Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'carl jacobson'.
-
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
-
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
-
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
- 3 replies
-
- 1
-
-
- hollow
- mike peace
- (and 20 more)
-
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
- 4 replies
-
- 2
-
-
- carl jacobson
- trembleur
- (and 33 more)
-
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
- 4 replies
-
- 4
-
-
- center finder
- shop made tools
- (and 29 more)
-
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
- 7 replies
-
- 3
-
-
-
- mini vase
- woodturners wonders
- (and 29 more)
-
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
- 5 replies
-
- 7
-
-
-
- bird house
- carl jacobson
- (and 30 more)
-
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
-
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
- 5 replies
-
- 6
-
-
-
- alan stratton
- icicles
- (and 19 more)
-
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
- 5 replies
-
- 3
-
-
-
- joyner off center
- carl jacobson
- (and 15 more)
-
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
- 3 replies
-
- 5
-
-
-
-
- kitchen rasp
- coffee scoop
- (and 27 more)
-
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
- 4 replies
-
- 6
-
-
-
- tomislav tomasic
- sam angelo
- (and 42 more)
-
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
- 7 replies
-
- 7
-
-
-
- woodturners monthly
- jar lid
- (and 32 more)
-
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
- 3 replies
-
- 5
-
-
- finial
- mike waldt
- (and 24 more)
-
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
- 4 replies
-
- 2
-
-
-
- carl jacobson
- spindle gouge
- (and 32 more)
-
Back to milky skies from the Canadian wild fires. Our Patriot Turners- @Ron Altier has perfected his technique for getting a glass like finish on his Christmas ornaments. Now inquiring minds want to know his secret!! Head on over to Ron's post and add your comments- @RustyFN finished up his lidded gift box. His mixed media turning is truly beautiful. Notice how closely the grain matches at the lid/box interface. Check out Rusty's post at- Our "What's On Your Lathe" still has weekly additions! I really want to thank @RustyFN to starting this thread. It's so great to see what everyone is doing and the progress on the projects. This week picks up here- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration. For The Newbies- Haven't turned a bowl yet? Here's a nice little beginner's bowl from Mike Peace- Some important safety information for beginners and experienced turners alike. Kent Weakley discusses the importance of keeping that respirator clean and functioning properly. Expand Your Horizons- You've turned a natural edge bowl, now how about a natural "sided" box?!?! Alan Stratton shows us how it's done! See how Richard Raffan re-turns a small warped bowl. Notice how he chucks the bowl to true up the outside. You might remember that Easy Wood Tools ( @Jordan Martindale ) recently added beading cutters to their product line. In this video, Carl Jacobson demonstrates their capabilities as he turns some really neat refrigerator magnets. @Steve Krumanaker might just ad these to his product line! New Turning Items- Last week we posted a video from Mike Peace where he demonstrated how to make wooden faceplates/glue blocks. Part of his video mentioned the Beall taps. This week he updated the Beall information to let us know that John Beall sold his company to Lee Valley and that Lee Valley will be the sole distributors of Beall products. Mike there is a quick note in this video- Everything Else- Interesting thoughts from a recent Ron Brown's newsletter- How To Become An Overnight Success As a new turner, you are anxious to become as good as some of the names you hear regularly; Nick Cook, Richard Raffan, David Ellsworth, Kirk Deheer, Mike Mahoney, Cindy Drozda, and many more. So, you develop a plan: 1. You buy a top-of-the-line lathe, a Powermatic 4224, a Robust American Beauty, A OneWay 2436, a Laguna 2436, or something in that same category costing between $5,000 and $12,000. 2. Next, you spend whatever it takes to get the very best lathe chisels, Robert Sorby, Carter and Sons, Crown, Ashley Iles, Doug Thompson, etc., and you need at least one of everything they sell in multiple sizes because great tools make great turners, or so you’ve been told. 3. Then you must set up your sharpening station with a slow-speed grinder, sharpening jig, and not one, but two CBN wheels. 4. You’ve watched untold hours of YouTube videos, including some of mine, so you have tons of head knowledge under your belt. You have many ideas on how this turning thing works; now is your time to shine! Wait! You are still not a turner. You are a student and you will be for the next several years. Granted, you are a student with lots of nice expensive gadgets, but you are missing the one thing you can’t buy: Time in the seat, or hours in front of the lathe. You are a novice until you have put in the time, made the mistakes, tried something 10 different ways, made 100 pieces of the same thing, and made 10 different kinds of turned items. The wonderful thing about turning is that even our first pieces while we are learning can turn out pretty good and it is just a given that our wives (and most of our kids) will love whatever we make. But you are still a beginner. That isn’t a bad thing, it is just a thing. Over the years I’ve met thousands of folks that had been turning for 20 years. The problem was that they had one year of experience 20 times over! Since you can’t get around the time needed to become an overnight expert, a master, or someone to pay attention to, just put in the time as a student to acquire those skills, make those mistakes, and perfect those methods and techniques. It is all part of the journey that will one day result in your overnight success. Safe turning
- 4 replies
-
- 5
-
-
- beall products
- honey
- (and 28 more)
-
Unbelievable, planted tomatoes last week supposed to be in the low 30's tonight! I hate this global warming! Our Patriot Turners- @Ron Altier brought us up-to-date on his epoxy finish for ornaments. Looks like he has pretty much perfected the process. Ron provides lots of tips on how he gets this mirror like finish- Several members posted in our "What's On Your Lathe" this past week. You can catchup with the new posts here- @forty_caliber added a couple and @teesquare added this beauty (and a couple of other pieces as well)- Do yourself a favor and check out all the new turning in the past week! What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration For The Newbies- Thinking about turning that first bowl or maybe just need some more pointers? Kent Weakley's video could be what you are looking for. I thought this one was particularly helpful with the dialog and tips throughout the presentation. Richard Raffan puts his spin in the natural edge bowl project- Something to think about from Ron Brown's newsletter- This Is Just The Beginning It is easy to forget how much you have learned along the way. New turners also have to learn the same things we did. Or, if you are a new turner, there is much to learn. You can learn to sail in an hour – It takes a lifetime to become a sailor It is the same with learning about a wood lathe. Just like any other craft, getting the machine is only the beginning. Let’s start with the Four Pillars of Woodturning: #1-The Wood Lathe Itself There is a multitude of quality wood lathes available to fit most budgets. The most common starter lathe nowadays is a 12 to 12.5-inch swing lathe with a 1 hp variable speed motor. Many folks will keep this lathe when they upsize to a larger lathe with swings of 16 to 25” and motors up to 3 hp. #2-The turning chisels Beginning turners will see much faster results if they begin with carbide-tipped tools. A sharpening station is not required for carbide tools. High-Speed Steel tools require frequent re-sharpening and require a suitable sharpening station (more in #4) The turner must learn a whole new skill set for sharpening in addition to learning woodturning. #3-The means of holding your work Most lathes come with a spur drive center for the headstock and a live center for the tailstock. Great for beginning spindle projects like baseball bats, lamps, etc. Most lathes also come with a faceplate mainly used for turning bowls. I consider a 4-jaw scroll chuck a basic necessity. I recommend extra jaws also Pin jaws for very small spindle projects #3 or 100 mm jaws for larger spindle work and for many larger bowls. #4-A sharpening station Slow-speed grinders (1750 rpm or similar) with 8” grinding wheels made to work with High-Speed Steel are recommended A sharpening jig specially designed for sharpening lathe tools is virtually a necessity when using HSS lathe tools. Note: Using only carbide-tipped wood lathe tools eliminates the need for any kind of sharpening station and eliminates 25% of the learning curve and initial expense. Folks trying their hand at any new craft are much more likely to stick with it if they can experience early success. Easy projects to learn on are pens, small bowls, spinning tops, and small lidded boxes. Someone can successfully make all of them with simple carbide tools. Some folks only turn bowls while others only turn pens. As long at they turn something, I’m happy for them. Most folks who begin using carbide tools eventually add HSS tools and a sharpening station down the road. I recommend that route to see if they are going to enjoy turning wood and if they are going to stick with it long term. It seems like you never have every widget you want, but over time you can accumulate most of them. Remember that you can turn small items on a big lathe, but it is much harder to turn something big on a small lathe. So get ready to see that huge smile on that kid’s face from ages 8 to 88 when you show them how to make their first slimline pen or maple bowl. There is nothing like it! Expand Your Horizons- In last week's post, one of the "What's Coming Up" events were classes on turning kitchen utensils. The classes were at Highland Woodworking in Atlanta, GA. Not everyone can travel that far to learn to turn a spoon, so I found a bunch of videos, if you'd like to give it a try. If kitchen ware isn't your thing, Mike Peace demonstrates how to add an insert to a turned box New Turning Items- Sorry, couldn't find anything this week Everything Else- Started working on one of the elm rough blanks. I have enough meat on the bottom to remove some of the thickness around the mortice. It will make the thing set a little lower on a surface and lighten up the piece a bit. Safe turning
- 4 replies
-
- 4
-
-
- ernie conover
- ron brown
- (and 21 more)
-
Birds chirping, sun shining, grass is green here in south central PA- probably snow tomorrow! Our Patriot Turners- @jthornton Posted a question about dust collection for his lathe. He posted pictures of his shop along with a description of what he currently has set. Please check his post and see if you can offer any suggestions to help him. JT continues to work on his "Dizzy Bowl". He has taken a lot of time to document the steps a and share the progress with us- You can catch up with his continued progress here- @Masonsailor finished up the bowl that will be the prize in his neighborhood's get-together. Some lucky family will really be happy with this- You can catchup here- "What's On Your Lathe" got a post from @forty_caliber. I think he must have hit the jackpot on Pecan! What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to registration and more information- For The Newbies- Ever use CA glue to fix a turning only to find out later that the CA stained the wood? This came in an email from Kent Weakley from Turn A Wood Bowl- Richard Raffan demonstrates how to modify an already turned bowl. Notice the use of the jam chuck which will be talked about more in Cindy Drozda's presentation. Another toothpick holder with a unique shape. Some spindle work and a little hollowing from Carl Jacobson- Expand Your Horizons- Alan Stratton continues to add Celtic Knots to his turnings. This time he experiments with a bowl. Embellishing a turning with color can turn an ordinary piece into something spectacular. This one from Craft Supplies USA on dying- Ebonizing may only be a single color but it can add striking effects to a turning. This article from Fine Woodworking was written more for the woodworker but can easily be "applied" to a turned object- https://www.finewoodworking.com/project-guides/finishing/ebonizing-wood-2 A video for the recipe for the ebonizing solution can be found here- https://www.finewoodworking.com/project-guides/finishing/video-ebonizing-oak-steel-wool-vinegar?oly_enc_id=7454G3912223B7R New Turning Items- Neither of these are really new. But some insights from other turners on equipment and resources. Everything Else- Been finishing up those little natural edge, flowering cherry tree bowls. Pictures to follow...
- 4 replies
-
- 1
-
-
- dying
- craft supplies usa
- (and 32 more)
-
Beautiful spring day here in south central PA. Dogwood trees in full bloom. Our Patriot Turners- @Ron Altier posted some images of his Christmas ornaments. One of his pieces was finished with his experiment using epoxy. Ron asked us what we thought about the finish. Please hop on over to his post and let him know what you think- "What's On Your Lathe" continues to show our turner's work. This week, @forty_caliber was working on some bowls- You can catchup here- What’s Coming Up- Click on the image for the links. For The Newbies- Received this information in an email from Kent Weakley- 49-Must-Know-Wood-Bowl-Turning-Terms.pdf Kent is a bowl turner and this video demonstrates making a natural edge bowl- starting with a log through to the finished piece. Mr. Weakley uses traditional turning tools. This video, from Craft Supplies USA, demonstrates turning a bowl using Easy Wood Tools carbide cutters. Lots of great tips for getting the best finish. Expand Your Horizons- Some random ideas to spark your creativity Carl gets "artsy-fartsy" Add marbling effects to a turning- Several of our members do four sided "inside-out" turnings. Alan Stratton made some with three sides- New Turning Items- Ron Brown has a new version of his chatter tool available- https://www.longworthchuck.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=23&product_id=261 Everything Else- Took a couple of days but I finally got this little elm bowl finished. Use the Easy Wood Tools beading cutters (1/4" & 3/16") @Jordan Martindale. Out of the drying box- Finished with Yorkshire Grit And from Ron Brown's newsletter- A journey of 1,000 miles begins with one step. Excellence takes time, patience, and practice. Becoming an excellent craftsman or craftswoman is possible for all of us, but we must remember that improvement comes in small bites. Every time I walk away from the shop, I ask myself what I learned from this session. And there is always something new. It might be small, but it represents one more step in my journey to excellence. “The Expert In Anything Was Once A Beginner” Helen Hayes There is joy, sometimes hidden, in every journey. It is up to you to see and understand it. In a world gone crazy, common sense is still the currency you can count on. Study, practice, and remember. Before you know it, you will have become someone’s expert just like the expert you so admired yesterday. Being in my seventh decade of glorious living, I’m often asked when I plan to retire. My answer is always the same, “This is me retired.” This is what I would be doing if I didn’t have to work at a job. Last week I read about an interview with two sisters, one 106 and the younger one 104 years old. Asked about their secrets for long life, they both agreed on a few things that keep them young; reading, staying active, meeting new people, and learning new things keeps their minds sharp and their attitudes positive. It makes each day worth getting up. You’ve all heard about the “Supply chain issue,” with Asia. We are affected by it along with everyone else. When I have issues importing a popular product, I often figure out how to make it myself right here in Georgia, USA. And while I’m at it, I look at how I can make it better. That is exactly how you got the Longworth Chuck Type 2 and, ultimately, the doughnut ring option. Each product involves new equipment, processes, and materials most of which I have not worked with before. Hence, the joy of the journey. This week, I’m introducing our Chatter Tool Version 2.0 as a replacement for an item I’ve sold many thousands of over the years. Why? Greedy foreign manufacturers forced me to figure out how to make it in my own facility in Georgia. This improved version features an ergonomic vibration-dampening soft grip handle designed to reduce fatigue, and it comes with three blades. As companies fade away and their products become impossible to find, put on your inventor’s hat and figure it out. I know you can do it with a little persistence. Remember that wherever you go, there you are. Safe turning
- 3 replies
-
- 1
-
-
- beading cutters
- chatter tool
- (and 18 more)
-
More nice weather! Garden rototilled and fertilized. On to replanting grass over the dog's bathroom. Our Patriot Turners- @Steve Krumanaker posted a cedar bowl he finished up. Beautiful colors and grain patterns! Check out the comments from our turners at- @forty_caliber is still cranking out bowls from his dryer stash. This one has some gorgeous spalting- In his post, he tells us about the shape- @Gerald mentioned he did a presentation for the Magnolia Woodturners club. He demonstrated some of the tools and methods for embellishing a turning. This video picks up at his part of the presentation- Thanks, everyone for continuing to post in our thread on "What's On Your Lathe"! I think this is about where we left off last week- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration- Note: The Bowl turning class will also be on June17, 2023 For The Newbies- Put your spindle skills to work and turn a mixed media wine glass. Very informative video from Craft Supplies USA Mike peace demonstrates turning small square bowls. These can be made from scraps of even several boards glued together. Expand Your Horizons- Carl Jacobson turns, carves and adds color to a vase- I've seen this turning show up on several social media sites. Carl Jacobson explains how it is done- We pretty much know about scroll chucks and jam chucks but do you know about a "cup chuck"? Richard Raffan demonstrates- I'm not sure which I enjoy more- watching Alan Stratton turn objects or looking at the shop made jigs he uses. For a "jig junky" like me, it's a real treat. In this video, Alan adds Celtic Knots to Easter eggs- New Turning Items- Not new but on sale from Niles Bottle Stoppers- https://nilesbottlestoppers.com/product/tenderizer-set/ Everything Else- From Ron Brown's Newsletter- Difficult Things Why Is It Always So Hard The First Time You Try Something New? Do you remember the first time you tried to ride that bicycle? How about roller skates, ice skates, or a skateboard? And I hope trying that hoverboard didn’t send you to the emergency room. What about parallel parking or hooking up that trailer? Then there was your first time using a skew chisel, WOW! I’ll bet you didn’t even know catches that big were even possible. How about the first time you tried to get started hollowing the inside of a bowl? Did the gouge skate clear off the edge like mine did? The reason is that you don’t know what you don’t know. As we summon enough courage to try something new, we imagine how it is supposed to go and how we are supposed to react. It seldom goes as well or as badly as we imagined. We try again, but the second time around, we adjust from what we learned the first time. The third time it gets better and so on. When I demonstrated turning on the Woodworking Show Circuit, I would often hear the phrase “He’s done that before!”, or “I’ll bet that isn’t his first time!” I promise you, it gets better. If you have the courage and persistence to try and try again, you eventually figure it out. The secret is taking the time to understand what went wrong so you can make the small changes necessary for success. I deal with this scenario almost daily. I find it really helps if I limit my changes to only one or two things so I can narrow down the culprit and focus on those areas. As an example, if torn grain is my issue, I might change from a gouge to a scraper or a gouge with a different grind. If that doesn’t work, I might try shear scraping (holding the scraper at a 45-degree angle). You can shear scrape with both the scraper and the gouge. You just have to turn the gouge over. If that fails, I might cut from the inside out or the outside in using lighter cuts over the problem area. I’ll change up one thing before moving on to something else. Imagine trying to juggle the effects of speed, feed, tool geometry, cutting angles, grain orientation, and wood hardness all at once. My advice is to control what you can and understand that some things are out of your control. Make small changes slowly until it works like you want it to. Be careful not to tweak it so much that something that used to work, doesn’t work anymore. That is something I also have to guard against. It happens all too frequently when running complicated machinery like CNCs and Lasers. Rome wasn’t built in a day and you will be money ahead when you learn to make changes little by little. One day soon you will have figured it out and folks will marvel at your expertise. Zig Zigler often said, “Yard by yard it’s hard, but inch by inch it’s a cinch!” Remember that wherever you go, there you are. Safe turning
- 5 replies
-
- 2
-
-
- ron brown newsletter
- meat tenderizer
- (and 22 more)
-
Remembering all my Brothers and Sisters on this 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, Welcome Home. Our Patriot Turners- @Headhunter posted some of his Ringmaster turnings in our sub-forum. Thought it would be nice to share them with the entire group. He also posted an awesome open segment turning. Headhunter was kind enough to add a photo of how he created the blank to create this beauty. @forty_caliber Has bee working with some spalted pecan. I really like the way he embellished the rim of this bowl- Check out his post to see what our turners had to say- Forty also posted an inquiry asking if any of our members had any experience with a specific type of knot/gap filler. Please check out this post and offer any additional help- Can't express how happy I am to see everyone adding to our continuing thread of "What's On Your Lathe"! Some of the recent additions include- This is about where we left off last week- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration- For The Newbies- Found this article that compares these tools. https://turnawoodbowl.com/carbide-vs-traditional-hss-wood-turning-tools-high-speed-steel/ Alan Stratton's video on turning a box from tree to display. To add interest to the turning, Alan burns some detail lines. Check out his wire burning tool at 9 minutes- Expand Your Horizons- Carl Jacobson turned a small lidded box, and used the urn threaded rings. This was a live demonstration so it's a little long- Mike Waldt turns a hollow Mulberry hollow form- New Turning Items- Couldn't find anything new but checkout this week's Vendor Showcase (link above). Not sure what they will be doing. Everything Else- From Ron Brown's newsletter- Driving A Stake In The Ground Sometimes progress seems so slow that you have to drive a stake in the ground to see if you are moving. I first heard this phrase when I worked on the railroad as a long-haul trainman. The first half of our route took us from near sea level over a 4,000 foot high mountain range. Sometimes I could run alongside the train faster than it was moving! Developing our skills can be a lot like that. You want to be able to use a skew chisel like they do on YouTube and roll perfect beads, disks, and wonderfully symmetrical coves. But you get catch after catch and it seems like you are never going to figure it out. Or the grain tears on the outside of your bowl blank even with freshly sharpened tools. You wonder if you will ever be able to start sanding with 120 grit or higher rather than 60 or 80 grit. You look forward to the day you don’t have to spend so much time sanding. Practice makes perfect because each time you try, you get a little bit better. You develop muscle memory whether you know it or not. Suddenly, or so it would seem, you can roll a beautiful bead with that skew and not get a catch. Where is the stake now? I used spinning tops as my demonstration canvas on the Woodworking Show Circuit for 13 seasons. I glued up 1,200 top blanks at the beginning of each season and more when those ran out. All day long I would load a blank into the lathe’s collet chuck for my next demo. I used a skew to turn the disk to round in less than 3 seconds. Then I shaped the disk in preparation for texturing. That took another 10-15 seconds, one pass on the front, and one pass on the back. In one continuous motion, I shaped the stem using the same spindle gouge I had shaped the front and back of the disk. Then I made 3 cuts with the texturing tools and finished with various color combinations. I had developed so much muscle memory that I could carry on a lucid conversation and make the top at the same time. Elapsed time, less than 5 minutes including all of the decoration and coloring. It didn’t start out like that, but after the first thousand tops, it got easier. I’ve told you before that you don’t really know how to make something until you made 50 or 100 of the same thing. Then you begin to understand but still have much to learn. So, drive that stake in the ground, metaphorically, and watch as you get better each time you try again. Remember that wherever you go, there you are. Safe turning
- 4 replies
-
- 2
-
-
- ron brown newsletter
- hollow form
- (and 24 more)
-
Two cloudless days is south central Pennsylvania- something is about to give! Our Patriot Turners- @forty_caliber turned a gorgeous mortar and pestle! Check out his post to see what species he used- He also posted a beautiful Pecan bowl- We are still getting comments on our thread "What's On Your Lathe"! Let's keep this alive! What’s Coming Up- Lots happening! Click on the images for links to more information and registration- For The Newbies- Cindy Drozda did a live chat on sharpening scrapers- Bowl turners talk a lot about using jam chuck to hold their work. Here Mike Peace shows us those chucks can be used for other types of turnings Richard Raffan adds more information on how to get the most out of a tree branch/log Expand Your Horizons- Using resins/epoxies to fill voids is a common practice for woodturners. Alan Stratton tried a different approach to speed things up- Carl Jacobson turns a nice little project. Be a great thing to give the grandkids- New Turning Items- These will be available soon from Ron Brown. Click on the images for more information- Everything Else- Rick Morris (aka Rick Turns) had a major computer failure. He has decided to discontinue his weekly roundup of YouTube woodturning videos. Rick says he is going back to producing his own turning videos in the near future. Got some lathe time this past week. The little calabash bowl looks pretty good, at first glance, from this angle From here, not so much- Got in a hurry and didn't change the EWT square cutter to the square R2 cutter I would normally use to finish off the outside. Still looking for a couple of the smaller pieces. The other bowl , from the same log, had finished up in the kiln- When I rough turned it, I hadn't really decided what the final shape would be. When EWT released their beading cutter, I thought I could use this for a bit of practice. My practice pieces generally aren't sanded well, or finished. They usually just end up on a shelf or hold small parts. Mimi saw it and immediately gave it to one of her friends. Not real happy about it- could have been a lot nicer. I am really happy with the beading cutters. Very smooth finish with no chip out- at least on this mystery wood. Need to give them a real test on walnut and red oak. One thing EWT mentions is to increase the RPMs when cutting the beads. These were at about 2800. @Jordan Martindale Thinking about making a wall thickness gauge. The "figure 8" caliper I have is pretty large. On this one I used a simple bent wire and maybe that's all I need?? Safe turning
- 5 replies
-
- 2
-
-
- wall thickness gauge
- rick turns videos
- (and 26 more)
-
Snowing a little outside but tomorrow it's to be 70°! You gotta love Pennsylvania weather! Our Patriot Turners- @forty_caliber gave us a heads up on a very worthwhile endeavor for kids suffering from life altering conditions. Please check out his post and see if you can find the time to participate. @Gerald turned some little boxes for the folks at his physical therapy location. Really beautiful combination of species- His post has more information about the species and comments from our members- Our continuing topic of "What's On Your Lathe" has had a few additions. Sure would like to keep this thread going as our members work on projects. @Steve Krumanaker was commissioned to make some handles. His post gives us lots of ideas on how it is done- What’s Coming Up- Quite a lot of events coming up. Click on the images for links and more information- A week or so ago, we shared a new thread chaser tool. Bradley, from Spiracraft, will be demonstrating it. A YouTube reminder and the link- https://www.youtube.com/@Spiracraft For The Newbies- An article from Kent Weakly on recommend equipment for bowl turning. https://turnawoodbowl.com/recommended-equipment/?ck_subscriber_id=1577117793 From the Woodworker's Journal, the Woodturners Monthly newsletter, nice article on making a texturing tool. Click on the image for link to the article. Another article from the Woodworker's Journal on wood holding on the lathe. Click on the image for the link- Richard Raffan gives us an insight into the wood turning lathe- Expand Your Horizons- Last week we shared a video from Alan Stratton showing his shop made Longworth chuck. In this continuation, Alan demonstrated making bracelets using the chuck- Pizza cutters make awesome gifts. Here's a way to have your work showcased in its new home- Mike Peace demonstrates how to add a fluted rim to a wooden vase- Mike Waldt turns a beautiful ash bowl with an undercut rim. We've been seeing a lot of turners using this technique for a finish. I have been forbidden to try this unless I carry the lathe outside! New Turning Items- You may have seen the "teases" on social media about Easy Wood Tools' new product. Here it is! Can't wait to get to try them! ( @Jordan Martindale ) Here's the complete, current list of EWT pricing- EWT Customer Pricing - 1-1-2023.pdf Everything Else- Rick Turns list of YouTube woodturning videos from last week- From Ron Brown's Newsletter- You Are Unique You’ve heard that all your life. Good or bad, you are the only one exactly like you. But what if you are an identical twin, or have found your doppelganger, what are you going to do with that information? You are still unique with your own combination of gifts, abilities, and talents. There is a famous parable about servants who were given different talents in Matt 25:14-30 that would serve us well. The lesson is not how many talents each of us has but what we do with the talents we are given. You may have many more talents than I do, but what are you doing with those talents? I sometimes watched various turning demonstrators thinking “I could do a better job than that guy.” But he or she was the one up there doing it and I was the one with my butt in the chair not doing it. I used to have the same reaction to certain YouTube videos. But they were the ones showing the world what they had learned and I was the couch potato watching them do it. You might be thinking that you don’t have a creative mind or know where to start. I have some suggestions that will catapult you to great and wonderful things. 1) Consider an existing item. a. Make a larger version b. Make a smaller version c. Use it for something totally different that what it was designed for d. Add capabilities by adding some new features to an existing item 2) Consider an existing challenge like roughing down a spindle or a bowl blank a. Use a different tool to make it easier, faster, safer i. Have you ever brought a spindle square to round with a skew? ii. Have you ever ground your own negative rake scraper from scratch? iii. Have you ever made your own parting tool from an industrial hack saw blade? iv. Have you ever ground a miniature hollowing tool from an Allen wrench and fabricated your own handle? You’ve heard the expression “Don’t reinvent the wheel.” My suggestion is to take an existing wheel and make it better. Everyone has ideas for how something can be a little bit better. I know because you tell me those things about my tools frequently. Start today, and remember that wherever you go, there you are. Safe turning
-
Big doings at Gobbler's Knob tomorrow! Will Phil see his shadow??? Our Patriot Turners- @jthornton has finished up his popcorn bowl! And, what a beauty it is! His post picks up at- @HandyDan commented on JT's glue up and showed us the kind of glue he likes to use. Thanks for the tip, Dan! A while back @John Morris asked about our favorite 3 turning tools, JT posted this about his- JT also shared a video of a young man using a very creative way to make a vase. A little scary at a couple of places! @forty_caliber added some really cool instrumentation to his drying box. He tells us a little more here- And, it is pretty obvious that Forty's drying box works great. This is his first bowl he turned from his kiln- Check out more image in his post- @Masonsailor made a glued up bowl blank but he didn't use any of the traditional methods. Check out how Paul milled the blanks and what type of finish he used- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to registration and more information- From Cindy Drozda- For The Newbies- Sharpening traditional turning tools can be made easier by using a sharpening system. In this video, Sam Angelo demonstrates the use of the Wolverine system- You've spent a lot of money on that new lathe! Here are tips from Mike Peace on how to keep it in top condition. NOTE: this is a video from a live presentation so it's a little long- Turning a bowl can be a intimidating at the beginning. Kent Weakley offers some tips to help you along- Expand Your Horizons- It's always fun to watch Richard Raffan. He makes it look so easy! Two recent videos in which I found some techniques to help me. In this one, I was amazed at just how shallow of a mortice he used for reversing the piece- And here, the hollowing seemingly done with wild abandon and yet perfectly executed- Make some of these for the grandkids and then send them home to their parents- Last week, we posted a project called a Salt Volcano. Alan Stratton gives us a some insight on the design Finally, Carl Jacobson uses the new Niles bronze thread inserts to make a pill box- New Turning Items- Thread cutters/chasers are not new but this tool has a neat design by combining inside and outside threading operations in one. https://spiracraft.com/product/carter-and-son-toolworks-double-ended-thread-chaser/?inf_contact_key=8268ca260892678527d2626eaa684eee Video from Carter and Sons demonstrating the tool. https://vimeo.com/788457481 Everything Else- Rick Turns list of YouTube woodturning videos from last week- And from Ron Brown's Newsletter- Artistic License Another reason turning wood is so satisfying is the total creativity allowed when turning most projects. Take pens for example; simple and straight, curvy, puffy, long, short, wood, plastic, bone, resin, one-piece, two-piece, pencil, ballpoint, or fountain. A quick look on Facebook, Etsy, or YouTube will reveal a wide variety of examples. While we all have our preferences, the folks who made each one loved every minute and are just as proud as the next fellow is of their creations. Some folks strive to make their turnings perfectly symmetrical and seemingly flawless. Others are just the opposite reveling in off-center, out-of-balance projects leaving as many natural defects and voids in the final product as possible. Aren’t all of us just like that; off-center and out of balance according to someone else? I often repeat the phrase “Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.” I’ve come to realize that is the beauty of my fellow beings. There is a reason that everyone is a unique combination of God’s creation. That is what makes them special. Yes, there are accepted standards of what makes a great shape for a bowl, vase, pen, urn, or finial. But who says those are the only pleasing shapes? I encourage you to use your artistic license to explore something outside the traditional shape, material, or order of things. My friend, Michael Gibson turns ultra-thin vessels, then pierces and colors them so they become something you might find floating in a whirlwind in the forest. Some would seem to be so fragile that merely looking at them may cause them to break. I discovered the joy of turning green wood from start to finish in one session just so I could see how much it would warp and distort, not unlike myself. Now I sometimes even add rubber bands to help it along! Celebrate your artistic license as you stand at the lathe and welcome each new friend, knowing they are probably just a little bit off-center too. Remember that wherever you go, there you are. Safe turning
- 8 replies
-
- 3
-
-
- ron brown
- rick turns
- (and 30 more)
-
Nice little 3" snowfall this morning. Used the snowblower for the first time this winter. Our Patriot Turners- @Steve Krumanaker Showed us a really neat beading tool handle he made. The handle serves the normal handle function while turning but Steve also designed it to act as a storage place to protect the tip during transportation- Steve created a video of the build and posted it to his YouTube channel- Instead of just making a just a handle, @HandyDan made a complete beading tool! Dan details the tool fabrication and the operation in his post- Beading tools and bowls dominated our posts this past week. @HandyDan has been turning some little bowls and used his beading tool to decorate them! He shows us what he made in this post- @jthornton continues working on his popcorn bowls segments. If you missed what JT has done, check it out here- @smitty10101 is looking for some ideas on making a hand help drill chuck. He posted his questions in our Woodturners Tips sub-section Our members have offered several ideas/suggestions. Maybe you could drop by his post and see if you can help him. @Bob Hodge added to his post on lathe tool carbide cutters. He was curious about the cost and quality of the various suppliers. Check the latest in his post and see if you can offer some suggestions- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration. For The Newbies- Neat little project from Carl Jacobson to practice spindle turning- A short video from Stuart Batty on grain direction- Want to make that turned bow even more attractive Kirk DeHeer shows what can be done in this video from Craft Supplies USA- Twice turned bowls are a great way to have finished bowls that are symmetrical and less likely to crack. Richard Raffan discusses it in this video- If you've been turning for awhile and thinking about moving up to a new lathe, Mike Peace has some things to consider- Expand Your Horizons- Richard Raffan discussed the procedure of twice turned bowls but bowls can be turned start to finish with "green" or wet wood. Alan Stratton turns this bowl and adds carved feet. I think I found what my relatives will be getting next year for Christmas- New Turning Items- You may remember that Easy Wood Tools has purchased Yorkshire Grit. Another product often used in conjunction with the grit is Hampshire Sheen. Hampshire products are featured on their YouTube channel. They are constantly adding new products. https://www.youtube.com/@HampshireSheen Their products can be ordered from https://thewalnutlog.com/ Everything Else- I see Rick is back! Rick Turns list of YouTube woodturning videos from last week- Safe turning
- 5 replies
-
- 4
-
-
- green wood bowl
- alan stratton
- (and 26 more)
.png.2fe4f6dc07457cfe283791d53e7e8b0c.png)
.png.a69bb73d698a6f6c4eea2b01d5936144.png)
.jpeg.0295a8245225527f7f64da501810704b.jpeg)
.png.412cfc6ee24db21f58cce132992ccf08.png)
-.png.f849b758464fd3a37baa1e9bface1e04.png)
.png.3c5b3f1989bb5c950f1201c98275c7ba.png)
.png.215586a15057b03a5b7c2124d53e11a7.png)
.png.7a081b1033c0c2f46677f4f1e187f61f.png)
.png.638d6e7e5cf2cd682dddfbeb2fb65be8.png)
Thinkingoutsidethebowl-Contemporarywoodturningsandotherformsofart.png.6e78f97f62469731cbc9464ba246f952.png)
CindyDrozda_Facebook.png.0fba9c3003920f8572f2dd4ab733838b.png)
.png.a045eae09787245c55e19d06d5a33544.png)
CindyDrozdasToolTalkLiveStream_Facebook.png.5646479cf9c90d4ce3abdd77e181407e.png)
.JPG.46403e9e923299806a35b2fbbd9a6580.JPG.9312cfb1f8979d068e9602e692b86afd.JPG)
CindyDrozda_Facebook.png.c821f43d9cc4da3484c10d88773ab31d.png)
CindyDrozda_Facebook.png.1d63780924801e6b55025309d4add959.png)
AllThingsWoodturning-ElioDriveandDrawbarandturningprepforWWOS_.png.8907e4724b34ed69f75995b2bed24c9e.png)
