Saved from the fire

[frugal]

It still Irks me you're so bloody good. I'm not reading this thread any more :lol:

The photos make it look a lot better than it really is.

 

[wizer]

Just kidding mate. I see those transitions. The difference between me and you is that you have the balls to finish it. Whereas I will keep mucking about with it trying to blend one line into another and then the next line into that one and all of a sudden, I've made a bangle :roll: :wink:

 

[Jonzjob]

In the arms race the world needs bangles!

Otherwise we wouldn't have a leg to stand on

 

[CHJ]

In the arms race the world needs bangles!

Otherwise we wouldn't have a leg to stand on

Been at the Vintage stuff again John :lol: :lol:

 

[Bodrighy]

Are you using a spindle or bowl gouge to do the outside? If you use a bowl gouge with a traditional grind you will be able to shave the wood more easily and get that curve. It isn't easy though and like Tom I have ended up with a fair few 'bangles' in the attempts. Overall it's a good looking piece though and I think you'll find that most people who don't turn themselves would be quite happy with it.

pete

 

[CHJ]

Agree with Pete on the point of most non turners acceptance of the piece. A good many new to turning would be quite happy to have achieved as good.

 

[Jonzjob]

I like it and I don't think that the transition at the wide point is too sharp. It is a shame about the breakout on the inside but with some dry flowers in it that won't be seen.

I do like spalting! Great stuff rugal.

 

[frugal]

Are you using a spindle or bowl gouge to do the outside? If you use a bowl gouge with a traditional grind you will be able to shave the wood more easily and get that curve.

I used a spindle gouge with a 35 degree grind on it, so the bevel is quite long. I will have a go with the bowl gouge on the outside next time.

I am going to go along to Yandles in three weeks time, so I might have to have a chat to people there about better ways of hollowing out the end grain.

 

[Jonzjob]

My usual method of starting the hollowing is to put a 1 1/4" flat bit down to the depth I want to take out, but don't forget the length of the pointy bit! After that I don't have too much of a problem.

I usually mount the blank on my screw chuck and hold it secure with a live point on the tailstock until it's roughed down and more ballanced. Then turn a mortice fin the base and clean it up. From then on it comes off the screw and goes on my Axminster expanding chuck for the hollowing.

If it's a bowl the outside gets turned and finished on the screw, but a goblet or tall piece is as above.

 

[frugal]

A year or so ago I picked up a woodworking magazine that came with a how-to guide. One of the projects was a set of garden tools. As I have been making some raised beds in the garden I figured it would be a good idea to have a go at them. First up is a pair of string holders for marking out rows for planting:



It was an interesting exercise as I actually planned it out first I sketched out the shape and transferred the key transitions to a piece of wood. Once I had roughed out the branch to a 1.25" cylinder I marked the key points. The aim was to get both identical. They are not too bad, although for some reason the one at the back is about 1/4" longer then the one in front. Also I still can not get on with beads and coves, despite being the most basic exercise I always find them really difficult. Which is why the beads are different sizes on each stick.

Next up will have to be a dibber with the same dimensions to round off the set...

 

[Bodrighy]

It's surprising how many turners have problems with spindle work for some reason. A lot never do any, just stick to face work. These string holders look good to me. Now do the same again but put 1/2 marks up them with burnt rings and you have yourself a dibber as well.

pete

 

[Jonzjob]

By the time they are in the ground several feet apart with string round them you ain't going to see any difference mate

They look good and as pete multi use too!

 

[CHJ]

More than close enough for purpose Frugal. I doubt the veg patch will note the difference.

 

[wizer]

Don't worry about not getting beads and coves right yet. I'm useless at them. Just ask Richard and Blister :lol:

This is a nice idea which I think will be very useful. They would have been very handy on my allotment when I had it.

 

[frugal]

A few more pieces. The first is a small burr elm vase about 3" tall. The centre is not hollowed, it is just drilled out and the top opened. Finished with Chestnut Friction Polish.





The second piece is a yew bowl that turned out to have an inclusion that crumbled out, so I decided to include it. The bowl is 5.5" wide, 2.5" high with a wall width of 1/4" finished with Chestnut friction polish again. The top lip is undercut so that the inside follows the outside. I had real trouble with finishing this one. Every time the tool or sandpaper went over the hole it bounced slightly and made it impossible to get the inside of the rim smooth. Does anyone have any tips on dealing with holes? You can see on the first picture an area that is not very smooth, and looking at the photos I can see a couple of tool marks that I swear I had not seen on the outside







Finally here is one especially for Wizer to show that I am not some kind of turning wunderkind I have a reenactment drinking vessel that is 10" tall and 3" wide, but the walls are so thick that you can only get a can of coke's worth of liquid in it, and the walls are so rough that you end up with masses of foam if you try to pour beer into it. So I thought that I would clean up the nasty oil finish and hollow out the inside some more. It was all going so well until I tried to touch up the rim. Then BANG! and when I stopped that lathe I found this:



The rim has shattered and there is a big crack all down one side. Oh well, I at least have a second one for the start of the season until I find a suitable bit of firewood

 

[CHJ]

Good efforts on those two, on the hole front try keeping the speed up so that the tool has less time to react to the lack of support, be careful not to push too hard just hold firmly in position you don't want to advance the tool into the hole as it passes the tip.

Watch out for friction heating on the Yew, it will develope micro cracks readily if over heated, make sure your abrasive is not worn and is cutting freely.
The tool marks look like torn or pulled grain that once formed do take some removal, they go deeper than you expect. Sharp tools and use a rotary sanding head to avoid sanding in the same direction.
Try applying some sealer or oil if you are using that to finish before the final shear cuts to help lubricate and support the fibres.

Bad luck with the vessel, but most practiced turners would have baulked at touching it for just the reasons you have experienced, the wood moves and use will have altered the temper of the wood providing unknown tool response etc. when trying to work it.

 

[wizer]

Nice efforts. The first one is almost there, but I think the curve needed further refining to have more continuous flow in it. The form of the 2nd one does nothing for me. Again, the outer curve appears to have a flat in the middle. I rarely like Yew OR Inclusions\Bark ect either, but that's just personal. Other than ramping the speed up, you could have just sanded with the lathe off. It's laborious, but we do it in the flat world.

Hard lines with the vessel. I've had a few rims go on me like that. It will give you a chance to make another. Every cloud

 

[frugal]

Chas, thanks for the tip about sealing it just before the final cuts, I will try that on the next piece.

I had kept the speed right down rather than increasing it as I was worried that with too high a speed I would cause more problems

Tom, I see what you mean about the flat on the side of the bowl now that you mention it. I am getting better at the curves, but there is still a long way to go.

 

[Thomas Hayman]

Lovely work, very tidy.

What period do you re-enact out of interest?

 

[Bodrighy]

Looking good.

When turning the outside of the bowl roll your body to get the curve not use your arms. Also with yew you should be able to get a finish that hardly needs any sanding which helps avoid the problem that Chas mentions.

Pete