Week 542 Wood working

year 10, Week 20, Day Two (week 542)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
05-30-10 Saturday

95 degrees, good breeze, blue sky followed the sun all day. Humidity made it a little less comfortable compared to last week. This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department Of Tourism.

Friday

I had planned on dropping off some wood working at the Dania Beach Water Gardens but the person I needed to talk to was out of town. I went and visited, took some pictures, and left. I checked at the Antique shop. By the beginning of the next month, he is moving across the street. They will be tearing down the buildings he is in now.

Using a felt pen and some high-lighters, I created a birthday card for my brother. I really did not have a good design but what I did was not too bad. I would rather have painted it, but did not have time. Paint is a lot more work.

Saturday

I knew this was not a day to get woodworking done. After breakfast, we went yard sailing. I spent a whole lot of money. I got some cooking trays for a toaster oven for a whole, wallet busting quarter!!!

The beast of the back yard lived a little closer to his reputation. I could not seem to find how he wanted to be petted. Even compared to this time last year, he was a very nice kitty.

The local Woodcrafts was having a set of demonstrations. I went there late. Had some free hotdogs, talked to some friends. My brother showed up and handed me my birthday present while I was there. He handed me the cash rather than a gift card.
I picked up a bowl gouge. I also had a certificate from my club membership so I used that also. I cannot seam to find my last AAW magazine so I picked one up.
Bowl gouges are essentially a rod with a gully cut out of them called the flute. What was pointed out is that the bowl gouge I got has a V shaped flute. A round bottom flute tends to be better. My problem was that I did not have the money to get a better bowl gouge.
Now the end of the gouge can be ground in many ways. A standard grind is where the gouge is simply rotated against the grinder with a single angle all the way around.
This bowl gouge came with what is a called a fingernail profile. The sides are at a flat angle aiming toward the handle, and the very end is rounded. This is an aggressive grind. I seam to remember my old gouges came with this grind and I simply ground them into standard grinds at the first opportunity.
The standard grind is not good when reaching deep into a vase. the angle of the tip is better more straight in, rather than working the sides. The fingernail grind is very good for working the sides of the work

After I left here, I went to my brother's house for a family get-together. My brother's birthday was last week, mine is next week. We combine them as a one day celebration. I had already decided I was not going to do any woodworking, so I fought with my crochet. It requires a whole lot more focus than carving does, and it is a little easier on the hands.
I got money and gift certificates as presents.


Sunday

Once I arrived at Mom's house, I had to feed and pet the cats. both were on good terms, though scarface let me know he does not like his tummy rubbed when he is laying down. I gave both of them good petting the first session. Scarface left and the beast of the back yard got more. He was busy pretending to be a cat. Later in the day, there seamed to be little I could do, based on how I am normally allowed to handle him, to bother him. He would have been happy if I just sat there all day, petting him once in a while.

I found that I left the face vase at home. I was sure I had left it at Mom's house last week. I did not see it around the house. I got there and could not find it anywhere. when I got home later in the day, I found it, right where I put it, right in plain sight..

Without the face vase to work on, I decided I would try out the new bowl gouge. I took a platter I had started and had problems with. I still had problems.
I got it mounted and spinning, and after some touch-ups on the side I had already finished, I worked on the inside.
The fingernail gouge has to be brought to the wood in a way that is different from the standard grind. using tape to hold wood in place, is not good for when you get catches. this fingernail grind is great for catches, until I get used to it. There is a learning curve to them.

I went in around noon and sat before the TV and cooled down, napped for a few minutes. WE then had lunch. My brother was sidetracked by other family so they were going to show up later.

After lunch, I took a piece of sea grape and started turning it between centers. I had the ends spinning around. I made a tenon, then mounted it in the chuck. I had it shaped fairly well, then started on the inside. I got a catch and broke a piece of wood on the edge (not used to the new gouge). I started to cut the broken part off and got a catch on the outside and the thing flew off the lathe. I later saw that the tenon broke. I tossed it. It was just playing around.

After some playing around and petting the beast, I decided I had done enough for the day.

I don't know if I will be doing any woodworking tomorrow. I am going to Mom's house in the morning and we will be going to one of the national cemeteries here in Florida, where my dad is buried, for the memorial day services they are holding. I do not know if I will have the time or mood to work wood when I get back. Will see.