(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
09-22-18 Saturday
Dots of showers zipping off the ocean from the South East. One hit north of us, but missed mom’s garden. 90 degrees, light breeze otherwise fairly blue skies. This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department Of Tourism.
THURSDAY
I had forgotten to mention about the turning club meeting last month. Having a turning club meeting this month reminded me of it. The demonstration last month was on hollowing a vase. They started with a log, with the bark off, and shown how to turn the outside out side of a log to a rough shape. This month, he demonstrated hollowing out the insides. He was using a hook tool to do the hollowing. Some people use a ring tool which is a circular piece of metal with the upper end sharpened. He said that those clog quite often. The hook tool does not clog as much, though he had to unclog it several times. He showed how to hold it against the wood and how to push or pull it to do the work.
One trick he used was to take a magnet from the back of a speaker and stick that on the side of the lathe bed. He then leaned his turning tool against it so it would stay put while he was working around it. He said that if the hook tool hits the floor, it will shatter.
He drilled the inside of the vase partway in, and then hollowed it out to the bottom of the drill, then drilled it again, each time was two or three inches deep, and then hollowed down to that point. He said that you get your walls to about the thickness you are after, and then don’t touch it again as you work down. He said he will finish the vase and bring it in next month.
They had a “Do Dad moment, where someone shows off a tool or device, or sometimes a technique. It usually is only five minutes long. Tonight, one of the guys showed where he attached a rotisserie motor to a block with a bearing and a bolt that can fit one of his chucks. He then explained that when he is finishing his work, he would rather not have his lathe tied up, waiting for the finish to dry. He mounts the work on this set up and it will rotate slowly while applying the finish and then can hold it until the finish dries, during which he can be creating new work.
Another demonstrated that a cheep (new) plunger cup can be used as a Jam chuck when stuck over the jaws of your chuck. A jam chuck is where you take your piece and turn it around, fitting the mouth of the piece, jamming it over something that fits, the jam chuck. The tail stock holds the work in place against the jam chuck. One can then finish the bottom or make changes in the bottom of the piece. Many will shape a “scrap” piece of wood. With the plunger, you can open the jaws of the chuck as much as needed, fit the plunger over it. The mouth of the piece the goes against the plunger. The plunger protects the piece and prevents slipping while the chuck holds the work solidly and centered.
The club has a raffle called THE BRING BACK PRIZE. It is where the winner the previous meeting brings back something for the new winner to receive, and then they have to bring back something. It is a way to get works by other members. Over the years, I have won several times and they are really good pieces. One piece I like was by a rank beginner and he simply had a stick that he tapered from the ends and thinned down in the middle like a finial. I like that piece.
I won the bring back prize this time. I have to bring something for the next winner to get. I might dig out something from my stock or give an ornament, which I also have a lot in stock. Will have to see what I come up with.
Saturday
I had dug out a stick of black walnut in an attempt to make some drum sticks. I searched and found a dull fine tooth saw to cut the pieces to length, then a plane and used that to knock off the corners. That did not do a good job of removing wood. I really had nothing else on hand to work with and now have a pair of badly shaped octagon sticks. This is going to be a lot of work. The neighbor is having work done in his garage so everything on one side of the garage is piled up against all my wood working stuff. My lathe, which would make this project really easy, was not at the very end near the door either, so it is out of reach. I did not notice any other useful tools within view, let alone reach.
I mowed Mom’s neighbor’s front yard. That took all my get-up-and-go out of me.. I was smart and did this after I played around with some wood.
I will see what I do next weekend.
773
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The finishing station using a rotisserie motor to slowly rotate the piece as you add finish.
My bring back prize, made with plywood
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