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Advice thread for Novice Woodturners.

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  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 47,975 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    cheers, it was just a PITA on this one because the piece of wood in question was suffering from end grain tearout quite badly, even with a gouge straight from sharpening.


  • Registered Users Posts: 879 ✭✭✭woodturner


    The bowl saver from Oneway is very easy to use. I have the base for that system but have yet to decide on the size of knives that would get used the most on the system. It's a sin to see so much of the internal of a bowl lay in a pile of shavings on the floor.


  • Registered Users Posts: 40,055 ✭✭✭✭Sparks


    How much lathe do bowl savers need though?
    I was under the impression they're the kind of thing you'd be using if you were turning green bowls on a midi or full-sized lathe with a bit of oomph in the motor, rather than a minilathe sort of thing.


  • Registered Users Posts: 879 ✭✭✭woodturner


    I have the Jet 3520B Powermatic model lathe. 3hp motor is well able to manage it. Think you'd need something with at least a 2hp motor.


  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,047 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    woodturner wrote: »
    I have the Jet 3520B Powermatic model lathe. 3hp motor is well able to manage it. Think you'd need something with at least a 2hp motor.

    Good to hear you are still turning, anything nice??:)


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  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 47,975 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    Sparks wrote: »
    How much lathe do bowl savers need though?
    I was under the impression they're the kind of thing you'd be using if you were turning green bowls on a midi or full-sized lathe with a bit of oomph in the motor, rather than a minilathe sort of thing.
    and i'd also assume that they'd be a 'production' tool, i.e. one suited to producing lots of bowls of a similar shape, so again not really ideal for a hobbyist.


  • Registered Users Posts: 659 ✭✭✭bamayang


    woodturner wrote: »
    I have the Jet 3520B Powermatic model lathe. 3hp motor is well able to manage it. Think you'd need something with at least a 2hp motor.

    What a beast of a lathe!!! Jet version Not being made anymore sadly.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,428 ✭✭✭quietsailor


    Apologies Magicbastarder - I never quoted your post but this is for your question about sanding a curve.

    Are you looking to make the curve or just sand smooth an existing curve?

    If it's sanding smooth an existing curve try cutting a slit in the end of a piece of rod and wrapping a strip of sandpaper in & around the rod. Then rotate the rod in a drill or air grinder. The end of the sandpaper will whip out and flex around curves to match the curve shape. It won't take huge amounts off but will snad surfaces smooth or take a little amount off in an internal diameter to allow a sliding fit.

    If it's creating a curve - sorry, I can't help

    538534.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭ALAN.N


    Hi , I was just wondering what lads are finishing their turning pieces with , oils waxes ect.


  • Registered Users Posts: 40,055 ✭✭✭✭Sparks


    Mineral oil (aka food safe finish or paraffin oil in the chemists) for the inside of bowls for food.
    Yorkshire grit and then hampshire sheen wax for stuff that has a nice grain to it.
    Melamine or Acrylic spray lacquer for stuff that's painted.
    Occasionally danish oil or shellac or just BLO if it's just a tool handle or something.
    I don't know if there's a "best" or "right" answer though, other than the whole "use a food safe finish for something you'll eat off or that kids will chew on" one.


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  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 47,975 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    i've been using BLO a bit recently, i like the way it retains the satin finish from sanding, while also providing some protection. plus, it's extremely straightforward to apply.


  • Registered Users Posts: 659 ✭✭✭bamayang


    Putting resin in a crack in a bowl this weekend, before finish turning it. Anyone experience of similar, anything to avoid?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,462 ✭✭✭mayo.mick


    bamayang wrote: »
    Putting resin in a crack in a bowl this weekend, before finish turning it. Anyone experience of similar, anything to avoid?

    Make sure the bowl is pretty dry for resin!

    (Don't forget to pop a few pics up here too!)


  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,047 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Dont let it get too hot when you are sanding it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 391 ✭✭furandfeather


    Hello. After many years promising myself I'm going finally going to treat my self to a lathe.
    I haven't done any turning since school, along long time ago and even at that it was very limited.
    So looking for it of advise as to what I'd need
    Good quality middle of the road lathe
    What chisels?
    Good book for beginners

    I'd be more interested in trying my hand at bowls etc more than longer stuff.
    Thanks


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 47,975 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    do you have a budget? you could spend anywhere from €400 to €2000 on a 'hobbyist' lathe, but you'd have to budget another few hundred for a chuck and some jaws, and gouges.
    lathes *will* get more expensive as the swing over the bed increases, but on some the headstock can rotate so your piece is turning clear of the bed.


  • Registered Users Posts: 391 ✭✭furandfeather


    do you have a budget? you could spend anywhere from €400 to €2000 on a 'hobbyist' lathe, but you'd have to budget another few hundred for a chuck and some jaws, and gouges.
    lathes *will* get more expensive as the swing over the bed increases, but on some the headstock can rotate so your piece is turning clear of the bed.

    Ah id around a grand in the head. Wouldn't want a full bells and whistles one but a decent quality lathe that I could find my feet on. Suppose what I'm asking is there anything I should steer clear off?
    A chuck and jaws are bought separately from the lathe?
    A good set of gouges?


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 47,975 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    A chuck and jaws are bought separately from the lathe?
    yep; for example, this is what i got when i got my lathe; am happy so far with it (bought two other sets of jaws since too):
    https://www.thecarpentrystore.com/p/axminster-sk100-clubman-chuck-package-t01-3_4-x-16tpi/101967

    unfortunately all woodturning chapters are in hibernation at the moment, which is where you'd often find people trading in lathes.
    this is an example of a lathe which can (in theory) turn a bowl a foot in diameter:
    https://www.thecarpentrystore.com/p/axminster-craft-ac305wl-woodturning-lathe/105119

    i say 'in theory' because unless you're starting out with a blank that's already nice and circular, your bowl will be limited to the smallest complete circumference of the wood you've mounted (if that makes sense).

    i've just noticed that naas carpentry store seem to be out of stock of most lathes they have listed; perhaps that's a brexit glitch, but there are other places which sell lathes. where are you based?


  • Registered Users Posts: 40,055 ✭✭✭✭Sparks


    I have that lathe - it can't do an exact foot in diameter :D
    It's a lovely lathe mind, I don't have any complaints about it, but 11.5" is the maximum diameter I've managed and it was pretty evident that I was pushing it at that even though the blank was only 2" thick or so. Squeaky bum time.

    2020-10-23-17.20.40a.jpg

    2020-10-24-15.03.01a.jpg

    2020-10-24-20.03.57a.jpg

    Mind you, how much of the squeaking is down to that being a hot melt glue block holding the platter there at the end while I took off the tenon I'm not sure. Glue blocks. Crazy how much those things will take.

    2020-10-24-20.04.03a.jpg

    Mind you, I've got a smaller chuck than MB's, I'm using what rutlands now sell as the Precision 75 (it used to be the Xact 3) so a 3" diameter chuck. The lathe will handle a 100mm chuck, maybe even the 114s that axminster do, but they're spendy (I got two of the rutlands ones for 80 quid by buying ex-demo stock). If you're doing large stuff; go spendy. If you cheap out like I did (well, technically I sank money into having a few different kinds of jaws instead of one set with huge capacity), don't try to find the lathe's limits.


  • Registered Users Posts: 391 ✭✭furandfeather


    .

    i've just noticed that naas carpentry store seem to be out of stock of most lathes they have listed; perhaps that's a brexit glitch, but there are other places which sell lathes. where are you based?[/QUOTE]

    Thanks for your replies. I'm in galway


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,462 ✭✭✭mayo.mick


    .

    i've just noticed that naas carpentry store seem to be out of stock of most lathes they have listed; perhaps that's a brexit glitch, but there are other places which sell lathes. where are you based?

    Thanks for your replies. I'm in galway[/QUOTE]

    Not sure if Caulfields on the Tuam rd still sell woodturning gear. I bought a chuck there back in 1997, many moons ago! Robert Sorby were over and had a woodturning exhibition on there. Think Tripart might do some woodturning gear. Roynanes in Limerick would be your nearest, should have a good selection there.

    I deal mostly with Raitts in Stranorlar in Donegal. Very heplfull, huge variaty of everything there. You'd reallly need to call in and have a few hours looking around!


  • Registered Users Posts: 964 ✭✭✭Guru Maith Agut


    bamayang wrote: »
    Decided to try a live edge bowl for the first time. Probably could have picked an easier piece of wood to work with for first go.
    Wasn’t sure the plan of the design until I was half way through. Thought the tea light holder might be a good look for it.
    Very hard stuff to turn.

    MaI08so.jpg

    That is fu#*ing class Bamayang!!!! Perfect look for a candle holder. Fair play ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 391 ✭✭furandfeather


    More soft questions. . . .

    I was cutting off a few dangerous limbs of a sycamore tree today, so I said I may aswell keep a bit for my future woodturning.
    Few questions

    What thickness should I cut the rings?
    Would I be better with rings from straightest part of the trunk (perfect concentric circles) or would it be nicer coming from near junction, where the grain is more irregular ?

    If I wanted to turn a 10inch bowl would a 12 inch ring do or would I be better off getting it from a 14 or 15 inch ring?

    Or are these things I just need to experiment with and find out for myself?


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 47,975 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    you want to do more than just cut it into rings; don't cut the lengths shorter than the width of the limb. i.e. if the limb is eight inches wide, cut the lengths at least eight inches long. that means that the length you cut the wood to won't be the limiting factor.

    one thing that's important to note - you don't (well, very rarely) turn bowls from rings. if you were to orient a bowl in the original position it came from in the tree, it does *not* sit flat/horizontal. it's actually oriented at 90 degrees, with the bowl sitting vertically and the 'mouth' of the bowl sitting facing the centre of the trunk. the base would usually be pointing out from the bark.

    but also split the cylinder of wood down the middle and remove the pith if possible; this video will explain more; even the thumbnail might explain how the bowl sits in the tree:



  • Registered Users Posts: 391 ✭✭furandfeather


    you want to do more than just cut it into rings; don't cut the lengths shorter than the width of the limb. i.e. if the limb is eight inches wide, cut the lengths at least eight inches long. that means that the length you cut the wood to won't be the limiting factor.

    one thing that's important to note - you don't (well, very rarely) turn bowls from rings. if you were to orient a bowl in the original position it came from in the tree, it does *not* sit flat/horizontal. it's actually oriented at 90 degrees, with the bowl sitting vertically and the 'mouth' of the bowl sitting facing the centre of the trunk. the base would usually be pointing out from the bark.

    but also split the cylinder of wood down the middle and remove the pith if possible; this video will explain more; even the thumbnail might explain how the bowl sits in the tree:



    Great help, thank you


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 47,975 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    the problem with wood generally is that it does not tend to shrink along the length of the trunk as it dries, so doesn't shrink evenly in all directions; so it changes shape as it dries. it will tend to form cracks from the centre outwards if not split in half - by splitting it as per the thumbnail above, you in a sense create a massive 'crack' in the wood before the wood starts to choose the paths of least resistance itself, which in theory will reduce the cracking considerably. and painting the ends of the logs with a sealant slows down the drying of the wood, so the stresses as it changes shape happen more slowly and are less likely to pull the wood apart.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8 treehugger22


    Hi,
    Im a young wood turned and wang to buy a bandsaw for preparing blanks etc. And have around 700-1000 to spend would anyone recommend a bandsaw around that price range,
    Thanks


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 47,975 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    not too often you need a dust mask while actually turning' am well off the sanding phase yet. this is elm down about 30 years and worm got into the sapwood. there should be a reasonably solid platter here once i get through the worm damage. but i was getting as much dust as shavings getting to this point.

    552847.jpg


  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,047 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Hi,
    Im a young wood turned and wang to buy a bandsaw for preparing blanks etc. And have around 700-1000 to spend would anyone recommend a bandsaw around that price range,
    Thanks

    Any of the branded makes, old cast iron machines are a safe bet second hand.

    A quick look at done deal threw up this.

    https://www.adverts.ie/power-tools/bandsaw/23736838


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  • Registered Users Posts: 12,141 ✭✭✭✭Calahonda52


    kadman wrote: »
    Any of the branded makes, old cast iron machines are a safe bet second hand.

    A quick look at done deal threw up this.

    https://www.adverts.ie/power-tools/bandsaw/23736838
    at 350 watts prolly underpowered except for balsa wood?
    What diameter blanks? OP

    “I can’t pay my staff or mortgage with instagram likes”.



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