(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
08-28-10 Saturday
90 degrees, light breeze, mixed different types of clouds, high and low, High humidity in the morning, which faded out as the day wore on.
The beast of the back yard acted like a cat, and really wanted attention and companionship. I spent a lot of time petting him.
Last week, I had searched for something and was reminded that I had several other pieces of equipment that was just sitting there, unused.
Today, I decided to make use of the new chuck. I dug out some jaws, called COLES JAWS. it is plates with holes in them that allow you to screw in rubber bumpers to grab pieces bigger than a normal jaw can hold, and can even hold out of center pieces if needed. These jaws are mainly for finishing up completed works that need just a little more work such as touching up the bottom of the piece to complete it. It is not intended to be used fast, and is not the most positive grip.
I mounted them in the new chuck and figure they will stay on there from now on, a least for now.
I have a bunch of pencil cups that needed a little something. I put them into the Coles chuck. I cleaned up what I needed to do, such as the bottom and inside. I sanded the outside. That really fixed them up. I can now start the varnishing process.
The COLE jaws, on my new chuck with a pencil cup in the jaws.
It is better to have all eight rubber bumpers holding the piece, instead of the four used here.
The rubber bumpers can be moved in a series of holes and get a range of grabbing on the project, both inside and outside.
I also pulled out a COLLET set I got many years ago. My brother did not like them, not thinking they were very accurate for metal working. We figured out that the piece had to be held by the tail stock, but he was done with them.
The way they work is that there is a machined metal piece inside, that has a hole in the center, and slits down the sides. The collet itself screws on. The farther in you screw the collet in, the more it pinches the metal bits together. It holds your piece by the inward pressure.
this is an alternative to a chuck, but the holes are at fixed diameters so you have the change them out if one changes the work piece size.
I mounted a few of my crochet hooks in them and sanded them. It held them better than the other way I was holding them, but a couple of the crochet hooks were between sizes, too small to be pinched by the big collet, but too big for the small one. I got results anyway.
Collet chuck set with different sized collet jaw inserts.
One of my crochet hooks is in the jaws
Using the Cole chuck, I dug out several pieces that were below grade. I figured they needed to be refinished, reworked to be worthy of anything. One bowl had a base so it looked like an extremely wide, squat goblet. I had a real bad chatter mark inside. I mounted the base in the chuck and turned the inside. I had forgotten, and had not noticed, that it was not very thick on one side. I broke through a little, but it is still solid. I had to use the sander to remove some marks that were not being reached as the bottom is very slightly off center.
I think I can save the piece. I will get some epoxy and built up the bottom to give it depth and strength, and that should solve the problem. I likely will cheat, but painting the bottom epoxy to same color of the wood, and then give it several coats of varnish. Then no one will know what I did.
I had a goblet made from Christmas Tree Wood. I was cleaning up some slop from when it was made and sanding it. I applied a little too much pressure and the stem broke because the pith runs through it.
I did what I normally do and mounted the base in the chuck and made it into a rose by cutting shaped grooves. I still have to sit down and do some grinding to give the actual petal shape, but I is a good start. the bowl of the goblet will become a tulip or something similar.
I had done all I felt like doing and packed up everything. As I was taking my stuff to the truck, a little liquid sunshine came down, but only lasted a minute. I was all done anyway.
I have lots of projects to do, but will have to see what I actually do tomorrow.
year 10, Week 33, Day Two (week 555)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
08-29-10 Sunday
84 degrees, fast moving low pregnant clouds, some liquid sunshine in fast moving dots, some weeping high clouds, nice breeze. This weather report was brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department Of Tourism.
I got to Mom's house early. The back yard beast cried out "feed me!" It sounded to me like Meow. Scar face showed up for a short meal before disappearing.
During the day, The beast had a few bouts of attitude, where he just wanted to lay at my feet and relax and my leaving him alone. Most of the day, he wanted attention. He got plenty.
I got my stuff out, watching the weather. Pregnant clouds came off the ocean real fast, most were small. I kept walking out front and looking down the road to get a good picture of what was to the east.
I made another pencil cup. This one went fast. I was finishing up when I started feeling the first drips. I put the equipment under cover, basically away, and swept the worst of the sawdust. I added varnish to all the pencil cups and will be building up a good coating over the week.
I worked in several sets on my shaving flowers. Over the day, I made a dozen flowers. they went fast and easy. I ended up in the two weekends, making about twenty eight of them. I had painted one set of them with a pink paint. I have to see about getting different colors of paint so I can color all of them. The spray paint does not cause the curled wood to straighten out, the way water based paints do.
A shaving flower in process. You can see how the shavings stay on the piece of wood.
The center will eventually break off when it gets thin enough.
A collection of shaving flowers. All the tall ones are my recent creations. The tall pink ones were painted. The small flowers on the right were made by dad. Short shaving flowers below the tall ones were made years ago by both dad and I.
I have loads of projects to do, but chose not to do them. I made it a lazy day and still got a lot done. I had forgotten how easy those shaving flowers were to make. I am getting these pencil cups down pat.
I had the opportunity to pick up some more wood, but forgot about it while I was on the road. I might check next week if any of it is left. I really need to learn to use what wood I have already.
I am testing out my wood crochet hooks. They are not perfect, but they do work. I am wondering as to the strength. I read where one woman broke metal hooks.
Next week, I plan to visit the antique shop and Dania Water Gardens. I have a number of projects, but will go by feel, as to what I might work on.
I will see what I actually do next week.
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