Brass Powder......

[thomaskennedy]

Hey,
ive just recieved some brass powder from the luvly ebay! but......how do i use it, i got told i need some hinda fibreglass resin :?: where do i get his from , how do i use it....arrghhh so many questions so little time
anywayz its err... micro fine brass powder....im going to apply it to a bowl...its gonna have a ring round the outside and one in the base of the inside!!!

Cheers


Tom

 

[trevtheturner]

Thomas,

You need a resin to mix your powder into and a catalyst hardener. You cut a groove say 3-4mm deep in your turned piece and fill this with the resin/powder mixture, working fairly quickly as the mixture will have a fairly short setting time. When you prepare the mixture be careful with the stirring, to avoid air bubbles which can spoil your work. Fill the groove just proud of the wood by pouring in carefully, allow to harden, usually 8 hours+, replace it on the lathe then turn down to your finished shape, using a sharp gouge and a very fine cut. You can then finish the piece in the normal way, i.e. sand and polish. Suggest a couple of trial runs before you use it on that special turning.

Clear resin, and many other options of the product, called Inlace, can be obtained from:

http://www.poolewood.co.uk/acatalog/nlace.html

Hope this helps, Trev.

 

[Anonymous]

That sounds about rite Trev although I have never used apoxy and brass.

I was at a Sorby demo recently and they showed a product called "Interlace" which was a two part apoxy with a variety of finishes from brass to coloured flecks. They showed this stuff being mixed and turning a pre prepared piece. It looked fantastic finished, although at about £25 a throw so it should be.

When they passed the wet stuff round it smelt just like car body filler so I wonder whether you could use that instread at a fraction of the cost.

 

[thomaskennedy]

thanks trev and aiden.....i didn't realise i had to take it off the lathe! i thought the mixture of brass/resin would be like a paste :?: then whilst the bowl is spinning i would kinda push it in??!

This is my first bowl EVER so i hope everything goes alright im pretty confident on the lathe though so it shouldn't be too bad, i bought the blank already rounded 'cos i dont have a bandsaw ! but i dont reaally know how im supost to mount it on the lathe........i know i have to use my faceplate but how on earth do you make it so as the screw holes donr show on the base?????

Thanks again

Tom

 

[Anonymous]

Thomas,

I use a dedicated chuck (supernova) when turning bowls as its much easier to get a grip without leaving the marks left by the screws on the faceplate.

With out one I would use the face plate on the top of your finished bowl, so that when you hollow the middle later the holes left by the screws will be removed as you hollow. Mounted like this you will be able to turn the outside, leaving a small flat at the bottom for the next stage.

Then make up a glue chuck using your faceplate screwed to a piece of timber/mdf and stick your bowl to that with hot glue so that you can hollow the inside. Light cuts as obviously the glue wont be as strong as the screws. The work would be so much easier with a dedicated chuck as you can make a recess on the bottom for the jaws to hold.

Anyone with more experience please feel free to correct me,


Aidan