Gavel & Base

[Glynne]

Whilst more of a box maker these days, I did start my more serious woodworking with turning so I hope I still have a few skills in the memory bank but I'd be really grateful for as many steers from active turners as possible.
A long story short: - my Son-in-Law who is a very talented Search & Rescue helicopter pilot (the big yellow Westlands) has asked for some help to make a gavel & base to commerate his Dad who died a couple of months before his wedding to my daughter over 3 years ago. The difficulty is that despite being really proficient at what he does, he struggles to know which end of a hammer to pick up let alone use a gouge but has asked to make the gavel with "some assistance" from me!
I'm interested in some relatively straightforward designs and dimensions for gavel and bases?
The initial steer I have is for the gavel to be out of Blackwood (I think he means ŵood that is black rather than Blackwood) and the base oak. He also wants the base to be stamped, but that is another bridge I will cross in due course.
I'd be really grateful for any thoughts either on design or techniques that he could use without me strangling him in the process.
Cheers,
Glynne

 

[lurker]

That sounds a nice idea
I have a mountain of dry beech you could have for him to practice with also some nice oak from church pews for the base. Is loughborough too far to fetch them?

He could do it all with a roughing gouge and a scraper which are easy tool to use. All you need to do is sharpen them for him

 

[marcros]

why not let him rough it- depending on skill it can be close or far from the finished size. Even I managed to achieve that quickly enough. then you do a bit, he could sand, maybe put a decorative line or burn in

 

[nev]

Maybe some ideas here from the challenge a year or two ago...

http://www.quest42.co.uk/woodwork/forum ... ov2012.htm

From memory start with the head, say a piece of 2x2 x 5 or 6, Mark and drill the hole for the handle/ shaft while it's square, then mount and turn.
And when turning the shaft, have the spigot (for the gavel head )at the tail stock end and make it too long, removing tail stock and checking for fit frequently. It can be slightly loose if you are going to wedge it afterward.

 

[marcros]

I have been thinking whilst walking the dog.

If you were to design it as a simple shape, the head could be done by him with a roughing gouge. Rub the bevel, lift the handle. I found this easy to do myself and I have only done a couple of hours of turning. Even if he had to start with 60 grit sanding paper and work through the grits, it wouldn't be too bad, particularly if you chose a timber that was not prone to tearout. He could drill on the lathe- not too much can go wrong there and if it needed some shaping, use a scraper- again, I wouldn't think there is too much to go wrong there in creating a slight waist to the head. You could tidy it up if necessary and round the ends for him. If he got the hang he could use a scraper to make a spigot for the chuck.

The tenon on the handle could be done with a scraper- then the same as before- roughing and sanding.

For the base, rough a piece to round, create spigot for the chuck. You could face off and he could make a small depression using a scraper.

I suggest you make one at the same time so you can demonstrate each bit. This would allow him to make it though which might be important to him. The big steps for a non turner will be making it round, and seeing it pop with a bit of finish on. The details that are important to us will be a very small percentage so won't make it feel like he has helped you rather than the other way round.

 

[Glynne]

Thank you all for the replies.
Lurker - that is a really kind offer thank you, but I have a pretty large amount of turning stock (too large according to my wife).
Nev - gallery is brilliant thank you and I think will form the basis of the eventual design.
Mark - some good ideas and I'll probably start with the roughing gouge. I wasn't exaggerating about a lack of ability with hand tools, I initially thought he was winding me up but unfortunately not.

When we get around to it I'll try and post some WIP pictures but it may be some time.
Thanks again.
Glynne

 

[marcros]

Do you have any carbide tools- I haven't tried one but whilst researching making one they all seem to say that there is not the learning curve as with traditional tools.

 

[Glynne]

I don't have any carbide tools, but I think this will be the one and only attempt at turning so it will my tools will have to suffice.

 

[chipmunk]

There are another couple of gavel project descriptions here...
http://www.woodturningonline.com/Turning/Turning_projects.php?catid=40

Although you could use a hidden wedge or a thread to fix the head, another option that looks good IMHO is a contrasting wedge sanded flush (drill a cross-hole as in Larry's instructions to stop the split).

For the sound block, I think it's aesthetically better to make it big enough for the gavel head to sit on (sounds obvious but you'd be surprised how many you see that won't fit).

Hollow out the underside of the block and create a path through, perhaps a gap in a bead underneath the base, to allow the sound out.

HTH
Jon