My third turning

[ohowson]

I got a *very* second hand lathe for my birthday and just had to share my third turning. First one Ive never finished, second one is a ropey thing with a dish in the top the kids put bits in. This is my third and it may actually turn into a little bow.

The wood is a lump of dried oak that I liberated from work. I don't have a chuck so I've glued it to a piece of scrap timber so I can use the centre plate without losing oak. This piece seems ok using PVA - I've got some dried pitch pine in bigger chunks that flew off with PVA (admittedly the glue was old) so I've whacked some epoxy on that for next time.

I've also included the tools I've found myself using. Now I believe these are, in order, roughing gouge which I've been used for taking the corners off the wood, spindle gouge which I've used for shaping the outside of the bowl, thingy which I've found effective inside (along side the spindle gouge but actually more effective) and parting tool. Which I obviously used too fast to get the bottom cut down a bit cos I burnt the end.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

You're using spindle turning tools on a bowl, which is less than ideal and can be dangerous. Get yourself a hotmelt glue gun for the mounting of blanks - easier and much quicker.

 

[CHJ]

As Phil said, using spindle roughing gouge of the pattern you have on a bowl blank is very dangerous, it is not designed to take the shock loads that can occur cutting the end grain.

See This image for results

You need strong tools designed for Bowl turning use, especially as someone new to turning not conversant with the cutting loads.

Judging by the heat on the Parting tool I suspect that your tools are not sharp enough, again putting you at unnecessary risk.

I suggest you get yourself a copy of the Kieth Rowley, foundation course book which will show the correct tools and their use.

Also have a read through the help and safety sticky at the top of this forum section.

 

[ohowson]

live and learn. so far.

hot glue wasn't sticking so well which is why I went for the araldite. that sticks.

I've ordered the book but annoyingly don't have any money for tools right now

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Were you trying to glue something wet? I know a turner who uses hot melt for blanks weighing over a hundredweight.

 

[ohowson]

No, everything was bone dry. Was my wifes pippy little glue gun rather than my big one, and it was flat to flat. don't know if it's a different kind of glue or just wanted me dead.

I've found a record power 3/4 bowl gouge for a reasonable price so sounds like I should be using that for a pretty much everything until I can afford more bowl-sized tools?

 

[CHJ]

Hot melt needs to be at bubbling point for best adhesion. I regularly use it to hold 200mm diameter blanks, with just a 50-75mm area of contact.

Here's an old example of a blank with hot melt mounting.

And you need an 11mm or 12mm stick system with adequate flow rate.

Beware that the stick size is tied to the gun, sizes are not interchangeable due to seal sizing, put an 11mm stick in a 12mm gun and you will wreck it with back leakage.

3/4" bowl gouge is rather on the large size for every day turning, ( I have one and it gets used once or twice a year) 3/8" to 1/2" are more realistic.

 

[ohowson]

fat fingers - I meant 3/8.

I shall continue experimenting - at the moment I'm just enjoying learning how wood feels, learning how to avoid catches, and enjoying how easy it is to forget the two rabid children...