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Been one of those computer days from He$$ Our Patriot Turners- @AndrewB converted some logs into turning stock the old fashioned way- hammer and wedge!!! A lot of work! New member @DeVere posted some images of the musical instruments he builds. These are some fantastic items!! Please check these out and give him some feedback. @windward woodturning added additional information to his post on deep pour epoxy. Great observations and reviews of several brands- Our turners are keeping the "ON/OFF" posts alive with gorgeous pieces! From ON- @RustyFN and @kreisdorph both posted More images and details start here- And from OFF- @DeVere posted some of his beautiful pieces- Check out more of his turnings here- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to registration and more information. For The Newbies- Scroll chucks are not the only way to hold a turning. Kent Weakley shows us how versatile the Jam Chuck can be- Sam Angelo explains how to mill a bowl blank from half a log- Expand Your Horizons- The Woodworker's Journal published this month's edition of Woodturning Monthly Some neat turning ideas. The entire newsletter is at: https://www.woodworkersjournal.com/woodturning-monthly/?utm_medium=email New Turning Items- Not exactly a new item but Sam Angelo discusses some of the features of the Trent Bosch Laser Bar. Everything Else- The smaller cherry bowl came out of the drying box today. Larger sycamore still needs a couple of days. Maybe I'll finally be able to get back to the lathe!! Safe turning
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September is slipping away! Although he is not a turner, please send a prayer and well wishes to @Grandpadave52. He is recovering from some surgery. Our Patriot Turners- @Drumone posted a question about lathe height. He is building a stand for a lathe he is restoring. Several of our members offered their suggestions. If you have any additional ideas/tips on building a cart, please check his post. @Gerald was lucky enough to attend this years SWAT event. He put together a video of the projects gallery. Amazing turning talents on display- @Fred W. Hargis Jr posted a video of a scary turning accident. Fortunately the only injury was to the turner's ego. Fred's post got lots of suggestions and great information on catches and how to avoid them. Can't thank you all enough for keeping our "What's ON/OFF Your Lathe" full of new projects! From ON- @Gerald is working on one of @Steve Krumanaker amazing patterns which he burns into his turnings. Catch up on everything from last week- And from OFF- @kreisdorph posted two lovely bowls- flame box elder and cherry! New material starts here- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to registration and more information- If you missed Cindy Drozda's Tool Talk last week, she has made it available on YouTube- For The Newbies- @Fred W. Hargis Jr's post, above, started a conversation on catches. @Gerald mentioned Tim Yoder's series on catches occurring while using various lathe tools. Here's a link that will take you to the complete series- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgd2j-BTilZshIM5CcMiXNNJ4MnUq9nDB Expand Your Horizons- Last week we posted a video from Mike Peace where he talked about various thread chasing tools. Mike takes the process further by posting videos explaining what species of woods work best for threading and some additional tools useful when chasing threads Kent Weakley demonstrates how to create some pizazz on the foot of a bowl- New Turning Items- Not new but a sale from Niles Bottle Stoppers- Check it out on the Niles web site https://nilesbottlestoppers.com/ Ron Brown's Sphere Jig is shipping- https://longworthchuck.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=77 Everything Else- Got a couple of slabs of Sycamore. It has a little spalting which is soft and punky. Maybe I can salvage it with CA and shellac. Gonna try and make it into a salad bowl. I'm not sure how long it has been laying, but it is surprising dry. I'll rough out the inside tomorrow and put it in the soap and water soak for several days. Safe turning
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https://www.911memorial.org/ Our Patriot Turners- Member @Bob Hodge asked a question about finishing techniques. Please a take a moment to stop by his post and see if you can add to what has been said. @AndrewB got his lathe up and running. He had some banjo problems. Some more activity on our "ON/OFF" your lathe this past week- From "OFF"- @Gordon showed us a gorgeous ash bowl- Catch up with more images and comments here- And, from "ON"- @Gerald, @forty_caliber, @teesquare and @kreisdorph all added to the list of projects! See the new additions, images and comments starting here- What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration- And on Friday, September 13, Cindy Drozda is having a Tool Talk- For The Newbies- Sooner or later, when folks learn you are a turner, someone will ask you to duplicate a knob, spindle or similar item. Richard Raffan demonstrates his techniques. A nice article from the AAW for turning a box- https://www.woodturner.org/Woodturner/Resources/AmericanWoodturner/2024/39-4/Turn-an-Elegant-Round-Bottom-Box.aspx?fbclid=IwY2xjawFKoZFleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHd70o6bnhe3biMaw4eMHg0YMuogHclDn5Edy5zIkS5T_NplWyoMPlYYtOg_aem_tdq_nHfgzU8xEPiTDfDttA Expand Your Horizons- @Gerald uses paints to embellish some of his turnings. I this video, Mike Peace demonstrates using iridescent paints- Mike also posted a video for hand chasing wooden threads. He includes some good tips on wood selection. When I do turning demonstrations for Easy Wood Tools, the one product that seems to draw the most interest from new and experienced turners is the Easy Chuck. A short video on the chuck and some of its features. New Turning Items- Ron Brown has developed a new sphere turning jig. Looks like it might be a pretty nice piece of equipment. Everything Else- Safe turning
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Where did the summer go?!?!?!?!? Our Patriot Turners- We've had more activity on our "What's On/Off Your Late..." From "ON"- @Gerald posted several of the things he is currently completing! Some amazing looking pieces. Check out the post to see how Gerald created those amazing colors on the vase- And from "OFF"- @kreisdorph completed a couple of gorgeous bowls. I just cannot get over how beautiful the spalted one came out! Catchup from last week starting here- @AndrewB continues to grow his tool inventory. Check out what he has done this week- What’s Coming Up- If you missed Cindy Drozda's live tool talk last week, she posted it on YouTube- Click on the following images for links to more information and registration- For The Newbies- Kent Weakley, from Turn A Wood Bowl, has a nice video demonstrating the body positions during the turning process. Mike Peace turns a great little item that may just be something the Mrs. would like- Expand Your Horizons- Another installment of the "4-Ways" collaboration. I must be a cheap skate- I keep mine in an old scuba diving net bag Seems lately that baby rattles have been the current flavor of turning. Carl Jacobson has a special reason for this one- he's will be a grandpa soon! New Turning Items- Sorry, couldn't find anything this week... Everything Else- I've been working on a cane for my brother. First time trying one of these. There is a lot of lathe use but much of it is just a way to hold the cane while working on shaping it. I did turn the tapered shaft. I can't take credit for the design as I liberated much of it from "mmh's" blog I found when doing research. I am at the point where the sanding is finished and I need to laser engrave his name and put on a finish. Have to set up the laser and play a little with test pieces to get a nice engraving. The Derby handle is tiger maple- the stripes show better when I wiped it down with mineral spirits. The collar is cherry and walnut. The shaft is hard maple. The black dots are dowels that go through the cane to pin an internal oak dowel that runs from the handle to the shaft. The pins are ebony turned from old piano keys. Safe turning
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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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Some nice mid-August weather. Mid-August can you believe it??? Our Patriot Turners- @kreisdorph added a new item to our "What's Off Your lathe...". A really nice piece of elm. In his post, Kent explains the function and added some really neat photos! @AndrewB has been keeping us up-to-date on the progress of his shop make over. Getting everything into just the right place can be challenging. Check out his most recent post on what all he has done- What’s Coming Up- Bunch of stuff coming up as the summer winds down. Click on the images for links to more information and registration. For The Newbies- Looking for a nice project? Richard Raffan turns a plate from some beautiful piece of wood. Plates/platters are fun to make and can be decorative or useful. The blank doesn't have to be several inches thick and hollowing is much shallower. Make a bunch from inexpensive wood and use them to support those flimsy picnic paper plates. Check out the oil finish at the end! For something (and someone) a little smaller, Mike peace turns a baby rattle- Expand Your Horizons- Alan Stratton turns and hollows some spheres. His method of laying out/turning the blank into a ball is really interesting. Mike Peace turns a mystery, no holes salt shaker. Check out the secret! New Turning Items- Niles Bottle Stoppers has their meat tenderizer set on sale. https://nilesbottlestoppers.com/product/tenderizer-set/ Everything Else- Safe turning
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Congrats to all of those who participated in this summer's annual fund raiser. Thanks for the donations and the help in keeping our site alive. As @Gerald pointed out last week, we are in the summer doldrums. Not much turning taking place. This week's post is all about videos. Hope you find something interesting among them. Our Patriot Turners- What’s Coming Up- Something from Todd Raines- Click on the image for the link to registration. For The Newbies- A bandsaw is probably the turners second most used power machine. Kent Weakley offers this video for Bandsaw safety. As turners, we typically reach for the "old standby" tool for a specific task. Turning a spindle? Spindle gouge. A bowl? Bowl gouge. Here are videos that use some not so typical tools for turning- Richard Raffan- Craft Supplies USA- Expand Your Horizons- August brings another installment of the "4 Ways" series. This month the topic is turning a wheel. From Tim Yoder- A short video on using colors to enhance your turnings- New Turning Items- From Mike Peace, a 6Pc M2 Cryo HSS Woodturning Tool Set Review- Everything Else- From Ron Brown's Newsletter- In A World Full Of Problems, Be The Solution- There is plenty to complain about every day. I am issuing a 7-day challenge: every day for the next 7 days address a problem that has been bothering you and implement a solution. Here are some common challenges that every woodturner faces. I bet you can think of plenty non-turning problems you can fix too. 1) If you are having difficulty because your tools need sharpening and you are not very good at sharpening them yourself, find someone to teach you how to sharpen them properly. If you need a sharpening jig, buy one and learn how to use it. 2) If you always get catches with a skew chisel, watch some YouTube videos or spend a minute with someone who knows how this tool works. Then practice until you can show someone else without getting catches. 3) You always get torn grain on the inside of a bowl and sanding to remove them takes forever. Watch some videos on shear scraping and practice until you can sand the surface beginning with 180-220 grit. You might have to learn to use a negative rake scraper to get the results you expect. 4) You would turn more but the wood is too expensive. Visit the owners of a tree service company and make a deal to get free green wood in exchange for a few salad bowls. This is a perfect solution when you have more time than money. 5) Your shop has so much sawdust that you can’t walk. Take time to sweep up the shavings and save them for your flowerbeds. Be careful with each dustpan full, there might be long-lost treasures (spur drives, sockets, T-handle Allen wrenches, scroll chuck jaws and/or screws!) 6) Your scroll chuck is hard to operate, open, or close. Take time to disassemble and clean your chucks and jaws. Re-oil and reassemble. 7) The banjo sticks and is difficult to move. Clean and wax the bed ways often. I prefer ceramic car polish. Turning green wood coats them with a lot of moisture. You might have to do this every day or two if you turn a lot of wet stuff. 8) Your tools stick and don’t slide on the tool rest anymore. Dress the top of the toolrest with a file to remove the nicks. This is basic maintenance. 9) Turned-lidded boxes are always a crowd favorite with threads or without. You can use exotic timber, branchwood, glued-up blanks, or domestic timber, they all look marvelous. Practice until you can get a suction-fit lid or, if you are up for the challenge, learn to hand-chase the threads. 10) If nobody participates in show-and-tell at your turning club, bring extra things yourself. If you have trouble getting guest presenters, volunteer yourself. These are obvious issues, but the point is that someone has to do something, it might as well be you. Safe turning
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Just days left in our fund raising raffle. If you haven't picked up your tickets for some really special prizes, check out- Every little bit helps keep our site alive! Our Patriot Turners- @calabrese55 is getting rid of his extensive stash of pen making supplies. If you are looking for kits or pieces, see his post- @Gerald and @kreisdorph added some gorgeous items to our "What Finished" post. Gerald's project is for an AAW swap he participate in- And, Kent's are a couple of turned Chalices made from elm. This is where the new entries begin- What’s Coming Up- Cindy Drozda and Todd Raines will host a free Sharing Session this Friday, August 2nd, at 2:00pm Eastern (18:00 UTC). It's FREE, live, and interactive on Zoom! https://www.cindydrozda.com/html/Signup.html https://woodturningtoolstore.com/ For The Newbies- Woodworker's Journal published their monthly issue of the Woodturning Monthly. Lots of neat ideas and projects. Here's the link- https://www.woodworkersjournal.com/woodturning-monthly/?utm_medium=email Expand Your Horizons- Richard Raffan turns some "twig pots"- New Turning Items- OK, I know this is a stretch, but hey, I'm trying Sketchup is not generally thought of as software used by turners. This video demonstrates that the software is versatile enough to create elaborate shapes for the turner. For a smaller learning curve, this free software is available. Lathe Magic can create visual, 3D renderings of turning shapes. Free download is available here- https://www.shapemagic.com/lm/index.htm Everything Else- The rolling pin workshop is done. They made about 21 Celtic knot rolling pins of various shapes and designs. We started with this- This was one of the finished pins- Safe turning
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Our Summer fund raiser is still happening! Remember, this is to provide funds for the site operation and unexpected expenses. Our Patriot Turners- @AndrewB posted a couple of new items he is working on, check out his posts! And- We had a post on our "What's Off Your Lathe And Finished" by @kreisdorph. That Black walnut sure is lovely! What’s Coming Up- Cindy Drozda posted the video of her live tool talk event from last week. Always some great tips! Cindy and Todd Raines will be hosting a Woodturning Sharing event on August 2, 2024 https://community.woodturner.org/events/event-description?CalendarEventKey=22337b94-ff08-4811-a511-019074232f14&Home=%2fevents%2fird-demonstrations&_zs=ceDib&_zl=EQRA4 https://community.woodturner.org/events/event-description?CalendarEventKey=48fd6950-9604-44ed-b3d9-0190c7ad94e2&Home=%2fevents%2fird-demonstrations&_zs=ceDib&_zl=AQRA4 https://mawts.com/ For The Newbies- @AndrewB posted about learning to turn bowls. Member @Gerald was kind enough to locate a video from Stuart Batty on the subject. Reposting Gerald's link here- Also, here's a video from Kent Weakley on the correct use of the bowl gouge- Some great tips from Tim Yoder! Check out the one on turning speed. Expand Your Horizons- Do you do craft shows or just looking for some new ideas for turnings? Mike Peace has two neat turned "animals" that might interest you. New Turning Items- A couple of weeks ago, we posted a video from Todd Raines demonstrating the Robust "Tru-Arc" tool. Sam Angelo gives us his impression of the tool in this video- Everything Else- I did an Easy Wood Tools demonstration for The Catoctin Area Turners' club last Thursday in Leesburg, VA. I thought @Gerald would be interested in their Beads of Courage boxes shown during the show and tell portion of their meeting Well the rolling pin blanks are finally finished- yesterday! The demo/workshop is this Saturday. 24 blanks here and 2 more at the workshop location. I make my blanks 22" long and 2 x 2" square. The lathes available for the workshop max out at 15" and 17" so angles had to be adjusted for a pleasing look when turned. Also some of the supplied blanks were smaller that 2 x 2 all that required different cutting angles. Some blanks were larger (almost 3 x 3) and my jig for cutting the angles wouldn't let the saw blade reach a high enough point to cut the proper insert slots. Had to design another jig for those blanks. Now on to Mimi's honey-do list that has been expanding exponentially! Safe turning
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We have a little over a month left in our summer fund raiser drive! Some great prizes from our very generous sponsors. Get your raffle tickets here- Our Patriot Turners- Please welcome back a forum member who checked in this week. Great to have @AndrewB posting again and getting all of us caught up with what he has been doing! @John Morris posted about a turning artisan he follows, Jarrod Dahl. Mr. Dahl's video created a question that got lots of responses from our group. Jump over to John's post and see if you can add more to the conversation- Another great week for our "On/Off Your Lathe" running post! From "On"- @Gerald's spalted maple plate. Beautiful wood and lovely shape! And from "Off"- Gerald showed us his finished sculpted lidded vessel. Talk about a beautiful work of art!! I can't imagine how much sandpaper he must have gone through!! Our gang gave him a huge thumbs up on this one! What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration. Cindy Drozda's Tool Talk this Friday Cindy and Todd Raines Zoom Sharing Meeting- For The Newbies- When it comes to bowl turning, the grinds on a bowl gouge can be confusing. Which one is best? Which one should I use and where? Sam Angelo has some information that may help you answer these questions- Turning a bowl, box or any hollow type form requires the turner to know just how deep into the wood they can go before making the inside larger than the outside. Richard Raffan shows us how to make a simple tool to help with judging the depth. When hollowing out turnings with straight sides (i.g. boxes), the box scraper can help to make more precise cuts. Mike Peace takes a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of some of the tools- Expand Your Horizons- Don't have a nice piece of wood to turn a larger project? Alan Stratton has the answer- New Turning Items- Woodturners Wonders has a sale on lighting. https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/lamps?_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQM0F3UvGVbQKzhWGippDlk.VJvU8R Everything Else- Still working on those rolling pin blanks for a demonstration. Received the last of the wood an hour ago. Going to be in Leesburg VA at the Catoctin Area Turners club tomorrow evening for an Easy Wood Tools product demonstration ( @Jordan Martindale ) Safe turning
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Please don't forget our summer fund raiser is in progress! Check here for more information and the raffle tickets- Our Patriot Turners- Again, THANKS to everyone who takes the time to show us all what you have been working on. We've had several additions to our "What's On Your Lathe" post. @User74, @Gerald and @kreisdorph posted this week! The new items start here- What’s Coming Up- If you missed Cindy Drozda's tool talk last Friday, she has it loaded up on her YouTube channel. This discussion was on Box Hollowing Tools- Todd Raines, from the Woodturning Tool Store will be demonstrating the Robust Tru-Arc tool- Registration and more information can be found here- https://woodturningtoolstore.com/live-stream-woodturning-with-tod-raines/?receiptful=668c77471ee11bbc67cec8e6&utm_source=CM Commerce&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter-363&utm_term=newsletter&utm_content=other&receiptfultype=newsletter Cindy and Todd will be doing a Zoom Sharing event on August 2, 2024- Registration for the sharing event- https://community.woodturner.org/events/event-description?CalendarEventKey=22337b94-ff08-4811-a511-019074232f14&Home=%2fevents%2fird-demonstrations&_zs=ceDib&_zl=5jU94 For The Newbies- Lyle Jamieson's Tuesday Tip is about removing that little nub from the inside of a bowl- Anxious to turn that first bowl. It doesn't have to be a monster! In fact small bowls are very useful as Kent Weakley demonstrated- Another nice little hollowing project from Mike Peace that doesn't require a large hollowing system. Couple of neat tips included! Expand Your Horizons- Now that you have that laser, how can you use it with your turning projects? Carl Jacobson has some ideas- New Turning Items- Not any new products but Woodturners Wonders has revamped their website. https://woodturnerswonders.com/ Everything Else- I know it seems like I don't do any turning but I have a valid excuse. A month ago, I committed to creating rolling pin blanks for the local woodturning club. They've been a little slow in getting me the remainder of the materials. My shop is a "one man" shop- literally!! Only one person can fit at a time! Now I have everything waiting for more materials as time is critically short. Also, a little over a week ago I did an Easy Wood Tools demo and will be doing another in about a week and a half. All my stuff is packed for transport and not easily accessible. In the middle of all that, I'm trying to work on a new jig (ala Alan Stratton) for the bandsaw. Safe turning
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Happy Birthday, America! Here's how it really happened! Our summer fund raiser is underway! If you haven't gotten your raffle tickets or checked out the great prizes, see the following post!!!! Our Patriot Turners- We've had some additions to our continuing post of "What's On Your Lathe" @Gerald and @kreisdorph both added images of what they have been up to- Catch up on all this week's action starting here- What’s Coming Up- It's been awhile since we've done a recap of the upcoming AAW events. Click on the images for links to registration and more information. Southwest Florida For The Newbies- Mike Peace posted a video to help turners understand the various methods and tools for center finding. Expand Your Horizons- Last week we posted a video on turning a trembleur. I guess the YouTube algorithm was watching me because this one showed up a couple of days ago. It's really neat how the turners create string steady rests- Carl Jacobson turns a cool paper clip holder- The collaboration between the "4 Ways" turners continues- New Turning Items- I received an email from Wood World of Texas covering their Kitchen Essentials products/kits. Check out their products here- https://woodworldtx.com/ Everything Else- Pulled this from a Woodturners Wonders email. Carbide vs. traditional HSS tools. This week, we want to share some helpful information so you can choose the best turning tool option for you. Additionally, we are offering a 15% discount on Sorby, Crown Hand Tools and Easy Wood Tools! * The discount will be reflected in the cart * Choosing the Right Turning Tools: Traditional vs. Carbide Woodturning is a craft that blends artistry with precision, and selecting the right tools is crucial for achieving the best results. At WoodTurners Wonders, we offer a wide range of turning tools from renowned brands such as Robert Sorby, Crown Turning Tools, Easy Wood Tools, and Yellowhammer Turning Tools. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned turner, understanding the differences between traditional and carbide turning tools can help you make an informed decision. Here are some factors to consider when choosing your turning tools, along with a comparison of the pros and cons of carbide and traditional tools. Factors to Consider When Choosing Turning Tools Skill Level: Beginners may find carbide tools easier to use due to their low-maintenance nature, while traditional tools offer greater versatility and control, which can appeal to more experienced turners. Maintenance: Consider how much time you're willing to invest in maintaining your tools. Traditional tools require regular sharpening, while carbide tools typically only need occasional replacement of the carbide inserts. Material and Projects: The type of wood you work with and the projects you undertake can influence your choice. Traditional tools are often preferred for fine detail work, while carbide tools excel in roughing and removing large amounts of material quickly. Budget: Evaluate the initial cost and the long-term investment. Traditional tools might have a lower upfront cost but require ongoing investment in sharpening equipment, whereas carbide tools have a higher initial cost but lower maintenance expenses. Comparing Traditional and Carbide-turning tools Traditional Turning Tools Pros: Versatility: Traditional tools come in a variety of shapes and sizes, allowing for a wide range of cuts and finishes. Control and Precision: Skilled turners can achieve intricate details and smoother finishes with traditional tools. Lower Initial Cost: Typically, traditional tools are less expensive upfront compared to carbide tools. Cons: Maintenance: Requires regular sharpening, which can be time-consuming and necessitates additional equipment like sharpening stones or grinders. Learning Curve: Mastering traditional tools takes time and practice, as each tool and cut requires different techniques and angles. Safe turning
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The summer community fund raiser has begun! Our very generous sponsors have donated some awesome gifts for the raffle winners. Here's where you can participate- Our Patriot Turners- @RustyFN gave us a look at some cedar he scored. Looks like some awesome turnings and lovely fragrance filling his shop- @Fred W. Hargis Jr finished up his "learning experience" and posted images of what he had done. Our turners had good things to say about Fred's experience. His new information picks up here- Fred also posted the images of his finished, turned box. The update is here- Our What's On Your lathe had some activity this past week. There were some comments on past activity and @teesquare and @Geraldposted images of urns they have turned. These urns are incredibly beautiful and have such interesting stories about their creation. Catch up on all of the activity and see more images at- What’s Coming Up- If you missed Cindy Drozda's live Tool Talk, last Friday, it is available on YouTube- Then, this Friday, June 28, Cindy and Todd Raines are doing a live sharing event. Sign up for this free zoom at- https://www.cindydrozda.com/html/Signup.html For The Newbies- From Mike Peace, some information about turning catches, fails and some humorous bloopers. Mike explains why things went wrong. Expand Your Horizons- Lyle Jamieson's Tuesday Tip gives us his thoughts on the bandsaw for making round turning blanks. Alan Stratton demonstrates turning a Trembleur- Jim Rodgers turns a square platter. The corners droop down to become feet. Keep the band aids close at hand! New Turning Items- Couldn't find anything this week. Everything Else- I've been preparing French rolling pin blanks for the local turning club. About 20 blanks are needed of several different lengths and diameters. Ran out of stock. Started gluing what I could cobble together. Safe turning
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Beautiful day in south central Pennsylvania... Our Patriot Turners- @Fred W. Hargis Jr Started a new turning and a new challenge for him- Fred had several questions about the best way to mount the piece on the lathe and some procedural turning questions. Our gang wasn't shy about offering their ideas and included some images of what they have done. Check out all of the interactions here- There were a couple of new comments on Fred's post about the lidded box he had turned. You can see the comments and images at- @kreisdorph scored some freshly cut oak. He turned this lovely bowl as a gift for the person who gave him the wood. Always a great thing to repay a gift and this lets the tree live on. What’s Coming Up- Click on the image for the link to registration and more information- For The Newbies- Sometime turners will uses different terms to describe the same thing or vice-versa. Here's Mike Peace's take on the Natural Edge Bowl and the Live Edge Bowl- And here he shows us his techniques for turning a live edge, or is a natural edge, bowl??? And from Lyle Jamieson, a tip on creating a strong glue block connection for bowl turning. Expand Your Horizons- Richard Raffan shows his method of sanding the inside of his turned boxes. Nice tip! Tired of turning bowls? Looking for another form that will be well received as a gift? Try turning a platter- New Turning Items- New style bronze threaded rings from Niles Bottle Stoppers Everything Else- Ron Brown's newsletter included a free sharing of his published list of woodturning "Pearls of Wisdom" and a free download of the Turners Reference Guide. Ron Brown’s Pearls: Turners Reference Guide© brought to you by Ron Brown’s Best, LLC 1. There are exceptions to every rule except this one. 2. Six types of chisels are needed to make up a basic turning set (Spindle Gouges, Roughing Gouges, Bowl Gouges, Skews, Scrapers & Parting Tools). 3. Sharp Lathe Tools are more fun. 4. Speed formula: diameter in inches X speed in RPM should equal 6,000 to 9,000 (10” X 800 RPM= 8,000). 5. Rub the bevel on all cutting tools; not on scraping tools. ABC= Anchor the tool, Rub the Bevel, Pick up the Cut. 6. Have safety gear on hand and use it; full face shield, dust mask. 7. Always rotate the workpiece by hand before turning the lathe on to check for interference. 8. Start at slow RPM to check for balance, and then speed up. 9. Speed can be our friend. 10. If you are afraid, slow down and take a breath. 11. “Life’s too short to turn ugly wood.” John Jordan. 12. Carpe Lignum, Torne Lignum – Seize the wood. Turn the wood. 13. Variable-speed lathes are better. 14. Learn to hone. 15. Have a plan before you start. 16. Be Flexible. 17. Turn green wood often. 18. Greenwood is like lettuce, cut what you can use or it will spoil. 19. Learn to use your tools well and keep them sharp. 20. Sharp tools are safer. 21. Sharp tools produce better results. 22. Invest in a good sharpening system and learn to use it well. 23. Then teach others. 24. Don’t skip grits. Never jump more than 50%, i.e. 100 grit to 150 grit to 220 grit to 320 grit. 25. Your family will love whatever you make. 26. Listen to your spouse; they usually have a better eye for design. 27. Never point out your mistakes to others. 28. Spindle turning often requires more skill and imagination than bowl turning. 29. “Never scrape when you can cut.” Mike Mahoney. 30. If you must scrape, raise a fresh burr. 31. Get and learn to use a ¼” wide parting tool. 32. Learn to make lots of “Fun Stuff” like tops, pens, stoppers, light pulls and small lidded boxes. It will make you a better turner and your family will think you are a genius, especially at Christmas time. 33. Make Christmas gifts for your family every year and start in June. 34. Invest in education like classes, seminars and symposiums. 35. Spend the money for personal one-on-one instruction with a professional turner. 36. If you are not failing every now and then, you are not learning. 37. You learn the most when you teach others. 38. Buy good quality M2 High-Speed Steel tools. Avoid high-carbon tools; they are a waste of time. 39. Learn to turn right and left-handed. 40. You can use a bowl gouge on spindle work, but usually not the other way around. 41. Sandpaper is cheap; throw it away often and use fresh stuff. 42. Sign and date your workpieces along with the kind of wood. 43. Buy the best chuck you can afford, and then buy lots of jaws for it. Then buy another chuck. 44. Make your own tool handles. 45. Try someone else’s tools. They might know something you don’t. 46. Join an AAW chapter then go to the meetings. 47. Read turning magazines. 48. Watch turning videos on YouTube, but don’t believe everything they tell you. 49. Buy educational DVD’s. https://longworthchuck.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=10&product_id=219 Turners_Reference_Guide.pdf Safe turning
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Whew! Is it ever hot out side. Back porch thermometer, in the shade, reads 98°! Good thing I painted 150 feet of chain link fence yesterday when it was only 95°!! On another topic, keep watching TPW for BIG news!!! Our Patriot Turners- @Gerald posted a root ball turning he completed. Lovely colors and design! Lots of great comments on this one- @User74 added to our "Off Yor Lathe" continuing post with a lovely bowl turning- You can see more images and comments at- There have been a couple more comments added to @Fred W. Hargis Jr post for a turned box. Also, Fred's post on turning a crotch log has generated more interest. Questions and answers abound! What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for more information and registration- For The Newbies- Mike Peace recently did a club IRD on box turning. This is the complete demo so it is a little long but has lots of good information. Thinking about purchasing that first scroll chuck. I copied this from Woodturners Wonders email. It offers some good advice about choosing a chuck. No I do not have any affiliation with them! Choosing the Right Woodturning Chuck: A Guide for Enthusiasts When diving into the world of woodturning, selecting the right chuck for your lathe is crucial for both the quality of your projects and your overall experience. At WoodTurners Wonders, we understand that every turner has unique needs and preferences, which is why we proudly offer Vicmarc, Axminster and Easy Wood Tools woodturning chucks. Here are some key factors to consider when choosing a chuck, along with the advantages of these renowned brands. Key Factors to Consider When Purchasing a Chuck Compatibility with Your Lathe: Ensure the chuck fits your lathe’s spindle size and thread. Different lathes have varying spindle sizes, so double-check your lathe specifications before purchasing. Size and Weight: The size and weight of the chuck should match your lathe’s capacity. A heavy chuck on a small lathe can strain the motor and affect performance, while a lightweight chuck on a large lathe might not provide sufficient grip for larger projects. Grip and Holding Power: The chuck must securely hold your workpiece. Consider the types of projects you undertake—bowls, spindles, or intricate designs—and choose a chuck with jaws that suit those needs. Ease of Use: Look for chucks that are user-friendly. Quick and easy jaw changes, smooth operation, and robust construction can significantly enhance your turning experience. Jaw Compatibility: Some chucks offer interchangeable jaws, allowing you to adapt the chuck for different projects. Check if the chuck you’re considering has a range of compatible jaws. Vicmarc Woodturning Chucks Vicmarc chucks are known for their precision engineering and durability, making them a favorite among professional turners and hobbyists alike. Here are some standout features: Superior Build Quality: Vicmarc chucks are crafted from high-grade materials, ensuring longevity and reliable performance. Precision Engineering: The precision of Vicmarc chucks means less vibration and better stability, leading to smoother and more accurate turning. Wide Range of Jaws: Vicmarc offers a variety of jaws, making their chucks versatile and adaptable for different projects. User-Friendly Design: Many Vicmarc chucks feature a quick-change jaw system, simplifying the process of switching jaws for different tasks. Axminster Woodturning Chucks Axminster chucks are celebrated for their innovative designs and exceptional value, making them a great choice for both beginners and seasoned turners. Key benefits include: Innovative Features: Axminster chucks often incorporate unique features like woodworm screws and dovetail jaws, enhancing their functionality and versatility. Excellent Value: Despite their high quality, Axminster chucks are competitively priced, offering great value for money. Robust Construction: Built to last, Axminster chucks can withstand heavy use and demanding projects. Stainless Steel Construction: The Axminster chucks we offer are made of stainless steel, which resists rust and corrosion. This is particularly beneficial when turning wet wood, ensuring your chuck remains in top condition over time. Comprehensive Support: Axminster provides excellent customer support and a wealth of resources for turners, from instructional videos to detailed manuals. Easy Wood Tools Chucks Easy Wood Tools chucks are designed with ease of use and innovation in mind, making them a popular choice for turners of all skill levels. Here are some key advantages: Innovative Design: Easy Wood Tools chucks feature a unique quick-change jaw system that allows you to switch jaws in seconds without any tools, streamlining your workflow and saving time. User-Friendly Operation: These chucks are designed to be intuitive and easy to use, making them ideal for both beginners and experienced turners. Durable Construction: Made from high-quality materials, Easy Wood Tools chucks are built to withstand regular use and provide consistent performance. Versatility: With a range of compatible jaws and accessories, Easy Wood Tools chucks offer flexibility for a variety of turning projects. Making the Right Choice Ultimately, the best chuck for your lathe depends on your specific needs and preferences. Vicmarc, Axminster and Easy Wood Tools offer exceptional products, each with their own unique advantages. Consider the types of projects you’ll be working on, your lathe’s specifications, and your budget to make an informed decision. At WoodTurners Wonders, we are committed to helping you find the perfect tools for your craft. Whether you choose a Vicmarc, Axminster or Easy Wood chuck, you can be confident in the quality and performance of your purchase. Visit our store or website to explore our full range of woodturning chucks and accessories. Happy turning! Expand Your Horizons- Last week's post included a tip from Lyle Jamieson about making a secure glue block connection. In this video Jim Rodgers demonstrates another method of connecting to a glue block- Another scoop from Alan Stratton. This one uses offset turning and a couple of neat jigs. Also, check out Alan's method for turning spheres- WITHOUT a jig! New Turning Items- Posted the video about these last week but here's the official Niles Bottle Stopper announcement- **NEW PRODUCT ALERT** We’re excited to introduce our new Low Profile Lightweight Threaded Rings, available as a set of all three or individually in three sizes: 1.5”, 2.5”, and 3.5”. Made in the USA from bronze, these rings feature: - 1.5″ ring: Inside measurement 1″, overall height 3/8″ - 2.5″ ring: Inside measurement 2″, overall height 3/8″ - 3.5″ ring: Inside measurement 3″, overall height 1/4″ This hardware creates a secure closure for lidded boxes, urns, canisters, and other similar projects. They consist of a male and female thread, which helps create a tight seal. These rings are lighter weight and lower in profile than our original Threaded Rings. The original rings are also still available and might be better suited for urns. Installing the new rings is a little different than the original style. The new rings require a tenon on one half. Pricing and more information is here- https://nilesbottlestoppers.com/product/low-profile-lightweight-threaded-rings/ Everything Else- Just for fun Safe turning
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Picked up a wild dose of the back door trots. Our Patriot Turners- @keithlong did his first craft show and picked up some additional turning work. Keith is looking for curly Koa. Check out his post and see if you can point him in the right direction! @Ron Altier picked up some cypress from his local thrift store. Ron is our resident ornament maker and this one doesn't disappoint! Check Ron's post for the wonderful comments from our members- @Gerald posted a cart/rack for holding his new Jaho jig. This jig is bigger than I realized and certainly heavy! More pictures and information about the build in Gerald's post- @kreisdorph put his new Rikon lathe through it paces! He tells us about it here- @smitty10101 is working on a bowl from a board. He has some questions about cutting the angles and a few other things. I know some of our turners use this technique, I you can help Smitty out, head on over to his post! In our "Good Monday Morning" forum, @John Morris posted a really amazing turning video. Checkout some of the custom made jigs for applying finish! We've had some entries on or continuing posts of ON/OFF your lathe From ON- @Gerald posted this one Catchup up on all the comments here- And from OFF- @Gerald, @kreisdorph and @lew Head on over to the topic and checkout the comments What’s Coming Up- This was last week but if you missed it, Cindy Drozda posted the video of her "Tool Talk"- https://streamyard.com/watch/CyvKGNCGNujG For The Newbies- A video from Mike Peace on the various types of drive centers- Sam Angelo demonstrates the use of the spindle gouge. From Tim Yoder on the roughing gouge- Facebook video.mp4 Expand Your Horizons- Lyle Jamieson discusses balancing the grain and color when turning a bowl- For some reason this video isn't showing up for me. Here is the YouTube link https://youtu.be/VtHVrf-1xlQ?si=n28y_i4yw_IKFfTY Alan Stratton makes a unique box that looks like a stacking toy! An interesting design on a cherry bowl by Kent Weakley Jim Rodgers makes a really neat one piece pen- New Turning Items- https://nilesbottlestoppers.com/product/threaded-rings-for-urns/ Everything Else- Safe turning
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Tomorrow is the 80th anniversary of D-Day. There are so few of the brave men and women who served in World War II left to honor their sacrifices to keep our country free. The Greatest Generation is almost gone. Our Patriot Turners- @StaticLV2 posed a question to our members concerning turning if you are a "Lefty". Specifically, dealing with hollowing out the bowl's inside. If you van help him, please see his post and provide some input- @Masonsailor has been building doors for a while. Paul got a chance to sneak over to his lathe to turn several of these door related items. Check out his post for the details! @Fred W. Hargis Jr posted his turned box for use to drool over. First partially finished and then completely finished- More information and descriptions at- And @Gerald finished up his work on an urn for his daughter-in-law's father. It is a beautifully done piece and a fitting resting place for a loved one. Gerald's post includes some process images and description of what he has done- A week or so ago, @RustyFN showed us some turned lidded boxes he made from boxwood. Rusty's friend does chip carving and he embellished the two boxes with amazing work- Check out Rusty's post to see the complete series of pictures from start to finish- Once again, our turners have come through with an amazing collection of work for our "ON/OFF" the lathe posts! Thank You!!! From "ON"- @Gerald and @calabrese55 worked on hollow vessels- Lots of great comments. Pick up where we left off last week at- And from "OFF"- @StaticLV2 and @kreisdorph created some amazing work segments and bowls- Here's the link to catchup with all the action- What’s Coming Up- https://www.neowta.com/press/kirk-deheer-demonstration-and-classes/ For The Newbies- Popular Woodworking made available several turning articles. https://www.popularwoodworking.com/projects/turn-your-first-bowl/?oly_enc_id=7454G3912223B7R https://www.popularwoodworking.com/tools/carbide-tools-unlocking-woodturning-potential/?oly_enc_id=7454G3912223B7R https://www.popularwoodworking.com/tools/the-woodturning-scraper/?oly_enc_id=7454G3912223B7R Expand Your Horizons- Craft Supplies USA has a nice tutorial for turning a utility box- It is just after the first of the month and the "4 Ways" collaboration videos were posted. This project was a little different as each turner made their own favorite project. Mike Peace- Richard Raffan- Sam Angelo- And Tomislav Tomasic- New Turning Items- Not new but I use this bandsaw blade for resawing inserts for my rolling pins. Thought maybe some of the other turners here may do similar cutting- https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/wood-slicer-resaw-bandsaw-blades.aspx?utm_source=Advertiser+Promotion&utm_content=FW+Dedicated+Offers&utm_medium=Advertiser+Promotion Also, last week we posted a new jig from Ron Brown's Best. @HandyDan noticed that one of Ron Brown's jigs was a hollowing stabilizer. Dan said he was unfamiliar with the tool. This is a simple design and has limited depth capabilities compared to the ones used by Tim Yoder or Lyle Jamieson Everything Else- Safe turning
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May is quickly coming to a close. I think about my teaching friends and how busy they are at this time of the year. Our Patriot Turners- @HARO50 gave us a look at a display he saw at a gift shop. Lots of interesting turnings, including some turned, wooden hats! Check out John's post for more images and our turner's comments- Again, I'd like to extend my personal thanks to all of our members who take the time to post their works in progress and those that have been finished. You all keep our "What's ON/OFF Your Lathe" topics humming along! This past week's projects are awesome! From "ON"- @calabrese55, @Gerald, @Fred W. Hargis Jr and @kreisdorph gave us a look at what they are making- Check all their images and comments beginning here- From "OFF"- @kreisdorph finished up a couple of beautiful natural edge bowls- The new projects and comments start here- What’s Coming Up- For registration- https://www.cindydrozda.com/ https://mawts.com/ For The Newbies- Turning away end grain can be challenging. Richard Raffan demonstrated how it can be done while avoiding chip/tear out. Richard Raffan shows how to shorten or turn away endgrain without splintering the internal grain..mp4 Expand Your Horizons- I have recently been looking at John Beaver's work and considering attempting one of his wave bowls. (His bowl, not mine!) https://www.johnbeaver.net/wave-bowls I'm not sure if I'm more intrigued by the actual bowl or the elaborate processes involved. Anyway, Alan Stratton just posted a video on creating a multipurpose jig that used Mr. Beaver's process as part of the inspiration for the new jig. Hmmmmm.... Talk about "pucker factor"!! Melted Burl Platter.mp4 New Turning Items- Our very generous site sponsor, Woodcraft, has a sale on turning tools/products! Rikon Lathes Easy Wood Tools Ron Brown has a new gauge for measuring the thickness of a bowl bottom. Looks well made and universal for all lathes and chuck/jaws. https://longworthchuck.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=75 Woodturners Wonders has added the "Hold Fast" product line to their inventory. https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/hold-fast?_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQGZ2p91Dzyb6Hq8u86HRP26F2J3AVp8xSSqd_hTF8cT.VJvU8R Everything Else- Safe turning
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Looks like a thunderstorm brewing off to the west. Garden could use a little water. Our Patriot Turners- @Headhunter posted a couple of beautiful segmented bowls he created using a Ringmaster! These became gifts for friends. He tells us more about them in this post- Our What's ON/OFF Your Lathe again had some gorgeous content! From "ON"- @kreisdorph worked with several different species of wood to produce these lovely pieces- New items start here- And from What's OFF Your Lathe- @kreisdorph and @User74 showed us what they are doing! You can catch up and see more images here- What’s Coming Up- Just a reminder that this Friday, May 24, Cindy Drozda and Todd Raines are having a free Sharing Q&A Session on Zoom. Here are 2 links for signing up for the Zoom meeting. https://www.cindydrozda.com/html/Signup.html https://woodturningtoolstore.com/event/sharing-session-free-and-live-on-zoom-4/ If you don't have Zoom on your computer/phone, here's the link for the free download- https://zoom.us/download For The Newbies- Mentioned before that Sam Angelo has started a new YouTube channel to assist the new turner. This video compares and contrasts the spindle and bowl gouges. New turners are often confused why/where to use these two gouges. This is the opening lecture from a nine-hour seminar on how woodturning tools work, from Jim Rodgers. Lots of good information on the various HSS materials. Craft Supplies USA has a nice video on chuck maintenance. Although this video is for a specific brand/model, much of the information is common to all scroll chucks. Expand Your Horizons- If you have watched Richard Raffan for any length of time, you've probably noticed most of his turning tools have been resharpened many, many times! Not one to let tings go to waste, Richard repurposes an old spindle gouge. I remember @Gerald using various painting schemes and came across this method of creating a Cosmic Clouds motif with iridescent paints. I think this was done by Tim Yoder- Cosmic Clouds #shorts.mp4 Thinking about working with acrylics? Craft Supplies USA posted a start to finish hybrid handle. Casting and finishing tips included! Last week we posted that Niles Bottle Stoppers had their bronze threaded rings for sale. Carl Jacobson created a very stylish urn using a set of rings- If hand chasing threads is more your thing, Mike Peace recently posted this video creating threads in a piece of Palo Santo Wood, Bulnesia sarmientoi, from Argentina. Finally, the Woodworker's Journal published their Woodturner's Monthly newsletter. Here's the link to the entire newsletter- https://www.woodworkersjournal.com/woodturning-monthly/?utm_medium=email New Turning Items- OK, this is something you can create in your shop. I thought it was pretty neat as I do not have an accurate cross sled for my drill press. What is the vertex#diy #woodworkingtools #woodworking.mp4 Everything Else- A few thoughts from Ron Brown- Sharing Makes You Better Three reasons you will be better: 1) When you explain your process, you must organize your thoughts. You will discover some steps are unnecessary while others need more attention. 2) Your audience usually asks questions that spark new ideas to improve your process and ultimately the result. 3) Explaining how you do it will often uncover why you do it this way. There is always room to be more efficient and you usually discover them by accident often during an explanation. The skills you have learned are a gift and make you who you are. The laws of sowing and reaping are in full effect. The more you share what you have discovered, the deeper your understanding will become. This is true with any skill or knowledge set you have Safe turning
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Please keep @John Morris and his family in your prayers. John lost his Dad this week. Our Patriot Turners- @kreisdorph received a new toy this week- Please avoid drooling on the unpainted surfaces- we don't want no rust! Thanks everyone for the continued support of our 2 running post of "What' On/Off Your Lathe"- ON- @Gerald and @calabrese55 added their projects and some updates Catch up up here- And OFF- @User74, @RustyFN and @kreisdorph posted what they finished- More images and information about each of these projects are at- What’s Coming Up- Click on the following images for links to registration and more information- For The Newbies- Jim Rodgers demonstrates how to make a couple of helpful turning tools to add to your arsenal- Craft Supplies USA posted a nice video using some of their exotic species for making projects. Some good tips on working with exotics. Expand Your Horizons- Mike Peace demonstrates several embellishing tools- Alan Stratton turns some unique flowers for mothers day. Check out the materials he uses for the stigma and stamen! @Gerald's hollow form reminded me of this one turned by Carl Jacobson- New Turning Items- This item has been available from Woodturners Wonders for awhile. Mike shows how to set it up and runs it through its paces. Also from Woodturners Wonders, a sale on Yellowhammer HSS turning tools https://woodturnerswonders.com/collections/yellowhammer?_kx=gV5SF2As_3IwtBi5TrpHVQM0F3UvGVbQKzhWGippDlk.VJvU8R Everything Else- Trying to use up those little pieces of wind shake cherry by making tiny vases for Mimi. I tried pure beeswax on these an buffed them with an old T-shirt but they feel sticky. I think I will burnish them with shavings, again, and see what they look like. I have some Hampshire Sheen wax that might be better. My predicament now is how to reverse chuck them, to finish the bottoms. The entry holes are not identical in diameter. Thinking on making an expandable piece to fit into the holes The piece will need to be adjustable to take care of the minor variations in diameter. Safe turning
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Lots happened this past week! Our Patriot Turners- @Gerald posted more images of his "Frig Magnets". His Jaho jig really creates some spectacular designs! Here's where the new entry starts- @John Hechel made a couple of posts in our sub-forum for Ringmaster Turning. He showed us some of his glue ups and some absolutely gorgeous bowl! Check out his posts here- @RustyFN posted an update on his new McNaughton Bowl Coring System. He created some measuring devices to help setup the system for different sized cores. Thanks, Rusty for the update! I love all your posts on our "On/Off Your Lathe". It is so enjoyable to see the development and finishing of the projects. From "ON"- From @kreisdorph and @Gerald Catch up from last week starting here- From OFF- @kreisdorph and @User74 The latest entries start here- What’s Coming Up- If you missed Cindy Drozda's Tool Talk last week, she posted the video on her YouTube channel- Click on the following images for links to registration and more information- For The Newbies- The bowl gouge can be confusing for the new turner, especially when it comes to the type of "grind" on the tip. Professional turners seem to have individual preferences and provide that grind style on the tools they recommend/sell. Lyle Jamieson discusses his preference in this video. Jim Rodgers creates another custom pen. Check out some of the jigs he uses to create the pieces. Expand Your Horizons- Alan Stratton turns a bowl as a keepsake for a tree that needed to be removed. Most of us do this when we are gifted wood. What I found interesting was Alan's use of UV epoxy instead of the typical epoxy/acrylic. Here's the entire video- the UV information is at about 4:30. The "4 Ways Collaboration" continues. This month they turn multi-sided plates Mike- Tomislav- Sam- Richard- New Turning Items- From Ron Brown- Glue Press for Bowl From Board or Segmented Rings https://longworthchuck.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=536 Everything Else- My experiment with the turned blank from last week was a miserable failure. That turning became this- The prototype for a passive amplifier. There was a barely noticeable increase in volume but it looks neat. Biggest mistakes- don't use a spade bit for long holes, cutting an angle and rotating is not produce as nice as cutting 2 angles. As in Alan Stratton's video, I did turn a little bowl from our Crab Apple tree that is dying by inches. Planted it in 1969. Safe turning
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Relatives gone but the remainder of the week already scheduled with appointments. Our Patriot Turners- Our turners have been busy with projects and new journeys @Gerald is learning the ins-and-outs of his new JaHo jig. He posted a couple of cool bowl images and asked our opinion on the painting scheme- His post received lots of comments. Our turners are not shy offering their opinions! Check out his post and give him your input! @keithlong asked us for some leads on mechanical pencil kits. He has been asked to turn a special type of pencil. If you have any ideas for sources for these kits, Keith would appreciate any input- @Fred W. Hargis Jr has started down the slippery slope of wood turning ! He asked our group for some ideas on turning knobs. Specifically, how is the best way to hold the knob during the urning process. A lot of us chimed in with various suggestions and information sources. Fred's setup looks like this- Check his post/questions and our responses and give him some of your ideas- Our continuing post of "What's On Your Lathe" got a couple of hits this week! @kreisdorph posted images of a beautiful cedar bowl. New entries begin here- What’s Coming Up- Cindy Drozda has a free, live tool talk on Friday April 26. Registration link is- https://streamyard.com/watch/MJdeXdGa5fNC For The Newbies- Mike Peace gives us a refresher course on the various live centers available. If you are thinking of upgrading your center, he offers some good information. Sam Angelo gives talks about how to safely use the spindle roughing gouge- Lyle Jamieson has some tips on tips on wet wood storage and wet wood turning- Expand Your Horizons- Richard Raffan turns a lovely little jewelry box from "Sheaok". I had to look that up on the web. Interesting species. Also, watch how Mr. Raffan takes setbacks in stride! Alan Stratton turns a rose bush root ball. Someone said life is too short to turn crappy wood. I'd say the results were well worth the effort. New Turning Items- Found this in the Niles Bottle Stoppers newsletter- Here's the link- https://nilesbottlestoppers.com/product/bottle-stoppers-blanks/ Everything Else- Safe turning
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The old Dogwood tree, outside my window, should be in full bloom tomorrow. Hard to believe when I transplanted it, from my parents mountain property, it was a single, spindly stick. That was 56 years ago! Our Patriot Turners- @RustyFN showed us a beautiful new turned lidded box he made. He said this one is made from Maple. He certainly has perfected the flocking technique, too! Our turners gave him lots of compliments in his post- @Gerald has been creating amazing designs with his JaHo jig. His most recent refrigerator magnet is a beauty! Check out this addition to his post- More activity on our two continuing posts of "What's On/Off the Lathe" From ON: @Gerald provide a closeup look at his JaHo jig in action- You can see how this jig can create some fantastic designs. Check out Gerald's post for additional images. From OFF: @kreisdorph turned a gnarly piece of mulberry into a beautiful bowl- Kent also finished these beauties. This spalted piece caught my eye because of the shape. Years ago, an artist friend sent me a picture from a magazine. He fell in love with the shape. I think it was a hint for me to turn one. Alas, I have not done it. New projects start here- @lew was looking for some input on design and proportions for turnings. He used miniature hollow turnings to get an idea of what had pleasing shapes and asked our turners their opinions. As always, our members provided some excellent advice and suggestions. What’s Coming Up- Click on the images for links to more information and registration- This is a replay of the most resent Tool Talk from Cindy Drozda For The Newbies- Thinking of design and proportions, Lyly Jamieson's turning tip discusses the design for bowls, Pen turning is a great way to get into turning. Kits can be inexpensive and provide amazing results. Tim Yoder shows us how it's done!! Now for a little more of a challenge, Jim Rodgers turns a segmented pen- Expand Your Horizons- Last week we posted a shop tour hosted by Mike Peace. The craftspeople were making Beads Of Courage boxes. Mike takes a segmented glue up and turns his own version of a Beads of Courage box- Sometimes the most beautiful turning is not the most perfect piece. Alan Stratton explains- https://youtu.be/hx1qGGVvU-g?si=mSuL1RJNLd0YDMOu EDIT: Cannot get this video to show in published post. Link seems to work. A short video from Richard Raffan demonstrating how he utilizes as much of a turning blank as possible. Check out the unique parting tool! New Turning Items- Been really difficult to find anything new on the market. Maybe by the time the income tax return is ready there will be some new toys to spend it on. Everything Else- An excerpt from Ron Brown's newsletter on advice for the new turner My advice for a new turner or a student would include the following: Find a turning club in your area and attend some meetings. These people are a tremendous resource and are always eager to help. Start with pens. Start by watching some YouTube videos for instructions. Get setup for basic pen turning, a 7mm mandrel, some slimline pen kits, proper sanding grits, CA glue, friction finish, etc. Pens are quick to make, easy to turn, and provide an immediate sense of accomplishment. If someone wanted to sell a few pens to pay for more turning stuff, many folks earn turning money this way. Then make some spinning tops for fun and give them away. Turn a few bottle stoppers and give them as gifts to friends and relatives. As soon as you can afford it, buy an inexpensive 4 jaw scroll chuck. Add more jaws down the road or buy a chuck with a few jaws included. Quality chucks with multiple jaw sets can be very expensive. Save that for later. For now, just get a serviceable chuck for around $100. Turn small plates from a 3/4" thick piece of wood using a recessed tenon in expansion mode for practice. A family member might even wish to add decorations or paint your masterpiece. Now that you have a scroll chuck, practice making turned lidded boxes, goblets, and soup ladles for the kitchen. Try turning a few small bowls from green wood. Turn the walls to 1/4" and watch them go oval. Turn a few 1/2" thick to let them dry in a paper bag for a few months, then re-turn them to 1/4" wall thickness once they’ve dried if they didn’t crack or explode. Once you've done all that, evaluate your interest in turning and if you love it, like most of us do, prepare to spend some money (easily $500) on High-Speed Steel lathe tools, a specialty grinder, and a sharpening jig. Next, set about learning to cut with traditional turning tools and learn to keep them sharp. Note: You only need a few HSS tools. In the beginning, don't buy more than 10 total, and never buy turning tools in a set. Always purchase the tool you need for the job at hand. After that, plan to take some full-day turning classes and plan to attend some turning symposiums in your area. From there, the sky is the limit. Turning can be as much or as little as you want. You can learn to make shavings in a couple of hours. It takes a lifetime to become a “Turner”. Did play a little at the lathe this week. The largest usable piece of that wind shake cherry was dry so I put it on the lathe. The more I turned, the more defects were uncovered. Filled the cracks with CA and sanding dust. The colors are nice but I don't like the tiny splits throughout the piece. Sanded to 600 and beeswax/mineral oil finish. Safe turning
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