Fixer

I called today's post "Fixer" because the last few days it seems I am constantly having to fix something. So the title seemed fitting.

Everyone seemed to like the cypress flower pot I made a while back, so I decided to try making a cypress bowl. I got the outside turned fine with the tail stock supporting it. Soon after I switched to hollowing out the inside though, the double sided tape I was using to hold on a waste block with a tenon cut into it to fit my chuck  gave way and the bowl took flight. So I decided to use my bowl press to glue the waste block on before continuing. I let it set over night.

Of course I had to retrue the outside the next day and then the hollowing went along without a hitch.

As you can see, this one was going to require a lot of sanding. My powerless sanding tool I made a while back was working wonderfully, then..........

I knew that the thin sides seemed a tad brittle to me. I didn't think they were that brittle though.

So I turned it down to a shorter bowl and went at it again.

Before I could even get back to sanding though, well, you see what happened before I could even get back to sanding.

So I turned it down to an even shorter bowl.

Here, after sanding, I decided I had better snap another photo before something else went wrong, like maybe while turning the waste block off the bottom.

The waste block removal happened without incident. Well, almost.

I noticed a crack on the sides while I was checking my progress at one point. Once you get past a certain point of no return though, all you can do is finish the waste block removal and then take it off the lathe to see what you have.

After all I had been through with this bowl, I really did not want to scrap it. So I used CA glue to fix the crack in it.

I think it turned out ok. I can't gripe about all the wasted material making this tall bowl short. I try to look at things like this as opportunities to hone my skills.

That's what I tell people anyway. Never admit that you just messed up.

Next, ever since Ms. Clause sent my the gift package last week, I've been looking at one of the pieces of mystery wood that was included. If I was correct it was going to be box elder burl. I used elder burl on the Civil War pen a while back and thought it was one of the most beautiful materials I've ever turned. So I was anxious to turn this to see what I got.

If you read my blog, you know I always refer to burls as like unwrapping presents. You never know what surprises await underneath. Sometimes you are greeted with the most fabulous gift a fella could ask for. Well, sometimes you are greeted with a box of rock.

No seriously. You know you have an Uncle Joe who lost his pet rock collection. In his demented state of mind, he has mistakenly wrapped it up and gave it to you for your birthday about three and a half months after your birthday.

No?

Ok. Anyway, the beautiful wood, which did turn out to be box elder burl as I suspected by the way, revealed a knot about halfway into it. It wasn't one of those pretty, interesting knots. It was one of those knots that, if I'd continued, would have flown out and left a huge hole that would have been near impossible to fill with my usual slurry method.

So what to do? Well since the CA glue had worked for my bowl repair so well, I decided to go back to the well again. I really wanted to save this blank.

And I think it worked out real well. Who says you can't turn a gift of a box of rocks into something nice?

This is a .50 Cal. pen with box elder burl, and a, now pretty and interesting, knot in it.

.

So what else could I tear up and fix?

This is a hunk of cedar I had back in the corner of the shop. Actually it is half of a split bowl that I tried turning some time back. I decided to try to turn it into one of those interesting looking things I seen somewhere on the internet some time ago. I would tell you what it is called or where I seen it, but unfortunately, I can't remember either.

HOLY CRAP!!!

Things were going great. I was having fun. The wood was cooperating fine, and I was sure I could complete this project.

Then a hunk off one side decided it wanted to go bye-bye. Luckily, it flew away from me. However, this large hunk all of a sudden leaving the party threw the rest of it out of balance at high speed. Well, let's just say that I'm not sure those pants are going to ever come clean again.

I had not idea that a three hundred pound lathe could hop like that.

I decided to not try fixing this one. This same hunk of wood has caused massive failures on the lathe twice now. I haven't been hurt, but I do not wish to test that three strike rule thing.

Also, something in the back of my head told me to check the alignment on my lathe after all the excitement died down, my heart rate returned to normal, and I smoked as cigarette or ten to calm my nerves.

I'm glad I did. This is the disadvantage to having a lathe with a rotating head. Something like that out of balance hopping dance it was doing earlier throws things off.

So I felt it was a good time to do a lathe tune up. I cleaned it up, realigned everything, oiled everything, and generally made sure it was ready to safely go again.

Then it was time to climb back on the horse and go again.

The deer antler pens, especially the .45-70 pens I've made before, seem popular. So I decided to make one for my display case.

Then, since Ms. Clause had sent me a few .50 Cal. pen kits, I decided that, since people seem to like the bullet and deer antler combination, I should make a .50 Cal. pen with deer antler.

.

So, the lathe is back in fighting shape. We'll just have to see what I can mess up next. Remember though, it's not mistakes, it's learning opportunities.

Till next time, happy turning!

Before I go, you may remember I made a bamboo pen for my kid's karate instructor a few days ago.

For my readers that always ask about my family, my son done his rank test yesterday. He passed and is now a yellow belt.

Oh, he's the little fella on the left in this photo.

 

 

 

Pens And Tools

I wanted to make my son's karate teacher a nice pen. I was thinking about what to make it out of to set it apart. He seems like the type of guy, to me, who would appreciate something simple, yet different.

I remembered that I had been wanting to turn a piece of bamboo that was given to me and thought it was quite fitting for a karate instructor.

I presented him with this pen Wednesday night before the class started, and he really liked it.

This one I done because it was a special request. It is a .45-70 shell casing done with deer antler.

Since getting it, I have been cleaning tubes out with my nifty little tool I got from Penn State. It usually does a great job. However, every now and again, I have a pen tube that simply turns out to be a mess. I can't really explain why. I think it's just that while working with CA glue, I opt to leave a mess in the tubes if I have the choice of that or getting it all over my fingers. Then it dries and has to be cleaned out. On really messy clean outs, the tools doesn't do so great. The single flute design just doesn't do the trick and I start missing my old quarter inch drill bit that I used to use before acquiring this tool.

That old drill bit I had taken a sander to and had it so it just slipped into a seven millimeter tube. It done the job good.

So I started thinking. Why couldn't I use my old drill bit on these extra messy situations? All I had to do was go pull it out of the drawer I had thrown it in and go back to using it. However, I'd also gotten a little spoiled having a comfortable handle on this tool. It is so much better than grabbing the drill bit with a pair of channel locks like I used to.

So there was only one answer to this problem.

As much as I liked the oak burl handle on my other tool, I did not have another piece that was not too good, in my opinion, to be used as a tool handle. So while looking for a good piece of wood for a handle, I remembered a left over piece I had from butchering up a block of rose wood for bowls. It was a short piece with the grain running across it instead of the length of it. This tool will not be subjected to a lot of prying force though, so it would work well for this application and look nice too.

So now I have more options when it comes to cleaning out those tubes.

.

Untill next time, happy turning!

 

 

 



Early Christmas

The names and places of this story have been changed to protect the innocent.

.

I learned early on that woodworkers, in general, were a generous lot of folks. They are always willing to help in any way they can. Some other hobbies have people who protect their methods, materials, and such like it was a million dollar proprietary secret. In the land of wood elves though, we openly share anything we can to help others further along in their quest for knowledge and skill. We want others to know the secrets to success.

All of this though, it has become true in multiples since I started turning wood. If it were not for the help and assistance of others, I'd probably still be destroying pecan and oak logs and turning stick pens that looked like a new product line from Crayola called crap-ons.

I've had wood and blanks arrives from all corners of the country. I've had pen kits shipped to me from other states. I even had a new kind of sandpaper and  a gift card to buy supplies and kits supplied to me from another country.

Each and every time I receive items such as these, it chokes me up and I have a hard time putting into words just how much I appreciate it all. Thank you just doesn't seem to be enough. I have shipped out bowls and pens to different people, but that doesn't feel like it really conveys my gratitude either. It seems that my skills constantly improve and I wish I could send these people better items than what I've sent them before. Shipping gets in the way of that though.

Let me get to the point.

I received a package over the weekend.

I knew this was coming. It still didn't prepare me though for the emotions I went through upon it's arrival.

First I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. The packaging helped with this feeling as well. The box you see above was wrapped in a brown wrapper, wrapped up almost like a Christmas present would be, only without the shipping label.

It was an early Christmas present from Ms. Clause all the way from the great white north.

As I opened the box, there inside was the little things that bring so much joy to me, pen kits and wood. I was happier than a retard in a room full of bouncy balls.

I received all kinds of pen kits. Some of them I am familiar with. Some of them are things I've never done before and am extremely excited to do so. There was even a kit for s spinning top, which is something I had thought of ordering in the past. How did Santa know this though?

As if all that was not enough though, there was this little velvety bag inside. In the bag was this little doohickey.

It is a turned Christmas ornament. I'm not sure of the wood used, but it is absolutely stunning.

It is engraved with, "Dorothy 2013".

This is an ornament made by Ms. Clause especially for my grand daughter. It is Dorothy's first Christmas ornament.

.

No, this package did not really come from Ms. Clause. Bear with me here. Remember, I changed the names for this.

.

I do not have words to express the gratitude I feel for the wood, kits, and other assorted goodies that Ms. Clause sent. Things that are made for my family though, that just about brings a tear to my eye. It is kindness such as this that just goes above anything I know how to describe. I have been told I have a way with words, but I just cannot seem to put enough thank yous into words to express how I feel for something like this.

Thank you Ms. Clause, from the bottom of my heart.

The ornament will be joined on the tree by some ornaments another wood working buddy sent me some time back.

These came from Bubba Clause and his wife. They live in Alabama with their eight tiny coon dogs and flying Chevy.

This year, I will think of the kindness of these wonderful people, who I have only met online, every time I look at my Christmas tree.

Thank you all. The season has begun. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving coming up, then a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

.

Now listen to that. I am usually the one who gripes about people jumping the gun on the holidays. I just can't seem to help it this year.

I've even gotten a head start this year on my outside decorating.

 

 

 

Everything Is Experimental

After posting yesterday's blog post, I received several emails with questions about the magnet I used in it, and how well it does or does not work. So today I decided to test it out so I could answer these questions with some kind of honesty instead of simply giving my best guess.

If you clicked on the link I provided to watch the video on constructing the tool (video is here), you know that a sphere shaped magnet is what is called for. That was one of the issues I was asked about. I did not have a sphere shaped magnet. I used a disk shaped one in each of the holes. You can see in the above photo the type magnet I used and what I used to put it in with. I dropped a tiny bit of CA glue in each hole, stuck the magnet on the end of a long nail, and stuck it in the hole. After allowing the glue to set, I simply pulled the nail out.

So I needed a test subject. I had this short section of a cedar log setting in the shop and thought it would make a nice bowl.

By the time I thought to snap another photo, I'd already lost several inches of height on the bowl. I'll talk more on that in a bit. First, how does the sander perform?

I found the roughest area I could find to photograph on the bowl. I knew I could find the same area again because, you can't see it in the photo, but the plates on my chuck have reference numbers for placement, and this area is even with the number four plate.

I sanded with eighty grit paper and set a timer for thirty seconds. As you can see if you look closely, it still needs more sanding, but it is a huge improvement.

So, in my opinion, although I have never used one with the sphere shaped magnet in it, I think this works just fine for what I want. 

Sometime in the future, I plan on buying a commercially made version of this tool. If anyone is interested, let me know and I'll post my opinion at that time on how it compares to this shop made one.

Now, back to the cedar bowl. I kept losing height. This is one of the joys, and also drawbacks, to turning. You never know what you're going to find inside a piece of wood until you start turning it. Well, this particular piece of wood had more cracks in it than a three mile stretch of side walk. Every time I got it looking good, a piece would break along a crack somewhere near the rim.

You can see here what I mean.

No big deal. I like to think of headaches such as this one as learning exercises. So what could I learn from this bowl that seems to not want to be completed?

I decided that, with the crack and the brittle nature of very dry cedar, I'd see how thin I could get the walls. That's something I've been working towards is getting the walls of my work thinner.

I got it down to an eighth of an inch and everything was going great. Then the bowl decided that it would like to be shrapnel more than it wanted to be a bowl.

No.

Seriously, a bowl that breaks into many pieces at high RPMs becomes shrapnel.

This is all the pieces I could find of it for the photo.

And THAT, my friends, is why you always, ALWAYS, wear a full face shield while turning.

Of course, I was asking for this one to blow apart. However, you never know when it will happen. In the past, I have had bowls, or parts of bowls, leave the lathe at high speeds when I least expected it.

.

Until next time, happy turning!

What I Like

If you've been reading my blog posts, you know I fairly recently tried power sanding bowls on the lathe and liked it. Well, I've had several people suggest a non-powered method that seems to be popular. I checked into it and do believe that it will work just as well as the power sanding, but easier to deal with. I checked on one suggested system. You can see it if you like by clicking on this link. Besides being out of stock at the moment, I simply do not have the money to afford it at this time. I still wanted to try this type system though.

So I watched Captain Eddies video here and built his design. I think the one from Penn State will probably be better, but this one will get me started until I can afford to get it.

The thing is really just a handle with holes drilled into it. Inside those holes is a magnet that is glued into the bottom to keep the sanding attachment from just falling out. While Captain Eddie sells a bushing set that probably works wonderfully for this tool, I did not have the money to buy that at the moment either. So I used quarter inch bronze bushings that I got at my local hardware store.

For the sanding attachment, I read an article here.

They are simple to make really. They are just a piece of three quarter inch plywood cut into a two inch diameter circle. The mandrel shaft is just a quarter inch carriage bolt with the head cut off. The threaded end is used to attach it to the plywood disk using nuts, washers, and a drop of CA glue to prevent the nut from moving once tightened down. The foam rubber and Velcro backing is attached using thick CA glue.

This photo shows the three different locations I can put the sanding attachments. By moving the attachment being used to a different hole I can sand straight out from the handle, at a ninety degree angle to it, or a forty five degree angle.

If this works like I think it will, I think I will like the adjustable angle on the Penn State model better. I can make do with this though until I can afford that. I haven't used it yet on a bowl, but will be sure to report back on the results when I do.

Now, for the meaning of the title of this blog post.

The recent pens I've been making have been made from some very interesting burls and such. While I enjoy using these type materials, it is not what I really enjoy the most. What I like is this, making blanks. I enjoy gluing up my own blanks instead of using solid pieces. While I can never match the beauty that comes from nature in the form of a beautiful burl blank, or some interesting spalting in just the right area of a blank, I just seem to get more satisfaction from gluing up blanks like these. It is fun to experiment and you never know for sure how they will turn out until you put the cutting tool to the wood on the lathe.

You see the blanks in the photo. Now I'll go from the top down and show you how they turned out.

This one is mulberry and bocote. This one was an attempt at making a chevron design. I was recently asked about putting a chevron on a pen. Until I went online to find out what a chevron even was, I was a little lost for words, and that is truly unusual for me. So after seeing what a chevron was, I started trying to get on in a design. I do not know if this qualifies or not. I will have to ask for opinions on that.

With the same chevron styling in mind, I made this one from padauk, ziricote, and hedge apple.

This next one was supposed to be a zig zag down the length of the pen as I'd seen on some other chevron themed items on the internet. Remember what I said about you never know for sure how they'll turn out? I neglected to remember the curvation effect that turning a square blank round has on intersecting lines. I still like the way it turned out though. It is an interesting pen in my personal opinion.

It is made of mulberry and walnut.

This next one is blood wood and mulberry. It is simply another one of my "why not" ideas. When I start playing with these wave designs, it almost always creates interesting patterns. Remember that interesting does not always mean it looks good or is pretty. Sometimes the ones I find ugly as homemade sin are also the most interesting.

Again, I just wanted to see how this idea would turn out, and there is only one way to find out. I cut two blanks, one wild cherry and one padauk, at a long angle and sandwiched a strip of mulberry in there. I do not like this pen, but it is interesting.

Since I did not like this last pen, I didn't bother turning the last blanks in the photo of glued up blanks. I only made that last one to use up the other halves of the padauk and wild cherry blanks that I had cut up to make the above pen. I sandwiched box elder in it. I put it away in my blank pile. One day I'll think of some other embellishment I wish to add to it to make it interesting.

.

You may notice that sometimes I make pens that I find interesting, if ugly. I actually have a good reason for that. You see, from what I've learned, if a pen is interesting, I may find it ugly while someone else may think it is absolutely beautiful. Therefore, as long as it's interesting, I feel it is a good chance that someone, somewhere, will like it. Then I only hope they like it enough to buy it, because Lord knows I need to sells more of my pens if I am to keep turning them.

.

That's all for today. Until next time, happy turning.