can be daunting because there is so much to learn. Many folks claim this line, “by the yard it’s hard, by the inch it’s a cinch.” I recommend you add one skillset at a time and get the few things needed for that. Pretty soon, you will have to decide which of your passions you want to enjoy next! Safe turning
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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
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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
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Not much to report this week. Been TDY to Coop Cleaning as relatives are visiting for Thanksgiving. Our Patriot Turners- @calabrese55 posted a new segmented form in our "What's On Your Lathe" thread. This one is a mixed media work. Mike tells us a little more about the acrylics and his go-to guy for information in his post- @RustyFN shares his very first basket weave illusion turning and it is Awesome! He posted it here- I know my old eyes would be crossed before the first row was finished! @HandyDan and @Smallpatch posted some of their Christmas ornaments Check out the comments at- New member @knightwolf is looking for some help in locating a part for a Delta lathe. Please see his post and if you can provide assistance he would certainly appreciate it- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to registration and more information- For The Newbies- The question about food safe finishes comes up quite a lot. This article from Wood Magazine has some good information- https://www.woodmagazine.com/materials-guide/finishes/is-your-finish-food-safe?fbclid=IwAR0o48QrIVH14qM2EvSXQfu7w6aDoV9_Iz_2TAhglBQ4iD4cAFikKGzBwdY Expand Your Horizons- Carl Jacobson demonstrates the use of the Joyner Off Center Jig- New Turning Items- Maybe Santa is hording all the new stuff until after Thanksgiving Everything Else- From Ron Brown's newsletter- Figuring It Out – How To Succeed At The Small Stuff Success in many small things can add up to success in big stuff. The advice that follows is applicable to non-life-threatening situations, small undertakings, and must be tempered with wisdom. If failure could result in injury, substantial financial loss, or divorce, don’t do it! We are not given the gift of seeing the end from the beginning most of the time. Nor are we granted understanding in advance exactly how we will get there. Many times, our adventure starts with nothing more than hope and faith that we will figure it out along the way. The key is to take some time to think it through as best you can, then begin. Now that you’ve started, a pause after each step will reveal how to proceed with the next step. Before you know it, you will have figured it out as you went and chalked up another success. As an example: your project is to turn a cube into a 3-winged bowl and you’ve only seen the video, you’ve never actually attempted this method before. You are unsure what to do next. Mount your blank and start. You made an outline while watching the video so you have a rough idea of what to do first, second, etc. Go for it! You will figure it out. The next one will be much easier and so on. Don’t let yourself be a victim of “Paralysis of Analysis.” Gather the necessary materials and tools, give it an appropriate amount of thought, then start. Even if you do it wrong the first time, you will figure it out along the way. I love to invent stuff and solve problems, especially for the turning community. I rarely know how my approach to a problem will turn out in the end. I do my research to understand everyone else's approach then I develop my unique approach to make it better, easier, safer, and sometimes faster. The marketable jig, fixture, or tool seldom resembles the first few attempts. I average between 8 and 10 prototypes before I discover one that works the way I intend and doesn’t do any of the bad things the first ones did. Plus, it has to look way cool! I figured it out along the way. If I never get started with the first one, I never get to number ten so you can do things easier, faster, and safer. There are always unintended consequences with every project and I adjust accordingly. I often can’t see the challenge until I get to that step. Patience and persistence coupled with wisdom and insight carry me through. Safe turning
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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
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