Texturing kit

[Democritus]

Hi Guys,
Does anyone have any experience with the Sorby Sovereign texturing kit. I’ve looked at a few YouTube videos, and it looks great. The problem is that, like all these promotional videos, the guy doing the demo is an expert in the tool’s use. What i’d Like to know is ‘can it be used successfully by a sometimes cack-handed, run-of-the-mill turner?’
D.

 

[pryere]

I have been looking at various texturing tools over the last few months and have almost bought something.
https://www.axminstertools.com/axmi...g-and-texturing-tools-for-micro-handle-107125
It needs a handle but is still a lot cheaper than the Sorby one and can be added to with various bits.
I plan to use it on box tops mainly and just experiment with it.
Lots of practice on cheap wood is required before some sort of competence is acquired.

Let us know if you pull the trigger on something and how you get on with it. I will do the same.

Happy new year.

John

 

[Democritus]

Cheers, John. Thanks for your thoughts. Given the lack of response from other turners, I am beginning to think that texturing isn’t all that popular. I’m still thinking about it and I’ll make a decision soon. I’ll post on here what the result is.
Happy New Year, and let’s hope it will see the re-opening of all the turning clubs that have been closed for most of the year.

 

[Dalboy]

I have the Robert sorby texturing tool and find it easy to use, having said that like most tools you are not familiar with a little practice helps. I have also used the spiraling part of the set I have and this does take a little more practice than the texturing part.
People do use them with some great effect and find that colour helps to bring out the effect

 

[Democritus]

Thanks for that, Dalboy. Do you colour first, and then use the texturing wheels, or the other way round. If you colour afterwards, how do you stop the colour getting in the texture?
Happy New Year!

 

[Blister]

I have a Henry Taylor decorating elf set and have found it easy to use , The only problem I have found is that it's not very good on softer wood surfaces as it chews up the surface

 

[Dalboy]

Thanks for that, Dalboy. Do you colour first, and then use the texturing wheels, or the other way round. If you colour afterwards, how do you stop the colour getting in the texture?
Happy New Year!

It all depends on what effect and colours I want sometimes I will colour after the texture then dry brush the high spots, but if I want wood to show in the texture I will paint first then texture this leaves the hollows wood coloured and the high spots in the colour of my choice. There are so many ways of doing it the best is just experiment and see what you end uo with

 

[Democritus]

Cheers, Dalboy. I think I’ll enjoy experimenting .
D.

 

[pryere]

Have you had any practice with it yet? If so, how did you get on?
I am itching to have a go myself after watching lots of videos.
Some of the options are still unavailable, I think I'll go with the crown mini tool.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

I too am very interested in texturing my woodturning and hope to have a serious go this year now all the big heavy jobs around home and gardens are sorted.

Quite a while ago my friend David kindly bought me a Sorby texturing wheel and I made it into a tool I'll take a picture later but I also made a chatter tool which I briefly tried out;

Here's my chatter tool with assorted blades made ages ago but without time to play with them; I used a cabinet scraper for the blades.

Sorry about picture quality but this is the only attempt I made using the chatter tool and it does work this on end grain oak. The dark patch is just paste wax used to lubricate the dead center.

I also bought a Peter Child pyrography kit hoping to do wood burning on my turned work so I've got four options open to me for embellishing my woodturning; the texturing tool; the chatter tool; the pyrography and the fourth is wire burning. There's a fifth too and it's colouring but as yet untried by me.

I'll be interested to watch how this thread progresses. If you can make your own tools Democritus you'll save a lot of money and enjoy making the tools.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Democritus]

Cheers, Colin.
It’s a bit too late for making my own tools; my wife bought me the Sorby set. I’m getting to grips with it, and have had some reasonable results. From my limited experience, to get the best results I think the most important thing is to select close grained timbers such as sycamore, beech and maple. My efforts with ash were disastrous.
We live and learn.
Kind regards
D.

 

[Wood&StuffLtd]

I occasionally decorate the inside centres of bowls with the Robert Sorby texturing tools. I tend to set angle at 45 degrees and 400rpm. A couple of passes works OK. A few tries and you be an expert. I usually circle the pattern with a scribing tool. It worth getting all the round cutters. The Crown Elf set for small stuff is also good.