Search the Community

It's been computer madness here so far this week! I think I need a vacation!!! Our Patriot Turners- @AndrewB used a glued up poplar blank for a pepper grinder. Looks really nice. He shows us some progression shots in this post- Andrew has found a new source for turning blanks. He gives us the low down in this post- @RustyFN gave us an update on the platter he started last week- Check Rusty's post for additional pictures and the start to finish thread- Rusty has also been busy with his segmented work. Here's another one of his beauties- This one garnered lots of positive v=comments! @Ron Altier received a request from his daughter. As always, Ron's projects are fantastic and use a variety of wood species. Lots of great comments about this on- @FlGatorwood received some sad news from a classmate. He decided to brighten her day with a "care package". Steve originally posted this in General Woodworking forum but I thought our turners would appreciate seeing what he made.- @Gunny puts a lot of us to shame with his organizational skills. He posted a utilitarian project he made on the lathe. Those projects that help us get things done are great to see (and steal)! Check out Curtis' post to see what this is used for. @Gerald finished up the coffee bar for his Mrs. He called it a coffee bar but I think it's more of a Coffee Shrine! Judging from the smile, I think she is happy. The entire project can be seen here- What’s Coming Up- https://www.woodturner.org/Woodturner/WIT/WIT-Presents-Registration.aspx Mike Waldt is changing the format of his live presentations. A short video explaining what will be happening- For The Newbies- If you have decided to get into resin casting, Alumilite has free online video course to help you get started- https://www.alumilite.com/learn/casting/101?fbclid=IwAR3ngaxsteCcXRNZaKdNWel1wI6hFyvrFWOt2fld02AHzFiGfggv6zKM1_g Expand Your Horizons- Buying turning blanks can be expensive. Cutting your own blanks is fairly easy but is you can't turn them immediately they will deteriorate quickly. This PDF document, from the AAW, explains how to prepare and store the freshly cut blanks- Save turning blanks.pdf New Turning Items- Not really a new item, but Mike Peace covers the subject of Collet Chucks- If you are considering adding carbide tools to your arsenal, our sponsor Woodcraft, has Easy Wood Tools products on sale for the month of April- And they also have turning kits and supplies on sale- Ruth Niles' newsletter came this week. Lots of images of the items made by other makers. Some really great ideas. A cute idea from Rebecca DeGroot- You can sign up for Ruth's newsletters https://nilesbottlestoppers.com/ Everything Else- Rick Turns list of YouTube woodturning videos from last week- Safe turning and stay well

Had a request for an ornament with a cross showing on it. Decided to make two at the same time and glued up a blank. Here it is with the two crosses drawn on it. I turned the area with the cross down to where it was just round all the way around. I was able to achieve some nice crisp edges with the East Wood Ci1 Square cutter. Since it is turned just round anything I take off from here will open the window. I want a 1/4" opening for the uptight so I have to reduce the diameter 1/8" remembering that whatever is removed is doubled since the 1/8" is cut in all four adjoining pieces. Next it is time cut the cross bar. A 1/4" wide cut needs to be cut deep enough to form the bars but not too deep. In this case go as close to this arc as you can but stay far enough away because when the pieces are split and turned around this is the largest possible diameter that can be achieved. If you have to go deeper the risk for failure becomes greater. Once done split it in half and lay the pieces out and check your work. Split them all apart and, spin them around and glue them together. Then mount them on the lathe for the final turn and sanding. The usually look best if left in cylinder form so as not to mess with the opening for the cross upright. Get the finish on and your hook to hang it and you're good to go. See below red arrow. This is the critical area. It gets thin quickly. Any questions? Ask away.

I sad in my last crosses post I was working on a new cross design and here it is based on a Maltese cross. Takes maybe twice as long to turn. The cross bar is made like two bowls back to back hollowed and then cut on bandsaw.

Finally got all unpacked, laundry done, dog washed and settling back into the routine. Our Patriot Turners- @FrederickH wanted to know about turning a burl. Specifically, if it should be turned green or be allowed to dry first. Our turners provided some input but see if you can give him additional information- A while back, @Gerald showed us some crosses he was designing for a group at his church. Gerald has redesigned them some and posted his newer version- @John Morris has added some new woodturning links to the Links Directory. Check them out at- https://thepatriotwoodworker.com/links/category/21-foundations-and-non-profits/ What’s Coming Up- If you are in or around West Harrison, IN this weekend, Check out the this woodturning event! Click on the above image for the link to registration and more information. For The Newbies- Lots of new turners get a "starter set" of traditional tools when they purchase their lathe. Sometimes these sets are part of the lathe package. These starter tools will require sharpening before you start to turn and as you turn. Both Tim Yoder and Carl Jacobson have created sharpening videos. They demonstrate how to sharpen and some of the available equipment to make the task of sharpening easier. Tim Yoder's is in 2 parts. Part 2 is linked from Tim's channel- Carl's is a single part video- Expand Your Horizons- Another way to add interest to your turnings. This particular instance is on a bowl but the method lends itself to most any turning New Turning Items- A few weeks back, @Gerald posted some information about making a lift/moving device for a lathe. If making one isn't your thing, this just might help you out- This is available at- https://boratool.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=bora+pm+900+workbench+caster+kit&amnoroute Everything Else- The Woodturning OnLine newsletter for October is available at- https://www.woodturningonline.com/ I am still latheless but I did order the Jet 1640 EVS. In the meantime, I'm trying to get the workshop ready for the new arrival. The old Delta occupied the same location since it arrived and took the place of the Bridgewood lathe- my first one. Both of these lathes were bench mounted. The Jet will be "free standing" so I needed to make room. The bench the old lathes set on doubled as storage. I need to keep it. I was able to swap positions of some of my equipment. The old lathe's home- The area under the drill press- I was able to swap the lathe bench and the drill press area- Those drawers are filled with tools and hardware. The air compressor and a "new" small cabinet now occupy the empty space left from the where the lathe bench used to set. From the first picture, you can see how I stored my lathe tools. That was OK but when I started learning the benefits of carbide tools and my collection grew; I needed to make a different holder. The carousel worked better but, as you can see, it was mounted to the bench. Need something new for the free standing lathe. Made this wall mounted holder Safe turning

I kinda opened my big mouth and have a short deadline for this project. I had already made 13 bowls for our Church Widows Banquet. But then for several years I wanted to make something for all the widows at the banquet. I suddenly got the idea that doing crosses would work. I made these from the scraps from making the offering plates. Some are from spindle stock and some from side orientation. Now these side orients worked well till today and I broke 4 with inclusions or weak grain. In two days I finished 29 and today turned but have not cut the cross bars on 13 more. Still have 6 more to turn.

First of May already. I am so ready for warm weather. Our Patriot Turners- Lots of cool activity this week by our turners! @Jim from Easy Wood Tools was so impressed with @HandyDan's inside out cross project that he created a PDF instruction set. Jim was kind enough to post it for all of us to use. Thanks Dan for the original post- The PDF can be downloaded from Jim's post, here- There was a discussion generated from last week's "Wednesday's..." post about the skew chisel by @Mijohnson1984. @Gerald was kind enough to search out and post a great video, by Allan Batty, on using the skew. @Steve Krumanaker posted his finished walking sticks. These are real beauties and should be a "me to" project for many of the folks in his turning club- Steve also shared with us a very personal account from his YouTube channel. You gotta love grandkids! What’s Coming Up- I received an update from the Mid Atlantic Woodturners group about their fall symposium. One of the demonstrators will be Trent Bosch. Many of our turners don't do FaceBook so I copied the notification- More information and registration can be found at- http://www.mawts.com/?fbclid=IwAR386ELIjYYu_lM9fE3q3lAIbXkCP4e5sYthfOIgIOMPohzougBu9qJFawg For The Newbies- Tim Yoder has uploaded a video of a cute little turning that can be created with basic tools and turning skills. The turning would make a neat gift for the summer picnic table- Expand Your Horizons- Carl Jacobson's turned vase video with inlay and epoxy finish demonstrates a neat way to add interesting detail to what might be an otherwise less than spectacular piece of wood. Carl also uses a finish that will really protect the piece. New Turning Items- Recently, one of the hybrid blank turners, who uses Easy Wood Tools, has started a new market place. Bradley McCalister's Spiracraft has a full line of Easy Wood Tools as well as a wide variety of materials for creating hybrid blanks. Check out his website at- https://spiracraft.com/ Everything Else- I'm finally getting the finish on the cherry bowl I mentioned last week. Finishing is my achilles heel- especially film finishes. Anyway, the inside is done and the outside will probably take a couple more goes of poly. I left all of the natural defects in the piece. This bowl will go the the lady who cuts my hair. The cherry log was her father's but he passed away before he had a chance to turn it. Safe turning.

This is something I came up with a while back and have made a few but I thought I'd post a few photos of this one. It's a marriage, wedding, or anniversary sign (plaque?) in Walnut with a Maple cross. This can be hung on a wall or set on the easel I also designed. It's got one coat of Nitrocellulose sanding sealer and one coat of gloss. Enjoy! David