Four Small Turnings

These four small turning projects represent a large amount of knowledge, both new and acquired. 

  In Grade Eight Wood shop class I learned the basics of lathe turning from Mr. Petit. I think my mother still has the bowl that I turned from cedar those many long years ago.(early 1970's). The following summer I spent a month living with my Grand parents while my parents and little brother went on an epic road trip to Canada's east coast. (I just couldn't face hour after hour in our non-air-conditioned car, even then I wasn't a keen traveler).

  My Grandfather was a carpenter and he had a wood turning lathe in his garage. (that he hadn't used in some time). Grampa's lathe was used to turn ladder rungs and cant hook handles.  That summer I made several spindle projects, candle holders mostly: I think various households still have some of those projects.

  I bought my mini lathe a few years ago and have played with it on and off. I've been looking for small projects lately and having found the book recently in the library dragging the lathe back onto center stage seemed natural.

  In the last week I have made three honey dippers, two small tea light holders and a mushroom shaped weed vase.  Not to mention about five gallons of shavings. And learned several things that will make my shop time much more enjoyable.

  For example I learned how best to hold my shop vacuum in take to catch fine dust.  A solution so simple and obvious it escaped me for all these years. 

 I also learned how to sharpen my roughing gouges without any new or extra tools.  I had a cheap little low speed sharpening grinder that I bought at a wood show years ago stuck in a drawer.  The wheel is pretty course but it does run through a water bath and it runs really slowly and slowly is the critical thing.  I took my gouges, all three, all dull and coloured the bevel with marker so I could see what was being ground off while I hand held the gouge on the stone.  I guess 'real' wood turners cringe at the thought of a hand held bevel from a low grade stone, but...the chisels are now sharp and cutting smoothly. 

  

  I re-learned what I always knew but hated to admit.  Sand twice as long as planned  and give your project's finish the proper time to dry, the result will be twice as good as something rushed.

nice grain can be found in fire wood.

  You really need to take the time to change the belt ratios and speed up the spindle when polishing bee's wax.  It takes a fairly high r.p.m. to heat up pure bee's wax enough to get a nice soft sheen on the project.

I have collected bits of wood for several years and so have a source of raw materials, dry raw materials.  In May 2014 I wrote a blog about turning green wood. I am now looking to use the wood from 2014.  That there are bits of wood from that long ago hints at how cluttered my shop space can be.

  Now it is time to go back to the shop, sweep and consider how to improve the work station connected with my lathe.  There is always something.

 

  

30-Minute Woodturning-book

  Last week I picked up a book at our local library. This is an excellent little book with fine photographs and clear instructions.  While it didn't really tell me much that was new it reminded me of a number of quick, easy and satisfying small projects. 

  

  This morning I dug out a piece of maple stair tread that has been kicking around my shop and made two honey dippers.

  DIppers are left unfinished since they are left in the honey for extended periods and any finish would soak off.  This close grained maple should work well for this.

  My lathe set up is on a rolling cabinet where all the chisels and accessories are stored under neath when not needed.  After working on my lathe for a couple of years I have finally got a set up that controls the fine dust. I'd not got around to dust control because I thought it had to be an involved and complex build. silly me. Keep it Simple, Ian.

  It is amazing how often there is a simple solution when we put our minds to it.  I found the vacuum attachment in a drawer and used my biggest Jorgensen  style hand screw clamp to hold it in place.  There wasn't enough vacuum power to collect the larger chips but it sucked up the fine dust from sanding perfectly.

view from the other side.

  Yesterday to make repairs to the grand daughter clock I bought for $15.00 from the Second Hand store last year.  I needed to repair door latches and close in the back of the clock, re fit the face, adjust the feet and re-attach the hands, all small fussy jobs.  I suspect that it was a kit that someone got most of the way through and then ran out of steam, or patience.

  I need to get a battery for the works and fiddle around to get the hands and the chimes working together.  My first attempt couldn't get the chimes and the hands to agree, but I didn't give it much attention because I knew that the case work needed repair and completion and the works would be stopped while that was done.

  For my friends that commented last week.  My Mom is getting better thanks.  Last week was tense, this week less so. Thanks for caring.

cheers ianw

spring has sprung, finally.