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Veterans Benefits Newsletter December 2025
lew posted a topic in The Veterans Corner and Causes Forum
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Veterans Benefits Newsletter September 2025
lew posted a topic in The Veterans Corner and Causes Forum
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Our Patriot Turners- You might remember @RustyFN taking us along on his journey when making his basket illusion vase. He entered the vase into an art center showing and came home with second prize! Here's more on what we all thought- We had activity this past week on our "What's Off" post. @calabrese55 shared his knowledge on some of the various types of acrylic resins along with images of what he discovered about the turning characteristics- Some great information for those who do resin casting/hybrid turning. Also posted was a John Beaver style wave bowl with a recessed wave. Made from spalted sycamore. I was not impressed with the wipe on finish. Multiple applications did not produce a smooth surface. Probably should have saturated with CA or used a non-film finish. New material and comments start here- While not strictly a turning topic, but most turners use "Super Glue" at some time or another. Thanks @kmealy for this link to an informative video on how CA glues work- What’s Coming Up- Last Friday, Cindy Drozda had another Tool Talk. If you missed it, she posted the video on YouTube- For The Newbies- Another tool rest tip from Tim Yoder- Woodworker's Journal no longer publishes the weekly email newsletter but they have made available the articles/projects online. For turning projects, tips and ideas head over to- https://www.woodworkersjournal.com/category/how-to/woodturning/ An essential skill, for any turner, is the ability to turn coves and beads. In this video, Tomislav demonstrates how it's done. Expand Your Horizons- Watch Richard Raffan turn a flat bottomed sewing tray. Flat bottom turnings are deceptive. Looks easy but ain't! Turning Time With Easy Wood Tools- One of the attractive characteristics of carbide tools is the shallow learning curve. First time turners can create items with relative ease. This is especially enjoyable for younger turners who may not have developed all the motor skills necessary to manipulate traditional HSS tools. A short video of a Dad introducing his two children to the joys of turning, using Easy Wood Tools- Kids Learning to Woodturn.mp4 This week's demonstration. If you are in the Oklahoma City Area, check it out! The EWT email newsletter has some great deals and sale savings, but you gotta sign up- https://www.easywoodtools.com/ New Items- Everything Else- From Ron Brown's newsletter Accepting a Commission So, you've decided to take on a commission. Good for you. You've convinced someone that your particular brand of artistry, be it with a brush, a chisel, or a lathe, is precisely what they need to adorn their life. And they, in turn, have decided to trust you with their vision, and perhaps more importantly, their hard-earned cash. It sounds simple, a straightforward exchange of skill for currency. But like most things that appear simple on the surface, this transaction is a good deal more intricate once you start peeling back the layers. When an artist or craftsman agrees to a commission, they're not just agreeing to produce a physical object. They're accepting a responsibility. You're essentially promising to translate an abstract idea – often someone else's abstract idea – into tangible reality. This requires a unique blend of technical prowess, creative interpretation, and, dare I say, a touch of mind-reading. You have to understand not just what they say they want, but what they actually want, often before they fully grasp it themselves. It's about delivering on a promise, not just with your hands, but with your intellect and your integrity. On the other hand, the customer, having placed their trust and finances in your hands, arrives with a set of expectations. These can range from the crystal clear, "I want a cherry wood bowl, 12 inches in diameter, with a fluted rim," to the delightfully vague, "Surprise me, but make it artistic." It's your job to manage these expectations, to clarify ambiguities, and to ensure that what you deliver aligns with what they envision, even if that vision is still a bit hazy around the edges. And this is where the cautions come into play for both parties. For the artist, it's the danger of overpromising and under-delivering. It's the risk of misinterpreting the brief, or worse, not having a clear brief at all. It's the temptation to take on a project that stretches beyond your current capabilities, perhaps out of financial necessity or an inflated sense of self. For the customer, the caution lies in unrealistic expectations, a failure to articulate their desires, or an unwillingness to grant the artist the necessary creative latitude. It's the risk of micromanaging a creative process that thrives on a certain degree of freedom. Then, of course, there are the liabilities and consequences. If you fail to deliver the agreed-upon piece, or if it falls significantly short of the agreed-upon quality, there are repercussions. It's not just a matter of hurt feelings or a tarnished reputation, though those are certainly significant. It can involve financial penalties, the return of deposits, and the kind of negative word-of-mouth that can cripple a burgeoning career. Conversely, suppose the customer repeatedly changes their mind, refuses to provide necessary input, or defaults on payment. In that case, the artist also faces consequences – lost time, wasted materials, and a frustrating experience that sours the well. Ultimately, accepting a commission is an exercise in mutual understanding and trust. It's a professional agreement that, at its best, culminates in a piece of work that satisfies both the creator and the client. But like any worthwhile endeavor, it requires a clear understanding of the responsibilities, an open dialogue about expectations, and a healthy respect for the potential pitfalls. It's a dance, really, and both parties need to know the steps to ensure a graceful and successful performance. Over the years, I have managed to build over 1,000 custom pieces, mostly furniture and cabinets, many of which are made from solid walnut, cherry, and oak. I’ve also been blessed with my share of commercial projects, including period-correct bookcases for one of the halls at the University of Georgia in Athens. One of the food vendors for the Georgia Bulldogs football games contracted me to build rolling food service stations. That one took 40 sheets of plywood and 30 sheets of black plastic laminate. It was an incredible amount of work, and in the end, everyone was pleased. I’ve learned to paper everything in as much detail as possible and have the customer sign it. My delivery dates for completion are always set well beyond when I actually think I can finish. Just saying. . . Commissions are mostly great fun with the occasional trial and tribulation thrown in. If you ever have a request for a commission, I encourage you to consider it seriously. Safe turning
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We only have about 2 weeks left to get your raffle tickets for the Summer Fund Raiser. This fund raiser will help keep our site alive and allow us to help veterans. Please Donate! Sorry about the late post. Our Patriot Turners- @Fred W. Hargis Jr Finished up his segmented coin displays and they are absolutely gorgeous! Check out more images and what our members had to say- Sad news in the world of woodturners this past week. @Gerald was kind enough to post his information about David Ellsworth. If you are not familiar with Mr. Ellsworth's art, here's a link to get you started https://ellsworthstudios.com/about-david What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration For The Newbies- Thinking about selling your work at a craft show? Here's a fairly simple item from Tomislav Tomasic. Gets you started into simple bowl turning- Expand Your Horizons- Sam Angelo turns his version of a scoop using a shop made collet system Turning Time With Easy Wood Tools- Did you know Easy Wood Tools has a newsletter? To quote Joe Namath- It's FREE! Sign up here! Great prices on EAT products from Taylor Toolworks until the end of June. https://taytools.com/ @Jordan Martindale Carl Jacobson uses EWT equipment to create a beautiful lidded box. Checkout how easy it is to change jaws on the EWT chuck! New Turning Items- Sam Angelo reviews the Trent Bosch Laser Bar used for hollowing. Everything Else- Safe turning
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We only have about 3 weeks left to get your raffle tickets for the Summer Fund Raiser. This fund raiser will help keep our site alive and allow us to help veterans. Please Donate! Our Patriot Turners- @Turn n Learn posted some more items he scored with his lathe and wondered what some were used for. New comments and items begin here- @Gordon made a cool jam chuck using some neoprene rubber- He posted more images and the source for the rubber in his post- @Fred W. Hargis Jr gave us a heads up for an awesome sale price on new Jet and Powermatic lathes- Check his post for the link to Craft Supplies USA If you aren't sure what to look for in that new lathe, this video from Popular Woodworking may help- From our "What's On" posts, @BuckeyeHomestead posted a picture of his NEW Jet lathe and its first project That's an awesome lathe! @RustyFN had some difficulty with buffing out a finish. He explains the problem in this post- Check out what Rusty said and maybe you have some tips that will help him. What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration. For The Newbies- Sam Angelo posted a nice spindle gouge tutorial Tomislav Tomasic created a great video on tips for turning. His videos have excellent closeup of gouge positions. From Popular Woodworking, a written tutorial on lathe tool sharpening- https://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/sharpening-for-woodturners/ And another on scrapers https://www.popularwoodworking.com/tools/the-woodturning-scraper/ Expand Your Horizons- The theme for this week is embellishing- Mike Peace bleaches and burns turning to add neat effects- From Popular Woodworking- https://www.popularwoodworking.com/projects/square-platter-with-textured-rim/ If you are looking for a nice gift project, Jimmy Clewes' coffee scoop tutorial might just be what you want- https://www.popularwoodworking.com/projects/turned-scoop-with-pewter-finial/ Turning Time With Easy Wood Tools- Over the past several weeks, we have been showcasing the individual Easy Wood Tools. One thing that should be noted is that all Easy Wood products are made right here in the good ol' U. S. of A. Fascinating video of the manufacturing processes- All of the Easy Wood products are available directly from their home base in Lexington, KY and on Amazon. However, some of the best prices can be found by cruising their social media pages for special sales from woodworking retailers i.e. Woodcraft etc. For the month of June, a few - If you are thinking about attending the St. Paul, MN symposium, Easy Wood Tools will be well represented- And another shameless self promotion- @Jordan Martindale New Turning Items- Everything Else- From Ron Brown's Newsletter: Good Enough Perfection is often unattainable, and just as frequently, unnecessary. I hear from turners all the time who proudly sand salad bowls to 4,000 grit. Anything above 320 grit is just a waste of time and effort for most wood projects. However, acrylic and resin projects may well benefit from using abrasives up to 12,000 grit. The caution here is not to get bogged down in the last 2 percent trying to make something perfect when 98 percent of the work is very close to perfection and Good Enough. When I used to build custom furniture from cherry, walnut, oak, and hardwood plywood, I quickly discovered that stopping at 220 grit produced excellent results. Especially when covered by sanding sealer and pre-catalyzed lacquer as finishes. It’s true, sometimes less is more. The secret was to be careful with each finer sanding grit, ensuring that all scratches from the coarser grit were entirely removed. That is where patience really pays off, as I deliberately go over the entire surface, then examine my work with a raking light source before moving up to the next finer grit. Most folks don’t realize that excessive sanding with fine-grit paper creates heat that releases and then hardens the lignin in wood, often resulting in a splotchy finish. The finishing material will not be able to penetrate the surface evenly, and it looks awful. If you’ve ever blown up a bowl, it usually comes from making one last cut to get the finish just right and the walls as thin as possible. You forgot that wood moves and bowls can go out of round as you turn, even if they’ve been drying for months. As wood is removed, the moisture content can change, causing the thin walls to warp, or harmonic vibration to set in. That final cut produces an unexpected catch and bang! Fresh bowl pieces are lying around the shop once again. The problem with patience is that it takes so long. My projects rarely turn out exactly like I see them in my mind. My hope is to bring them close to my idea of perfection and bring them to the “Good Enough” stage of completion. I know some of you think I’m smarter than I actually am. What you see are the results of persistence, patience, and starting over many times before I was able to show you a finished version. You will never see the eight failures that came before. Remember how WD-40 got its name. I would rather have you do something slowly and well than do it quickly and poorly, sometimes referred to as Half-Fast. Many years ago, I got tired of hearing myself say “Oops! I didn’t see that before, and now it’s too late to fix it.” I am deliberate in my inspections before proceeding to the next step. It is always easier to fix it then, rather than several steps later. Safe turning
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Finally received some rain here in south central PA. A little too much in some places, but it is filling the reservoirs back up. Our Patriot Turners- Our turners posted their work this past week on both our "ON" and "Off" the lathe topics! From the ON topic- @Gerald showed us a really nice wig stand- Gerald tells us a little about the species in this post- From our OFF posts- @Gordon post a lovely bowl with natural inclusions- Gordon explains where he found the wood to make this one in his post- @calabrese55 creates the most fantastic multi-medium, segmented turnings. In this post, Mike, shows us how he does his epoxy pours and what the finished turning looks like- Member @BuckeyeHomestead is considering upgrading his lathe and asked our opinion on what he was thinking about. Check out what the opinions and suggestions from our members and see if you can add to what's been said. What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration- If you missed Cindy Drozda's Tool Talk last week- For The Newbies- Richard Raffan discusses bowl and spindle sanding in this video- New to hollowing? A quick tip from Tim Yoder to help with stability- Expand Your Horizons- Last week's post had a video from Tomislav Tomasic on creating a free hand sphere. Sam Angelo tries his hand at turning one. The perfect accompaniment to those weed pot vases that are currently a popular turning- Turning Time With Easy Wood Tools- https://www.woodcraft.com/pages/store/cleveland-east https://www.woodcraft.com/pages/store/indianapolis During the month of June, Woodcraft will be running promotional sales. Stop by your local Woodcraft store and check out the Easy Wood Tools demos that will be taking place throughout the month! One of the lesser known Easy Wood turning tools is their 1/8" Parting Tool. This second generation tool is almost identical to the original version with the exception of how the carbide cutter is affixed to the handle. The cutter is now permanently mounted into a holder blade. The blade and cutter are replaced as a single unit. Also, the carbide cutter is only available in a negative rake configuration. The Parting Tool can part off pieces up to 5" in diameter. Carbide cutters are available for the original Parting Tool- Pi1 This video demonstrates the ORIGINAL tool in action. The information on the cutter replacement is not applicable to the SECOND generation tool. Also, pay no attention to the man wearing flip flops- he is a figment of your imagination @Jordan Martindale New Turning Items- Not a new item but if you are considering one of Ron Brown's products, https://longworthchuck.com/index.php?route=common/home Everything Else- And from Ron Brown's Newsletter: Small Beginnings Guiding New Turners with the Wisdom of Starting Small As mentors, we ignite a passion for woodturning. While beginners are eager for complex creations, we must guide them to a fundamental truth: true mastery often blossoms from humble beginnings, nurtured by patience and foundational dedication. This guide reinforces the profound virtues of starting small, equipping novices with the essential base for lasting success. The allure of intricate designs can distract beginners. However, the path to such pieces is paved with fundamental skill mastery. Starting small isn't limiting ambition; it's strategically building understanding, one manageable step at a time. Like a sapling needing strong roots, new turners need to cultivate tool control, wood understanding, and form perception through simpler projects; think pens, bottle stoppers, spinning tops, French rolling pins, turned lidded boxes, acorns, smaller bowls from green wood, etc. Focusing on basics like spindles and simple bowls allows beginners to: • Develop Core Skills: • Essential tool interactions are best learned on uncomplicated projects. • Understand Material Behavior: • Smaller projects offer a safe space to experiment with different woods. • Cultivate Patience and Observation: • Starting small encourages careful attention to the wood's transformation. • Build Confidence Through Success: • Completing achievable projects fuels motivation. • Minimize Errors and Frustration: • Simpler pieces reduce the impact of mistakes. Illustrating this approach are renowned turners who began modestly: Nick Cook: Celebrated for a wide variety of craft items up to and including functional architectural millwork, Cook's early work focused on mastering basic shapes, providing the bedrock for his later artistry. Nick is one of the best know demonstrators in the world today. David Ellsworth: A pioneer of thin-walled vessels, Ellsworth's early exploration of green wood properties through simpler forms was crucial for his signature style. Mike Mahoney: Known for functional bowls, Mahoney's initial focus on well-crafted, everyday pieces laid the foundation for his respected status. As mentors, we nurture potential by guiding students towards a deliberate learning pace. Encourage them to value each cut on simple forms, seeing each small project as a vital step. By sharing the wisdom of those who started small and achieved greatness, we inspire our students to embrace the journey, build a strong foundation, and realize their artistic vision. Recognizing the ultimate potential in each student regardless of age, gender, background, or occupation is the correct attitude recommended with every student we are privileged to mentor. I began with a $300 Jet 1236 in 1982 and a $10 set of turning tools with no grinder. Although much smaller, I moved to a Jet 1015 manual speed change for several years before purchasing my Powermatic 3520A. It is still my main lathe some decades later. I was very fortunate to have compassionate mentors along the way that allowed me to develop the high level of skill I enjoy today. A heartfelt thanks to all of them. Safe turning
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Well, February is almost in the books! Felt more like April, today. Our Patriot Turners- We had a couple of items posted to our "What's OFF" this week. Thanks to @kreisdorph for posting these beautiful turnings More images and our members comments begin here- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to registration and more information. I will be doing a couple of Easy Wood Tools Demonstrations in March, at two Woodcraft stores. On March 1, 2025 I will be at the Harrisburg, PA Woodcraft store- 3831 Union Deposit Road Harrisburg, PA 17109 store from 11am to 2pm. On March 8, 2025 I will be at the Woodcraft of Washington DC store- Ravensworth Shopping Center 5248 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22151, from 11am to 2pm @Jordan Martindale For The Newbies- Protection from dust is critical for all turners. In this video, from John Lucas, he discusses some of the personal safety devices. Mike Waldt covers the finer points of turning end grain vessels. Expand Your Horizons- Something from Sam Angelo. A great gift to give to the grandkids just before sending home to their parents An a short video tip, from Ron Brown, for the "Bowl From A Board" turners New Turning Items- A couple of things from Ron Brown. If your turnings require indexing, then this might be something you can use- https://longworthchuck.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=78&product_id=569 If you turn "Bowls From A Board", Ron Brown has added an additional device that helps reduce slippage. Here's the video demonstration- The link to the product- https://longworthchuck.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=64&product_id=570 Tim Yoder does a video review of a sandpaper storage units for the turner. These units have some really neat features. The link to the product- https://www.turningwood.com/ While this isn't new, but it is a new product for me. The Easy Wood Tools Wire Burning Kit. I took advantage of a social media sales event and ordered the kit. This kit is much nicer that my shop made, old guitar string burner. 3 different diameters of wire plus 3 different lengths. Easily interchangeable. Wooden handles are large enough for comfortable gripping. Check it out at-https://www.easywoodtools.com/wireburning Everything Else- From Ron Brown's newsletter Four Pillars Of Woodturning There are Four Things Every New Turner Must Know As we mentor new Turners, they need to know about the four pillars of woodturning. They are: 1) The lathe a. Swing, Length, Spindle, Morse Taper, Voltage, Variable Speed or Manual. 2) Work holding devices a. Spur Centers b. Scroll Chucks c. Faceplates d. Specialty faceplates, i.e., Longworth, Cole Jaws, Natural Edge Jam Chuck, etc. 3) Lathe chisels a. HSS b. Carbide Tipped 4) Sharpening station for High-Speed Steel Tools These are the foundational pillars for all turners. There is so much to know; we sometimes forget how much we have already learned. Newbies often think all they need to turn wood is the lathe and a chunk of wood. Many of them got a real deal on a used lathe at a garage sale or from Uncle Fred when he passed and believe they are ready to turn. Just like a router, you will need router bits or a drill press; you will need drill bits and a way to keep everything sharp. There is much more to turning than just the lathe itself. The Lathe There are three pieces of information about the lathe that they must memorize. 1) The Spindle specs, 1x8, 1.25x8, M33, or M30. Something else? 2) The Morse Taper, #2 or #1 3) The Swing, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, etc. Work Holding They must learn about work-holding devices like spur centers, faceplates, Scroll Chucks, etc. Over the years, I have learned that jaw sets are rarely interchangeable between brands and won’t usually fit a different-size chuck body of the same brand. They need to know about different jaws, why they are important, and why most of us have several chucks on hand. Lathe Chisels Lathe tools are varied and difficult to understand for most newbies. HSS or Carbide Tipped? The real answer is both, but many novice turners start off with Carbide and add HSS later. The reason is economics; you don’t need a sharpening station for carbide-tipped tools. You don’t need to learn how to properly sharpen HSS tools on the sharpening station using a jig. Carbide makes everything easier for the new turner and vastly increases the learning curve. "Turners Reference Guide" A Free Download that explains most common HSS tools. You must be logged in to download. https://longworthchuck.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=10&product_id=219 The sharpening station for HSS lathe tools Most turners prefer a slow-speed grinder with 8-inch wheels: one medium coarse (80 Grit) and one fine (180 Grit or higher). When the budget allows, many will switch to the more expensive CBN wheels. When the newbie is ready to jump into hollowing, another whole skill set must be mastered. I have found that the lathe accounts for only up to 60% of the total cost of becoming a woodturner. And it never seems to stop, like fishing poles, golf clubs, or hunting rifles. We are only one more item away from greatness! I would encourage you to never forget that you were once a newbie yourself. Be humble while you help lead someone down the road to becoming an excellent, seasoned woodturner. Safe turning
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Veterans Benefits Newsletter October 2024
lew posted a topic in The Veterans Corner and Causes Forum
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https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USVAVBA/bulletins/3b17c09
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Summer ain't over yet- 94° and heat index a little over 100! Our Patriot Turners- New member @Gordon posted a scary image of a bowl he was turning. Fortunately, the bowl was the only casualty. Check out Gordon's post for more about what happened- @kreisdorph and @User74 added to our "What's Off Your Lathe..." You can catch up on all the images and comments starting here- @AndrewB continues to revamp his shop. He is currently working on his sharpening station. Read more here- @Masonsailor was back at his lathe to finish up his door project. Checkout his post to see what he has made! What’s Coming Up- @Gerald was lucky enough to be able to attend SWAT last week. For those of us stuck at home, Cindy Drozda gave us a video walk about- Cindy is also hosting a Live Tool Talk on Friday August 30- Registration is here- https://streamyard.com/watch/3Ajs9A8vghKr For The Newbies- Considering getting into bowl turning? A very informative video from Craft Supplies USA- Expand Your Horizons- Mike Peace shows us how to turn a Hair Stick- Alan Stratton is still turning out spheres- New Turning Items- There were some new items presented at SWAT. In Cindy's video tour, she gives us a glimpse of some of the items. Everything Else- I hardly every remove my chuck from the lathe. The EWT chuck jaw changes are so fast and no screws to drop. But when I needed to use a sanding pad, the Jacobs chuck require the EWT chuck removal. Enter Rube Goldberg- I wore out one of those angle drill/sanders from Woodturners Wonders. Removed the small chuck from it and made tis jig.- Sanding while the chuck is still in place! I mentioned my brother had back surgery. I've started making a cane. I found a "how-to" by "mmh". Some of you may remember her from "that other" woodworking site where she posted her custom canes. Her how- gave lots of tips and much needed assembly techniques. I got the shaft turned and rough sanded today- The taper is 5/8" over 32" length I discovered my LED, ala Alan Stratton steady rest wouldn't adjust small enough for the small end of the shaft. Had to fall back on my original steady. The old steady had inline skate wheels and the rubber has dried and fallen off, but it worked. Next up will be to form the handle. Finally, from Ron Brown's newsletter- The Argument For Carbide-Tipped Tools I met Craig Jackson around 2008 in Gainesville Georgia at a turning symposium. He was in the very early stages of introducing Easy Wood Tools with their carbide-tipped cutters. Craig is the founder and original owner, he is the “Father” of this category of turning tools. Others made similar tools but they never really caught on. Craig was finally able to make carbide-tipped tools a mainstream product. I got to know Craig over those 4 days and I let him know in no uncertain terms that I thought he was ruining woodturning by promoting scraping tools over traditional high-speed-steel tools that cut wood fibers rather than tear them savagely. We agreed to disagree. Over the next few years, I made a discovery and went from a strong detractor to a strong supporter of carbide-tipped turning tools. There is a fundamental truth that applies to everything in life. If something seems easy people will try it. If it looks difficult, they are less likely to begin at all. Using carbide-tipped scraping tools is easy. Just grab one and go. You don’t have to own a low-speed grinder and an expensive sharpening jig, or take the time to learn how to use it all. You don’t have to know different grinds or the difference between a bowl gouge and a spindle gouge. You don’t have to know about sharpening at all. Craig’s success ultimately led to many more folks being willing to get started in wood-turning because it was so easy. What if it took longer and didn’t give as good a surface finish? They could still turn beautiful pens, pepper mills, bottle stoppers, turned-lidded boxes, bowls, and anything else one can make on a lathe. They were tuners just like everyone else. Many of the folks who started with carbide-tipped tools later went on to acquire High-Speed-Steel tools and the associated sharpening station after all. But if they had not first begun the easy way with carbide-tipped tools and got hooked on turning, they would never have made it to this level. Rather than ruin a whole generation of woodturners, Craig Jackson’s Easy Wood Tools actually increased the number of turners adopting woodturning as a hobby. I saw Craig a few years after our first meeting and apologized for my lack of vision. I thanked him for expanding our membership in the woodturning fraternity. Craig eventually sold Easy Wood Tools and went back to being an expert machinist. Thanks, Craig! My advice is don’t hesitate to start someone out with an inexpensive set of carbide-tipped turning tools. HSS tools can come later. Make it as easy and affordable as possible for them to get started in turning wood. It may well lead to a lifetime of joy in the workshop. I see turning clubs offer free pen turning at public events and they almost universally offer a radiused square carbide-tipped tool to each total novice. And they get excellent results indeed! Safe turning
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August is coming to an end. Our local schools start back tomorrow. Our Patriot Turners- We have a new member at the Patriot site. @Gordon joined this week and posted some of his turnings. He does some beautiful work! If you haven't already welcomed him, please take a minute to stop by his post and check it out! @AndrewB continues to rehab his shop and posted some more images of what he is doing. Pick up here from last week- What’s Coming Up- If you missed Cindy Drozda's most recent live tool talk, she uploaded it for replay- For The Newbies- Mike Peace demonstrates turning a clamshell. During the turning process, Mike encountered some grain tear out. He has a pretty neat way of handling the problem. His solution is at about 9 minutes into the video. Captain Eddie posted a short video on the importance of keeping the lathe's Morris tapers clean- John Lucas discusses techniques for sanding the inside of hollow vessels Expand Your Horizons- Lyle Jamieson provides tips on matching grain between the bottom and top of a turned lidded box and why grain orientation is important. When I learned to turn bowls I used a mortice to hold the blank to the chuck. It just seemed that it wasted less material on the bottom of the blank. I could easily convert the mortice into a foot for the bowl. Alan Stratton uses a similar technique to turn a Sapele bowl- How about embellishing your turning with clouds! Tim Yoder shows us how- New Turning Items- Last week we posted a link to the Niles Bottle Stoppers tenderizing kit. Since then, Carl Jacobson produced a video on turning handles for those items- Everything Else- From Ron Brown's Newsletter= The Difference Between Perfect And Good Enough Perfect Definition: “Having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics; as good as it is possible to be.” In life, things are seldom perfect. When turning wooden objects, things are rarely perfect. I recommend that you strive to be better this time than last time. Three main areas within your control always make a huge difference in the final product and require surprisingly little extra effort. Shape Learning what shapes are pleasing is a lifelong quest for most of us. When you are making something for someone other than yourself, you have to consider the shape. It must be visually pleasing with the proper proportions. The curves must be fair and the separations must be sharp. A great way to develop an understanding of pleasing shapes is to study ceramics and glass vessels similar to the projects you undertake. There are tons of resources on classic shapes that have been around for centuries. There are good reasons for certain shapes to remain popular over the centuries. If you try to swim upstream for too long, you will soon tire and fail. Sanding This is an area most easily and quickly improved. 1) Half a Grit: if you start with 100 grit sandpaper, don’t go finer than 150 grit next. Then don’t go finer than 220 grit and so on. 2) Take time to visually inspect that all of the 100 grit scratches are removed before you finish with the 150 grit. If you don’t remove all of the scratches at each step, they will show through in the final finish. 3) I recommend using compressed air to blow off all of the sanding dust along with a strong raking light to inspect your work before moving to the next grit. If you are working with very hard wood i.e. ebony, cocobolo, African blackwood, padauk, acrylic, or epoxy, this is especially important. Take extra time to get it right now or you will have to do it over. 4) NOTE: I stop sanding wood at 320 grit. When using finer grits, friction can overheat the lignin in the wood and make it resistant to film finishes adhering to the surface causing the finish to fail much sooner. Finish 1) If you rush the finishing process, you will have ruined all your hard work. 2) Film finishes (lacquer, varnish, shellac, epoxy, friction finish-shellac) are more durable than wax finishes. But they take more time and effort. 3) Wax is a quick finish that will dull over time and need to be renewed either by reapplication or more buffing. Wax finishes are quick to apply and look shiny and sparkly in the short term. Wax is perfect for projects where saving time is important and the durability of the finish is of no significance. Wax or oil is mandatory for utility vessels such as salad bowls or kitchen utensils. 4) Multiple coats of lacquer (10 to 30) applied over several days and when allowed to cure for 30 or more days, can be polished to a brilliant mirror-like finish. This is the finish of choice for art and display-only pieces bringing top dollars such as in a gallery. Try to do better each time than the time before and you will quickly reach Master Status Skill Sets. Consider the end use for what you are making and decide how much time you can devote to making something perfect or just good enough. Safe turning
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Veterans Benefits Newsletter 9 August 2024
lew posted a topic in The Veterans Corner and Causes Forum
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USVAVBA/bulletins/3aa4793 -
Email update newsletter. Includes info on disability increase for 2025. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USVA/bulletins/3abfdc2
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