Knockout Bar

[Random Orbital Bob]

My mate Bill (Yewtube) very kindly gave me some 8mm steel bar yesterday to make a knockout bar for the centres of a Woodfast Lathe we've been restoring. I will eventually post pics of the Lathe as its quite the gem (when I get time).

Today was all about getting back some long lost lathe time so first job was to turn a handle for Bill's kind gift.

Olive Ash. The ferrule I cut from some copper plumbing pipe that was hideously tarnished. I'm always pleasantly surprised how well copper or brass come up with a bit of attention.

It works a treat...thanks Bill

 

[YewTube]

Rob

What can I say, "Knockout, bar none."

Nice job.

Bill

 

[paulm]

Nice work Rob

Cheers, Paul

 

[Dalboy]

Now that is a Posh knockout bar. Should be pleased with that one

 

[SteveF]

very nice

never thought of making one

on the todo list as mine is too short when tailstock is extended

Steve

 

[dickm]

One suggestion for others wanting to make a knockout bar - rather than a wooden handle, get a lump of 30mm plus diameter steel, and drill and tap (or even just drill and epoxy) the bar into it. A lot easier to use, if not nearly as aesthetically pleasing, as a wooden one.

 

[woodfarmer]

May I ask, What is olive ash ?

 

[Woodmonkey]

Very nice indeed, looking forward to some pics of the woodfast.
Olive ash is ash that has a dark stain running through the heartwood, it's caused by a fungus growing on the live tree.

 

[n0legs]

Good looking handle ROB, very nice

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Very nice indeed, looking forward to some pics of the woodfast.
Olive ash is ash that has a dark stain running through the heartwood, it's caused by a fungus growing on the live tree.

which makes perfect sense because this is the tree that blew down in the gales of valentines day 2014 and landed on my neighbours truck crushing it completely. I've always assumed the central rot caused the original weakness which the storm then finished off.

But it makes for some absolutely stunning figure.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I don't think it causes any weakness. I logged ash trees in 1987 that were 4' - 5' diameter that all had olive hearts, but there was no difference in density or texture between the different colours.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Oh OK...This tree had a very noticeable rotten centre which was clearly responsible for the storm having enough strength to push it over. I guess the rot must have come from a different source if the fungal staining doesn't affect the strength.

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

That's a very sexy knock-out bar. Olive ash is very beautiful. I must add that to my "want" list for stuff I would like to turn.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Most kind Tom

I think the design says more about how little lathe time I've had of late more than anything else

How's the shoulder by the way?

 

[woodfarmer]

Thanks for the olive ash info. As luck would have it i put aside a multi stemmed small fork of ash because I hoped it would be "interesting" and might make a small bowl. Cutting them out as blanks I have a brown are in the middle which I just thought was result of a branching stem passing through, will pay attention to how it finishes.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I've had some truly stunning dark figure in the heartwood of some of the larger butts from this tree. The smaller bits and most of the branch wood is just usual ash white. The stuff that has the olive bits in comes up an almost cupric colouring it's really lovely. Some has been close to black too.