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After having a jam chuck fail me, I’m considering getting either a Longworth chuck or a Vacuum chuck. I was about to order the Longworth but noticed a couple of members here mentioned selling theirs in favor of a vacuum chuck. I realize neither will be perfect for every bowl but do you think one is more versatile over the other. Thanks, Gordon
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I bought this buffing disc from Woodturners Wonders. I had buffed some pieces with the Beal buffing system and ruined the finish, had to redo them. With this buffer everything came out verry shiny and smooth. No wax or anything,just the plain buffer.
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I bought a used Lathe that came with an easy wood chuck, my question is what other set of jaws would be good to have that would give the most options? Thank you, Tony
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A lot happening this week! Our Patriot Turners- New member @Turn n Learn posted a question about chuck jaws and which ones we use. He is lucky enough to own an Easy Wood Tools chuck. Please stop by his post and see if you can add to the advice or members gave- This is his chuck- And a picture of his lathe- Tony introduced himself Please make him feel welcome! We've had a couple of additions on our "What's On" running post. @Gerald and @calabrese55 both added items. See more images and check out how Mike makes his segment calculations starting here- @Fred W. Hargis Jr is making great progress on his coin holder plaques. He posted this picture in the General Woodworking forum- Fred tells us where he is in the build- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration. For The Newbies- A nice video from Craft Supplies USA on Scrapers. Covers the use, sharpening and some of the myths about scrapers. Expand Your Horizons- Turn Geometric Shape into a box, a hollow form for this months "4 Ways" collaboration. Some really neat ideas! John Lucas has published a new video on turning an end grain bowl. This short video is just a preview. All John's videos are available from https://www.glennlucaswoodturning.com/product-category/guides/ Turning Time With Easy Wood Tools- One of the more recently added products to the Easy Wood Tools line up is their Wire Burning Kit. The set consists of two handles and 3 sets of wires. Both wire ends have colored plastic grommets for quick attachment to the handles. Red grommets signify .016 diameter wire, white grommets are .020 diameter wire and blue grommets are .026 diameter wire. Each gauge wire is available in 3 lengths- 6", 9" or 18". This video from Carl Jacobson demonstrates the burning operation And this shows the product being unboxed and used If you are in any of these locations, during June, check out the live Easy Wood Tools demonstrations and take advantage of the sale prices on all the EWT products- A little shameless self promotion (above right) @Jordan Martindale New Turning Items- A new item from Ron Brown to help with centering a turning blank, on the lathe. Ron calls it a "Centering Genie" A short video of the operation- A bunch of sales on turning tools are currently happening. From Lyle Jamieson- http://lyle@lylejamieson.com From our sponsor Woodcraft- https://enews.woodcraft.com/q/0fOPEbuuaMTfutmbE1_HFhUhY0i90HGE0R4AaZvh1CIRPbWQSj2NQL50r Spiracraft is having a 3 day sale. You may remember that Bradley is closing shop, for a while, due to health reasons. https://spiracraft.com/ From Taylor Tool Works- https://taytools.com/ Everything Else- I'm doing a local club demonstration in August. I thought explaining/showing how the John Beaver wave bowls were made would be an interesting presentation. The process from start to finish can take a couple of days due to glue drying time so I thought I would make several bowls showing the stages of development. Those 7 roughed out spalted sycamore bowls have volunteered. Four have been drying for about 8 days and the other 3 for 5 day. I weigh them every day and look for checks/cracks/splits Only 2 of the bowls have shown excessive cracks. I used CA on them as soon as the cracks appear and that seems to stabilize them. The crack were expected on these 2 due to the branch inclusions/knots. I think they will be fine for the "early stage" of the bowls construction. Safe turning
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More rain to fill the PA potholes Our Patriot Turners- @Fred W. Hargis Jr is making progress on his coin displays. He is turning the pedestals for each coin and ran into a little problem and asked our advice. Check out Fred's post for our members suggestions. I finally dug out the chainsaw and went for some sycamore. Cut everything on site instead of manhandling big chunks of logs. A bunch of approximately 6 x 6 pieces and some a little bigger. Ends sealed with old Titebond glue. Seven of these pieces have been rough turned, 4 soaked and in the drying box and 3 more in the soak now. I was surprised how much the log had spalted since the last time I cut from it, especially since it was not in contact with the ground. What’s Coming Up- If you missed Cindy Drozda's tool talk with Emma Cook, it is available on YouTube- For The Newbies- From Tomislav Tomasic on the importance of tool rest positioning- Expand Your Horizons- No Longworth chuck, no Cole Jaws? No problem! Sam Angelo demonstrates how to finish off the bottom of a bowl without those special chucks. Spindles, bowls, hollowing-- been there, done that?? But have you turned a Jelly Fish?? Carl Jacobson shows us this turned art work- Turning Time With Easy Wood Tools- Easy Wood Tools has a great selection of accessories for holding pieces on the lathe. For the headstock, besides their awesome Easy Chuck, they have faceplates, faceplate rings and drive centers. Faceplates- Faceplates are available for lathes with headstock spindles threads of 1 x 8, 1.25 x 8, M30 x 3.5 and M33 x 3.5. With diameters ranging from 2" to 4.5". The faceplates have a large number of holes to ensure secure mounting even on rough surfaces. Faceplate rings- The faceplate rings are machined from cold rolled steel. These heavy rings will work with most 4 jaw chucks. These are available in 3, 4.5 and 6 inch diameters. As with the EWT faceplates, the large number of holes provides secure mounting on uneven surfaces. With faceplate rings, there is no need to replace the chuck with a faceplate. Drive Centers- Being able to mount spindle work without removing your chuck can save time. EWT offers two styles of chuck mounted drive centers. 4 Prong- This heavy duty center offers a retracting point for easy centering and will work with most chucks. Multi-Spur As with the 4 prong drive center, the retracting point makes for easy centering and will fit most chucks. EWT hasn't ignored the tailstock either. Live Center- Standard #2 Morris taper with a 3/4 x 10 threaded nose for additional adapters. The center point position is adjustable. Stabilization Cones- Available in 1.5" and 4" diameter with 3/4 x 10 threads Some of these items are demonstrated and reviewed by Carl Jacobson- Another well known woodturner demonstrating EWT tools- Upcoming EWT live demonstration- Be sure to check you local Woodcraft store for additional live EWT demos during the month of June. @Jordan Martindale New Turning Items- Everything Else- From Ron Brown's newsletter Opportunity "There is little opportunity when nothing changes...but with change comes opportunity." My daughter is brilliant! As a scientist working in a large laboratory developing poultry vaccines, change was constant: personnel, protocols, facilities, and equipment. It bothered her every time. My counsel was always to welcome changes because there is little opportunity when nothing changes. But with change, opportunity always comes, and it always did. For the hobby woodturner, this speaks to stagnation. If your techniques remain the same, your projects look the same, and your understanding of wood and tools doesn't evolve, your opportunities for growth and enjoyment are limited. You might become proficient at a few specific tasks, but you'll likely hit a plateau. • Limited Skill Development • Repetitive Projects • Missed Learning • Lack of Innovation "...but with change comes opportunity." This is the exciting part! Change, even when it feels a little daunting, opens doors to new possibilities and growth in your woodturning journey. • Learning New Skills: Experimenting with different wood species or mastering a new finishing technique (like CA), expands your capabilities and opens up new project possibilities. • Exploring Different Project Types: Moving beyond simple bowls to tackle complex spindle projects, or even furniture components, can lead to greater satisfaction. • Adopting New Tools: Investing in a new tool, jig, or fixture, even a seemingly small one, can revolutionize your workflow and the types of projects you can undertake. • Discovering New Materials: Experimenting with epoxy resin, metal inlays, or even incorporating non-traditional materials into your woodworking can lead to unique and exciting results. • Sharing and Learning from Others: Engaging with the woodturning community online or in person exposes you to different approaches, ideas, and critiques, fostering growth and new opportunities for learning. Other key precepts to consider: • Master New Forms: Progressing beyond basic shapes to complex forms (hollow vessels, segmented/off-center turning) provides significant skill development. • Experiment with Different Woods: Exploring various wood types (hardwoods, softwoods, figured, green) reveals diverse textures, colors, and challenges. • Learn New Tool Techniques: Utilizing different gouge profiles, scrapers, and specialized tools expands achievable effects and forms. • Explore Embellishments: Incorporating carving, burning, painting, or resin inlays adds artistic dimensions to turned pieces. • Improve Sharpening Skills and Techniques: Continuously refining tool sharpening and lathe stance improves cut quality, control, and intricacy. • Embrace New Technologies: Integrating modern technologies like laser engravers and advanced finishes offers new creative possibilities in woodturning. Don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone at the lathe. Embrace the challenges that come with learning new techniques, experimenting with different materials, and exploring new forms. Each change, each new skill acquired, each different wood you turn, is an opportunity to grow as a craftsman, to create more unique and satisfying pieces, and to deepen your enjoyment of this excellent craft. Safe turning
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I've got my frames turned and the glass cut. Now I've moved on (or tried) to interior board. I want to mount the quarters on a small piece of maple slightly larger than the quarter and countersunk to hold the coin. I also want this to be face grain for the coins. To keep with the turning part of this I wanted those pieces to be about 1/4"-3/8" thick, and about 1 1/2" wide. My first approach to this hasn't worked so well. I glued some maple squares together to make a stack, thinking I would turn the stack round, and then slice wafers off on my table saw. The turning part has me stumped at the moment. The pick shows one of the glued stacks I started with. Then you see a (sortof) rounded on with huge chip outs in it. Getting it to this point of being round was pretty tough. I tried a 3/8" bowl gouge and was having a lot of catches and just being very hard to turn. I switched to a carbide roghing tool and fared better, at least in getting the corners knocked off. The I went back to the bowl gouge and got to the point it is now, but with those huge chip outs. Is there another way of doing this? Do I need a different gouge? Maybe I should figure on using square mount blocks for the coins.
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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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First Wednesday in May! Where does the time go?!? Our Patriot Turners- A little slow this week. I think everyone is out mowing! A couple of "Blasts From The Past"! From our Ringmaster sub forum a chaos turning from @Headhunter More images are at the gallery- And from member @Big B (aka Brian Longshore)- This was posted at- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration. From the AAW- From Cindy Drozda- I hope to see you online at my Free Tool Talk Livestream! It's this Friday, May 9th, 2pm Eastern (18:00 UTC). For The Newbies- Tim Yoder answers another turning question. This one is about drilling on the lathe. And, here's a simple spindle turning project that also uses drilling on the lathe. Easy to make and then send home with your grandkids !! Expand Your Horizons- Tomislav Tomasic made a knockout bar handle. At the end of the video, he added a short segment on turning a sphere without a jig. Pretty cool. The "4 Ways" collaborators have posted their versions of a "Glasses Holder". These 4 projects are always really interesting to me. Love the way they interpret to the challenge in different ways. Turning Time With Easy Wood Tools- If you are in the Oklahoma, OK area, check out Jesse Horn's demo at the Woodcraft store! https://www.woodcraft.com/pages/store/oklahoma-city While you are there, take a look at the Easy Wood Hollowing tools. The EWT "Hollowers" come in three shapes- Straight (#1), 45 degree (#2) and 90 degree (#3). The Hollowers come in three different lengths, as well. The Mini Hollowers are about 15" long; the Mid Hollowers are about 22" long and both use the Ci5 standard or negative rake cutter. The Pro Hollers are about 32" long and use the Ci3 standard cutter or negative rake cutter. The #1 Hollower also works great for hogging out bowl interiors and making very small cove cuts. A short video from Craft Supplies USA demonstrating the use of the three hollowers- This short video from Easy Wood Tools, Doug Dixon, talks a little about the hollowers. Doug is one of the driving forces behind EWT and an expert in carbide cutter development. Doug Dixon from Easy Wood Tools sharing about their hollower. He is so knowledgeable and just fun to hang with #woodturning #turnerswarehouse.mp4 @Jordan Martindale New Turning Items- Not sure if this is a new tool. Picked it off of the Spring Vendors Showcase that was highlighted here a week or so ago. The cutting head and extendable handle look interesting. YouTube won't embed to video so click the link if you want to view the video of the hollowing tool. https://youtu.be/pKJVVo-vrKA?si=SJOyeYDEqGQM3XbO&t=6011 Everything Else- Safe turning
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With all the recent ice storms our city lot is filled with branches and trunks. I stopped by today and picked up a few pieces, however I’m not real sure what I got and I’m horrible at Identifying without leaves. It’s very wet, seems soft, I did a quick turn on one smaller piece, it looks interesting. Any thoughts? Thanks
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Cruising through April! Our Patriot Turners- @Gordon posted a question about wood identification. Specifically, he scored some really nice pieces but was uncertain about the species. Check out his post and see what our turners thought. If you have a better guess, I'm sure Gordon would love the input! @calabrese55 posted a great little jig in our Turner's Tips Sub-Forum. This neat little device can really help you dial in the correct size for chuck tenons or mortices. Head on over to the sub-forum and see more images and how it works. @RustyFN got a good start on another "basket weave" vase. These turnings sure do take a steady hand and awesome eyesight! See Rusty's post for additional images and more progress @Fred W. Hargis Jr gave us a look at his segmented ring, coin holder progress and details about how it is coming along. Fred posted images of his progress and details of how he accomplished the turning As his turning is nearing completion, Fred wondered if there is a way to burn an embellishing ring on the surface circumference of the turning. Our members offered suggestions as to what worked for them. If you have a technique that works for you, please give Fred a shout. From The Patriot's CNC Forum, @4DThinker posted his work on creating a turning tool handle. It turned out really nice! More images and the completed handle are shown in his post- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration. If you missed the live Spring Vendors Showcase, you can watch the replay. Cindy Drozda's Live Tool Talk- For The Newbies- Not every piece of wood is safe to turn. In this video, Tim Yoder describes a defect called "wind shake" and why you should be aware of the dangers. Sharpening your HSS tools takes practice. In this video, Mike Waldt demonstrates methods of making repeatable sharpening grinds. Richard Raffan explains the importance of knowing the difference between a bowl gouge and a spindle gouge. Personal safety could be compromised and tool damage can occur if used improperly. Expand Your Horizons- Neat idea, from Sam Angelo, on chucking a turned box without the use of a tenon. Turning Time With Easy Wood Tools- The Easy Wood Tools "finisher" is an all around turning tool. It can be used to remove material during spindle turning, create coves/beads and even smooth out the tool marks left by other tools. The finisher is available in every category of the Easy Wood line. Depending on the size of the finisher, the carbide cutter may be different. As with all Easy Wood Tools, the cutter identification is etched into the shaft of the tool so you will always know the correct cutter for that tool. Using the finisher is straight forward. The tool is held horizontal and the cutter contacts the turning at the horizontal center line of the work. The depth of the cut should not exceed 1/3 the diameter of the cutter to avoid vibration thus creating rough surfaces. The finisher demonstrated by Craft Supplies USA- Free demonstrations from The EWT calendar https://www.rockler.com/retail/stores/ok-oklahoma-city-store https://www.rockler.com/retail/stores/ga-sandy-springs-store?utm_source=local&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=sandy-springs @Jordan Martindale New Turning Items- A new face shield/respirator reviewed by Mike Peace. The link to the manufacturer- https://microclimate.com/ Sorta reminds me of the helmets used by the NASA crews. Everything Else- Safe turning
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I made this ring to be used as a frame. I'm wondering about burning a trim mark or two around the circumference, similar to using a wire to burn a mark on a spindle. Is it even possible? My plan would be to leave it in the cole jaws and use a nail or something rested on the tool rest, holding it against the ring as it turns. Since this is in those jaws I may not be able to run it fast enough to burn, and my plan of using a nail with the end ground round might not work....or would it? At this point I'm still experimenting/learning what's possible.
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I swear one of these days I'm going to use my lathe and turn something. Our Patriot Turners- Thanks to @User74 for posting his cool lidded bowl, on our "Off the Lathe" topic! More images and a description of how he did the dark ring embellishment starts here- @Fred W. Hargis Jr asked our turners their thoughts on a vacuum chuck vs. a jam chuck. Fred received some great input. Please check out his post and see if you can add to the discussion- @RustyFN posted his "basket weave" vase. This amazing piece certainly take a whole lot of patience, a steady hand and perfect eye sight! See Rusty's post for more description and process images- What’s Coming Up- If you missed Cindy Drozda's Tool Talk last week, she uploaded the event to her YouTube page for viewing. This Saturday- April 5- is the free, online Vendors Showcase. Registration can be done at - https://streamyard.com/watch/UwJbzWJMHmsV?receiptful=67eadc4126171910e58cc7c7&utm_source=CM Commerce&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter-445&utm_term=newsletter&utm_content=other&receiptfultype=newsletter Or- https://streamyard.com/watch/UwJbzWJMHmsV For The Newbies- Mike Peace posted a 5 year review the Record Power Coronet Herald lathe. It is a mid size variable speed wood lathe with a 14” swing and a 1HP motor. If you are thinking of upgrading, check out what he has to say. Expand Your Horizons- The first of the month brings another turning collaboration between Richard Raffan, Sam Angelo, Tomislav Tomasic and Mike Peace. As you saw in Cindy's tool talk, Easter is approaching and turning eggs is as much fun as coloring real ones- except they are not as edible. Tim Yoder goes one step farther and turns an "Easter ??? Bunny". Some of you may be aware of my love of Monty Python- Turning Time With Easy Wood Tools- Easy Wood Tool Demonstrations for the month of April for locations around the country- Why does Easy Wood Tools have the best carbide in the industry? Check out this article- Not All Carbide is Created Equal Final.pdf Tim Yoder turns Easter Eggs using Easy Wood Tools- @Jordan Martindale New Turning Items- Hoping the Spring Vendors Showcase will be introducing some new stuff. Check out the link above. Everything Else- Many turners are familiar with the name Rebecca DeGroot. Well known as a talented turner with a weird imagination, a tattoo artist, former high school art instructor and a contestant on the Food Network's Outrageous Pumpkins. Ms. DeGroot is featured in the February American Woodturner magazine. Link to the article- https://www.woodturner.org/Woodturner/Resources/AmericanWoodturner/2025/40-1/Rebecca-DeGroots-Creepy-Crawlers.aspx?fbclid=IwY2xjawJap6RleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHYoPblEISEOS8K8BmeTWgGCyC-EDP0Vs5r4eq28xnALVQzulxIePbROvyA_aem_sfboYCYcwKY5SwZV6VzkVg Safe turning
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I was watching the jam chuck piece by Mike Peace in Lew's Wednesday post. I know what they are and have made one or 2, but not very well. But i'm wondering, does a vacuum chuck take the place of a jam chuck in most cases? I have a vacuum press and could use the pump to power a vacuum chuck easily enough but have no idea of how useful that would be.
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House cleaning continuesssss... Our Patriot Turners- Member @Gordon asked our turners how they would prep a crotch log for turning. Lots of input from our gang on what he could do. Check out Gordon's post and read what has been suggested. Provide your idea, too! @RustyFN added a couple of beautiful pieces to our "What's Off" post. Rusty has friends who own a saw mill. They were kind enough to gift Rusty some gorgeous chunks of wood! Rusty provides more information in his post. @Fred W. Hargis Jr sent a question to Tim Yoder's "Your Turn". That's where Tim answers turning questions. Well, Tim answered Fred' question with a great video! Here's Fred's post and the Video from Tim Yoder- What’s Coming Up- If you missed Cindy Drozda's "Tool Talk" last Friday, She made it available on YouTube- For The Newbies- A week or so ago, @Fred W. Hargis Jr mentioned that he was still having difficulty when presenting the edge of a gouge to the work piece. I found this newly published video from Richard Raffan. This video has really clear, up close images showing the tool contact to the spinning workpiece along with explanations what is happening. Expand Your Horizons- Mike Peace added a second video to his "Tower Tops". In this video he answers questions and demonstrates some of the details for turning the top and the tower. Turning Time With Easy Wood Tools- Beading is a great way to add interest to a turning, whether it's a single bead or the entire surface. The process typically requires a dedicated tool for each bead size. Easy Wood Tools developed specialized carbide cutter that will fit on their Easy Start Easy Rougher; Mini Size Easy Rougher and Mid-Size Easy Rougher. The cutter radius are 1/8, 3/16, 1/4 and 3/8 inches. With this development, one handled tool can take the place of 4 different beading tools available from other manufacturers. These two videos show the cutters in action and explain how to use them. You can take advantage of this sale to pick up Easy Wood Tools products- @Jordan Martindale New Turning Items- The Woodturners Tool Showcase might just have some new items available. Registration is free at- https://streamyard.com/watch/UwJbzWJMHmsV Everything Else- Safe turning
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Lew indicated in one of his Wednesday posts that Tim Yoder was doing some videos called "Your Turn" which was nothing more than a question/answer piece. So I sent one in and he answered it. He did have a terrible time with the name of my little town....
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I'm collecting the famous women's quarters and want to make a display for them, and I'd like to turn this on my lathe. Bear in mind I'd have to make 4 (one for each year of the distribution). I haven't seen any other display designs for these so I concocted my own. Here's what I'm thinking. There will be a circular frame that holds a piece of plywood with an attractive veneer covering it, probably 1/2" thick. Each display will hold 10 quarters with a brass plaque in the center with their names engraved on it. The frame will be 13" OD, 10" ID and composed of segments. I'm thinking 2 identical rings (1/2" thick) with the segments offset to have the seams centered on the adjoining segment...that allows me to skip splines or some end to end joinery on the segments. So here's my question: how would I hold this on a lathe to turn it round and then turn some embellishments on the face of the frame. I could easily do this with a router but the lathe would be more fun. I have a set of cole jaws but not large enough to hold that size ring. Maybe glue (or fasten with short screws) the ring to a piece of plywood and fasten that in some fashion to the chuck, then cut it off after the turning is done???? Anyway, my sketch of the basic, the ring segment calculation, and the segment are shown. PS: hope this made sense.
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Well, January is just about in the books and I see that Punxsutawney Phil will make his winter prediction on Sunday. Our Patriot Turners- @Gerald has been turning more than his favorite Georgia Pecan! Check out what this piece is going to be! @RustyFN received his new double ended bowl gouge! Rusty provided a source in his post- Rusty also gave us a heads-up on a great looking air filtration system from Rikon. Our members liked what they saw and added information on what they were using. Why not share your setup! Thanks, Rusty! @smitty10101 asked a question about turning a specific pattern as an access ring for a segmented turning. We had some detailed responses from our segment specialist. Check out Smitty's post and see if you can provide additional information- We had additions to our "What's OFF" the lathe as well as questions on natural edge bowls. Thanks @BuckeyeHomestead for the pictures and question and to @kreisdorph for awesome answers to the questions- The new comments and images start here- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration- For The Newbies- A quick reminder from Carl Jacobson. Safety is paramount! Even the most experienced turners can have things go wrong- Expand Your Horizons- Found this article on various ways to stabilize soft and punky wood. I've been using the CA method for a while although it can create stain marks. https://www.aawforum.org/community/threads/hardening-spalted-punky-wood.23599/ Recently, Craft Supplies USA reviewed The Bowl Saver Max for coring bowl blanks. Richard Raffan demonstrates his shop made device for similar operations- New Turning Items- @Gerald's aluminum turning directed me to this, from Stuart Barry. Looks like Highland Woodworking is carrying Record Power lathes- https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/search.aspx?find=record%2c Everything Else- Safe turning
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I was tasked to make a bowl with a decorative ring as below (Greek Key) Just one ring not two. And probably without the horizontal black lines top & bottom. I'm stumped as to how to make the wedge. I get the glue up part but: Where to cut the wedge. Do I need to make one (or more) of the vertical lines thicker to accommodate the saw kerf while making the wedge? what the inner diameter of the bowl will look like would the inner diameter still look like the picture or would it be best just to rip the wedge lengthwise and glue a solid piece for the inner diameter. Basically making the "key" a veneer. Any thoughts or suggestions? TIA smitty
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Day late . Computer started an update (failed again). By the time it came back up, it was already Thursday. Our Patriot Turners- @Headhunter posted some new turnings in our "Ringmaster" sub forum. Tony sure can do magic with that Ringmaster jig! Please check out his post at- @BuckeyeHomestead asked about where we get our turning blanks! Our members offered a bunch of ideas from their own experiences. If you can provide some ideas and/or sources, please check out Kenny's post and chime in! A few of our turners have braved the cold weather and showed us some more of their turnings in our "What's OFF the lathe." @calabrese55, @Gerald and @kreisdorph New posts start here and has more images! What’s Coming Up- If you missed Cindy's "Tool Talk" last week, she has made it available on her YouTube Channel- Cindy and Todd Raines will be having live sharing event tomorrow January 24, 2025. Click on the image for the link to registration. For The Newbies- Sanding is probably my least favorite part of turning a project. In this video, Sam Angelo, provides some tips he has found helpful. One this I noticed was how he organized his sanding supplies on a cart. I know @Gerald puts most of his items on a wall, within easy reach, behind his lathe. @BuckeyeHomestead asked about turning blanks. Not every turning has to begin with a large chunk of wood. Mike Peace shows us what can be made from smaller branches- Expand Your Horizons- If you have been thinking about expanding your turning repertoire into bowl turning but you are still hesitating, check this video from Tomislav Tomasic. Some really good closeups of tool positions and techniques. Resin casting is still popular and Tim Yoder casts a Banksia Pod for turning a project- New Turning Items- Everything Else- A short video that brought a smile to my face and I hope it does the same for you. It was posted by Easy Wood Tools but applicable to any turning session/tool. Share your knowledge with the kids! Safe turning
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So maybe my load of bargain wood wasn't such a bargain after all. Here's what happened, I mounted a small block to turn a bowl. Nothing fancy, this was my attempt to rough one out and let it dry a little. Anyway, after shaping the outside I turned it around to work on the inside...then it sat on the lathe for a few days (3) while I took care of life's necessities. So I come back to do some more work on it and these cracks appeared on the outside. There is another set much like this 180 degrees on the other side. So, is this something that just happens sometimes? I was able to stick a feeler gauge blade into one and it's about 3/8" deep. Now, this is just a practice piece so I haven't lost anything but I'm curious if I'll face this with a lot of the chucks I bought.
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I bought a new grinder and put CBN wheels on it from Woodturners Wonders (these wheels were on a different grinder). Anyway, I need a few of the machined 5/8" washers they sell, but they're out of stock for a while. These are 1/8" thick aluminum and machined to be truly flat. Is anyone aware of another source for them? If not I'll just wait for WTW to restock. In the meantime I bought some machine (not machined) bushings I'm using, but they aren't perfect.
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I just saw this on FB marketplace. He advertises a Bobcat 72" scoop (as full as he can get it) for $35. It's all hardwoods from sawmill cutoffs. It's not far from me and would certainly provide a lot of practice wood. Has anyone did anything like this, and if yes how did it work out? I could probably get some bandsaw boxes out of it as well.
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Just about 2 weeks left in our Christmas project/raffle. If you haven't donated, please consider helping us make this a wonderful Christmas for a warrior family. Our Patriot Turners- Although posted in the General Woodworking forum, this would make a great turning project as well. @Pauley created this carousel- Checkout his post and see more about this awesome project- @calabrese55 gave us a heads-up on some fantastic looking taps used to make your own thread-on glue blocks, face plates or other attachments to the lathe headstock. He posted this in the Machinery, Tools, Research, Reviews and Safety forum. Check out the post for more information and a link to the supplier Long time member @Steve Krumanaker gave us a peek at some of the "Shrooms" he has made. Along with the image, Steve let us in on why he chose this particular item- One of our "pinned" posts/topics is asking what is your favorite wood to turn. @kreisdorph add his choice to the list- Kent and @Gerald provided some tips on a post, by @Gordon who was asking for help on a bowl he was turning- Check out the additional comments. We have had a lot of great activity on the running posts of "What's ON/OFF" your lathe! From What's ON- @kreisdorph and @forty_caliber posted several items- Catch up with all the new material here- From "What's OFF"- @Gerald has been busy! The new material starts here- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration- Additional information for Exhibitions Information Session December 19, 2024 | 7 PM ET Registration for this event link- https://www.woodturner.org/Woodturner/Exhibitions/Exhibitions-Information-Session.aspx?_zs=ceDib&_zl=pOPK4 What's new in your workshop? Did you buy yourself some cool "toys" for the Holidays? Share it with all of us on Friday! Join my Sharing Session with Tod Raines, Friday, December 20th, 2:00 pm Eastern (19:00 UTC) https://www.cindydrozda.com/html/Signup.html For The Newbies- Bowls come in all sizes and shapes. Kent Weakley shares one of his favorites Expand Your Horizons- My favorite projects are ones that are utilitarian. A bowl for rice is rather specific but I found the shape/technique to be intriguing. These are some chop sticks I made a while ago- New Turning Items- These are not new, but, Carl Jacobson demonstrates how to properly install both the stainless and brass Niles inserts. Everything Else- Got the bottom of the bowl I was working on finished off. My plan was to make a Calabash bowl. Well, I succeeded in creating a round bottom but the other proportions are off. Just about every bowl I turn is done with a mortice. The mortice is fashioned into a foot. Using a tenon would definitely aid in creating a round bottom for this type of bowl. I messed up the finish at the painter's tape. Maybe I can salvage it. I want to than @RustyFN for the post he made on the AAW forum. His questions and the responses are great resources for anyone wishing to delve into the Calabash bowl and it's history- https://www.aawforum.org/community/threads/calabash-bowl.19748/
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Here are two goblets and a salt grinder I turned from sycamore.
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This has been driving me crazy with this Ash tree wood. Notice the wall thickness in the picture where it’s thinner on the face grain and thicker on the end grain making the bowl look a little wonky. This was probably something in bowl turning 101 but… It doesn’t happen every time but did happen again the other day. I have been twice turning these bowls and on the second turn I do get a little tear out on the end grain and I’ve been starting with 60 grit to knock down some of that tear out ( with the lathe turning). My latest thought is that the end grain is harder than the face grain and that coarse of sandpaper is eating away at the face grain faster even though the bowl is spinning causing the wonkyness. Am I on the right track here? I’m thinking that on my next one, I’ll address the tear out areas separately with some 2” sanding discs with the lathe stationary, then move on with finer grits. I under stand its best not to have tear out but other than keeping my tool sharp and trying to alway do a supportive grain cut I’m not sure what else to do. thank you in advance for your advise.
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