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As The Lathe Turns

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244K views 1K replies 89 participants last post by  greasemonkeyredneck 
#1 ·
How a Good Day Turned Bad

In the responses to yesterday's blog, I told a friend of mine, Grizz, that I would turn him one of my bowls. I don't know why, as I'm still learning, but he hinted that he'd like one.
Also, some things Bearpie said in response to that blog kept sticking in my mind. The main thing is sharpen my lathe tools. I've been and am using the Paul Sellers method of sharpening these days for pretty much everything. It works great for all my tools, except those lathe tools. It puts a sharp edge on them, but they never seem to cut as good as they used to when I was simply hitting them on a bench grinder.
The thing is, my sharpening on the grinder was sort of a hit and miss thing as well. So I started thinking about it. I remembered seeing a video by Alex Harris, the teenage woodworker, about a jig he built for sharpening lathe tools. I looked it up and built this.
Wood Sewing machine Gas Machine Auto part

It was easy to build, and easy to use, just as Alex said it was. So I sharpened up a few of my tools, chucked up a piece of wood and tried it out. It made an amazing difference.
Then I went back to thinking about Grizz's bowl. I really didn't have anything large enough to get started though in the way of wood. So I walked outside to smoke a cigarette. While standing at the fence, I looked out across my neighbor's field, and remembered the pecan tree he'd cut down about a year ago. It was just laying there in pieces that he had cut up. So I walked on over and asked him for a piece. He said to take all of it I wanted, so I took the only piece at the time that I was capable of carrying back to my shop.
Wood Bumper Automotive exterior Tool Gas

After chopping some of the edges sticking out off with an axe, I mounted it on the lathe. There was still a tiny bit of wood sticking out hitting the tools rest bracket though. I really did not want to take this heavy piece of wood back down again.
Saw Tool Table Wood Hand tool

Then I thought about an electric chain saw my wife had bought me some time ago. I'd never even turned this thing on before.
Back story here:
I have a messed up back, as some of you know. The last time I put myself in the hospital with my back, was from trying to crank a gas powered chain saw. Before I made it home from the hospital, my wife had sold the chain saw and bought me this electric one.
I had scoffed at this little chain saw until today. It did a real good job though of trimming the offending wood off the pecan log that was on my lathe.
Now let me tell you, I have to thank Bearpie and Alex Harris. The advice, and the now sharper than ever lathe knives made a world of difference.
Wood Outdoor bench Motor vehicle Automotive exterior Bumper

Now, some of you may be asking yourself right about now, why in the world am I so determined to get this lathe thing going?
Even before I got into woodworking as much as I am now, I have always, for some reason, been in awe of seeing guys take logs, bark and all, spinning them on a lathe, and using only knives, turning that log into something useful. The thing I've wanted most for a long time was to happily turn a bowl while standing ankle deep in wood chips, while more fly over my shoulder. I know some people may find it weird, but this is something I have just wanted for so long.
Wood Floor Flooring Hardwood Gas

So, if any of you can understand what I wanted, and why, then you ought to already know where the topic of this photo is heading. This was FUN!
This photo was taken before I even finished today. By the end of it all, I was turning a bowl, ankle deep in wood chips, and neck deep in heaven.
Wood Gas Automotive wheel system Auto part Machine

Wood Gas Machine Automotive wheel system Auto part

Up until this point, things were going just great for me.
As I got deeper into the bowl though, no matter how sharp the tools were, no matter how careful I was, edges would sometimes dig in on the inner sides, or in the other material I was trying to hog out, and things got dangerous, QUICK. This last photo was where I decided that enough was enough. I had to back up and figure out what I was doing wrong before I wound up getting seriously hurt.
So there I stood, as I sometimes do, thinking things over. As I was doing so, I started rolling my turning round and round on the lathe with my hands. I noticed something didn't feel right. Now, I'm no expert turner. I'm only a beginner, but I knew that there shouldn't be that much wobble up and down in this. The outside seems perfectly round, but the inside was off. I can't explain it, but it was just off. It was off center and off round. What was going on here?
The first thing I checked was that the turning was still firmly in the jaws of the chuck. It was. I couldn't figure that out anyway, because the outside still seemed fine.
Then I took the bowl out and spun the chuck itself at low speed, under the power of the motor. It looked like it had some wobble to it. So I pulled out my micrometer and set it up in a makeshift stand. Sure enough, the chuck was turning out of round.
So then I pulled the chuck off and checked the shaft on the lathe itself. Sure enough, the shaft was not turning true.
Blue Wood Motor vehicle Machine tool Gas

The first thing I thought about was bearings. So I tore the head of the lathe apart. I could not feel any play in the bearings though. So I started checking everything that could possibly be causing this.
Wood Gas Machine Auto part Metal

I couldn't believe it myself, but the offending part if the shaft itself. It is bent. I rolled the shaft by itself along the best know flat surface in my shop, the table saw. There is noticable wobble at the inner threaded section of the shaft. With this crude checking, I cannot tell if the bend is somewhere in the middle of the shaft, or just at the end. It appears the outboard side is running true, so I don't think it's the middle of the shaft. I don't know. What I do know is that, being a cheap chinese made machine that I bought used, I have no dilissions of finding a replacement shaft.
So, unless I can figure out a place to find parts for this machine, or win the lottery (and I don't play) so I can buy a new lathe, my bowl turning days are done for the time being. That just turned my day to crap, because I was thoroughly enjoying it.

So Grizz, how about something besides a bowl???
 

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#353 ·
Gluing Up Bowl Blanks, And Some More Of My Ramblings

Wood Bumper Gas Auto part Machine tool

First thing today, I wanted to show the thread adapter and live center that someone sent to me. These come from Penn State Industries. The reason I wanted these was that the Ridgid lathe has #1 morse taper, while my larger lathe has #2. On the headstock spindle, the Ridgid has 3/4"x16 threads, while my larger lathe, and most of my accessories, have 1"x8 thread. Someone had these shipped to me. Whoever it was apparantly did not wish for me to know who, but I do thank you, whoever you are, very much. These will be a big help for me.
Wood Bumper Tool Gas Automotive exterior

Now I am able to put my favorite drive center on the Ridgid. I'll be using this mostly for small spindle turning. So, I can now not have to constantly remove and replace my four jaw chuck on the larger lathe. The chuck will stay there pretty much full time. The reason I love this drive center is that it has the cone shape piece nearer the headstock. On the end of it, you can put any of six different drive centers on it. It has everything one could possiblyl wish for to do almost any project of any size.
Table Wood Tool Workbench Gas

One of my older sons visited yesterday and asked if I needed any help in the shop. I really didn't, but since he seems to like helping me, I needed something to do. To be honest, I think he just like spending time with his old Dad, but is scared he may not seem as "manly" just to say that. So he always comes saying he's only there to help the old man.
Anyway, I decided to use the time for something easy so we could visit more than work, and removed the old bent shaft lathe from it's former home. Some of you may remember I had turned this into a buffing station. It was a good idea, but I found it just got in my way a lot. I have found it easier to chuck a buffing pad into my cordless drill and simply buff pieces while they are still on the lathe. That made this unneeded, and I was constantly having to reach over it for other accessories. So, since the spindle shaft was bent on it, and inferior quality made it not worth trying to fix, we disassembled it, saved any usable part, like motor and tool rests and such, and put the rest of the part in my scrap pile where it may be useful for some future adventure.

.

Ok, since few people are interested in all that, onto something a little more project related.

This is either going to turn out real nice, or a complete waste of time. Either way, I'm sure I'll learn something. I set out today to make a bowl press. I want the ability to glue up boards for bowls, and also hope to one day try some segmented turning. I started considering my options though. Here are thoughts I've had on a bowl press.
1. A two by four frame using all thread and a shop made knob to press a secondary board straight down in the center. I've seen these that others have built and they seem to work well for them.
2. The same idea, but using a bottle jack. It seems a little more crude, but I have a good three ton bottle jack that I bought for a one time emergency and would love to find a use for. The jack would definately apply enough pressure. I may even have to be careful no to over pump the handle, and destroy my frame.
3. Simply use the bottle jack idea, but clear a spot on one of the shelves under a table and work it the same way. This would prevent me from having to build a frame, and find a spot to store it.
4. I've got a very large, very heavy duty, very unneeded C-clamp. I mean this things is huge. I got it in a bulk deal at a yard sale in a huge box of C-clamps. I thought, since I've never been able to imagine a use for such a large clamp, to grind off the end with the threaded part you tighten, and use this for a bowl press.
Wood Gas Engineering Machine Hardwood

While drinking my coffee and considering all this, I had a final thought.
I've never glued up material for a bowl and don't even know how well I'm going to be at this. It is after all a new learning experience for me. So how about I glue up a couple and see how it goes before I jump too deeply head first into this. So, since I do have a very large assortment of pipe and bar clamps, I decided I could very well glue up some bowl blanks using those.
All went well except for one thing. I was trying to be generous with the glue without putting too much. Yes, I know from experience, there is a such thing as too much glue. Anyway, I did what I thought was best based on my past experiences, but I have never had the experience of gluing up seven layers as I did on one blank, and it got messy before I had a chance to do much besides get happy about working with glooey fingers.
Wood Gas Engineering Cylinder Auto part

Here is the one I was talking about. It is seven layers of three quarter inch thick pecan. I could possibly have gotten it done with a little less mess, but I was trying to work quickly. I didn't want glue setting up before I got it clamped. I considered afterwards that it may have been better to work with one layer at a time. It would have given me time to be more careful. It'll all be turned down on the lathe though, so it doesn't matter.
I understand I could have done this several different ways. Since I'm new to this technique though, I decided to use a compass, draw circles, cut them on a band saw, and glue up simple, solid block. This will of course cause more waste than necessary from the hollowing, but I could use the practice anyway.
This particular bowl, if successful, will be going to Doe.
Tool Yellow Automotive tire Gas Engineering

This one was easier because I started with thicker material, and was only three layers. This one is sycamore.
This bowl, if successful, will be going to Grizzman.

That's all I have for today. I wanted to do more today, but something else got me distracted. It was such a beautiful day, and I felt so good, that I done some spring cleaning. I cleaned up my shop. It needed it bad. I have been too lazy about sweeping sawdust and shavings into piles and leaving them lately. I try to keep a clean shop, but sometimes that sort of stuff just piles up until I've allowed it to get worse than I realize. I think it happens to the best of us.
I wound up getting these blanks glued up kind of late today. The glue, Titebond, has a label with instruction (yes, I read those from time to time) that says to let glue cure for twenty four hours. So, to be on the safe side, I think I'm going to leave them clamped until Monday. Then we'll get to see if this turns out good, or a total failure. There aint but one way to find out!
 

Attachments

#354 ·
Gluing Up Bowl Blanks, And Some More Of My Ramblings

Wood Bumper Gas Auto part Machine tool

First thing today, I wanted to show the thread adapter and live center that someone sent to me. These come from Penn State Industries. The reason I wanted these was that the Ridgid lathe has #1 morse taper, while my larger lathe has #2. On the headstock spindle, the Ridgid has 3/4"x16 threads, while my larger lathe, and most of my accessories, have 1"x8 thread. Someone had these shipped to me. Whoever it was apparantly did not wish for me to know who, but I do thank you, whoever you are, very much. These will be a big help for me.
Wood Bumper Tool Gas Automotive exterior

Now I am able to put my favorite drive center on the Ridgid. I'll be using this mostly for small spindle turning. So, I can now not have to constantly remove and replace my four jaw chuck on the larger lathe. The chuck will stay there pretty much full time. The reason I love this drive center is that it has the cone shape piece nearer the headstock. On the end of it, you can put any of six different drive centers on it. It has everything one could possiblyl wish for to do almost any project of any size.
Table Wood Tool Workbench Gas

One of my older sons visited yesterday and asked if I needed any help in the shop. I really didn't, but since he seems to like helping me, I needed something to do. To be honest, I think he just like spending time with his old Dad, but is scared he may not seem as "manly" just to say that. So he always comes saying he's only there to help the old man.
Anyway, I decided to use the time for something easy so we could visit more than work, and removed the old bent shaft lathe from it's former home. Some of you may remember I had turned this into a buffing station. It was a good idea, but I found it just got in my way a lot. I have found it easier to chuck a buffing pad into my cordless drill and simply buff pieces while they are still on the lathe. That made this unneeded, and I was constantly having to reach over it for other accessories. So, since the spindle shaft was bent on it, and inferior quality made it not worth trying to fix, we disassembled it, saved any usable part, like motor and tool rests and such, and put the rest of the part in my scrap pile where it may be useful for some future adventure.

.

Ok, since few people are interested in all that, onto something a little more project related.

This is either going to turn out real nice, or a complete waste of time. Either way, I'm sure I'll learn something. I set out today to make a bowl press. I want the ability to glue up boards for bowls, and also hope to one day try some segmented turning. I started considering my options though. Here are thoughts I've had on a bowl press.
1. A two by four frame using all thread and a shop made knob to press a secondary board straight down in the center. I've seen these that others have built and they seem to work well for them.
2. The same idea, but using a bottle jack. It seems a little more crude, but I have a good three ton bottle jack that I bought for a one time emergency and would love to find a use for. The jack would definately apply enough pressure. I may even have to be careful no to over pump the handle, and destroy my frame.
3. Simply use the bottle jack idea, but clear a spot on one of the shelves under a table and work it the same way. This would prevent me from having to build a frame, and find a spot to store it.
4. I've got a very large, very heavy duty, very unneeded C-clamp. I mean this things is huge. I got it in a bulk deal at a yard sale in a huge box of C-clamps. I thought, since I've never been able to imagine a use for such a large clamp, to grind off the end with the threaded part you tighten, and use this for a bowl press.
Wood Gas Engineering Machine Hardwood

While drinking my coffee and considering all this, I had a final thought.
I've never glued up material for a bowl and don't even know how well I'm going to be at this. It is after all a new learning experience for me. So how about I glue up a couple and see how it goes before I jump too deeply head first into this. So, since I do have a very large assortment of pipe and bar clamps, I decided I could very well glue up some bowl blanks using those.
All went well except for one thing. I was trying to be generous with the glue without putting too much. Yes, I know from experience, there is a such thing as too much glue. Anyway, I did what I thought was best based on my past experiences, but I have never had the experience of gluing up seven layers as I did on one blank, and it got messy before I had a chance to do much besides get happy about working with glooey fingers.
Wood Gas Engineering Cylinder Auto part

Here is the one I was talking about. It is seven layers of three quarter inch thick pecan. I could possibly have gotten it done with a little less mess, but I was trying to work quickly. I didn't want glue setting up before I got it clamped. I considered afterwards that it may have been better to work with one layer at a time. It would have given me time to be more careful. It'll all be turned down on the lathe though, so it doesn't matter.
I understand I could have done this several different ways. Since I'm new to this technique though, I decided to use a compass, draw circles, cut them on a band saw, and glue up simple, solid block. This will of course cause more waste than necessary from the hollowing, but I could use the practice anyway.
This particular bowl, if successful, will be going to Doe.
Tool Yellow Automotive tire Gas Engineering

This one was easier because I started with thicker material, and was only three layers. This one is sycamore.
This bowl, if successful, will be going to Grizzman.

That's all I have for today. I wanted to do more today, but something else got me distracted. It was such a beautiful day, and I felt so good, that I done some spring cleaning. I cleaned up my shop. It needed it bad. I have been too lazy about sweeping sawdust and shavings into piles and leaving them lately. I try to keep a clean shop, but sometimes that sort of stuff just piles up until I've allowed it to get worse than I realize. I think it happens to the best of us.
I wound up getting these blanks glued up kind of late today. The glue, Titebond, has a label with instruction (yes, I read those from time to time) that says to let glue cure for twenty four hours. So, to be on the safe side, I think I'm going to leave them clamped until Monday. Then we'll get to see if this turns out good, or a total failure. There aint but one way to find out!
William,
Don't take this personally but….
I keep falling asleep as I read this!
I would say that it has to do with a lack of sleep and not your ramblings!!!
I enjoy your discourse and musings!!!

Yep, I clean up the shop by sweeping everything into piles, until the end of the project (or is that twelve projects)!!!

I can see how those glue ups could get a tad messy!!!
I too would wait an extra day for the glue to cure. Well, until I gain more experience at least!!! Looking forward to seeing these blanks become a "William Original Art Piece"!!!
 

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#358 ·
The First Glueup Results

Today has been a long day. As a matter fact, I can't even believe I made it to the shop today. I couldn't help myself, and will probably be paying for it in the morning, but those blanks I glued up yesterday were on my mind and driving me nuts.
First of all, my wife has been working some crazy hours because her company was short handed. They finally hired someone though. She was able to come home early today. It's been so crazy lately that I've almost felt like a single parent to my boys. We took off for a day away this morning and spent over half a day just enjoying ourselves. You can read about that here if you'd like. It felt so great having my wife home today. As long as the new employee works out alright, Lisa will start having weekends off again. That is the best news I've had in a while. I have missed my wife lately.

Anyway, that covers the fist part of the day. After I came home and laid down a while, it is the second part of the day that may be of more interest here.
What I want to talk about now is safety.
I have had a habit, even though I've been warned against it, of using rags to dust off and apply finish on my lathe. I knew it was wrong but I kept neglecting to restock paper towels at my shop. I've read toilet paper was good too, but I kept neglecting bringing that to try as well.
I'm sure some of you experienced turners already know where this is headed. This is for you beginners like me. Don't be stupid. It is a wonder I did not lose a finger today when a rough piece of wood grabbed the rag, twirled it around my finger, and snatched it. Luckily, my finger snatched out of the rag just in time before it was pulled around the underside of the spinning stock. All I got was a scare, but it could have been much worse.
Wood Purple Gas Building Engineering

I shut down the lathe and fixed this up before doing anything else. From now on, it is a rule written in stone. NO RAGS ARE TO BE ANYWHERE NEAR MY LATHE. I suggest all turners agree to the same rule. I was lucky today. This no rag rule suggestion, I've seen it in more than one place today for a reason. To win this game, you still need to be able to count to ten without removeing your shoes.

Now, I started thinking of other potential safety violations I may be committing.
Wood Asphalt Automotive tire Road surface Gas

I have developed another habit already that I'm not sure is a good idea. When I'm working on the larger lathe, I have started sticking the tools I'm using under the bed tube of the Ridgid lathe. This has not been a problem so far, but I'm wondering if it is a good idea. It keeps my tools close, but still out of the way, without me having to stick each one back in it's tool holder each time. How do other turners keep tools close at hand while working on a project? I'm open to suggestions on this one.

Anyway, back to the bowl blank. I started with the sycamore blank. I done it for no particular reason besides it was just the nearest to me when I stepped up to the table where the two blanks were sitting in their clamps.
Machine tool Gas Wood Machine Engineering

Everyone says I'm growing as a turner in leaps and bounds. However, I am still a newbie. I mustn't forget that. I still am not confident enough to start out with solid blanks of this size just swinging out there for support. So I always remember an important lesson I learned a while back. The tail stock is my friend. I keep the tailstock helping to support my work as long as I can. This allows me to take away most of the weight before I have to remove that extra support. I think of it as training wheels. I see plenty of turners online go straight to open work at the end. I'm not quite ready to do that yet. While I'm getting better and seldom have a catch, they do happen to me from time to time. I learned the hard way I don't like flying bowls.
Automotive tire Wood Bumper Automotive wheel system Automotive exterior

This is immediately after removing the piece sticking out of the middle that the tailstock was holding. I simply turn it down real thin near the bottom of the bowl. Then I break it off. I turn it thin enough that it breaks very easily across the grain. Then I just take my gouge and start cleaning things up.
Wood Metal Natural material Steel Wood stain

He was not the first, but a couple of days ago, Lew told me about burnishing my work with shavings from the turning. I tried that today. I'm glad I did. It really did a good job of polishing things up after moving through to my finest grit of sandpaper.
This wood is sycamore. There is a tiny spot at each side of the bowl that it seems no matter how much I sand, it is just a tad rougher than I would like. I worked with it as much as I had time for today. I may go back later and work on it some more somehow. It will be at least next month before I can ship this out to it's destination in Alabama, so I have time to think and consider that option.
Liquid Bottle Fluid Drink Glass bottle

The recipient of this particular bowl, I hope he can use it for his chili, salsa, oatmeal, and corn flakes. Don't worry if any of you don't get the joke. I know he does.
Anyway, I am still learning about finishes for this sort of thing. I was looking in Home Depot a few days ago, just browsing. I came across this butcher block conditioner. I wasn't sure about it, and had never heard of it. However, since it says on it's instructions that it's good for wooden bowls, I decided to give it a try. Remember, I am new to finishing food safe items, but with practice, I think this stuff has the potential to be a real nice finish option.
Dishware Table Wood Serveware Kitchen utensil

Hand Finger Rectangle Wood Electric blue

The finished bowl wound up being a little over seven inches across, and four inches high. I have never met Grizzman in person, but his personality makes me think he may be a hearty eater. I wanted him to be able to get enough in this bowl that he would actually use it, from time to time at least.
Tableware Flowerpot Dishware Tire Drinkware

Tableware Dishware Window Serveware Natural material

So there is is, my first bowl that is actually meant to be sent out to someone to use. It may not be perfect, but I am mighty proud of it and hope that Grizzman is happy with it as I am.
Grizz, it has taken me a while to get there, but I FINALLY have completed you a bowl. Now, I am sorry my friend, but it will be April at the earliest before I can ship it. The kids have this nasty habit of wanting to eat and all you know. I'm afraid you'll just have to eat corn flakes out of something else until then.
 

Attachments

#359 ·
The First Glueup Results

Today has been a long day. As a matter fact, I can't even believe I made it to the shop today. I couldn't help myself, and will probably be paying for it in the morning, but those blanks I glued up yesterday were on my mind and driving me nuts.
First of all, my wife has been working some crazy hours because her company was short handed. They finally hired someone though. She was able to come home early today. It's been so crazy lately that I've almost felt like a single parent to my boys. We took off for a day away this morning and spent over half a day just enjoying ourselves. You can read about that here if you'd like. It felt so great having my wife home today. As long as the new employee works out alright, Lisa will start having weekends off again. That is the best news I've had in a while. I have missed my wife lately.

Anyway, that covers the fist part of the day. After I came home and laid down a while, it is the second part of the day that may be of more interest here.
What I want to talk about now is safety.
I have had a habit, even though I've been warned against it, of using rags to dust off and apply finish on my lathe. I knew it was wrong but I kept neglecting to restock paper towels at my shop. I've read toilet paper was good too, but I kept neglecting bringing that to try as well.
I'm sure some of you experienced turners already know where this is headed. This is for you beginners like me. Don't be stupid. It is a wonder I did not lose a finger today when a rough piece of wood grabbed the rag, twirled it around my finger, and snatched it. Luckily, my finger snatched out of the rag just in time before it was pulled around the underside of the spinning stock. All I got was a scare, but it could have been much worse.
Wood Purple Gas Building Engineering

I shut down the lathe and fixed this up before doing anything else. From now on, it is a rule written in stone. NO RAGS ARE TO BE ANYWHERE NEAR MY LATHE. I suggest all turners agree to the same rule. I was lucky today. This no rag rule suggestion, I've seen it in more than one place today for a reason. To win this game, you still need to be able to count to ten without removeing your shoes.

Now, I started thinking of other potential safety violations I may be committing.
Wood Asphalt Automotive tire Road surface Gas

I have developed another habit already that I'm not sure is a good idea. When I'm working on the larger lathe, I have started sticking the tools I'm using under the bed tube of the Ridgid lathe. This has not been a problem so far, but I'm wondering if it is a good idea. It keeps my tools close, but still out of the way, without me having to stick each one back in it's tool holder each time. How do other turners keep tools close at hand while working on a project? I'm open to suggestions on this one.

Anyway, back to the bowl blank. I started with the sycamore blank. I done it for no particular reason besides it was just the nearest to me when I stepped up to the table where the two blanks were sitting in their clamps.
Machine tool Gas Wood Machine Engineering

Everyone says I'm growing as a turner in leaps and bounds. However, I am still a newbie. I mustn't forget that. I still am not confident enough to start out with solid blanks of this size just swinging out there for support. So I always remember an important lesson I learned a while back. The tail stock is my friend. I keep the tailstock helping to support my work as long as I can. This allows me to take away most of the weight before I have to remove that extra support. I think of it as training wheels. I see plenty of turners online go straight to open work at the end. I'm not quite ready to do that yet. While I'm getting better and seldom have a catch, they do happen to me from time to time. I learned the hard way I don't like flying bowls.
Automotive tire Wood Bumper Automotive wheel system Automotive exterior

This is immediately after removing the piece sticking out of the middle that the tailstock was holding. I simply turn it down real thin near the bottom of the bowl. Then I break it off. I turn it thin enough that it breaks very easily across the grain. Then I just take my gouge and start cleaning things up.
Wood Metal Natural material Steel Wood stain

He was not the first, but a couple of days ago, Lew told me about burnishing my work with shavings from the turning. I tried that today. I'm glad I did. It really did a good job of polishing things up after moving through to my finest grit of sandpaper.
This wood is sycamore. There is a tiny spot at each side of the bowl that it seems no matter how much I sand, it is just a tad rougher than I would like. I worked with it as much as I had time for today. I may go back later and work on it some more somehow. It will be at least next month before I can ship this out to it's destination in Alabama, so I have time to think and consider that option.
Liquid Bottle Fluid Drink Glass bottle

The recipient of this particular bowl, I hope he can use it for his chili, salsa, oatmeal, and corn flakes. Don't worry if any of you don't get the joke. I know he does.
Anyway, I am still learning about finishes for this sort of thing. I was looking in Home Depot a few days ago, just browsing. I came across this butcher block conditioner. I wasn't sure about it, and had never heard of it. However, since it says on it's instructions that it's good for wooden bowls, I decided to give it a try. Remember, I am new to finishing food safe items, but with practice, I think this stuff has the potential to be a real nice finish option.
Dishware Table Wood Serveware Kitchen utensil

Hand Finger Rectangle Wood Electric blue

The finished bowl wound up being a little over seven inches across, and four inches high. I have never met Grizzman in person, but his personality makes me think he may be a hearty eater. I wanted him to be able to get enough in this bowl that he would actually use it, from time to time at least.
Tableware Flowerpot Dishware Tire Drinkware

Tableware Dishware Window Serveware Natural material

So there is is, my first bowl that is actually meant to be sent out to someone to use. It may not be perfect, but I am mighty proud of it and hope that Grizzman is happy with it as I am.
Grizz, it has taken me a while to get there, but I FINALLY have completed you a bowl. Now, I am sorry my friend, but it will be April at the earliest before I can ship it. The kids have this nasty habit of wanting to eat and all you know. I'm afraid you'll just have to eat corn flakes out of something else until then.
Looking real nice. Ready for Griz's morning breakfast.
 

Attachments

#377 ·
Trying Something Different With The Next Glueup

If you've been reading my blog, you know I glued up two bowl blank. I turned one of them yesterday. It was made of sycamore and it was easy to turn. So I thought I had this thing licked. Then again, today was another day.
The second glueup was of pecan, and it did not turn nearly as easily as the sycamore. I already knew that pecan was a hard wood. I've worked with it often on smaller projects, and flat type wood work. This is the first time though for me to turn a piece this size of dry pecan. Something I figure out very quickly, well two things:
1. Sharpen the tools often. This hard of wood dulls them quickly.
2. Take tiny passes. Everytime I started getting too frisky with how much material I was taking, the lathe would bog down. At first, I thought I was having motor issues again. I checked everything and the motor was running fine. This stuff just does not like to be man handled. It likes to be cut slow and easy.
Wood Gas Art Sculpture Creative arts

The recipient of this bowl say it is going on a shelf. It is to be inspiration when something new is tried. So in turn, I decided to try something I haven't done while making it. Sure, I could just turn a bowl. I know I can do that now. What would be the fun in that though?
Wood Gas Automotive wheel system Auto part Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

Someone yesterday was concerned because of a photo I'd posted that maybe I was trying to cut too far over my tool rest. I seen the photo was a little deceiving because I snapped it after working on the rim. So I decided to take a photo today and show the tool rest I use when I am working on the inside of bowls. I have two different sizes of these curved rests. I have a buddy that does blacksmithing work though. I have talked with him about making me a couple more rests. I'd like to have a straight rest that sticks out one way from the post, to the right, for working on straight sides. I'd also like a couple more different sized curned rests because I seem to enjoy doing so many different sized things.
However, the point is, I learned quickly, the hard way, not to work too far over the tool rest. There have been a few times I couldn't help it. When that happens though, I go to a scraper and take my sweet time, and never use a gouge. The one time I had a gouge catch while way out over the rest, I learned real quickly that I was only along for the ride.
Randy, that's your lesson for the day. Use the proper tool rest for the job being done. Working too far over the rest can get you hurt, or at least scare the bejeebies out of you.
Wood Natural material Hardwood Wood stain Wooden block

Now it is confession time.
I was sanding the finished bowl and couldn't firgure out what that black dot was in the center of the bottom was. It just wouldn't sand out. I took it off the chuck before I figured out what it was. That "dot", was a tiny hole. I had cut the bottom to flow at a slight decline towards the center, and at the very center, I went just a tad bit too far. I had cut it till there was a tiny hole. That's not good.
Luckily, the recipient says the bowl is going on a shelf. To my understanding, this one will not be used in the kitchen. So, where I normally leave a recessed tennon on the bottom of my bowls, I plugged this one to cover that tiny hole.
Table Wood Stairs Wood stain Varnish

Ruler Tape measure Green Office ruler Wood

So, this bowl wound up being seven and a half inches across, and four and three quarters inches tall. It is finished with the same butcher block conditioner that I finished the bowl with yesterday.
Something else you may notice is the pattern. For the glueup, I used some dried pecan that I have. This pecan though is made up of light and dark strips of pecan. I did not glue them that way, but they are the way that I recieved them. When I planed and glued up the disks a few days ago, I turned every other disk to try and scatter the light and dark pieces throughout the piece. I wasn't sure how that was going to look, but I think it turned out real nice. It turned out nice enough in fact, that my wife already says she wants some cereal bowls with similar patterns.
Tire Natural material Rectangle Wood Dishware

Tire Natural material Wood Tableware Jewellery

Tableware Body jewelry Natural material Wood Jewellery

Natural material Wood Artifact Art Rectangle

Dishware Natural material Serveware Artifact Wood

I will send a private message to the recipient in a moment. Anyone who has kept up with all this and all that's happened to me recently already knows who it is.
There it is though. Pecan is a beautiful wood to work with. I have several pieces of furniture in my home that I've made out of this same pecan, because I like it so much. It is hard though.
I did not realize how easy it is to bog down a three quarter horse motor. With this pecan though, it is quite easy. While working on the outer edges of this bowl, I had to take extremely light passes. I thought it was my motor at first. Then I noticed that, as I worked in closer to the center line, there was no bogging down issues at all. So what I concluded was that, with a hard wood such as pecan, working far from the center, if you try to cut too deeply, the tool digs in and acts like a long fulcrum, giving you leverage against the motor and yes, you can bog down the motor. I have to remember this and learn what I can and can't do, and with how much force, I can do with different woods.
I hope you all like this bowl because, according to my wife, I'll be making more of them in the future.
 

Attachments

#378 ·
Trying Something Different With The Next Glueup

If you've been reading my blog, you know I glued up two bowl blank. I turned one of them yesterday. It was made of sycamore and it was easy to turn. So I thought I had this thing licked. Then again, today was another day.
The second glueup was of pecan, and it did not turn nearly as easily as the sycamore. I already knew that pecan was a hard wood. I've worked with it often on smaller projects, and flat type wood work. This is the first time though for me to turn a piece this size of dry pecan. Something I figure out very quickly, well two things:
1. Sharpen the tools often. This hard of wood dulls them quickly.
2. Take tiny passes. Everytime I started getting too frisky with how much material I was taking, the lathe would bog down. At first, I thought I was having motor issues again. I checked everything and the motor was running fine. This stuff just does not like to be man handled. It likes to be cut slow and easy.
Wood Gas Art Sculpture Creative arts

The recipient of this bowl say it is going on a shelf. It is to be inspiration when something new is tried. So in turn, I decided to try something I haven't done while making it. Sure, I could just turn a bowl. I know I can do that now. What would be the fun in that though?
Wood Gas Automotive wheel system Auto part Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

Someone yesterday was concerned because of a photo I'd posted that maybe I was trying to cut too far over my tool rest. I seen the photo was a little deceiving because I snapped it after working on the rim. So I decided to take a photo today and show the tool rest I use when I am working on the inside of bowls. I have two different sizes of these curved rests. I have a buddy that does blacksmithing work though. I have talked with him about making me a couple more rests. I'd like to have a straight rest that sticks out one way from the post, to the right, for working on straight sides. I'd also like a couple more different sized curned rests because I seem to enjoy doing so many different sized things.
However, the point is, I learned quickly, the hard way, not to work too far over the tool rest. There have been a few times I couldn't help it. When that happens though, I go to a scraper and take my sweet time, and never use a gouge. The one time I had a gouge catch while way out over the rest, I learned real quickly that I was only along for the ride.
Randy, that's your lesson for the day. Use the proper tool rest for the job being done. Working too far over the rest can get you hurt, or at least scare the bejeebies out of you.
Wood Natural material Hardwood Wood stain Wooden block

Now it is confession time.
I was sanding the finished bowl and couldn't firgure out what that black dot was in the center of the bottom was. It just wouldn't sand out. I took it off the chuck before I figured out what it was. That "dot", was a tiny hole. I had cut the bottom to flow at a slight decline towards the center, and at the very center, I went just a tad bit too far. I had cut it till there was a tiny hole. That's not good.
Luckily, the recipient says the bowl is going on a shelf. To my understanding, this one will not be used in the kitchen. So, where I normally leave a recessed tennon on the bottom of my bowls, I plugged this one to cover that tiny hole.
Table Wood Stairs Wood stain Varnish

Ruler Tape measure Green Office ruler Wood

So, this bowl wound up being seven and a half inches across, and four and three quarters inches tall. It is finished with the same butcher block conditioner that I finished the bowl with yesterday.
Something else you may notice is the pattern. For the glueup, I used some dried pecan that I have. This pecan though is made up of light and dark strips of pecan. I did not glue them that way, but they are the way that I recieved them. When I planed and glued up the disks a few days ago, I turned every other disk to try and scatter the light and dark pieces throughout the piece. I wasn't sure how that was going to look, but I think it turned out real nice. It turned out nice enough in fact, that my wife already says she wants some cereal bowls with similar patterns.
Tire Natural material Rectangle Wood Dishware

Tire Natural material Wood Tableware Jewellery

Tableware Body jewelry Natural material Wood Jewellery

Natural material Wood Artifact Art Rectangle

Dishware Natural material Serveware Artifact Wood

I will send a private message to the recipient in a moment. Anyone who has kept up with all this and all that's happened to me recently already knows who it is.
There it is though. Pecan is a beautiful wood to work with. I have several pieces of furniture in my home that I've made out of this same pecan, because I like it so much. It is hard though.
I did not realize how easy it is to bog down a three quarter horse motor. With this pecan though, it is quite easy. While working on the outer edges of this bowl, I had to take extremely light passes. I thought it was my motor at first. Then I noticed that, as I worked in closer to the center line, there was no bogging down issues at all. So what I concluded was that, with a hard wood such as pecan, working far from the center, if you try to cut too deeply, the tool digs in and acts like a long fulcrum, giving you leverage against the motor and yes, you can bog down the motor. I have to remember this and learn what I can and can't do, and with how much force, I can do with different woods.
I hope you all like this bowl because, according to my wife, I'll be making more of them in the future.
Somebody in Alabama has a new pecan flavored cereal bowl…..
 

Attachments

#383 ·
Trying Something Different With The Next Glueup

If you've been reading my blog, you know I glued up two bowl blank. I turned one of them yesterday. It was made of sycamore and it was easy to turn. So I thought I had this thing licked. Then again, today was another day.
The second glueup was of pecan, and it did not turn nearly as easily as the sycamore. I already knew that pecan was a hard wood. I've worked with it often on smaller projects, and flat type wood work. This is the first time though for me to turn a piece this size of dry pecan. Something I figure out very quickly, well two things:
1. Sharpen the tools often. This hard of wood dulls them quickly.
2. Take tiny passes. Everytime I started getting too frisky with how much material I was taking, the lathe would bog down. At first, I thought I was having motor issues again. I checked everything and the motor was running fine. This stuff just does not like to be man handled. It likes to be cut slow and easy.
Wood Gas Art Sculpture Creative arts

The recipient of this bowl say it is going on a shelf. It is to be inspiration when something new is tried. So in turn, I decided to try something I haven't done while making it. Sure, I could just turn a bowl. I know I can do that now. What would be the fun in that though?
Wood Gas Automotive wheel system Auto part Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

Someone yesterday was concerned because of a photo I'd posted that maybe I was trying to cut too far over my tool rest. I seen the photo was a little deceiving because I snapped it after working on the rim. So I decided to take a photo today and show the tool rest I use when I am working on the inside of bowls. I have two different sizes of these curved rests. I have a buddy that does blacksmithing work though. I have talked with him about making me a couple more rests. I'd like to have a straight rest that sticks out one way from the post, to the right, for working on straight sides. I'd also like a couple more different sized curned rests because I seem to enjoy doing so many different sized things.
However, the point is, I learned quickly, the hard way, not to work too far over the tool rest. There have been a few times I couldn't help it. When that happens though, I go to a scraper and take my sweet time, and never use a gouge. The one time I had a gouge catch while way out over the rest, I learned real quickly that I was only along for the ride.
Randy, that's your lesson for the day. Use the proper tool rest for the job being done. Working too far over the rest can get you hurt, or at least scare the bejeebies out of you.
Wood Natural material Hardwood Wood stain Wooden block

Now it is confession time.
I was sanding the finished bowl and couldn't firgure out what that black dot was in the center of the bottom was. It just wouldn't sand out. I took it off the chuck before I figured out what it was. That "dot", was a tiny hole. I had cut the bottom to flow at a slight decline towards the center, and at the very center, I went just a tad bit too far. I had cut it till there was a tiny hole. That's not good.
Luckily, the recipient says the bowl is going on a shelf. To my understanding, this one will not be used in the kitchen. So, where I normally leave a recessed tennon on the bottom of my bowls, I plugged this one to cover that tiny hole.
Table Wood Stairs Wood stain Varnish

Ruler Tape measure Green Office ruler Wood

So, this bowl wound up being seven and a half inches across, and four and three quarters inches tall. It is finished with the same butcher block conditioner that I finished the bowl with yesterday.
Something else you may notice is the pattern. For the glueup, I used some dried pecan that I have. This pecan though is made up of light and dark strips of pecan. I did not glue them that way, but they are the way that I recieved them. When I planed and glued up the disks a few days ago, I turned every other disk to try and scatter the light and dark pieces throughout the piece. I wasn't sure how that was going to look, but I think it turned out real nice. It turned out nice enough in fact, that my wife already says she wants some cereal bowls with similar patterns.
Tire Natural material Rectangle Wood Dishware

Tire Natural material Wood Tableware Jewellery

Tableware Body jewelry Natural material Wood Jewellery

Natural material Wood Artifact Art Rectangle

Dishware Natural material Serveware Artifact Wood

I will send a private message to the recipient in a moment. Anyone who has kept up with all this and all that's happened to me recently already knows who it is.
There it is though. Pecan is a beautiful wood to work with. I have several pieces of furniture in my home that I've made out of this same pecan, because I like it so much. It is hard though.
I did not realize how easy it is to bog down a three quarter horse motor. With this pecan though, it is quite easy. While working on the outer edges of this bowl, I had to take extremely light passes. I thought it was my motor at first. Then I noticed that, as I worked in closer to the center line, there was no bogging down issues at all. So what I concluded was that, with a hard wood such as pecan, working far from the center, if you try to cut too deeply, the tool digs in and acts like a long fulcrum, giving you leverage against the motor and yes, you can bog down the motor. I have to remember this and learn what I can and can't do, and with how much force, I can do with different woods.
I hope you all like this bowl because, according to my wife, I'll be making more of them in the future.
Great looking bowl William. A depth gauge is very handy, along with frequent checks as you turn. A piece of masking tape on your bowl gouge to indicate total depth works well. On wet wood I use a long 1/2" bit held at the end with vise grips to drill a center hole down to final depth, so when the hole disappears you are there. Probably not safe with dry wood.
 

Attachments

#389 ·
Why Buy When You Can Make?

Since I decided I wanted to turn, I've learned how to use a variety of tools. I wouldn't say I'm an expert at any of them, but I'm learning. I'm also learning what I like and what I don't like. For example, I don't like my parting tool. The tool I have works great. I don't like it because it removes too much material. You see, a lot of times I'm already limited on how thick the material is when I start. I don't want to have to account for, or have to remove, as much as my parting tool takes. To me, it's just sort of a waste.
This I guess wouldn't bother some people, but I am a wood hoarder and want to save those little pieces of my better woods to do other things with. I have seen these thin parting tools in catalogues and online and thought to myself that these would be the way to go. I just had an idea that I'd like them better. There is a problem though. Money is tight. Lately, when I do get the opportunity to spend some money, I prefer to get other things besides tools that I may or may not like.
Then I seen this video by Captain Eddie. He shows how to make a very similar tool using a reciprocating saw blade. Everyone knows I would always prefer to make my own tools when I can anyway, so I just had to make one of these as soon as I got the chance.
Wood Hardwood Musical instrument accessory Wood stain Musical instrument

I made mine a tad different than Captain Eddies, but the same principle. I handled the blade part just as he showed in the video. However, I did drill holes through the blade. If you don't have some very good drill bits to cut through a blade like this, he shows in the video how to make it without drilling holes through it. It take good sharp bits, and drilling oil to cut through these type blades without burning your drill bits up. Also, I turned a round handle for mine instead of the style he shows. It all works on the same principle though.
I think it looks good. Some of you may be asking about now though, William, who cares how it looks, does it work good?
Wood Natural material Twig Terrestrial plant Fashion accessory

It works GREAT!
This was just a piece of scrap I pulled out of the fire wood pile to test my new tool on. I turned it round. Then, as you can see, I went almost through it in several places, and then completely through it, remounted, and through it again. I was just playing around to make sure it was worth the little bit of work I put into it. Based on the prices I seen for thin parting tools, it was well worth the trouble.
So now I know I like the thin parting tool better than the two other, thicker, parting tools I own. However, why would I buy one? I made one.

If any of you would like to see some of Captain Eddie's videos, here is a link to his YouTube channel. Go check his videos out. He offers a lot of tips, advice, and enough humor thrown in that it's always a pleasure to watch.
 

Attachments

#390 ·
Why Buy When You Can Make?

Since I decided I wanted to turn, I've learned how to use a variety of tools. I wouldn't say I'm an expert at any of them, but I'm learning. I'm also learning what I like and what I don't like. For example, I don't like my parting tool. The tool I have works great. I don't like it because it removes too much material. You see, a lot of times I'm already limited on how thick the material is when I start. I don't want to have to account for, or have to remove, as much as my parting tool takes. To me, it's just sort of a waste.
This I guess wouldn't bother some people, but I am a wood hoarder and want to save those little pieces of my better woods to do other things with. I have seen these thin parting tools in catalogues and online and thought to myself that these would be the way to go. I just had an idea that I'd like them better. There is a problem though. Money is tight. Lately, when I do get the opportunity to spend some money, I prefer to get other things besides tools that I may or may not like.
Then I seen this video by Captain Eddie. He shows how to make a very similar tool using a reciprocating saw blade. Everyone knows I would always prefer to make my own tools when I can anyway, so I just had to make one of these as soon as I got the chance.
Wood Hardwood Musical instrument accessory Wood stain Musical instrument

I made mine a tad different than Captain Eddies, but the same principle. I handled the blade part just as he showed in the video. However, I did drill holes through the blade. If you don't have some very good drill bits to cut through a blade like this, he shows in the video how to make it without drilling holes through it. It take good sharp bits, and drilling oil to cut through these type blades without burning your drill bits up. Also, I turned a round handle for mine instead of the style he shows. It all works on the same principle though.
I think it looks good. Some of you may be asking about now though, William, who cares how it looks, does it work good?
Wood Natural material Twig Terrestrial plant Fashion accessory

It works GREAT!
This was just a piece of scrap I pulled out of the fire wood pile to test my new tool on. I turned it round. Then, as you can see, I went almost through it in several places, and then completely through it, remounted, and through it again. I was just playing around to make sure it was worth the little bit of work I put into it. Based on the prices I seen for thin parting tools, it was well worth the trouble.
So now I know I like the thin parting tool better than the two other, thicker, parting tools I own. However, why would I buy one? I made one.

If any of you would like to see some of Captain Eddie's videos, here is a link to his YouTube channel. Go check his videos out. He offers a lot of tips, advice, and enough humor thrown in that it's always a pleasure to watch.
Eddie's videos are good. I have watched several of them. Looks like he has the lowest prices on the carbide stuff too. Although, I have yet to try the carbide tools. They do spark my interest.
 

Attachments

#397 ·
My First Pen From A Kit

I was on pens and needles this morning about, well, pens.
According to the tracking information I checked on this morning, my package with my pen kits were out on delivery. I went to the shop, made coffee, and sat in the door watching for the UPS guy. I don't remember watching for a package like that since I was a kid waiting for the X-Ray glasses I ordered from the back of a Superman comic book. I was nine, don't ask me what I wanted to see with the X-Ray glasses.
Anyway, I didn't have too bad of a wait. The brown truck, with the guy in the brown uniform, with the package arrived almost nine o'clock on the dot. I bet he thought I was crazy. I snatched the package from his grubby hands and ran as fast as I could back into the shop. Ok, I did not really do that, but it made for a better story. I was anxious to get into the box though. I opened it carefully, in hoarder style, because I save all boxes to wrap Christmas presents later in the year.
Let's fast forward.
Automotive tire Motor vehicle Rim Wood Gas

The package was from the wonderful gift I recieved last week of a Penn State gift certificate. I ordered the mandrel and as many pen kits as I could get to get started making pens from kits. I liked the ones I made before out of disassembled store bought pens, but I know these were going to be nicer.
The mandrel system was sort of a mystery to me because I'd never seen one, much less used one. Once I got it though and read the instruction sheet with it, it wasn't nearly as complicated as I feared. Actually, it's quite an easy piece of equipment to set up and start turning on.
Now though, I had to wait even longer. I had not planned on something very important. After getting everything, making some pen blanks, and gluing in the tubes, I was at a stand still. I had not taken into account that I had to wait for the glue to dry before I'd be able to do anything with those blanks. So I messed around the shop most of the day waiting on glue to dry. Did ya'll know that waiting on glue to dry is like watching grass grow?
I was told to let super glue dry for twelve hours to fully cure. I don't know if that is right or not. I do know that by about two this afternoon I couldn't wait any more.
So, the moment we've all, well I have anyway; the moment we've all been waiting for.
Wood Terrestrial plant Tail Natural material Science

My first pen from a kit. I made it out of my favorite wood, sapelle. It has copper plated hardware, a beautiful grain pattern, and a dark line just below the center ring that runs almost all the way around it. It is finished with five coats of Shellac thinned down with alcohol and boiled linseed oil. Then it has two coats of Johnsons's Paste Wax on top of that.
You all know I didn't stop there though. Of course I did not glue up only one set of pen blanks this morning.
Hand tool Wood Tape measure Tool Nail

This one is oak. I has the same finish as the first one. It actually looked kind of plain until I put finish on it. The finish darkened some of the grain and really made it pop out.
Some of you may notice, these are slim line kits. The wooden part is actually supposed to be just straight and slender. I intended to do them that way too. However, as soon as I started turning, I just seen a nicer shape that could be formed and went with it. That made me think about it. It doesn't matter if it shows a straight slender pen on the package. One could play with the shaping of the wood and make any number of different styled pens from the exact same kits.
I think I'm hooked. I have only done two. They are super easy, but I love it. This may seem like something trivial to some, but I am proud of these first two pens.
 

Attachments

#398 ·
My First Pen From A Kit

I was on pens and needles this morning about, well, pens.
According to the tracking information I checked on this morning, my package with my pen kits were out on delivery. I went to the shop, made coffee, and sat in the door watching for the UPS guy. I don't remember watching for a package like that since I was a kid waiting for the X-Ray glasses I ordered from the back of a Superman comic book. I was nine, don't ask me what I wanted to see with the X-Ray glasses.
Anyway, I didn't have too bad of a wait. The brown truck, with the guy in the brown uniform, with the package arrived almost nine o'clock on the dot. I bet he thought I was crazy. I snatched the package from his grubby hands and ran as fast as I could back into the shop. Ok, I did not really do that, but it made for a better story. I was anxious to get into the box though. I opened it carefully, in hoarder style, because I save all boxes to wrap Christmas presents later in the year.
Let's fast forward.
Automotive tire Motor vehicle Rim Wood Gas

The package was from the wonderful gift I recieved last week of a Penn State gift certificate. I ordered the mandrel and as many pen kits as I could get to get started making pens from kits. I liked the ones I made before out of disassembled store bought pens, but I know these were going to be nicer.
The mandrel system was sort of a mystery to me because I'd never seen one, much less used one. Once I got it though and read the instruction sheet with it, it wasn't nearly as complicated as I feared. Actually, it's quite an easy piece of equipment to set up and start turning on.
Now though, I had to wait even longer. I had not planned on something very important. After getting everything, making some pen blanks, and gluing in the tubes, I was at a stand still. I had not taken into account that I had to wait for the glue to dry before I'd be able to do anything with those blanks. So I messed around the shop most of the day waiting on glue to dry. Did ya'll know that waiting on glue to dry is like watching grass grow?
I was told to let super glue dry for twelve hours to fully cure. I don't know if that is right or not. I do know that by about two this afternoon I couldn't wait any more.
So, the moment we've all, well I have anyway; the moment we've all been waiting for.
Wood Terrestrial plant Tail Natural material Science

My first pen from a kit. I made it out of my favorite wood, sapelle. It has copper plated hardware, a beautiful grain pattern, and a dark line just below the center ring that runs almost all the way around it. It is finished with five coats of Shellac thinned down with alcohol and boiled linseed oil. Then it has two coats of Johnsons's Paste Wax on top of that.
You all know I didn't stop there though. Of course I did not glue up only one set of pen blanks this morning.
Hand tool Wood Tape measure Tool Nail

This one is oak. I has the same finish as the first one. It actually looked kind of plain until I put finish on it. The finish darkened some of the grain and really made it pop out.
Some of you may notice, these are slim line kits. The wooden part is actually supposed to be just straight and slender. I intended to do them that way too. However, as soon as I started turning, I just seen a nicer shape that could be formed and went with it. That made me think about it. It doesn't matter if it shows a straight slender pen on the package. One could play with the shaping of the wood and make any number of different styled pens from the exact same kits.
I think I'm hooked. I have only done two. They are super easy, but I love it. This may seem like something trivial to some, but I am proud of these first two pens.
Awww yeah! Looking good. I am going to have to jump in on some kits too. They look great. Plus, I bet you could probably finance you pen habit by selling a few here and there to recover the costs.
 

Attachments

#420 ·
Solutions, And a Couple Of New Mistakes

I am a day late posting this. I got down in my back yesterday evening. Rain was coming in this morning. Changes in weather effect my back greatly. Anyway, I'll be typing this up as if it was last night.

I jumped right into the fray of things today with preparing multiple blanks before doing anything else. I wanted to turn today without having to stop, cut, drill, and wait for glue to set.
Wood Tool Hand tool Nail Natural material

The first pen of today, I made one of the wood blanks longer by the length of the width of the center ring. Does that make sense? Anyway, I done so in an attempt to eliminate the center ring because, you may remember me saying, one of my kits was missing that ring.
I glued the tube in all the way to one end on the longer blank. The twist mechanism in the writing end of the pen sticks out plenty enough to still seat into the longer blank with the space left without the tube. If you think about if, of course it will. It is only going the same distance to get to the tube as if you had a center ring on it anyway. So it works out the same.
This pen is walnut. It was made from a piece from my scrap ben. That, by the way is the one problem I see with turning pens. I was already a wood hoarder. Now I see even the scrap pieces as potential projects.
I almost messed this pen up. While the glue was setting on the blanks, I used a scrap piece of wood and practiced more trying to perfect the CA glue finish technique. It turned out wonderfully on the scrap wood. So I tried it on this walnut. It turned out looking like crap. I don't know what went wrong. I have been told now that I need water thin glue for the finish. I only have locally bought Super Glue (brand name) at the moment. So for now, I'll stick with my shellac based finish until I can get some thinner glue to try again.
Anyway, I took a long coffee break while waiting for that glue to fully cure so I could sand it back off the walnut. That stuff does not like to be sanded off. However, I was happy with this pen and did not want to lose the blanks or the tubes. I think it turned out extremely nice though without the center ring.
Wood Terrestrial plant Natural material Plant Tool

My next pen, and now my new favorite wood, is cocobolo. This wood was from the free blanks that was sent with my pen kit order. The blanks looked beautiful in their own right. When turned though, it looks different, and completely amazing. This wood has presented me with a new issue. Now I want to try any wood I can get my hands on. If and when I can sell some of my pens, I definately want to try a few new (to me) exotic blanks from time to time.
I have seen some beautiful wood before, but this just took my breath away. No, not literally. I had done some reading up on it already, but in case anyone else hasn't, use respiratory protection when turning or working with cocobolo.
You may also notice that I like the walnut pen so much without the center ring that I also turned this one without it.
I still have nine more cocobolo blanks. I can't wait to see what beautiful grain each of them presents.
Font Wood Carmine Nail Fashion accessory

Then my first mistake for the day. This was, I repeat WAS, birdseye maple. I stopped as I was getting near the end of the turning and grabbed my newly sharpened detail gouge. This was a mistake. I learned an important lesson. If you sharpen your tool, start using it before being almost finished. That way, you get a feel for the cut before getting too close to the tube.
With the tool being so sharp, and my not having that feel for the newly sharpened tool just yet, I sliced off too quickly, got a tad too close to the tube insert on the end. It may be a little hard to see in this photo, but if I had put this pen together, that missing chip of wood would have stuck out like sore thumb.
So I set this aside. I had a thought though. I may be able to turn the wood completely off the tube and reuse the tubes. I could also order more tubes and not mess with it. I don't know if it's even worth messing with. I'm going to give it a try anyway though when I get a chance.
Wood Watch Natural material Metal Fashion accessory

Wood Natural material Tool Blade Knife

The first pen is cedar and the next one is pecan. There is a reason these are pictured together. Let me tell you what happened.
Somehow my blanks got mixed up on the table. I was halfway through turning a pen when I realized, the front piece was cedar and the back piece was pecan. It was too late to do anything about it though. So I just made another turning, with the front piece pecan and the back piece cedar, and then assembled both pens with the right blanks matching each other.
The pecan done just as expected, but I learned yet another lesson with the cedar. Cedar is an extremely soft wood. Someone with long fingernails could probably carved cedar with their fingernails. I learned that, when working with very soft woods, leave your turned blank more proud than normal of your bushing, and then sand down to final size. I have been doing this anyway, but I will in the future do it more so with the cedar. It just so happens that the cedar sands SO fast, that I was removing too much material and, if I had went all the way through all the grits, it would have been smaller than the hardware that went on the pen. So, to keep it to size, I wound up skipping every other grit. This left tiny scratches in the finished piece.
It still looked nice, but I could never attempt to sell something like this with visible scratches in the finish. All is well though. You see, cedar is my wife's favorite wood. So she was all too happy to take it home and keep it for herself.
Plant Tobacco Wood Tool Metal

I made the next pen out of box elder. This wood was sent to me some time ago by a friend and fellow Lumberjock, Marty.
I was interested in how it would look. Well, there was but one way to find out. This is a beautiful wood for flat work. For a pen, not so much. It is pretty, but kind of plain looking. So I edded some burned in lines to it to give it some kind of color.
Wood Plant Tool Natural material Tobacco

After the failure with the maple earlier in the day, I glued up another blank with it. I just had to see what this beautiful wood was going to look like as a pen. It was absolutely stunning. As a matter of fact, after seeing it, it kind of made me sad that I messed up the first attempt at it. This is such a beautiful wood. However, I only have enough scraps of it to make a couple more pens from it before it's all gone.
This wood came from another friend, and also a Lumberjock, Jeff.

That's it. These pens are turning out to be the perfect project for me. Now if only I can figure out how to sell them so I can keep doing them.
They are easy.
They keep me busy.
I can do them standing or sitting so they don't hurt my back much.
There are so many ways to modify, and do them differently.
You can use some of the tiniest scraps to make them. I've even been thinking of gluing up some even smaller scraps of different colors.
They are beautiful projects that make perfect gifts.
Did I mention they are fun?
 

Attachments

#421 ·
Solutions, And a Couple Of New Mistakes

I am a day late posting this. I got down in my back yesterday evening. Rain was coming in this morning. Changes in weather effect my back greatly. Anyway, I'll be typing this up as if it was last night.

I jumped right into the fray of things today with preparing multiple blanks before doing anything else. I wanted to turn today without having to stop, cut, drill, and wait for glue to set.
Wood Tool Hand tool Nail Natural material

The first pen of today, I made one of the wood blanks longer by the length of the width of the center ring. Does that make sense? Anyway, I done so in an attempt to eliminate the center ring because, you may remember me saying, one of my kits was missing that ring.
I glued the tube in all the way to one end on the longer blank. The twist mechanism in the writing end of the pen sticks out plenty enough to still seat into the longer blank with the space left without the tube. If you think about if, of course it will. It is only going the same distance to get to the tube as if you had a center ring on it anyway. So it works out the same.
This pen is walnut. It was made from a piece from my scrap ben. That, by the way is the one problem I see with turning pens. I was already a wood hoarder. Now I see even the scrap pieces as potential projects.
I almost messed this pen up. While the glue was setting on the blanks, I used a scrap piece of wood and practiced more trying to perfect the CA glue finish technique. It turned out wonderfully on the scrap wood. So I tried it on this walnut. It turned out looking like crap. I don't know what went wrong. I have been told now that I need water thin glue for the finish. I only have locally bought Super Glue (brand name) at the moment. So for now, I'll stick with my shellac based finish until I can get some thinner glue to try again.
Anyway, I took a long coffee break while waiting for that glue to fully cure so I could sand it back off the walnut. That stuff does not like to be sanded off. However, I was happy with this pen and did not want to lose the blanks or the tubes. I think it turned out extremely nice though without the center ring.
Wood Terrestrial plant Natural material Plant Tool

My next pen, and now my new favorite wood, is cocobolo. This wood was from the free blanks that was sent with my pen kit order. The blanks looked beautiful in their own right. When turned though, it looks different, and completely amazing. This wood has presented me with a new issue. Now I want to try any wood I can get my hands on. If and when I can sell some of my pens, I definately want to try a few new (to me) exotic blanks from time to time.
I have seen some beautiful wood before, but this just took my breath away. No, not literally. I had done some reading up on it already, but in case anyone else hasn't, use respiratory protection when turning or working with cocobolo.
You may also notice that I like the walnut pen so much without the center ring that I also turned this one without it.
I still have nine more cocobolo blanks. I can't wait to see what beautiful grain each of them presents.
Font Wood Carmine Nail Fashion accessory

Then my first mistake for the day. This was, I repeat WAS, birdseye maple. I stopped as I was getting near the end of the turning and grabbed my newly sharpened detail gouge. This was a mistake. I learned an important lesson. If you sharpen your tool, start using it before being almost finished. That way, you get a feel for the cut before getting too close to the tube.
With the tool being so sharp, and my not having that feel for the newly sharpened tool just yet, I sliced off too quickly, got a tad too close to the tube insert on the end. It may be a little hard to see in this photo, but if I had put this pen together, that missing chip of wood would have stuck out like sore thumb.
So I set this aside. I had a thought though. I may be able to turn the wood completely off the tube and reuse the tubes. I could also order more tubes and not mess with it. I don't know if it's even worth messing with. I'm going to give it a try anyway though when I get a chance.
Wood Watch Natural material Metal Fashion accessory

Wood Natural material Tool Blade Knife

The first pen is cedar and the next one is pecan. There is a reason these are pictured together. Let me tell you what happened.
Somehow my blanks got mixed up on the table. I was halfway through turning a pen when I realized, the front piece was cedar and the back piece was pecan. It was too late to do anything about it though. So I just made another turning, with the front piece pecan and the back piece cedar, and then assembled both pens with the right blanks matching each other.
The pecan done just as expected, but I learned yet another lesson with the cedar. Cedar is an extremely soft wood. Someone with long fingernails could probably carved cedar with their fingernails. I learned that, when working with very soft woods, leave your turned blank more proud than normal of your bushing, and then sand down to final size. I have been doing this anyway, but I will in the future do it more so with the cedar. It just so happens that the cedar sands SO fast, that I was removing too much material and, if I had went all the way through all the grits, it would have been smaller than the hardware that went on the pen. So, to keep it to size, I wound up skipping every other grit. This left tiny scratches in the finished piece.
It still looked nice, but I could never attempt to sell something like this with visible scratches in the finish. All is well though. You see, cedar is my wife's favorite wood. So she was all too happy to take it home and keep it for herself.
Plant Tobacco Wood Tool Metal

I made the next pen out of box elder. This wood was sent to me some time ago by a friend and fellow Lumberjock, Marty.
I was interested in how it would look. Well, there was but one way to find out. This is a beautiful wood for flat work. For a pen, not so much. It is pretty, but kind of plain looking. So I edded some burned in lines to it to give it some kind of color.
Wood Plant Tool Natural material Tobacco

After the failure with the maple earlier in the day, I glued up another blank with it. I just had to see what this beautiful wood was going to look like as a pen. It was absolutely stunning. As a matter of fact, after seeing it, it kind of made me sad that I messed up the first attempt at it. This is such a beautiful wood. However, I only have enough scraps of it to make a couple more pens from it before it's all gone.
This wood came from another friend, and also a Lumberjock, Jeff.

That's it. These pens are turning out to be the perfect project for me. Now if only I can figure out how to sell them so I can keep doing them.
They are easy.
They keep me busy.
I can do them standing or sitting so they don't hurt my back much.
There are so many ways to modify, and do them differently.
You can use some of the tiniest scraps to make them. I've even been thinking of gluing up some even smaller scraps of different colors.
They are beautiful projects that make perfect gifts.
Did I mention they are fun?
William you seem to be getting the hang of this pen turning, some beautiful pens ,liked the cedar one ,always thought it would be a hard wood to turn ,but it looks great but that cocobolo is some pretty wood too
 

Attachments

#439 ·
Learning To Adapt

I am always trying to think of little lessons to give out as I learn all of this. Today, I want to share what I believe to be the most important lesson I've learned about wood turning. Adapt. If something goes wrong, set it aside and think on it a while. Then adapt it to do something different. If you're wondering what made me think that one up, read on about today's adventures.
Wood Tool Knife Plant Blade

First up today was a piece of bloodwood. I think this is a beautiful wood. I had a tiny piece of scrap of it. It is the hard wood that was given to me to use as guide blocks on my shop built band saw. This is the edge of the board that I sat aside. It was such a pretty wood that, even though the piece was small, I could not bring myself to throw it out. I knew I'd get to use it one day.
I was sweating bullet though after yesterday's mess up though. I only had enough bloodwood for this pen and maybe one more. So a failure here would have been very disheartening to me. As you can see though, all went well.
Tool Wood Hand tool Gun accessory Metal

In this photo, the piece of wood on the right, is my second pen, and first failure of the day. On the left is the piece of wood off of the failure from yesterday. In the middle is the four tubes from the two pens that were messed up on. I put the damaged pens back on the mandrell, sharpened my smallest skew up, and sliced the wood off the tubes. I went slow and careful, and now had four tubes that would have otherwise been useless. Then I sat all this on the bench to consider while I moved on. You'll have to read on to find out the destiny of these, now salvaged, tubes.
Plant Wood Tool Natural material Hand tool

Next up was another piece of cocobolo. I love this wood so much that I'm tempted to take the rest of the ten pieces I started with and just turn all of them. I'm trying to stretch them out though so I can think of new ways to use them as I go. Since I turned one yesterday with no center band, I looked at the satin gold kit today and thought it would look good with this wood with the band.
Wood Hardwood Wood stain Art Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

At this point I was starting to get quite a few pens piled up on my bench. I was looking through pen kits trying to decide what to use next when I almost bumped one off the side of the bench. I didn't wish for any of them to hit the concrete floor in my shop. So I figured it was time I stopped what I was doing and find a better way of keeping up with them. Mike, someone who has been very helpful to me, suggested that I build a display stand for my pens. This is what I came up with on the spur of the moment. With some more thought, I may come up with something better at a later date. For now though, this keeps them safe and displays them nicely for anyone who comes to my shop. This now sits in my front room, where all my finished work is, to display the pens. They are no longer sitting on my bench in the shop waiting to be damaged.

.

Now, remember those salvaged pen tubes?
I'd been thinking about those tubes ever since I retrieved them out of the messed up pen blanks. Should I just redo what I'd originally started to do with them? Should I play it safe with them since they were to be reused and do something extremely simple? Neither of these options appealed to me. I now had two sets of pen tubes that would have otherwise went in the garbage. This was the perfect opportunity to try aq couple of ideas I had been thinking about.
Wood Tool Natural material Blade Knife

This is a walnut pen. It is hard for you to see in the photo probably, but the grain does not run the length of the pen. It runs more of a diagonal, at an angle. The reason for this was to see if I really could use an odd scrap I had of walnut to make a pen.
This scrap was cut at an odd angle for a table top pattern I made long time ago. It's another one of those pieces I just couldn't throw away. The wood itself came from a tree that was taken down by a tornado in a friend's yard about ten years ago. He had it milled into lumber, stacked and stickered out behind his shop. Then he barely used any of it. About ninety percent of the wood went to waste due to rot and beetles. This is one of the few pieces that survived.
The point was that I realized something I had been wondering. No, I was not limited to wood of a certain length, running with the grain. As long as I could get blanks of a certain size, no matter how the grain run, could I use it? Well let's see.
That brings me to the last pen of today.
Wood Tool Natural material Plant Cuisine

If you seen the birdseye maple pen from yesterday, this is a piece of scrap off the exact same piece of wood. It was wide, but not nearly long enough for regular pen blanks. So I had the idea of cutting it the exact opposite of a normal pen blank. The grain ran across the blank instead of the length of it. I absolutely love how it turned out and am anxious to try this technique with other woods just to see what I get.
I had to rethink this one as I was doing it though. First of all, I cut the blanks longer than needed. I guess you could say wider than needed depending how you look at it since the grain is running sideways instead of longways. I hope you understand what I'm saying.
Anyway, I done this because I knew I was going to have chip out problems when I drilled the blank. I always have at least a tiny bit of chip out when drilling this direction in a hard wood, so I wasn't takingt chances. Remember I am almost out of this beautiful wood. This way, after drilling the blank, and I did have a tiny bit of chipout as expected, I was able to then go to the table saw and trim that chip out right off. This left me a perfect pen blank, with the grain running across.
Next, for the turning. I intentionally made these blanks one inch by one inch. I done so because I wanted extra playing room for me to see just how it was going to turn. As I expected, it cut very rough because I was now cutting end grain on two sides of the pen blank. Remember though that I learned a lot about grind angles and tool presentation on end grain when I was learning to turn bowl? I used my smallest bowl gouge and adjusted my tool rest and was able to work these blanks just as well as if the grain was running the length.

So now I know. I will probably still sweat bullets when I'm working with something I am extremely limited on, like the birdseye maple, blood wood, or some other medium I may aquire. From now on though, I don't think I'll be quite as nervous about messing up tubes by not turning a blank correctly. I learned today that with a little bit of time, they are easily salvaged.
In also learned a little something about wood choices. Now, I am no longer limited by wood length and width. I can go the other way, or diaganally if needed.
Also, I've got other ideas. The pen I cut with the walnut running at an angle? Since reading a comment from Doe on the previous post, I thought about cutting contrasting woods at angles and gluing them up into blanks. The possibilities are endless. Pretty soon I'll figure out a way to take my lathe shavings and make blanks.

That last line was a joke by the way. I don't think I will get that desperate. If I thought I needed to waste that much glue to use shavings, I think I'd come out cheaper just buying blanks.
 

Attachments

#440 ·
Learning To Adapt

I am always trying to think of little lessons to give out as I learn all of this. Today, I want to share what I believe to be the most important lesson I've learned about wood turning. Adapt. If something goes wrong, set it aside and think on it a while. Then adapt it to do something different. If you're wondering what made me think that one up, read on about today's adventures.
Wood Tool Knife Plant Blade

First up today was a piece of bloodwood. I think this is a beautiful wood. I had a tiny piece of scrap of it. It is the hard wood that was given to me to use as guide blocks on my shop built band saw. This is the edge of the board that I sat aside. It was such a pretty wood that, even though the piece was small, I could not bring myself to throw it out. I knew I'd get to use it one day.
I was sweating bullet though after yesterday's mess up though. I only had enough bloodwood for this pen and maybe one more. So a failure here would have been very disheartening to me. As you can see though, all went well.
Tool Wood Hand tool Gun accessory Metal

In this photo, the piece of wood on the right, is my second pen, and first failure of the day. On the left is the piece of wood off of the failure from yesterday. In the middle is the four tubes from the two pens that were messed up on. I put the damaged pens back on the mandrell, sharpened my smallest skew up, and sliced the wood off the tubes. I went slow and careful, and now had four tubes that would have otherwise been useless. Then I sat all this on the bench to consider while I moved on. You'll have to read on to find out the destiny of these, now salvaged, tubes.
Plant Wood Tool Natural material Hand tool

Next up was another piece of cocobolo. I love this wood so much that I'm tempted to take the rest of the ten pieces I started with and just turn all of them. I'm trying to stretch them out though so I can think of new ways to use them as I go. Since I turned one yesterday with no center band, I looked at the satin gold kit today and thought it would look good with this wood with the band.
Wood Hardwood Wood stain Art Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

At this point I was starting to get quite a few pens piled up on my bench. I was looking through pen kits trying to decide what to use next when I almost bumped one off the side of the bench. I didn't wish for any of them to hit the concrete floor in my shop. So I figured it was time I stopped what I was doing and find a better way of keeping up with them. Mike, someone who has been very helpful to me, suggested that I build a display stand for my pens. This is what I came up with on the spur of the moment. With some more thought, I may come up with something better at a later date. For now though, this keeps them safe and displays them nicely for anyone who comes to my shop. This now sits in my front room, where all my finished work is, to display the pens. They are no longer sitting on my bench in the shop waiting to be damaged.

.

Now, remember those salvaged pen tubes?
I'd been thinking about those tubes ever since I retrieved them out of the messed up pen blanks. Should I just redo what I'd originally started to do with them? Should I play it safe with them since they were to be reused and do something extremely simple? Neither of these options appealed to me. I now had two sets of pen tubes that would have otherwise went in the garbage. This was the perfect opportunity to try aq couple of ideas I had been thinking about.
Wood Tool Natural material Blade Knife

This is a walnut pen. It is hard for you to see in the photo probably, but the grain does not run the length of the pen. It runs more of a diagonal, at an angle. The reason for this was to see if I really could use an odd scrap I had of walnut to make a pen.
This scrap was cut at an odd angle for a table top pattern I made long time ago. It's another one of those pieces I just couldn't throw away. The wood itself came from a tree that was taken down by a tornado in a friend's yard about ten years ago. He had it milled into lumber, stacked and stickered out behind his shop. Then he barely used any of it. About ninety percent of the wood went to waste due to rot and beetles. This is one of the few pieces that survived.
The point was that I realized something I had been wondering. No, I was not limited to wood of a certain length, running with the grain. As long as I could get blanks of a certain size, no matter how the grain run, could I use it? Well let's see.
That brings me to the last pen of today.
Wood Tool Natural material Plant Cuisine

If you seen the birdseye maple pen from yesterday, this is a piece of scrap off the exact same piece of wood. It was wide, but not nearly long enough for regular pen blanks. So I had the idea of cutting it the exact opposite of a normal pen blank. The grain ran across the blank instead of the length of it. I absolutely love how it turned out and am anxious to try this technique with other woods just to see what I get.
I had to rethink this one as I was doing it though. First of all, I cut the blanks longer than needed. I guess you could say wider than needed depending how you look at it since the grain is running sideways instead of longways. I hope you understand what I'm saying.
Anyway, I done this because I knew I was going to have chip out problems when I drilled the blank. I always have at least a tiny bit of chip out when drilling this direction in a hard wood, so I wasn't takingt chances. Remember I am almost out of this beautiful wood. This way, after drilling the blank, and I did have a tiny bit of chipout as expected, I was able to then go to the table saw and trim that chip out right off. This left me a perfect pen blank, with the grain running across.
Next, for the turning. I intentionally made these blanks one inch by one inch. I done so because I wanted extra playing room for me to see just how it was going to turn. As I expected, it cut very rough because I was now cutting end grain on two sides of the pen blank. Remember though that I learned a lot about grind angles and tool presentation on end grain when I was learning to turn bowl? I used my smallest bowl gouge and adjusted my tool rest and was able to work these blanks just as well as if the grain was running the length.

So now I know. I will probably still sweat bullets when I'm working with something I am extremely limited on, like the birdseye maple, blood wood, or some other medium I may aquire. From now on though, I don't think I'll be quite as nervous about messing up tubes by not turning a blank correctly. I learned today that with a little bit of time, they are easily salvaged.
In also learned a little something about wood choices. Now, I am no longer limited by wood length and width. I can go the other way, or diaganally if needed.
Also, I've got other ideas. The pen I cut with the walnut running at an angle? Since reading a comment from Doe on the previous post, I thought about cutting contrasting woods at angles and gluing them up into blanks. The possibilities are endless. Pretty soon I'll figure out a way to take my lathe shavings and make blanks.

That last line was a joke by the way. I don't think I will get that desperate. If I thought I needed to waste that much glue to use shavings, I think I'd come out cheaper just buying blanks.
Good save!!!

For what it's worth, i suggest a stepped or tiered display, thereby making all pens more visible. Just a thought.
 

Attachments

#451 ·
People Spoke, So I Listened

For several days now, I have been wanting to glue up some more bowl blanks. It has been cool though. When I say cool, keep in mind I live in Mississippi. It has ranged from the forties at night up to around the mid sixties during the day. I know that during the day it is warm enough to glue, but the temperatures fall below what the glue bottle instructions recommend before it is set. I've had a past safety issue with trying to glue material in low temperatures before. So, I won't do it now unless I have a fire going in the wood heater. The problem with recent weather her though is it's cool, but not cool enough that I could stay in the shop comfortable with a fire going.
Wood Gas Automotive tire Machine Engineering

Wood Gas Cylinder Engineering Machine

Well today it rose quickly into the seventies. So I took the opportunity to get a couple of bowl blanks glued up.

Then it was back to some pens. I wanted to do some more experimenting with what I started yesterday, with the grain running across the pen instead of the length of it. I had a few ideas. However, there was another thing that had been on my mind. Here on Lumberjock, from family, and the few friends who have seen my pens, a great majority of them tell me the same thing, they like the ones without the center band best. So I decided to prepare five blanks. I had five different idea to try.

The first pen of today, I have nothing to show you. I completely messed it up and didn't even think to take photos to show you. First, I forgot to scuff up the tube before inserting it. Now, with the bandless pens, one of the blank halves has about a quarter inch space between the end of the wood and where the tube starts. With the tube not scuffed up, the tube slipped while I was trying to press the cap and clip in. So I pushed the tube out, scuffed it, and reglued it. All was good, until I cracked the wood trying to repress it. Then I was trying to disassemble it to try and reuse everything, when the cap went flying into a large pile of shavings from the lathe. As anyone who has ever done this knows, it was then lost forever. By the time it was all over, I'd lost a cap, bend a tube, and destroyed the wood. It was time for a coffee break already.
Ok, coffee makes everything better. It was time for another go.
Wood Natural material Tool Metal Hardwood

I liked the marble look of the birdseye maple on the last pen I done yesterday so much that I wanted to make another one. It was without the center ring. Remember, all of them are today.
Wood Wood stain Natural material Hardwood Metal

Wood Food Ingredient Terrestrial plant Bamboo

I showed two sides of this pen. Now let me try my best to explain my thinking behind it.
My wife loves aromatic cedar. I like it, but mainly because of the dramatic contrast between the heart wood and sapwood. So I wanted to figure out a way to put both on a pen, but without just simply having one on one end, and the other on the other.
So, I took a piece of cedar that had heartwood with a strip of sapwood running up one side of it. Using my table saw, I cut it across to there I'd get an angle of both kinds of wood in the same one inch square strip. Next, I cut a piece long enough for both pen blanks out of the middle of this strip. Then I flipped them around, marked that orientation, and made the pen. It was somewhere along this area that I lost myself and had no idea how it was going to look. I did know that there was only one way to find out. I like it.
Wood Computer keyboard Metal Natural material Knife

For my next pen, I wanted to use that last small piece of blood wood I had. Since this was the last pen I'd be able to make with what I had though, and the other one had a center ring, I wanted this one to be without a center ring. The problem is, it wasn't quite long enough. I was about three eighths of an inch too short. So, thinking of something that Doe had mentioned on yesterday's blog, I decided to use super glue and glue a thin piece of birdseye maple to one of the blanks so it would be in the middle of the cut line on the back end of the pen. I let that dry for a bit while I talked with a friend that had stopped by. Then he wanted to watch me turn it.

That brings me to the last pen for today, and the pen that I will remember for the rest of my life. Read on and you'll understand why.
Wood Plant Insect Terrestrial plant Natural material

My friend wanted a pen, but he couldn't find one that was exactly what he wanted. He wound up showing me the features of several different pens that he did like. So, I made a deal with him. I asked if he would buy a pen from me if I was able to turn a pen, based on the features he said he wanted, that he was happy with. So he showed me he liked the bump down near the nib, a straight shaft after that, with no center ring and the burned in grip lines. Also, his favorite wood of them all was the birdseye maple with the grain running sideways instead of lengthwise.
So I turned this pen. He took a piece of paper and wrote a few things on it to "test drive" the pen, and said he absolutely loved it. That's right folks. Have you figured out why I'll always remember it?

It is the first pen I've ever sold!
 

Attachments

#452 ·
People Spoke, So I Listened

For several days now, I have been wanting to glue up some more bowl blanks. It has been cool though. When I say cool, keep in mind I live in Mississippi. It has ranged from the forties at night up to around the mid sixties during the day. I know that during the day it is warm enough to glue, but the temperatures fall below what the glue bottle instructions recommend before it is set. I've had a past safety issue with trying to glue material in low temperatures before. So, I won't do it now unless I have a fire going in the wood heater. The problem with recent weather her though is it's cool, but not cool enough that I could stay in the shop comfortable with a fire going.
Wood Gas Automotive tire Machine Engineering

Wood Gas Cylinder Engineering Machine

Well today it rose quickly into the seventies. So I took the opportunity to get a couple of bowl blanks glued up.

Then it was back to some pens. I wanted to do some more experimenting with what I started yesterday, with the grain running across the pen instead of the length of it. I had a few ideas. However, there was another thing that had been on my mind. Here on Lumberjock, from family, and the few friends who have seen my pens, a great majority of them tell me the same thing, they like the ones without the center band best. So I decided to prepare five blanks. I had five different idea to try.

The first pen of today, I have nothing to show you. I completely messed it up and didn't even think to take photos to show you. First, I forgot to scuff up the tube before inserting it. Now, with the bandless pens, one of the blank halves has about a quarter inch space between the end of the wood and where the tube starts. With the tube not scuffed up, the tube slipped while I was trying to press the cap and clip in. So I pushed the tube out, scuffed it, and reglued it. All was good, until I cracked the wood trying to repress it. Then I was trying to disassemble it to try and reuse everything, when the cap went flying into a large pile of shavings from the lathe. As anyone who has ever done this knows, it was then lost forever. By the time it was all over, I'd lost a cap, bend a tube, and destroyed the wood. It was time for a coffee break already.
Ok, coffee makes everything better. It was time for another go.
Wood Natural material Tool Metal Hardwood

I liked the marble look of the birdseye maple on the last pen I done yesterday so much that I wanted to make another one. It was without the center ring. Remember, all of them are today.
Wood Wood stain Natural material Hardwood Metal

Wood Food Ingredient Terrestrial plant Bamboo

I showed two sides of this pen. Now let me try my best to explain my thinking behind it.
My wife loves aromatic cedar. I like it, but mainly because of the dramatic contrast between the heart wood and sapwood. So I wanted to figure out a way to put both on a pen, but without just simply having one on one end, and the other on the other.
So, I took a piece of cedar that had heartwood with a strip of sapwood running up one side of it. Using my table saw, I cut it across to there I'd get an angle of both kinds of wood in the same one inch square strip. Next, I cut a piece long enough for both pen blanks out of the middle of this strip. Then I flipped them around, marked that orientation, and made the pen. It was somewhere along this area that I lost myself and had no idea how it was going to look. I did know that there was only one way to find out. I like it.
Wood Computer keyboard Metal Natural material Knife

For my next pen, I wanted to use that last small piece of blood wood I had. Since this was the last pen I'd be able to make with what I had though, and the other one had a center ring, I wanted this one to be without a center ring. The problem is, it wasn't quite long enough. I was about three eighths of an inch too short. So, thinking of something that Doe had mentioned on yesterday's blog, I decided to use super glue and glue a thin piece of birdseye maple to one of the blanks so it would be in the middle of the cut line on the back end of the pen. I let that dry for a bit while I talked with a friend that had stopped by. Then he wanted to watch me turn it.

That brings me to the last pen for today, and the pen that I will remember for the rest of my life. Read on and you'll understand why.
Wood Plant Insect Terrestrial plant Natural material

My friend wanted a pen, but he couldn't find one that was exactly what he wanted. He wound up showing me the features of several different pens that he did like. So, I made a deal with him. I asked if he would buy a pen from me if I was able to turn a pen, based on the features he said he wanted, that he was happy with. So he showed me he liked the bump down near the nib, a straight shaft after that, with no center ring and the burned in grip lines. Also, his favorite wood of them all was the birdseye maple with the grain running sideways instead of lengthwise.
So I turned this pen. He took a piece of paper and wrote a few things on it to "test drive" the pen, and said he absolutely loved it. That's right folks. Have you figured out why I'll always remember it?

It is the first pen I've ever sold!
FAN-FREAKIN_TASTIC!!!
Congratulations!

Not only is it your first sold pen…
It is your first custom pen…
Along with being your first commissioned pen!!!
You ain't NO pen virgin anymore!!!

BTW: I love the Bloodwood/Maple pen!!!
I really gotta get my lathe set up.
 

Attachments

#479 ·
A Tale Of Two Bowls

If you read my blog yesterday, you know I glued up material for two bowls. I got to work on those today.
Here is the first one, with an interesting result.
Wood Ingredient Food Trunk Natural material

Tableware Dishware Ingredient Wood Singing bowl

The bowl is made of glued up layers of pecan and sapelle. That is not the story though.
If you looked at all closely at the photos yesterday and remember them, you may remember the blank was a bit thicker than that.
Wood Wood stain Hardwood Varnish Plywood

This is my lesson of the day for my friend, Randy. Never stand in the line of fire when turning anything that you don't want to potentially hit you. I learned that lesson a while back. So luckily, I seen this piece fly, but did not feel it.
This is also why I try to glue up two bowl blanks at a time if I'm doing these laminated bowls. If I have one failure, I have another to work with. If I have two failures in one day, it's time to go home and rethink things.
I'm not sure what happened on this one to be honest with you. Times in the past, when something was destroyed, I had an explanation. On this bowl, everything was going great. There was no catches. Everything was balanced perfectly. I running at a comfortable speed and riding the bevel in on each stroke, looking just like a pro. The light of the second layer of pecan had just peaked through, when the top two layer decided it didn't want to turn anymore. It wanted to fly!
I had just pulled back my tool rest and planned on shutting the lathe down and get ready to switch to my curved rest to get closer to what I was doing. I seen something go almost striaight up into the rafters of the shop, and land, in the garbage can mind you, about twenty five feet away. I shut the lathe down, walked over to the garbage can, and retrieved these two pieces out.
Luckily, thanks to the nifty thin parting tool I made thanks to Captain Eddie Castelin's videos, I sliced off things smoothly and just made it a shorter bowl.

Anyway, a short bowl is quick to turn. So I had enough of the day left to hop right onto the next bow.
Wood Natural material Musical instrument Hardwood Wood stain

Tableware Wood Natural material Dishware Plant

Wood Hardwood Wood stain Flooring Varnish

Wood Ingredient Varnish Natural material Wood stain

This bowl was made of the same material as the first. It was just turned differently for the glue up. Instead of cutting circles on the bandsaw and then gluing it up, I cut planks, glued them together, then turned the whole block sideways and cut it into a circle on the bandsaw.
I like this configuration better. It was my first time turing dry wood in this orientation. The way the grain runs, I was able to cut easily from the rim to center, as you norally would for a bowl, or from center to rim, as you would for an end grain turning. I liked that a lot because I could adapt my cut to whatever I was trying to do at any particular moment. Also, I think it made for a very nice finished look.

In closing today, I wish to make a discaimer.
In my "lesson of the day" points I make in some of these blog entries, please I hope noone takes these as me knowing what I am doing. I am a beginner. I am still learning this as I go along. If you want good advice, there are millions of turners who have been doing it for decades longer than I.
I only do the "lesson of the day" bits as a running joke towards a good friend of mine, Randy. I do this because Randy is the only beginning turner; wait, Randy is a future beginning turner. Randy is the only future beginning turner I know personally who may just know a little less than me about the subject.

Hello Randy. Remember today's lesson. Stay out of the line of fire of spinning bowls.
 

Attachments

#480 ·
A Tale Of Two Bowls

If you read my blog yesterday, you know I glued up material for two bowls. I got to work on those today.
Here is the first one, with an interesting result.
Wood Ingredient Food Trunk Natural material

Tableware Dishware Ingredient Wood Singing bowl

The bowl is made of glued up layers of pecan and sapelle. That is not the story though.
If you looked at all closely at the photos yesterday and remember them, you may remember the blank was a bit thicker than that.
Wood Wood stain Hardwood Varnish Plywood

This is my lesson of the day for my friend, Randy. Never stand in the line of fire when turning anything that you don't want to potentially hit you. I learned that lesson a while back. So luckily, I seen this piece fly, but did not feel it.
This is also why I try to glue up two bowl blanks at a time if I'm doing these laminated bowls. If I have one failure, I have another to work with. If I have two failures in one day, it's time to go home and rethink things.
I'm not sure what happened on this one to be honest with you. Times in the past, when something was destroyed, I had an explanation. On this bowl, everything was going great. There was no catches. Everything was balanced perfectly. I running at a comfortable speed and riding the bevel in on each stroke, looking just like a pro. The light of the second layer of pecan had just peaked through, when the top two layer decided it didn't want to turn anymore. It wanted to fly!
I had just pulled back my tool rest and planned on shutting the lathe down and get ready to switch to my curved rest to get closer to what I was doing. I seen something go almost striaight up into the rafters of the shop, and land, in the garbage can mind you, about twenty five feet away. I shut the lathe down, walked over to the garbage can, and retrieved these two pieces out.
Luckily, thanks to the nifty thin parting tool I made thanks to Captain Eddie Castelin's videos, I sliced off things smoothly and just made it a shorter bowl.

Anyway, a short bowl is quick to turn. So I had enough of the day left to hop right onto the next bow.
Wood Natural material Musical instrument Hardwood Wood stain

Tableware Wood Natural material Dishware Plant

Wood Hardwood Wood stain Flooring Varnish

Wood Ingredient Varnish Natural material Wood stain

This bowl was made of the same material as the first. It was just turned differently for the glue up. Instead of cutting circles on the bandsaw and then gluing it up, I cut planks, glued them together, then turned the whole block sideways and cut it into a circle on the bandsaw.
I like this configuration better. It was my first time turing dry wood in this orientation. The way the grain runs, I was able to cut easily from the rim to center, as you norally would for a bowl, or from center to rim, as you would for an end grain turning. I liked that a lot because I could adapt my cut to whatever I was trying to do at any particular moment. Also, I think it made for a very nice finished look.

In closing today, I wish to make a discaimer.
In my "lesson of the day" points I make in some of these blog entries, please I hope noone takes these as me knowing what I am doing. I am a beginner. I am still learning this as I go along. If you want good advice, there are millions of turners who have been doing it for decades longer than I.
I only do the "lesson of the day" bits as a running joke towards a good friend of mine, Randy. I do this because Randy is the only beginning turner; wait, Randy is a future beginning turner. Randy is the only future beginning turner I know personally who may just know a little less than me about the subject.

Hello Randy. Remember today's lesson. Stay out of the line of fire of spinning bowls.
Whizzz… bing… ker-plunk…..
 

Attachments

#491 ·
Woke Up With An Idea

Do any of you wake up with an idea? Almost like it came to you in a dream? I can't say it did, because I can never actually remember my dreams, but I woke up this morning with an idea that was driving me absolutely nuts. I couldn't wait to try it out.
Now, I'm not saying that this idea is completely original. I often have brilliant ideas sometimes that I realize much later that I had seen somewhere and must have just tucked it away somewhere deep in my subconscious. As I like to say, there's nothing new under the table saw.
Wood Gas Font Triangle Tints and shades

The idea has to do with angles. These are the blanks for the first two test subjects. I many variations of this idea on my mind though by simply changing the angle and configuration of which those angled pieces are arranged to glue up.
Before I could start that though, and while I was waiting for the glue to set on these, and the tubes after I glued them in, I had to complete a blank I had glued tubes into yesterday evening.
Wood Natural material Tool Hand tool Metal

Wood Tool Natural material Metal Musical instrument

Wood Tool Natural material Metal Blade

Some of you may be wondering why I am back to using center rings. I am having alignment issues with some of the pens that I have traced back to alignment issues with my lathe. I have got to figure out a good way to get that issue resolved. I thought I had it solved, but it is back. If I cannot get it permenantly resolved, I am going to have to order a #2 morse taper mandrel so I can use on my larger lathe, which is much more predictably accurate. I am happy doing this for now though. If nothing else it is allowing me to practice and cultivate ideas like I've done today.

Then is was on to the test subjects of today.
Tap Wood Plant Cigar Tobacco

Wood Natural material Everyday carry Tool Metal

Wood Plant Handwriting Tap Metal

This is the top glue up in the photo of the blanks.
Wood Tool Knife Hunting knife Blade

Wood Tool Natural material Knife Blade

Wood Tool Plant Natural material Hand tool

And this is the bottom.

Both of these are pecan and walnut. I liked them and am ready to move on with some other versions of this idea.

I had a notion to make some out of cedar and box elder. So I glued them up and went to the house for a while. I went back later to drill the holes and glue the tubes in. When I removed the clamps though, the cedar glueups almost fell apart. I think it has something to do with the oils in cedar and my attempt of using super glue with it. I may try this again at a later date with cedar, but for now, I think I'll stick with less oily woods.
 

Attachments

#492 ·
Woke Up With An Idea

Do any of you wake up with an idea? Almost like it came to you in a dream? I can't say it did, because I can never actually remember my dreams, but I woke up this morning with an idea that was driving me absolutely nuts. I couldn't wait to try it out.
Now, I'm not saying that this idea is completely original. I often have brilliant ideas sometimes that I realize much later that I had seen somewhere and must have just tucked it away somewhere deep in my subconscious. As I like to say, there's nothing new under the table saw.
Wood Gas Font Triangle Tints and shades

The idea has to do with angles. These are the blanks for the first two test subjects. I many variations of this idea on my mind though by simply changing the angle and configuration of which those angled pieces are arranged to glue up.
Before I could start that though, and while I was waiting for the glue to set on these, and the tubes after I glued them in, I had to complete a blank I had glued tubes into yesterday evening.
Wood Natural material Tool Hand tool Metal

Wood Tool Natural material Metal Musical instrument

Wood Tool Natural material Metal Blade

Some of you may be wondering why I am back to using center rings. I am having alignment issues with some of the pens that I have traced back to alignment issues with my lathe. I have got to figure out a good way to get that issue resolved. I thought I had it solved, but it is back. If I cannot get it permenantly resolved, I am going to have to order a #2 morse taper mandrel so I can use on my larger lathe, which is much more predictably accurate. I am happy doing this for now though. If nothing else it is allowing me to practice and cultivate ideas like I've done today.

Then is was on to the test subjects of today.
Tap Wood Plant Cigar Tobacco

Wood Natural material Everyday carry Tool Metal

Wood Plant Handwriting Tap Metal

This is the top glue up in the photo of the blanks.
Wood Tool Knife Hunting knife Blade

Wood Tool Natural material Knife Blade

Wood Tool Plant Natural material Hand tool

And this is the bottom.

Both of these are pecan and walnut. I liked them and am ready to move on with some other versions of this idea.

I had a notion to make some out of cedar and box elder. So I glued them up and went to the house for a while. I went back later to drill the holes and glue the tubes in. When I removed the clamps though, the cedar glueups almost fell apart. I think it has something to do with the oils in cedar and my attempt of using super glue with it. I may try this again at a later date with cedar, but for now, I think I'll stick with less oily woods.
Sorry yer havin alignment problems but I'll bet you figure it out! What size stock is needed for a pen blank?
 

Attachments

#507 ·
Failure Is Not An Option

I have been complimented on my "never say die" attitude in the past by fellow Lumberjocks. That perserverence helped me get to where I wanted to be today, but it made me want to share with my friends about my Uncle J.C.

My Uncle J.C. was one of the men who helped raise me. He was a twenty three year military veteran. In my eyes, he was what a real man was. He was a hard nosed, gun toting, take no crap off noone kind of guy, who also taught me how to sew, cook, iron clothes, do housework, and to always have a kind heart. He taught me to live off the land, hunt, fish, garden, field dress any animal, and what berries and roots to eat if you had no animal to eat. Then he turned right around and taught me to love, laugh, and to care for your fellow man. Anytime I think of giving up on anything though, even though he passed on years ago, I can still hear him in my ear, "can't never could boy. Failure is not an option. Now try again. If you still don't get it, keep trying until you do".

Anyway, story time is over. I just felt a need for some reason to share that.

If you seen the angular approach of yesterday, I think it looked nice. As a matter of fact, after seeing the results, I have a hard time looking at a single wood pen the same now. How can I when I know that adding other colors can make such a dramatic difference. I'm sure that I'll do plain pens too, but for now, I want to play with these ideas some more. It may take a while, but I have to see where it leads me.
From the start today, I had an idea of what I wanted. I could see it in my head. I have no idea what the design is called though. I have seen the design on pens before, but just didn't know exactly how to accomplish it. I am sure a little internet research would probably have netted me several step by step articles on how to get there, but where is the fun in that?
Wood Tool Plant Shear Natural material

Wood Hunting knife Knife Tool Blade

First thing I had to do was to turn the blank I had prepared yesterday evening before leaving the shop. I felt it wasn't on the path to what I was after, but I felt it was still too nice a design to scrap at this point. This one is walnut with box elder.
Wood Twig Natural material Ingredient Vegetable

Wood Terrestrial plant Twig Fashion accessory Metal

Wood Trunk Twig Natural material Cuisine

This one is box elder with sapelle. It is nothing like what I am trying to do. It did look good to me though. So I felt it was a keeper.
Then it was on to moving more towards what I am trying to do. I had several failed glueups in a row. I figured out that gluing these thin strips in line was causing issues. It was just too hard to keep everything lines with you get more than one or two strips. I thought this one out and realized that, since it was to be turned down in size, that I didn't need to cut my angles all the way through the wood. Cutting a certain depth into my blanks, and then turning down, gives me something to keep the complete blank in line, and turns out the same on the lathe. This also made me realize that this idea opens up a whole new world of possibilites that may keep my mind going for months.
Next problem I had was glue. I had been using super glue. Again, this was fine with one or two strips. Past that though and things start to get messy. Everything wants to slide around and I'd accidentally touch recently glued surfaces. This stuff take a bit to set up on wood, but does so instantly on fingers.
I tried several glues on test pieces and settle on some new type of Gorilla Glue that I'd bought a while back. It is the type that expands. This fills in any gaps I may get, and it shows up almost instantly so I can be more careful to not get it on my fingers.
So away I went with my idea. I was feeling real confident and decided I'd use all these fresh ideas on a piece of that beautiful cocobolo I recently got.
Oops. Another mistake. This one had nothing to do with the problems I'd been having with everyhting else. It had everything to do with I just messed up. I took too big a bite while cutting down close to the tube and broke the blank.
Wood Tool Natural material Tree Soil

Wood Plant Natural material Tool Hardwood

No, this is not exactly what I was going for either. This was just a different idea I had while waiting for glue on a more complex clamped blank to dry.
This one is also box edler with sapelle.
Wood Tool Natural material Soil Metal

Wood Tool Metal Plant Soil

Wood Computer keyboard Tool Natural material Metal

Box elder and sapelle again. There is a name for this design, but I don't know what it is. This is what I had been trying to do all day. I know some of you may think that is funny, because it is a rather simple design. Without instruction though, it is hard sometimes for me to vision exactly what a design on a squared blank will look like once turned. So, trying to accomplish a certain look by guessing how to get that from a squared blank, is a head scratcher sometimes. Through trial and error though, I think you could possibly get any design you could possibly imagine.
It's all fun and games until you run out of pen kits. That reminds me. I need to sell some more of these pens so I can order more pen kits. I'm starting to run low.
 

Attachments

#508 ·
Failure Is Not An Option

I have been complimented on my "never say die" attitude in the past by fellow Lumberjocks. That perserverence helped me get to where I wanted to be today, but it made me want to share with my friends about my Uncle J.C.

My Uncle J.C. was one of the men who helped raise me. He was a twenty three year military veteran. In my eyes, he was what a real man was. He was a hard nosed, gun toting, take no crap off noone kind of guy, who also taught me how to sew, cook, iron clothes, do housework, and to always have a kind heart. He taught me to live off the land, hunt, fish, garden, field dress any animal, and what berries and roots to eat if you had no animal to eat. Then he turned right around and taught me to love, laugh, and to care for your fellow man. Anytime I think of giving up on anything though, even though he passed on years ago, I can still hear him in my ear, "can't never could boy. Failure is not an option. Now try again. If you still don't get it, keep trying until you do".

Anyway, story time is over. I just felt a need for some reason to share that.

If you seen the angular approach of yesterday, I think it looked nice. As a matter of fact, after seeing the results, I have a hard time looking at a single wood pen the same now. How can I when I know that adding other colors can make such a dramatic difference. I'm sure that I'll do plain pens too, but for now, I want to play with these ideas some more. It may take a while, but I have to see where it leads me.
From the start today, I had an idea of what I wanted. I could see it in my head. I have no idea what the design is called though. I have seen the design on pens before, but just didn't know exactly how to accomplish it. I am sure a little internet research would probably have netted me several step by step articles on how to get there, but where is the fun in that?
Wood Tool Plant Shear Natural material

Wood Hunting knife Knife Tool Blade

First thing I had to do was to turn the blank I had prepared yesterday evening before leaving the shop. I felt it wasn't on the path to what I was after, but I felt it was still too nice a design to scrap at this point. This one is walnut with box elder.
Wood Twig Natural material Ingredient Vegetable

Wood Terrestrial plant Twig Fashion accessory Metal

Wood Trunk Twig Natural material Cuisine

This one is box elder with sapelle. It is nothing like what I am trying to do. It did look good to me though. So I felt it was a keeper.
Then it was on to moving more towards what I am trying to do. I had several failed glueups in a row. I figured out that gluing these thin strips in line was causing issues. It was just too hard to keep everything lines with you get more than one or two strips. I thought this one out and realized that, since it was to be turned down in size, that I didn't need to cut my angles all the way through the wood. Cutting a certain depth into my blanks, and then turning down, gives me something to keep the complete blank in line, and turns out the same on the lathe. This also made me realize that this idea opens up a whole new world of possibilites that may keep my mind going for months.
Next problem I had was glue. I had been using super glue. Again, this was fine with one or two strips. Past that though and things start to get messy. Everything wants to slide around and I'd accidentally touch recently glued surfaces. This stuff take a bit to set up on wood, but does so instantly on fingers.
I tried several glues on test pieces and settle on some new type of Gorilla Glue that I'd bought a while back. It is the type that expands. This fills in any gaps I may get, and it shows up almost instantly so I can be more careful to not get it on my fingers.
So away I went with my idea. I was feeling real confident and decided I'd use all these fresh ideas on a piece of that beautiful cocobolo I recently got.
Oops. Another mistake. This one had nothing to do with the problems I'd been having with everyhting else. It had everything to do with I just messed up. I took too big a bite while cutting down close to the tube and broke the blank.
Wood Tool Natural material Tree Soil

Wood Plant Natural material Tool Hardwood

No, this is not exactly what I was going for either. This was just a different idea I had while waiting for glue on a more complex clamped blank to dry.
This one is also box edler with sapelle.
Wood Tool Natural material Soil Metal

Wood Tool Metal Plant Soil

Wood Computer keyboard Tool Natural material Metal

Box elder and sapelle again. There is a name for this design, but I don't know what it is. This is what I had been trying to do all day. I know some of you may think that is funny, because it is a rather simple design. Without instruction though, it is hard sometimes for me to vision exactly what a design on a squared blank will look like once turned. So, trying to accomplish a certain look by guessing how to get that from a squared blank, is a head scratcher sometimes. Through trial and error though, I think you could possibly get any design you could possibly imagine.
It's all fun and games until you run out of pen kits. That reminds me. I need to sell some more of these pens so I can order more pen kits. I'm starting to run low.
Nice, remarkable and quick progress. Hard to imagine what you will be working on in a month or two based on how far and fast your skill has advanced.
 

Attachments

#528 ·
One Step Forward......

I have an opinion of wood working in general. If you're not constantly learning something new, then you're doing something wrong. I think that's what I'm enjoying so much about this wood turning. It always seems to be one step forward and two steps back in the learning process. I am consistently unhappy with the pens I've been turning. If I get to where I'm almost happy with the results, I add something new to the scenario to keep the learning curve high. That's the way I like it.
So anyway, I haven't been able to do nearly as much as I'd like in the shop during the past week. I just haven't been up to it. So I fiddle around as much as I can, and this post is simply the learning I've been doing lately.
Plant Wood Musical instrument Everyday carry Knife

This first pen is my latest attempt at a Celtic cross. It still isn't right, but I am getting closer. I understand the process now. The largest problem I'm having is gluing. I have been trying different glues and am having mixed results. I read online that a lot of people use quick setting glues and that is great. For me though, I think I need to move backwards and go back to a slower setting glue, like maybe Titebond II. I may go back with the quicker setting stuff later, but for now I think having more time to fiddle with the piece before everything is set will work better for me.
This pen was not a total waste though. My wife loves it. It is made of purple heart with box elder. So I let her have it. Who am I kidding? She can have anything she wants.
My other problem is what I worked on mostly this week though. I've been using a concoction recipe of finishes that produced some nice results, but I'm also looking for something more durable on these pens. The obvious solution, based on everything I've read, is CA glue. So I was determined to learn to consistently apply a CA glue finish.
The above pen turned out ok, but not great by a long shot. If you look closely just below the middle band, you'll see some ghosting effect. I think several things caused that on this particular pen. For one thing, I am trying several different thicknesses of glue. This one was my experiment with medium consistency glue. I have since learned that I have much better luck using the thinnest glue and applying multiple extremely thin coats instead of heavier coats. It's much like painting.
Anytime I learn something new, I try it on scrap wood before trying another actual pen. So after practicing on scrap, I moved on to my next pen where my next problem became apparent.
Pen Writing implement Office supplies Wood Ball pen

This pen is made of ziricote. It is a beautiful wood. I actually probably shouldn't have even been using this particular wood for something that I know I haven't gotten perfected yet, but I couldn't help myself. You see, a good friend sent this wood to me. In a box of a lot of other blanks, I had twelve blanks of this beautiful wood. Ever since I first laid eyes on it, I just have been itching to see what it looked like finished.
Working with thinner coats of glue, I was real happy with the finish on this pen. I was quite pleased with myself. Then I removed the pen blanks from the lathe and wasn't so happy anymore. Sometimes, I have a problem with the bushings sticking to the blanks when using a CA glue finish. If you look closely above the center band on this pen, you'll notice a chip. The bushings usually pop right off, but this is what sometimes happens in the process. It chips that glass like finish.
Blue Bicycle part Automotive tire Gas Electric blue

So after putting some thought into a solution, I came up with this. I took the tube from a pen I had messed up on. I used a tubing cutter and sliced it into three pieces. Then, after turning the pen blanks, I removed them from the mandrel and placed these thinner spacers on each end and in between the blanks. My thinking was that, with these being thinner, even if it chipped the finish it would be hidden on the ends by hardware instead of being visible on the sides.
I would love to tell you how great this brilliant idea worked. Unfortunately, I did not take something else into account when I came up with it.
The thin pieces of tubing allowed a tiny bit of glue to seep far enough between them and the blanks that it basically glued the blanks to the mandrel shaft. I won't even start to tell the story of what it took to get them off. It took about two hours and several ideas to get that little task accomplished without damaging the shaft. Luckily, I did not damage the shaft or the blanks. The short pieces of tubing went immediately into the garbage though, along with my great idea.
Wood Tool Hand tool Natural material Nail

I told you I saved the blanks.
This is another piece of ziricote. I love how different pieces of this wood have completely unique appearances. It's hard to believe that this blank and the one from the previous pen looked identical before turning them.
So I turned to my best friend for a solution, Google. I read through a lot of ideas for not gluing the bushings to the pen blanks before I came across one that I thought would work and was simple enough to do consistently. The idea was to put wax on the bushings.
Wood Tool Incense Natural material Artifact

This is a cocobolo pen. The wax idea worked. I am getting more and more confident on my CA glue finish. Actually, I must admit that others I have talked to were right. Once you start to get the hang of this type of finish, it is easier, quicker, and looked better than any other finish I have tried. I still need practice of course, but this is my new pen finish of choice.
That brings me to my next problem.
If you look real close at this pen, it has a new problem, and it is something I am noticing more and more. It is just above the center band. Don't ask me how most of my problems happen at the center band, right where they're most visible. Things just have been working out that way for me. If you look just above the band on this pen though, you may notice it has a tiny gap. That is from the blank not being square to the tube when I started.
They make a tool to square the blanks to the tube called a barrel trimmer. I just don't like it. I have tried it. It didn't work good. I sharpened it. It still didn't work good. I think part of the problem is that I like hard woods. I have noticed that it works flawlessly on softer woods. When I try it on hard woods though, like cocobolo or purple heart, I always get chip out that looks worse than the gap. I need a better way.
So I have a new brilliant idea to combat this problem. I hope to work on that soon and will show you my solution, whether it works good or not. The worst that can happen is I learn something new, and isn't that what it's all about?
 

Attachments

#529 ·
One Step Forward......

I have an opinion of wood working in general. If you're not constantly learning something new, then you're doing something wrong. I think that's what I'm enjoying so much about this wood turning. It always seems to be one step forward and two steps back in the learning process. I am consistently unhappy with the pens I've been turning. If I get to where I'm almost happy with the results, I add something new to the scenario to keep the learning curve high. That's the way I like it.
So anyway, I haven't been able to do nearly as much as I'd like in the shop during the past week. I just haven't been up to it. So I fiddle around as much as I can, and this post is simply the learning I've been doing lately.
Plant Wood Musical instrument Everyday carry Knife

This first pen is my latest attempt at a Celtic cross. It still isn't right, but I am getting closer. I understand the process now. The largest problem I'm having is gluing. I have been trying different glues and am having mixed results. I read online that a lot of people use quick setting glues and that is great. For me though, I think I need to move backwards and go back to a slower setting glue, like maybe Titebond II. I may go back with the quicker setting stuff later, but for now I think having more time to fiddle with the piece before everything is set will work better for me.
This pen was not a total waste though. My wife loves it. It is made of purple heart with box elder. So I let her have it. Who am I kidding? She can have anything she wants.
My other problem is what I worked on mostly this week though. I've been using a concoction recipe of finishes that produced some nice results, but I'm also looking for something more durable on these pens. The obvious solution, based on everything I've read, is CA glue. So I was determined to learn to consistently apply a CA glue finish.
The above pen turned out ok, but not great by a long shot. If you look closely just below the middle band, you'll see some ghosting effect. I think several things caused that on this particular pen. For one thing, I am trying several different thicknesses of glue. This one was my experiment with medium consistency glue. I have since learned that I have much better luck using the thinnest glue and applying multiple extremely thin coats instead of heavier coats. It's much like painting.
Anytime I learn something new, I try it on scrap wood before trying another actual pen. So after practicing on scrap, I moved on to my next pen where my next problem became apparent.
Pen Writing implement Office supplies Wood Ball pen

This pen is made of ziricote. It is a beautiful wood. I actually probably shouldn't have even been using this particular wood for something that I know I haven't gotten perfected yet, but I couldn't help myself. You see, a good friend sent this wood to me. In a box of a lot of other blanks, I had twelve blanks of this beautiful wood. Ever since I first laid eyes on it, I just have been itching to see what it looked like finished.
Working with thinner coats of glue, I was real happy with the finish on this pen. I was quite pleased with myself. Then I removed the pen blanks from the lathe and wasn't so happy anymore. Sometimes, I have a problem with the bushings sticking to the blanks when using a CA glue finish. If you look closely above the center band on this pen, you'll notice a chip. The bushings usually pop right off, but this is what sometimes happens in the process. It chips that glass like finish.
Blue Bicycle part Automotive tire Gas Electric blue

So after putting some thought into a solution, I came up with this. I took the tube from a pen I had messed up on. I used a tubing cutter and sliced it into three pieces. Then, after turning the pen blanks, I removed them from the mandrel and placed these thinner spacers on each end and in between the blanks. My thinking was that, with these being thinner, even if it chipped the finish it would be hidden on the ends by hardware instead of being visible on the sides.
I would love to tell you how great this brilliant idea worked. Unfortunately, I did not take something else into account when I came up with it.
The thin pieces of tubing allowed a tiny bit of glue to seep far enough between them and the blanks that it basically glued the blanks to the mandrel shaft. I won't even start to tell the story of what it took to get them off. It took about two hours and several ideas to get that little task accomplished without damaging the shaft. Luckily, I did not damage the shaft or the blanks. The short pieces of tubing went immediately into the garbage though, along with my great idea.
Wood Tool Hand tool Natural material Nail

I told you I saved the blanks.
This is another piece of ziricote. I love how different pieces of this wood have completely unique appearances. It's hard to believe that this blank and the one from the previous pen looked identical before turning them.
So I turned to my best friend for a solution, Google. I read through a lot of ideas for not gluing the bushings to the pen blanks before I came across one that I thought would work and was simple enough to do consistently. The idea was to put wax on the bushings.
Wood Tool Incense Natural material Artifact

This is a cocobolo pen. The wax idea worked. I am getting more and more confident on my CA glue finish. Actually, I must admit that others I have talked to were right. Once you start to get the hang of this type of finish, it is easier, quicker, and looked better than any other finish I have tried. I still need practice of course, but this is my new pen finish of choice.
That brings me to my next problem.
If you look real close at this pen, it has a new problem, and it is something I am noticing more and more. It is just above the center band. Don't ask me how most of my problems happen at the center band, right where they're most visible. Things just have been working out that way for me. If you look just above the band on this pen though, you may notice it has a tiny gap. That is from the blank not being square to the tube when I started.
They make a tool to square the blanks to the tube called a barrel trimmer. I just don't like it. I have tried it. It didn't work good. I sharpened it. It still didn't work good. I think part of the problem is that I like hard woods. I have noticed that it works flawlessly on softer woods. When I try it on hard woods though, like cocobolo or purple heart, I always get chip out that looks worse than the gap. I need a better way.
So I have a new brilliant idea to combat this problem. I hope to work on that soon and will show you my solution, whether it works good or not. The worst that can happen is I learn something new, and isn't that what it's all about?
Those are the nicest "screwed up" pens I have seen! The exotic woods are a bit different to work with…...and I'm guessing that ziricote is quite oily…....
 

Attachments

#540 ·
Squaring Solution - Shop Made Pen Blank Squaring Tool

If you read the last blog installment, you know I was having a problem squaring the pen blanks to the tube inserts. I don't like the barrel trimmers. The idea is a good one, but I just didn't like the performance of the one I have. So I had an idea for a different approach.
I have seen some jigs to be used with disk sanders. I have a disk sander. However, I keep course paper on it for another purpose in my shop. The disk sander idea would involve either setting it up with finer paper, which would slow me down when I use it to hog off material on some other projects I use it one, or constantly changing paper all the time, which is a major hassle. So, going on that general sanding idea, I had an idea to go a different route.
I have learned that, when wanting to get things perfectly square and concentric at the same time, there is no better tool for the job than the lathe itself. So my idea involved sanding the blanks square on the lathe.
Metal Nickel Wood Electric blue Fashion accessory

Here is the tool. To make it I took a length of quarter inch steel rod. I chucked it up into the morse taper end of the pen mandrel set and used sandpaper with the lathe running to get it sanded down just a hair, so the seven millimeter tubes would slip all the way across snugly, but easily at the same time. Next I drilled a quarter inch hole into a small square of wood and used epoxy to glue it onto the shaft. Once the epoxy set, I turned the block of wood down round, and perfectly straight with the shaft. Then I took two pieces of sandpaper, eight grit and two twenty grit, and sandwiched them between two pieces of wood so I could use the drill press to put clean holes though the center. I then epoxied a piece of the paper to each side of the wooden block. 
This completed the tool. I also coated the outer edge of the rounded wood with CA glue. This wasn't absolutely necessary. I figured it would prevent some wood movement though. It couldn't hurt.
Now for using it.
Wood Tool Gas Machine Metal

The tool simply slips into the morse taper end chuck part of the pen mandrel. For the purpose I'm using it for, I found that simply hand tightening the chuck holds the tool plenty tight enough for what I need to do. You can flip the tool either way depending on if you wish to use eighty grit or two twenty grit. I'll usually use the finer grit. I figure if a blank is severely out of square, or extremely hard, I may have a need for the courser grit.
Wood Art Metal Electric blue Fashion accessory

Then, with the lathe running at it's slowest speed, so you don't accidentally take off too much, slip the pen blank over the end of the shaft and touch it lightly to the paper. I suggest going slow and letting the abrasive do the work. This will assure a nicer finish on the end, extend the life of the paper, and taking your time allows you to keep a close eye on things and not sand too much away.
In the above photo, you see the back end of the pen I made yesterday with the gap in it. As a good test run, I decided to take a chance on the tool, since I was sure it would work, and fix the gap in this pen. I used a punch to knock the clip and cap off the end of it so I could give it a try. The worst that could happen would be for me to mess the pen up. If it did, it wouldn't be the first time, and most probably won't be the last.
Wood Writing implement Tool Tints and shades Hardwood

Luckily, I did not have to scrap a pen today. IT WORKED!!!

If you like this pen blank squaring tool, you can build your own and send the money to….......
I'm just joking. I think this is a good idea and would be flattered if anyone likes it enough to copy it.
 

Attachments

#541 ·
Squaring Solution - Shop Made Pen Blank Squaring Tool

If you read the last blog installment, you know I was having a problem squaring the pen blanks to the tube inserts. I don't like the barrel trimmers. The idea is a good one, but I just didn't like the performance of the one I have. So I had an idea for a different approach.
I have seen some jigs to be used with disk sanders. I have a disk sander. However, I keep course paper on it for another purpose in my shop. The disk sander idea would involve either setting it up with finer paper, which would slow me down when I use it to hog off material on some other projects I use it one, or constantly changing paper all the time, which is a major hassle. So, going on that general sanding idea, I had an idea to go a different route.
I have learned that, when wanting to get things perfectly square and concentric at the same time, there is no better tool for the job than the lathe itself. So my idea involved sanding the blanks square on the lathe.
Metal Nickel Wood Electric blue Fashion accessory

Here is the tool. To make it I took a length of quarter inch steel rod. I chucked it up into the morse taper end of the pen mandrel set and used sandpaper with the lathe running to get it sanded down just a hair, so the seven millimeter tubes would slip all the way across snugly, but easily at the same time. Next I drilled a quarter inch hole into a small square of wood and used epoxy to glue it onto the shaft. Once the epoxy set, I turned the block of wood down round, and perfectly straight with the shaft. Then I took two pieces of sandpaper, eight grit and two twenty grit, and sandwiched them between two pieces of wood so I could use the drill press to put clean holes though the center. I then epoxied a piece of the paper to each side of the wooden block. 
This completed the tool. I also coated the outer edge of the rounded wood with CA glue. This wasn't absolutely necessary. I figured it would prevent some wood movement though. It couldn't hurt.
Now for using it.
Wood Tool Gas Machine Metal

The tool simply slips into the morse taper end chuck part of the pen mandrel. For the purpose I'm using it for, I found that simply hand tightening the chuck holds the tool plenty tight enough for what I need to do. You can flip the tool either way depending on if you wish to use eighty grit or two twenty grit. I'll usually use the finer grit. I figure if a blank is severely out of square, or extremely hard, I may have a need for the courser grit.
Wood Art Metal Electric blue Fashion accessory

Then, with the lathe running at it's slowest speed, so you don't accidentally take off too much, slip the pen blank over the end of the shaft and touch it lightly to the paper. I suggest going slow and letting the abrasive do the work. This will assure a nicer finish on the end, extend the life of the paper, and taking your time allows you to keep a close eye on things and not sand too much away.
In the above photo, you see the back end of the pen I made yesterday with the gap in it. As a good test run, I decided to take a chance on the tool, since I was sure it would work, and fix the gap in this pen. I used a punch to knock the clip and cap off the end of it so I could give it a try. The worst that could happen would be for me to mess the pen up. If it did, it wouldn't be the first time, and most probably won't be the last.
Wood Writing implement Tool Tints and shades Hardwood

Luckily, I did not have to scrap a pen today. IT WORKED!!!

If you like this pen blank squaring tool, you can build your own and send the money to….......
I'm just joking. I think this is a good idea and would be flattered if anyone likes it enough to copy it.
Yup, another William "run what ya brung" shop tool!!! Well done!!!

Disclaimer: No pen blanks were hurt in the…....
 

Attachments

#557 ·
Sidetracked

I know. I am supposed to be working on a marble machine. I have a little, and I promise a post on that a tad bit later this evening. The thing is though, I have gotten sidetracked. I hate to sound like I'm making excuses, but I've had a rough week so far. I have been in a lot of pain. Sometimes the pain gets to me and I'm easily distracted from something I am supposed to be doing. Recently I have learned that turning is a favorite diversional tactic of mine when the pain wears on my mind. So I have a few turnings to show.
I became tied up over last weekend. Then, early in the week, someone I consider a good friend and I exchanged visits between our shops. Upon going to his shop, he gave me some wood. All of it was beautiful, but one certain piece offered a specific challenge to me. It was a piece of cherry with a knot in it that made most of the wood around it seem unusable. I was determined to get something done with it though. The twisting grain in it just intrigued me.
Most of the board could easily be cut into pen blanks. It was that area around that knot I wanted to get at though.
Plant Wood Tool Writing implement Knife

Wood Tool Writing implement Hunting knife Font

I chopped around it. Some of it shattered into pieces, flying off my saw as tiny projectiles that scared the living daylights out of me. I was able to get some small piece though just around the inner part of the knot. None were long enough for full pen blanks, but I had an idea to add accent pieces to them to give them enough length.
The above photos show the first pen I made with these pieces. The cherry offered some absolutely stunning grain. The middle, lighter colored wood on both side of the metal ring, is maple. The dark rings at each end are ziricote.
Wood Kitchen utensil Hardwood Natural material Lumber

My friend also knew someone who needed some drumsticks. As usual too, I went a little overboard with that. I had never turned drumsticks, but seen it as a learning experience. The most important thing I learned was that I can turn them, but if I was a good finish I'm going to have to build a steady rest to cut down on the chatter. That's alright though. My friend also gave me some bearings to build the steady rest with. That is a future project I will design in my head until I can get to it.
I made drumsticks in several different species.
Wood Musical instrument accessory Natural material Hardwood Pattern

Oak
Wood Beige Musical instrument accessory Pattern Spear

Maple
Wood Plant Spear

Sapelle
Wood Pattern Twig Spear

This is mystery wood.
I am calling it mystery wood because I haven't been able to identify the exact species yet. It looks similar to mahogany, but I'm reluctant to call it that until I am more sure.
Table Wood Wood stain Floor Plank

Here is a better shot of it. It is hard to see the grain in the drumstick photo. It is straight grain, very hard, and as I said before, an absolutely beautiful piece of wood.
I would highly appreciate any opinions I get about what wood this is.
Wood Natural material Metal

I then had fun with a screwdriver. This is an old screwdriver. My friend bought it at a flea market and it wasn't working right. I disassembled this antique with pleasure. I have always loved working on anything mechanical in nature. I got it to working, but the handle was worn out and badly cracked. So I decided to also turn a sapelle handle for it. Upon returning the tool, my friend surprised me by giving it to me. So this goes into my working collection of antique tools. What I mean my usable collection is that I would never own a tool that I can't use, no matter how old. If I can't use a tool, I find someone to give it too who prefers collecting. I'm a user, not a collector.

.

So, the last couple of days I did get back on track. I wanted to show you all what I was doing though while sidetracked off of what I was supposed to be doing.
 

Attachments

#558 ·
Sidetracked

I know. I am supposed to be working on a marble machine. I have a little, and I promise a post on that a tad bit later this evening. The thing is though, I have gotten sidetracked. I hate to sound like I'm making excuses, but I've had a rough week so far. I have been in a lot of pain. Sometimes the pain gets to me and I'm easily distracted from something I am supposed to be doing. Recently I have learned that turning is a favorite diversional tactic of mine when the pain wears on my mind. So I have a few turnings to show.
I became tied up over last weekend. Then, early in the week, someone I consider a good friend and I exchanged visits between our shops. Upon going to his shop, he gave me some wood. All of it was beautiful, but one certain piece offered a specific challenge to me. It was a piece of cherry with a knot in it that made most of the wood around it seem unusable. I was determined to get something done with it though. The twisting grain in it just intrigued me.
Most of the board could easily be cut into pen blanks. It was that area around that knot I wanted to get at though.
Plant Wood Tool Writing implement Knife

Wood Tool Writing implement Hunting knife Font

I chopped around it. Some of it shattered into pieces, flying off my saw as tiny projectiles that scared the living daylights out of me. I was able to get some small piece though just around the inner part of the knot. None were long enough for full pen blanks, but I had an idea to add accent pieces to them to give them enough length.
The above photos show the first pen I made with these pieces. The cherry offered some absolutely stunning grain. The middle, lighter colored wood on both side of the metal ring, is maple. The dark rings at each end are ziricote.
Wood Kitchen utensil Hardwood Natural material Lumber

My friend also knew someone who needed some drumsticks. As usual too, I went a little overboard with that. I had never turned drumsticks, but seen it as a learning experience. The most important thing I learned was that I can turn them, but if I was a good finish I'm going to have to build a steady rest to cut down on the chatter. That's alright though. My friend also gave me some bearings to build the steady rest with. That is a future project I will design in my head until I can get to it.
I made drumsticks in several different species.
Wood Musical instrument accessory Natural material Hardwood Pattern

Oak
Wood Beige Musical instrument accessory Pattern Spear

Maple
Wood Plant Spear

Sapelle
Wood Pattern Twig Spear

This is mystery wood.
I am calling it mystery wood because I haven't been able to identify the exact species yet. It looks similar to mahogany, but I'm reluctant to call it that until I am more sure.
Table Wood Wood stain Floor Plank

Here is a better shot of it. It is hard to see the grain in the drumstick photo. It is straight grain, very hard, and as I said before, an absolutely beautiful piece of wood.
I would highly appreciate any opinions I get about what wood this is.
Wood Natural material Metal

I then had fun with a screwdriver. This is an old screwdriver. My friend bought it at a flea market and it wasn't working right. I disassembled this antique with pleasure. I have always loved working on anything mechanical in nature. I got it to working, but the handle was worn out and badly cracked. So I decided to also turn a sapelle handle for it. Upon returning the tool, my friend surprised me by giving it to me. So this goes into my working collection of antique tools. What I mean my usable collection is that I would never own a tool that I can't use, no matter how old. If I can't use a tool, I find someone to give it too who prefers collecting. I'm a user, not a collector.

.

So, the last couple of days I did get back on track. I wanted to show you all what I was doing though while sidetracked off of what I was supposed to be doing.
DRUM 101
Although a drum stick can be turned from oak or maple, It is most commonly made out of hickory…..
 

Attachments

#569 ·
The Lumberjock Pens

Most of you know of my health issues. Since we've been getting winter in May lately, I have been having some bad days. On top of that, I'm going through just a "blah" spell. I have only done one small project since finishing the modular marble machine. I built Matthius Wandell's wooden ir engine. It turned into something I call the DODGE, Dad's Old Dead Garage Expiriment. It didn't work. I haven't given up on it. It is something I will rebuild in the future. In the meantime though, I needed some kind of inspiration to get my butt in gear.
I started doing some much needed shop cleanup. While doing so, I was thinking on something to work on next that would inspire me enough to push through this bad spell.
Wood Flooring Floor Hardwood Urban design

Since starting on the wood turning adventures, several people have sent me wood. Also I had small pieces of wood from before beginning turning that I have now cut into pen blanks. While straightening all this, I got a bit of inspiration. I gathered up what woods came from what different people and decided to make some pens.
First I am going to go through the building of these pens. Towards the end, I will list each recipient of these pens and each of their contricutions towards this and, hopefully, it will all make sense.
Wood Tool Wood stain Hardwood Font

After arranging woods in different ideas until I found something I was happy with, this is what I came up with. It is six different woods. They are cut on a sixty degree angle. The two ends are just what I thought looked proportional. The rest of the pieces came out to about three quarters of an inch thick to be able to fit all the pieces in the pens.
Hand tool Wood Tool Paint brush Art

Glueup started to become messy by the time I was through. I think I learned something from this. Next time, I would only glue two or three pieces at a time on each pen, and let that set, before adding one more piece at a time. Doing this many indiviual cut pieces at a time, things seemed to want to move more than I wanted.
On two of the pens, all the pieces moved a equally large amount, leaving a staggered look to the pen. By the time I cut away the saw tooth looking pieces to make the pen blank in a usable shape for drilling and mounting, there was barely enough material left.
Wood Table Wood stain Flooring Plank

I got these after trimming the pieces up so I could start preparing them.
Wood Triangle Rectangle Font Art

I decided I wanted to keep with the same colored harware throughout all the pens. This turned out to be gold plated since that what I first rounded up enough of. Throughout the project, it turned out to be three different style kits, but all similar in design and the same finish.
As I prepared the blanks and drilled them, I put each set of blanks in the bag with the hardware to keep from mixing things up.
Writing implement Office supplies Wood Pen Writing instrument accessory

Here is one of the seven pens. All of them, after turning, got a CA glue finish. On top of the CA glue, I always prefer to also put a coat of paste wax and buff them.
Brush Jewellery Office supplies Font Metal

Eye Brush Wood Office supplies Cosmetics

Eye Human body Office supplies Cosmetics Brush

So I like to call these the Lumberjock pens. Starting sat the top, near the cap, the woods are ziricote, walnut, mahogany, maple, sweetgum, and box elder. Now I'd like to tell you the recipent of these pens and why. You see, one of the things I love about making pens is that it gives me the opportunity to make projects from woods that I would otherwise never get to work with, because I only need small pieces to make pens. With that being said, explaining the recipients will, I hope, make all this make more sense.

Seven pens.
Kreegan gave me the ziricote.
Chips gave me the walnut.
Grizzman gave me the mahogany.
JL7 gave me the maple.
Dave gave me the sweetgum.
Boxcarmarty gave me the box elder.
Eddie gave me the lathe that all this was turned on.
Now each of these guys will have a pen that they each know they made a contribution to, and that the other woods and the tool it was all done on came from another Lumberjock.
I'd also like to note one more person again. I did not make this person because they told me they didn't want one. It did send something else a while back. However, Doe donated the gift card that bought the hardware that is on these pens.

I will be giving Eddie, Dave, and Chips their pens when I see them. The other four pens (it may be June with my current finances) I will be shipping to the recipients. I hope each of you enjoy your pens. Thank you for your support you have given me. Without you all I would never get to work with so many different species of woods. Until I joined and met some people here on Lumberjocks, all my adventures had been limited to about four different species of woods. You all opened up a whole new world to me. Thank you.
 

Attachments

#570 ·
The Lumberjock Pens

Most of you know of my health issues. Since we've been getting winter in May lately, I have been having some bad days. On top of that, I'm going through just a "blah" spell. I have only done one small project since finishing the modular marble machine. I built Matthius Wandell's wooden ir engine. It turned into something I call the DODGE, Dad's Old Dead Garage Expiriment. It didn't work. I haven't given up on it. It is something I will rebuild in the future. In the meantime though, I needed some kind of inspiration to get my butt in gear.
I started doing some much needed shop cleanup. While doing so, I was thinking on something to work on next that would inspire me enough to push through this bad spell.
Wood Flooring Floor Hardwood Urban design

Since starting on the wood turning adventures, several people have sent me wood. Also I had small pieces of wood from before beginning turning that I have now cut into pen blanks. While straightening all this, I got a bit of inspiration. I gathered up what woods came from what different people and decided to make some pens.
First I am going to go through the building of these pens. Towards the end, I will list each recipient of these pens and each of their contricutions towards this and, hopefully, it will all make sense.
Wood Tool Wood stain Hardwood Font

After arranging woods in different ideas until I found something I was happy with, this is what I came up with. It is six different woods. They are cut on a sixty degree angle. The two ends are just what I thought looked proportional. The rest of the pieces came out to about three quarters of an inch thick to be able to fit all the pieces in the pens.
Hand tool Wood Tool Paint brush Art

Glueup started to become messy by the time I was through. I think I learned something from this. Next time, I would only glue two or three pieces at a time on each pen, and let that set, before adding one more piece at a time. Doing this many indiviual cut pieces at a time, things seemed to want to move more than I wanted.
On two of the pens, all the pieces moved a equally large amount, leaving a staggered look to the pen. By the time I cut away the saw tooth looking pieces to make the pen blank in a usable shape for drilling and mounting, there was barely enough material left.
Wood Table Wood stain Flooring Plank

I got these after trimming the pieces up so I could start preparing them.
Wood Triangle Rectangle Font Art

I decided I wanted to keep with the same colored harware throughout all the pens. This turned out to be gold plated since that what I first rounded up enough of. Throughout the project, it turned out to be three different style kits, but all similar in design and the same finish.
As I prepared the blanks and drilled them, I put each set of blanks in the bag with the hardware to keep from mixing things up.
Writing implement Office supplies Wood Pen Writing instrument accessory

Here is one of the seven pens. All of them, after turning, got a CA glue finish. On top of the CA glue, I always prefer to also put a coat of paste wax and buff them.
Brush Jewellery Office supplies Font Metal

Eye Brush Wood Office supplies Cosmetics

Eye Human body Office supplies Cosmetics Brush

So I like to call these the Lumberjock pens. Starting sat the top, near the cap, the woods are ziricote, walnut, mahogany, maple, sweetgum, and box elder. Now I'd like to tell you the recipent of these pens and why. You see, one of the things I love about making pens is that it gives me the opportunity to make projects from woods that I would otherwise never get to work with, because I only need small pieces to make pens. With that being said, explaining the recipients will, I hope, make all this make more sense.

Seven pens.
Kreegan gave me the ziricote.
Chips gave me the walnut.
Grizzman gave me the mahogany.
JL7 gave me the maple.
Dave gave me the sweetgum.
Boxcarmarty gave me the box elder.
Eddie gave me the lathe that all this was turned on.
Now each of these guys will have a pen that they each know they made a contribution to, and that the other woods and the tool it was all done on came from another Lumberjock.
I'd also like to note one more person again. I did not make this person because they told me they didn't want one. It did send something else a while back. However, Doe donated the gift card that bought the hardware that is on these pens.

I will be giving Eddie, Dave, and Chips their pens when I see them. The other four pens (it may be June with my current finances) I will be shipping to the recipients. I hope each of you enjoy your pens. Thank you for your support you have given me. Without you all I would never get to work with so many different species of woods. Until I joined and met some people here on Lumberjocks, all my adventures had been limited to about four different species of woods. You all opened up a whole new world to me. Thank you.
Those look amazing, William! You've put that wood to much better use than I would have. Hopefully you'll feel better soon.
 

Attachments

#593 ·
Turning Something Besides Wood

Plant Natural material Wood Tool Cuisine

This is deer antler. Ever since I first seen this in the Penn State Catalogue I have wanted to try this. I live in Mississippi though. This is arguably the deer hunting capital of the world. There is no way I was paying for deer antlers when I knew that, if I asked enough people, someone around here had some lying around that would let me have them.
As it turns out, I kept forgetting about it though and finally got around to asking someone. Or rather, my wife asked someone. The maintenance man where she works at mentioned that he was a deer hunter and she asked him about deer antler, and he brought he a couple of racks the next day. So I was correct. The first person asked about them here had some for me.
I really enjoyed turning this. It was definately different than turning wood. I have enough left to do maybe two more pens out of the antlers he sent with my wife to me. I will have to be on the lookout for more.
Also, I've noticed other things, like bull horns in the catalogues. I don't know where I'd get that around here, but it's got me thinking about wild bore tusks? Basically, it seems these days that anything I see softer than metal, I start to wonder how it would turn on the lathe.
The man didn't ask for anything in return, but of course this first pen goes to the man who gave me the antlers.
Wood Cuisine Tool Natural material Hand tool

Hand tool Wood Tool Stonemason's hammer Natural material
 

Attachments

#594 ·
Turning Something Besides Wood

Plant Natural material Wood Tool Cuisine

This is deer antler. Ever since I first seen this in the Penn State Catalogue I have wanted to try this. I live in Mississippi though. This is arguably the deer hunting capital of the world. There is no way I was paying for deer antlers when I knew that, if I asked enough people, someone around here had some lying around that would let me have them.
As it turns out, I kept forgetting about it though and finally got around to asking someone. Or rather, my wife asked someone. The maintenance man where she works at mentioned that he was a deer hunter and she asked him about deer antler, and he brought he a couple of racks the next day. So I was correct. The first person asked about them here had some for me.
I really enjoyed turning this. It was definately different than turning wood. I have enough left to do maybe two more pens out of the antlers he sent with my wife to me. I will have to be on the lookout for more.
Also, I've noticed other things, like bull horns in the catalogues. I don't know where I'd get that around here, but it's got me thinking about wild bore tusks? Basically, it seems these days that anything I see softer than metal, I start to wonder how it would turn on the lathe.
The man didn't ask for anything in return, but of course this first pen goes to the man who gave me the antlers.
Wood Cuisine Tool Natural material Hand tool

Hand tool Wood Tool Stonemason's hammer Natural material
Well this is defiantly another "twist" in your turning…..well done.
 

Attachments

#610 ·
A Gift From a Friend

Recently, I received an unexpected package in the mail. When I opened it, I discovered that a good friend had sent me several packages of Abranet abrasive. I had never heard of it before then, but this friend told me it was supposed to be great for wood turners. I was getting ready for the cradle project at the time though and had no choice to set it aside for the moment.
Well, I finished the cradle and was anxious to see if this stuff was any good. Since receiving it, I'd looked it up and read some good things about it. I wanted to see if it were true.
Publication Font Book Gadget Book cover

Abranet is a new take on sandpaper. Now I am always a tad skeptical when it comes to new takes of age old products. Sometimes there is just no way to reinvent the wheel. I am, however, always willing to give it a try.
Green Rectangle Textile Art Wood

It is a mesh type material with abrasive somehow glued or otherwise attached to the material. The idea is that dust goes through the pad and doesn't clog up like regular sandpaper and last longer, and give a better, cleaner, sanded surface.
Yea, right. so does it do what it says it does?
I had my doubts.
Insect Wood Arthropod Organism Pest

Wood Metal Insect Tableware Pest

I turned a pen out of bocote. I put the sandpaper aside and used nothing but the Abranet. The idea here, for me, was to see how good a job it done without allowing my regular methods interfere with the testing.
So, my review of Abranet, in short, is this. Whoever thought this bright idea up, I want to kiss them right on the lips. I am happier with it than a fat kid at a pie eating contest.
This stuff is amazing.
Any of you turners out there, you know how quickly and easily sandpaper clogs up and you have to move to another spot on it. With Abranet, if it does seem to be getting a lot of dust buildup on it, tap it on something. I just took my finger and sort of thumped at it. It knocked the dust out of the little holes and it was all of a sudden, magically, like I'd just grabbed a new piece of abrasive again. You can't do that with sandpaper.
Pricing and selection may vary, but Abranet is available through Woodcraft or Penn State if any of you are interested in giving it a try.
Also, I'd like to thank my friend very much for sending it to me. I would probably never have tried it if you hadn't sent me that package. This is my new favorite abrasive.
Anyway, that was out of the way, but now I was anxious to make another pen. I have several woods I've gotten lately that I hadn't had a chance to try yet. Bocote was one of those woods. Another was padauk.
Wood Hand tool Tool Musical instrument Metal

Plant Wood Tree Tool Terrestrial plant

Hand tool Wood Natural material Tool Shotgun

The padauk pen I had planned on turning similar to the bocote. I just wanted a simple design using the kit as it was intended. However, and I know this sounds cliche, but sometimes when I'm working on a project, the wood speaks to me. It tells me to go in a different direction than I intended. That was the case here.
When turning, I often stop, as one should, to check the process. When I stopped this pen, the wood had this absolutely stunning flaming look to it and was just screaming, "don't separate me with a metal ring". So I didn't. I removed the middle bushing and finished turning it without the band. Seeing the result, I'm glad I did.
 

Attachments

#611 ·
A Gift From a Friend

Recently, I received an unexpected package in the mail. When I opened it, I discovered that a good friend had sent me several packages of Abranet abrasive. I had never heard of it before then, but this friend told me it was supposed to be great for wood turners. I was getting ready for the cradle project at the time though and had no choice to set it aside for the moment.
Well, I finished the cradle and was anxious to see if this stuff was any good. Since receiving it, I'd looked it up and read some good things about it. I wanted to see if it were true.
Publication Font Book Gadget Book cover

Abranet is a new take on sandpaper. Now I am always a tad skeptical when it comes to new takes of age old products. Sometimes there is just no way to reinvent the wheel. I am, however, always willing to give it a try.
Green Rectangle Textile Art Wood

It is a mesh type material with abrasive somehow glued or otherwise attached to the material. The idea is that dust goes through the pad and doesn't clog up like regular sandpaper and last longer, and give a better, cleaner, sanded surface.
Yea, right. so does it do what it says it does?
I had my doubts.
Insect Wood Arthropod Organism Pest

Wood Metal Insect Tableware Pest

I turned a pen out of bocote. I put the sandpaper aside and used nothing but the Abranet. The idea here, for me, was to see how good a job it done without allowing my regular methods interfere with the testing.
So, my review of Abranet, in short, is this. Whoever thought this bright idea up, I want to kiss them right on the lips. I am happier with it than a fat kid at a pie eating contest.
This stuff is amazing.
Any of you turners out there, you know how quickly and easily sandpaper clogs up and you have to move to another spot on it. With Abranet, if it does seem to be getting a lot of dust buildup on it, tap it on something. I just took my finger and sort of thumped at it. It knocked the dust out of the little holes and it was all of a sudden, magically, like I'd just grabbed a new piece of abrasive again. You can't do that with sandpaper.
Pricing and selection may vary, but Abranet is available through Woodcraft or Penn State if any of you are interested in giving it a try.
Also, I'd like to thank my friend very much for sending it to me. I would probably never have tried it if you hadn't sent me that package. This is my new favorite abrasive.
Anyway, that was out of the way, but now I was anxious to make another pen. I have several woods I've gotten lately that I hadn't had a chance to try yet. Bocote was one of those woods. Another was padauk.
Wood Hand tool Tool Musical instrument Metal

Plant Wood Tree Tool Terrestrial plant

Hand tool Wood Natural material Tool Shotgun

The padauk pen I had planned on turning similar to the bocote. I just wanted a simple design using the kit as it was intended. However, and I know this sounds cliche, but sometimes when I'm working on a project, the wood speaks to me. It tells me to go in a different direction than I intended. That was the case here.
When turning, I often stop, as one should, to check the process. When I stopped this pen, the wood had this absolutely stunning flaming look to it and was just screaming, "don't separate me with a metal ring". So I didn't. I removed the middle bushing and finished turning it without the band. Seeing the result, I'm glad I did.
oh happy day william, a new product that helps in the sanding area, so glad it worked…and those pens are stunning, so the wood talks to ya…are you sure you have a tight seal on that mask you wear, do you talk back to it, and if you do, what does it say after that…..lol…sorry i could not resist…but i know what you mean, its part of being a wood worker, and an artist…its a talent that god has given and you are using it well….....grizz
 

Attachments

#630 ·
Promises And Challenges

Today I needed to get to work on some deer antlers and fulfill a promise I'd made. You see, I told several people that if they'd find me some deer antlers, I'd make them a pen. I had done one a while back. I still had to make one for my son though who had located me some antlers. I also wanted to make one for my display for anyone who comes to my shop to look at them.
Wood Tool Natural material Hand tool Terrestrial plant

Wood Trunk Grass Tool Natural material

This is the one I made for my son. I was only able to get this one pen out of three racks of antlers. I got the pen done because a promise is a promise. However, I had to show him what I'm looking for in antlers so he'll know what to look for next time.
The antlers he'd brought me were all bleached out from age. Most of them were almost completely white. When they are that bleached out, the outer parts of the antler becomes brittle, while the inside becomes soft. I have already found out from experience that this sometimes makes for interesting projectiles coming from the lathe. I was glad I was able to get the pen done for him though. At least he tried.
Wood Tool Natural material Trunk Soil

Wood Tool Natural material Kitchen utensil Office supplies

This is the one I made for my display. I pick shapes for these pens to try and leave at least a tiny bit somewhere on the pen of the outer part of the antler. This gives an area to show that it is in fact deer antler. Otherwise, in my opinion, it would just look like dirty ivory.
If you look at the outer antler on this pen and the first one above, you can see the difference in color. This pen has a more natural look to it while the first one has a color that is light enough that it almost looks to me like a defect instead of antler.

.

I got these two pens done and was thinking on what I wanted to do next. I decided to tackle a different animal, the zebra. No I don't have any zebra parts to turn. I have some zebra wood though that has been driving me nuts.
A while back, I went to Picken's Hardwood. It is a little piece of heaven on earth in Clinton Mississippi. They have more species of hard woods in one place than I've ever seen.
While there, I picked up a piece of zebra wood for next to nothing. It was so cheap because the grain was running the wrong way. What I mean is, when making pens, it is preferable to have the grain running along the length of the pen. This piece I bought had it running the opposite direction. It was a small off cut from a board and wasn't much good for anything else. I was told by the lady there that it probably wouldn't be good for pens either. That sounded like a challenge to me, and I like challenges.
Wood Tool Gas Electric blue Terrestrial animal

Wood Art Electric blue Insect Metal

Wood String instrument Electric blue Tool Art

It was a success!
Now let me tell the truth about why this excited me so much.
I bought the blank and cut it up as carefully as I could. I wound up with four pen blanks out of it. This was the fourth attempt at making this pen, so it was my last blank in this style.
I try to tell about all my adventures. What I don't always tell is all my misadventures. This zebra wood pen is a good example of that. Three different times now I've tried making this pen. Three different times I would get almost done and the blank would blow apart on the tubes. It is a pretty hard wood. I was keeping my tools as sharp as I could. When it got close though, it seemed to always be too much for the cross grain to handle.
I set about it this time though with a different plan. I turned it down as a small a cylinder as I was comfortable with to start with. Then I start making the tapering cuts towards the ends with a freshly sharpened skew chisel. Before getting too close though, I put the tools aways and went to eighty grit sandpaper. I finished getting the blanks down to size using the sandpaper. Then of course I went through the grits to get a good finishable surface.
between the Abranet abrasive I told about yesterday, and my improving skills at applying a CA glue finish, I am extremely happy how this one turned out.
 

Attachments

#631 ·
Promises And Challenges

Today I needed to get to work on some deer antlers and fulfill a promise I'd made. You see, I told several people that if they'd find me some deer antlers, I'd make them a pen. I had done one a while back. I still had to make one for my son though who had located me some antlers. I also wanted to make one for my display for anyone who comes to my shop to look at them.
Wood Tool Natural material Hand tool Terrestrial plant

Wood Trunk Grass Tool Natural material

This is the one I made for my son. I was only able to get this one pen out of three racks of antlers. I got the pen done because a promise is a promise. However, I had to show him what I'm looking for in antlers so he'll know what to look for next time.
The antlers he'd brought me were all bleached out from age. Most of them were almost completely white. When they are that bleached out, the outer parts of the antler becomes brittle, while the inside becomes soft. I have already found out from experience that this sometimes makes for interesting projectiles coming from the lathe. I was glad I was able to get the pen done for him though. At least he tried.
Wood Tool Natural material Trunk Soil

Wood Tool Natural material Kitchen utensil Office supplies

This is the one I made for my display. I pick shapes for these pens to try and leave at least a tiny bit somewhere on the pen of the outer part of the antler. This gives an area to show that it is in fact deer antler. Otherwise, in my opinion, it would just look like dirty ivory.
If you look at the outer antler on this pen and the first one above, you can see the difference in color. This pen has a more natural look to it while the first one has a color that is light enough that it almost looks to me like a defect instead of antler.

.

I got these two pens done and was thinking on what I wanted to do next. I decided to tackle a different animal, the zebra. No I don't have any zebra parts to turn. I have some zebra wood though that has been driving me nuts.
A while back, I went to Picken's Hardwood. It is a little piece of heaven on earth in Clinton Mississippi. They have more species of hard woods in one place than I've ever seen.
While there, I picked up a piece of zebra wood for next to nothing. It was so cheap because the grain was running the wrong way. What I mean is, when making pens, it is preferable to have the grain running along the length of the pen. This piece I bought had it running the opposite direction. It was a small off cut from a board and wasn't much good for anything else. I was told by the lady there that it probably wouldn't be good for pens either. That sounded like a challenge to me, and I like challenges.
Wood Tool Gas Electric blue Terrestrial animal

Wood Art Electric blue Insect Metal

Wood String instrument Electric blue Tool Art

It was a success!
Now let me tell the truth about why this excited me so much.
I bought the blank and cut it up as carefully as I could. I wound up with four pen blanks out of it. This was the fourth attempt at making this pen, so it was my last blank in this style.
I try to tell about all my adventures. What I don't always tell is all my misadventures. This zebra wood pen is a good example of that. Three different times now I've tried making this pen. Three different times I would get almost done and the blank would blow apart on the tubes. It is a pretty hard wood. I was keeping my tools as sharp as I could. When it got close though, it seemed to always be too much for the cross grain to handle.
I set about it this time though with a different plan. I turned it down as a small a cylinder as I was comfortable with to start with. Then I start making the tapering cuts towards the ends with a freshly sharpened skew chisel. Before getting too close though, I put the tools aways and went to eighty grit sandpaper. I finished getting the blanks down to size using the sandpaper. Then of course I went through the grits to get a good finishable surface.
between the Abranet abrasive I told about yesterday, and my improving skills at applying a CA glue finish, I am extremely happy how this one turned out.
Not only did you overcome the "wrong direction" grain…..
You went on to do it justice, by leaving out the center ring!!!

Yeah, you are right William…..
You are a crappy wood worker! I don't want no stinkin' pool table!!!
 

Attachments

#653 ·
The One Piece

The feedback I've been getting on the pens I've been making told me that a lot of people, maybe even most, like the pens best without the band, or center ring. I wanted to go a step further though. It absolutely pains me to cut some of the woods to make these pens because, no matter how well you line up the grain while assembling them, the wood never seems to look as beautiful as it did before it was split down the middle to cover the two blanks to be used with the slimline pen kits that I've been using.
What I wanted to do was to figure out a way to use one solid piece of wood for a pen without spending more than I can afford for higher priced kits. I knew there had to be a way, but I just couldn't seem to figure it out. Then I stumbled across this article, realized how simple it is, and couldn't believe I hadn't gotten it till now.
Wood Tool Natural material Quill Geologist's hammer

The first one piece pen I made was out of ziricote. I started with this wood because I just think it is a beautiful wood. Also, the last pen I made with this species of wood, I used a blank that was so pretty that I think it actually physically hurt me to cut it.
I was quite happy with the result.
The hardest part of making the one piece pen, in my opinion, is getting the seven millimeter hole drilled cleanly all the way through a four and a half inch long blank. There are several ways to do it. I will tell you how I done it, but keep in mind that it is not the only way.
I think drilling the blank on the lathe would be the best way to go. I have a drill chuck for my tailstock, but did not feel confident enough in my ability to get it perfectly centered in my expansion jaws to drill such a small blank straight enough not to have a side blowout.
I decided to go with the drill press. I had a long enough drill bit. The problem is that my drill press only has four inches of travel on the quill. So I drilled as far as I could with it. I drilled slowly and backed out often to clear the material. It is easy to overheat the bit going this deep. Then after I'd drilled four inches, as far as I could, I loosened the chuck, drew the bit out of the chuck about three quarters of an inch, and then finished plunging all the way through the other end of the blank.
Wood Plant Natural material Terrestrial plant Trunk

I was happy enough that I decided to then try a new wood that I had never turned before. This pen is made of chicarella. The blank looked amazing. However, after turning it almost down to size, it looked instead kind of bland. So I played with the shape and added some burn lines to dress it up a tad.
Then my wife seen the pens. She absolutely loved the ziricote pen. The chicarella? Not so much. She explained though that it really wasn't the wood she liked about the first one, but the one piece design and the smooth shape. Then she left the shop. This gave me ideas. She liked the pen design, but not the wood. I remembered that a while back she looked at one of my cocobolo pens and went on and on about what a beautiful wood that was.
So…......
Wood Insect Terrestrial plant Natural material Trunk

Everyone ought to know by now. If I see an opportunity to make my lovely wife something that I think she'll like, I do it.
Here is her cocobolo, one piece, pen.
 

Attachments

#654 ·
The One Piece

The feedback I've been getting on the pens I've been making told me that a lot of people, maybe even most, like the pens best without the band, or center ring. I wanted to go a step further though. It absolutely pains me to cut some of the woods to make these pens because, no matter how well you line up the grain while assembling them, the wood never seems to look as beautiful as it did before it was split down the middle to cover the two blanks to be used with the slimline pen kits that I've been using.
What I wanted to do was to figure out a way to use one solid piece of wood for a pen without spending more than I can afford for higher priced kits. I knew there had to be a way, but I just couldn't seem to figure it out. Then I stumbled across this article, realized how simple it is, and couldn't believe I hadn't gotten it till now.
Wood Tool Natural material Quill Geologist's hammer

The first one piece pen I made was out of ziricote. I started with this wood because I just think it is a beautiful wood. Also, the last pen I made with this species of wood, I used a blank that was so pretty that I think it actually physically hurt me to cut it.
I was quite happy with the result.
The hardest part of making the one piece pen, in my opinion, is getting the seven millimeter hole drilled cleanly all the way through a four and a half inch long blank. There are several ways to do it. I will tell you how I done it, but keep in mind that it is not the only way.
I think drilling the blank on the lathe would be the best way to go. I have a drill chuck for my tailstock, but did not feel confident enough in my ability to get it perfectly centered in my expansion jaws to drill such a small blank straight enough not to have a side blowout.
I decided to go with the drill press. I had a long enough drill bit. The problem is that my drill press only has four inches of travel on the quill. So I drilled as far as I could with it. I drilled slowly and backed out often to clear the material. It is easy to overheat the bit going this deep. Then after I'd drilled four inches, as far as I could, I loosened the chuck, drew the bit out of the chuck about three quarters of an inch, and then finished plunging all the way through the other end of the blank.
Wood Plant Natural material Terrestrial plant Trunk

I was happy enough that I decided to then try a new wood that I had never turned before. This pen is made of chicarella. The blank looked amazing. However, after turning it almost down to size, it looked instead kind of bland. So I played with the shape and added some burn lines to dress it up a tad.
Then my wife seen the pens. She absolutely loved the ziricote pen. The chicarella? Not so much. She explained though that it really wasn't the wood she liked about the first one, but the one piece design and the smooth shape. Then she left the shop. This gave me ideas. She liked the pen design, but not the wood. I remembered that a while back she looked at one of my cocobolo pens and went on and on about what a beautiful wood that was.
So…......
Wood Insect Terrestrial plant Natural material Trunk

Everyone ought to know by now. If I see an opportunity to make my lovely wife something that I think she'll like, I do it.
Here is her cocobolo, one piece, pen.
VERY nice pens! And I'm with your wife, I like the smooth design too.

I'll be glad to send you my address so you can mail me one :)
 

Attachments

#673 ·
Used Ideas On New Pens

I went into the shop today just to fiddle around a bit. I decided to try some things I'd done before, but now on the one piece pens that I done from yesterday.
Wood Natural material Plant Line Grass

Wood Natural material Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies Grass Terrestrial plant

The first pen I done today was zebra wood. The one I done a few days ago with the grain run across the pen looked so nice that I wanted to try out the one blank I had with the grain running the length of the blank.
While it is a nice enough pen, I think it pales in comparison to the one I done before.
Wood Natural material Terrestrial plant Soil Plant stem

Wood Natural material Line Terrestrial plant Wood stain

Plant Wood Tool Natural material Hand tool

Wood Insect Terrestrial plant Tree Natural material

Next, although I haven't exactly gotten it down to a science or anything, I enjoy working with the process for celtic crosses. I have yet to have one turn out exactly like I want it too, but they always seem to be nice enough to be keepers anyway.
This one I tried to make special because it is for the wife of a friend of mine. This one has five layers of very thin strips sandwiched together to make the material to glue in the blank.
I ripped very thin layers of mahogany and maple on my band saw and glued them up into one continuous strip and allowed to to dry while I was working on the zebra wood pen. Then, every change I got, I would stop on the first pen and make a cut in the blood wood blank to insert and glue the material into this pen.
The idea here was to have four circles glued in at a forty five degree angle, one on each side of the blank. I have been having trouble with getting things working right past two inserts while cutting almost all the way through the blanks. So on this one I cut completely through and glued three pieces, the two parts of the blank and the insert, allowed to dry, then moved to the next.
This did not work right either. By the time I got two insert layers in, the lines were off. I thought about scrapping the whole idea on this one. I instead though decided to use the third layer of insert material to break up the misaligned lines and glue it in straight across.
I have yet to get the look I'm after with the celtic cross, but I'll keep trying. I know the process and how it is supposed to come together. Sometimes though things are easier said than done.
 

Attachments

#674 ·
Used Ideas On New Pens

I went into the shop today just to fiddle around a bit. I decided to try some things I'd done before, but now on the one piece pens that I done from yesterday.
Wood Natural material Plant Line Grass

Wood Natural material Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies Grass Terrestrial plant

The first pen I done today was zebra wood. The one I done a few days ago with the grain run across the pen looked so nice that I wanted to try out the one blank I had with the grain running the length of the blank.
While it is a nice enough pen, I think it pales in comparison to the one I done before.
Wood Natural material Terrestrial plant Soil Plant stem

Wood Natural material Line Terrestrial plant Wood stain

Plant Wood Tool Natural material Hand tool

Wood Insect Terrestrial plant Tree Natural material

Next, although I haven't exactly gotten it down to a science or anything, I enjoy working with the process for celtic crosses. I have yet to have one turn out exactly like I want it too, but they always seem to be nice enough to be keepers anyway.
This one I tried to make special because it is for the wife of a friend of mine. This one has five layers of very thin strips sandwiched together to make the material to glue in the blank.
I ripped very thin layers of mahogany and maple on my band saw and glued them up into one continuous strip and allowed to to dry while I was working on the zebra wood pen. Then, every change I got, I would stop on the first pen and make a cut in the blood wood blank to insert and glue the material into this pen.
The idea here was to have four circles glued in at a forty five degree angle, one on each side of the blank. I have been having trouble with getting things working right past two inserts while cutting almost all the way through the blanks. So on this one I cut completely through and glued three pieces, the two parts of the blank and the insert, allowed to dry, then moved to the next.
This did not work right either. By the time I got two insert layers in, the lines were off. I thought about scrapping the whole idea on this one. I instead though decided to use the third layer of insert material to break up the misaligned lines and glue it in straight across.
I have yet to get the look I'm after with the celtic cross, but I'll keep trying. I know the process and how it is supposed to come together. Sometimes though things are easier said than done.
Nice job William. I will be headed over there in the morning to check out all the new marble machines. Get the coffee hot. Betty will love the pen. You have done a fine job.

Again.
 

Attachments

#700 ·
Good To Be Back

I know it's been peaceful around here. I got down for a bit, as I sometimes do, and haven't been able to get any wood work done to show ya'll.
Well I'm back, and boy does it feel good to have something to actually show. It isn't much, but today was the most I've done in the shop in weeks. This post is actually more than just today's work. I've fiddled around a little here and there the laqst few weeks, just not enough for a post. So here goes.
Rectangle Ruler Wood Pattern Fashion accessory

Here is, or was, my pen display stand. It was simply a dressed up piece of sapelle with some proper sized holes drilled into it that the pens were inserted in. This held them upright so they could be seen. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I was showing them to a friend one day though and noticed something horrifying. The finish on the metal end that sticks in the wood was messed up on some of the pens. From what I can figure, it was just the sharp edges of the holes wearing on them as the pens were removed and replaced numerous times when people take them out to look at. So I had to come up with something better.
I was pondering this things for days when one day I seen one of my sons drawing. He is the artist one of the bunch and has this fancy pencil set he got for his last birthday. Anyway, looking at the way the pencils were neatly arranged in their case gave me an idea.
Shelf Wood Bookcase Shelving Wood stain

I took strips of sycamore and routed a groove in them with a three quarter inch router bull nose bit, and cut these strips into short sections. Then I glued those sections to three pieces of plywood and built a sapelle frame around it all to make a display so the pens could lay neatly in it all, much like the arrangement in my son's art set.
Wood Floor Flooring Rectangle Hardwood

I made the second and third rows a little higher than the ones in front of them so it rose upwards as it goes back. This, in my opinion, just presented the pens better to someone standing in front of the display looking at all of them.
Feather Natural material Metal Fashion accessory Stationery

Sometime last week, my brother, the contractor, done a remodel job and stopped by my shop with a long piece of corian countertop material. He stops by sometimes to see if I want things before they go to the dump. I really didn't need a countertop, but I thought it would look nice at the front of my shop where I keep my coffee pot. At least it would look better than the old beat up table that had been there. Also, I immediately seen this material and wondered if I could turn a pen with it. So one of my older sons helped me install the countertop, and I was able to cut off some of it to save for pens.
Office supplies Metal Wood

I loved the way the pen turned out. I also thought this was a cool photo. It is the pen, laid on the countertop that I got the material from.

Next, I got a request from a friend for another pen just like the Lumberjock pens. Well I set out to make that, only to realize I was out of a couple of the material types to make another one just like it. Actually, I wasn't completely out, just low enough that I couldn't cut it up to make it exactly the same. One of the wood species I only had one small strip of. So I set my mind to work trying to figure out how to make a pen using the same material, make it interesting, and very different.
I started gluing the seven types of material together. Then I cut it, flipped one side, and glued it back together. After that dried, I cut it again, flipped one side, and glued again. After multiple days of allowing glue to dry, cutting, flipping, and gluing again, I came up with something interesting.
Writing implement Musical instrument Wind instrument Office supplies Font

All I can say about this is, it is interesting.
I will have to wait until I can contact my friend to see if this fits the bill on what he wanted. If not, I'll have to go back to the drawing board.
So, remember the corian pen? Well, since my brother gave me that material, I gave him that first pen. That meant I had to make another one. I had learned a couple of things about turning corian on the other one.
For one thing, I learned that a scraper cuts it better than a gouge. Just hold the edge at a downward angle and it cuts the corian rather than scrape, and leave a much smoother finish than actual cutting tools.
Next thing I learned was that you need to wear snug fitting safety glasses, not just a face shield, when working with corian. This stuff floats around in the air more than wood and is hell to get out of your eyes.
And finally,
Tool Gas Wood Engineering Metalworking hand tool

I learned to keep my shop brush nearby. This stuff sticks to everything like it's magnetized to it. A brush is required to get it off. You can swipe away at it and it'll get airborn and stick right back to whatever it was on to start with.
It is fun to work with though.
Wood Tool Metal Natural material Fashion accessory

So I turned another one to replace the one I gave my brother.
Wood Writing implement Office supplies Stationery Metal

And I made a fat one without the center ring.
Writing implement Office supplies Wind instrument Pencil Musical instrument

Next I turned a one piece purple heart pen. At least this was bought from my hardwood supplier as purple heart. I realized today though that I have three different pieces of purple heart that look nothing alike. I'm not sure if this means they are not all purple heart or if they are just from different trees and therefore look different. Either way, they look pretty, so it's alright.
Wood Musical instrument Metal Writing implement Fashion accessory

I was looking through my blanks for something else, and came across this interesting looking piece of bocote, and wanted to turn it.
Wood Baseball bat Hardwood Pencil Varnish

Since I was on a roll, and while looking through those blanks, I ran across this forgotten piece of spalted something. I call it spalted something because all I know about it is that is has a beautiful spalted pattern on it. I have no idea what kind of wood it is though. This came off a larger piece of wood that has this for sapwood, and heart wood that looks like mahogany. I have yet to find anyone who can definately identify it with certainty. So I'm calling it mystery wood. This piece I'm calling a spalted something pen.
Wood Tool Kitchen utensil Musical instrument Artifact

Just before Father's Day, I talked to my buddy Dave about a marking knife. He refused payment, and brough me two of them that he forged himself. I made handles for them out of sapelle.

Well that's all for now. I was down, but not out. During the time I was down and not able to do much, I was steadily plotting and planning, and gluing up in the case of one of the pens, for my return. Some of you who know me know that even when I'm down, my mind is still working on that next project. It keeps me going. Now I just hope I can stay in the shop for a while without any more down time. Too much down time depresses me. I'd rather be making something besides just plans.
Before I close this one though, I must thank you from the bottom of my heart you friends on this site who sent me private messages and emails with words of encouragement and offers of prayers. It is always a good feeling to know that someone out there misses you when you're down. Thank you all so much. I hope my return post has not disappointed you.
 

Attachments

#701 ·
Good To Be Back

I know it's been peaceful around here. I got down for a bit, as I sometimes do, and haven't been able to get any wood work done to show ya'll.
Well I'm back, and boy does it feel good to have something to actually show. It isn't much, but today was the most I've done in the shop in weeks. This post is actually more than just today's work. I've fiddled around a little here and there the laqst few weeks, just not enough for a post. So here goes.
Rectangle Ruler Wood Pattern Fashion accessory

Here is, or was, my pen display stand. It was simply a dressed up piece of sapelle with some proper sized holes drilled into it that the pens were inserted in. This held them upright so they could be seen. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I was showing them to a friend one day though and noticed something horrifying. The finish on the metal end that sticks in the wood was messed up on some of the pens. From what I can figure, it was just the sharp edges of the holes wearing on them as the pens were removed and replaced numerous times when people take them out to look at. So I had to come up with something better.
I was pondering this things for days when one day I seen one of my sons drawing. He is the artist one of the bunch and has this fancy pencil set he got for his last birthday. Anyway, looking at the way the pencils were neatly arranged in their case gave me an idea.
Shelf Wood Bookcase Shelving Wood stain

I took strips of sycamore and routed a groove in them with a three quarter inch router bull nose bit, and cut these strips into short sections. Then I glued those sections to three pieces of plywood and built a sapelle frame around it all to make a display so the pens could lay neatly in it all, much like the arrangement in my son's art set.
Wood Floor Flooring Rectangle Hardwood

I made the second and third rows a little higher than the ones in front of them so it rose upwards as it goes back. This, in my opinion, just presented the pens better to someone standing in front of the display looking at all of them.
Feather Natural material Metal Fashion accessory Stationery

Sometime last week, my brother, the contractor, done a remodel job and stopped by my shop with a long piece of corian countertop material. He stops by sometimes to see if I want things before they go to the dump. I really didn't need a countertop, but I thought it would look nice at the front of my shop where I keep my coffee pot. At least it would look better than the old beat up table that had been there. Also, I immediately seen this material and wondered if I could turn a pen with it. So one of my older sons helped me install the countertop, and I was able to cut off some of it to save for pens.
Wood Metal Office supplies

I loved the way the pen turned out. I also thought this was a cool photo. It is the pen, laid on the countertop that I got the material from.

Next, I got a request from a friend for another pen just like the Lumberjock pens. Well I set out to make that, only to realize I was out of a couple of the material types to make another one just like it. Actually, I wasn't completely out, just low enough that I couldn't cut it up to make it exactly the same. One of the wood species I only had one small strip of. So I set my mind to work trying to figure out how to make a pen using the same material, make it interesting, and very different.
I started gluing the seven types of material together. Then I cut it, flipped one side, and glued it back together. After that dried, I cut it again, flipped one side, and glued again. After multiple days of allowing glue to dry, cutting, flipping, and gluing again, I came up with something interesting.
Writing implement Musical instrument Wind instrument Office supplies Font

All I can say about this is, it is interesting.
I will have to wait until I can contact my friend to see if this fits the bill on what he wanted. If not, I'll have to go back to the drawing board.
So, remember the corian pen? Well, since my brother gave me that material, I gave him that first pen. That meant I had to make another one. I had learned a couple of things about turning corian on the other one.
For one thing, I learned that a scraper cuts it better than a gouge. Just hold the edge at a downward angle and it cuts the corian rather than scrape, and leave a much smoother finish than actual cutting tools.
Next thing I learned was that you need to wear snug fitting safety glasses, not just a face shield, when working with corian. This stuff floats around in the air more than wood and is hell to get out of your eyes.
And finally,
Tool Gas Wood Engineering Metalworking hand tool

I learned to keep my shop brush nearby. This stuff sticks to everything like it's magnetized to it. A brush is required to get it off. You can swipe away at it and it'll get airborn and stick right back to whatever it was on to start with.
It is fun to work with though.
Wood Tool Metal Natural material Fashion accessory

So I turned another one to replace the one I gave my brother.
Wood Writing implement Office supplies Stationery Metal

And I made a fat one without the center ring.
Writing implement Office supplies Wind instrument Musical instrument Pencil

Next I turned a one piece purple heart pen. At least this was bought from my hardwood supplier as purple heart. I realized today though that I have three different pieces of purple heart that look nothing alike. I'm not sure if this means they are not all purple heart or if they are just from different trees and therefore look different. Either way, they look pretty, so it's alright.
Wood Musical instrument Writing implement Metal Fashion accessory

I was looking through my blanks for something else, and came across this interesting looking piece of bocote, and wanted to turn it.
Wood Baseball bat Hardwood Writing implement Softball bat

Since I was on a roll, and while looking through those blanks, I ran across this forgotten piece of spalted something. I call it spalted something because all I know about it is that is has a beautiful spalted pattern on it. I have no idea what kind of wood it is though. This came off a larger piece of wood that has this for sapwood, and heart wood that looks like mahogany. I have yet to find anyone who can definately identify it with certainty. So I'm calling it mystery wood. This piece I'm calling a spalted something pen.
Wood Tool Kitchen utensil Artifact Musical instrument

Just before Father's Day, I talked to my buddy Dave about a marking knife. He refused payment, and brough me two of them that he forged himself. I made handles for them out of sapelle.

Well that's all for now. I was down, but not out. During the time I was down and not able to do much, I was steadily plotting and planning, and gluing up in the case of one of the pens, for my return. Some of you who know me know that even when I'm down, my mind is still working on that next project. It keeps me going. Now I just hope I can stay in the shop for a while without any more down time. Too much down time depresses me. I'd rather be making something besides just plans.
Before I close this one though, I must thank you from the bottom of my heart you friends on this site who sent me private messages and emails with words of encouragement and offers of prayers. It is always a good feeling to know that someone out there misses you when you're down. Thank you all so much. I hope my return post has not disappointed you.
William, You never disappoint! The new pens are all special. My fav is the fat one with no center ring.

Did you catch Sandra's comment about McGyver on meds? She's a keeper.

The pen displays are perfect!
 

Attachments

#721 ·
Solving Some Problems

I've had a few "everything goes wrong" days. I guess everyone has had one of these at some time or another. I'm talking about days where everything you try and do only ends in failure or frustration. Well, when I have days like that, it always seems to end up being several days like that. So, Sunday, I took a much needed day off.
Now, with saying that, I have to explain what I mean by a "day off" for me. I have a lot of days I don't do much of anything. It's because there are day my health doesn't allow me to do much. When I take a "day off", I mean I took a day that I was actually in good enough shape to do something, and decided to do it away from the shop or home.
Anyway, with the explanation given, I took a day off and went fishing with one of my sons. We had a great time, and caught a good mess of bream. There is nothing in this world like having a fish dinner you caught yourself.
World Organism Seafood Electric blue Recreation

So anyway, I wanted to tell you all about that. Sometimes we all need a break. With that break, I cleared my mind. Then when I got back into the shop, I decided to turn a bowl. That's something I hadn't done in a little while. Well while gluing up the material for the bowl, one of the pieces slipped while fumbling with the clamps, and it was more out of balance than I cared to fight with on the lathe. It looked like my bad luck was still with me.
So today I went into the shop with a mission to fix a couple of problems I've had in the past.
Composite material Bicycle part Auto part Bumper Automotive exterior

The first problem I had was gluing up materials for bowls. I have been fighting with many clamps in the past. Somewhere on YouTube, while watching a bowl turning video, I seen a brilliantly designed bowl press. I wanted to make one. I couldn't see in that video many specifics on building it, but it wasn't complicated. I took some measurements and went at it.
The hardest thing to figure out was how to take this large clamp I had and remove just the part I needed to use in the press. About the time I was debating on how to do this, my teenage son, James, came towards the back of the shop and said he wished he could help me today. Well, I told him, you came just in time. So I clamped this huge clamp up in the vice, got a hack saw, and showed him what I needed. James is a determined lad. It took him about an hour, but he removed the screw and threaded insert part of the clamp I needed and we were in business.
Wood Gas Hardwood Machine Flooring

As I said earlier, it isn't a complicated design. I left plenty of room for gluing up bowls as deep as I would ever have a desire to do. If I'm doing a shallow bowl, just add spacer scrap material between the screw device and the top clamping plate, and clamp it all down. The advantage to this is going to be, with a center point of pressure, there is much less chance of material moving around like it does when I'm trying to wrestle with eight or ten clamps at once. Also, doing it this way is going to be much easier on my back.
Wood Gas Hardwood Creative arts Machine

Here, I have the first bowl clamped up in the press. There's a couple of things I'd like to note here.
You may notice the wax paper under the bowl. This is so that any glue that squeezes out goes on the wax paper instead of gluing the bowl to the press. Wax paper is cheap and even when the glue does make it sort of stick to something, it peels right off.
The other thing I wanted to tell you is that after snapping this photo, I noticed some cracking starting on my main support for the screw assembly. I quickly unscrewed it, used some three inch screws going through some pecan wood into the cypress I had made the main support out of, and reinforced that area. It was my first time using it, so some modifications at this point I guess could be expected. Other than that though, it seems to be doing great.
Automotive tire Wood Automotive exterior Shade Automotive design

Here is a better view of the material clamped in the press. I seen another advantage to the press when I was snapping this photo. In the past, I've had a time trying to keep the mess of the glue squeeze out from these bowl blank glue ups contained. With this press, it all will run down on the wax paper, which simply gets thrown in the garbage when done.
While my mind was on turning bowls, I thought of another little thing I've been meaning to work on for a while now.
I have several different styles of calipers, but none to accurately measure the thickness of the walls of bowls when turning them. I've been measuring them using the guess method. If you don't know what that is, it means you press the sides between two fingers and guess at the thickness. If any of you have ever turned many bowls using the guess method, then you probably also already know how easy it is to guess your way right through the side or bottom of a bowl.
Some time ago, Steve Goode, over at Scrollsaw Workshop, posted some patterns for some calipers that would be perfect for bowls. I had saved them to my computer, but had just not taken the time to make them. Today, since I was tackling problems, seemed like a good day to get it done.
Font Circle Rim Metal Auto part

These will be much more accurate than guessing. I made them out of quarter inch plywood. It would have been better to rivet them together, but I had them all cut before I realized I was out of rivets that long. So I opted for some screws and lock nuts instead of making a special trip to town.
.
If any of you do any scroll work, don't hesitate to go over to Steve Goode's site I linked to above. It is a great site for scrollers. I have gotten a lot of great patterns and good advice from his site.
 

Attachments

#722 ·
Solving Some Problems

I've had a few "everything goes wrong" days. I guess everyone has had one of these at some time or another. I'm talking about days where everything you try and do only ends in failure or frustration. Well, when I have days like that, it always seems to end up being several days like that. So, Sunday, I took a much needed day off.
Now, with saying that, I have to explain what I mean by a "day off" for me. I have a lot of days I don't do much of anything. It's because there are day my health doesn't allow me to do much. When I take a "day off", I mean I took a day that I was actually in good enough shape to do something, and decided to do it away from the shop or home.
Anyway, with the explanation given, I took a day off and went fishing with one of my sons. We had a great time, and caught a good mess of bream. There is nothing in this world like having a fish dinner you caught yourself.
World Organism Seafood Electric blue Recreation

So anyway, I wanted to tell you all about that. Sometimes we all need a break. With that break, I cleared my mind. Then when I got back into the shop, I decided to turn a bowl. That's something I hadn't done in a little while. Well while gluing up the material for the bowl, one of the pieces slipped while fumbling with the clamps, and it was more out of balance than I cared to fight with on the lathe. It looked like my bad luck was still with me.
So today I went into the shop with a mission to fix a couple of problems I've had in the past.
Composite material Bicycle part Auto part Bumper Automotive exterior

The first problem I had was gluing up materials for bowls. I have been fighting with many clamps in the past. Somewhere on YouTube, while watching a bowl turning video, I seen a brilliantly designed bowl press. I wanted to make one. I couldn't see in that video many specifics on building it, but it wasn't complicated. I took some measurements and went at it.
The hardest thing to figure out was how to take this large clamp I had and remove just the part I needed to use in the press. About the time I was debating on how to do this, my teenage son, James, came towards the back of the shop and said he wished he could help me today. Well, I told him, you came just in time. So I clamped this huge clamp up in the vice, got a hack saw, and showed him what I needed. James is a determined lad. It took him about an hour, but he removed the screw and threaded insert part of the clamp I needed and we were in business.
Wood Gas Hardwood Machine Flooring

As I said earlier, it isn't a complicated design. I left plenty of room for gluing up bowls as deep as I would ever have a desire to do. If I'm doing a shallow bowl, just add spacer scrap material between the screw device and the top clamping plate, and clamp it all down. The advantage to this is going to be, with a center point of pressure, there is much less chance of material moving around like it does when I'm trying to wrestle with eight or ten clamps at once. Also, doing it this way is going to be much easier on my back.
Wood Gas Hardwood Creative arts Machine

Here, I have the first bowl clamped up in the press. There's a couple of things I'd like to note here.
You may notice the wax paper under the bowl. This is so that any glue that squeezes out goes on the wax paper instead of gluing the bowl to the press. Wax paper is cheap and even when the glue does make it sort of stick to something, it peels right off.
The other thing I wanted to tell you is that after snapping this photo, I noticed some cracking starting on my main support for the screw assembly. I quickly unscrewed it, used some three inch screws going through some pecan wood into the cypress I had made the main support out of, and reinforced that area. It was my first time using it, so some modifications at this point I guess could be expected. Other than that though, it seems to be doing great.
Automotive tire Wood Automotive exterior Shade Automotive design

Here is a better view of the material clamped in the press. I seen another advantage to the press when I was snapping this photo. In the past, I've had a time trying to keep the mess of the glue squeeze out from these bowl blank glue ups contained. With this press, it all will run down on the wax paper, which simply gets thrown in the garbage when done.
While my mind was on turning bowls, I thought of another little thing I've been meaning to work on for a while now.
I have several different styles of calipers, but none to accurately measure the thickness of the walls of bowls when turning them. I've been measuring them using the guess method. If you don't know what that is, it means you press the sides between two fingers and guess at the thickness. If any of you have ever turned many bowls using the guess method, then you probably also already know how easy it is to guess your way right through the side or bottom of a bowl.
Some time ago, Steve Goode, over at Scrollsaw Workshop, posted some patterns for some calipers that would be perfect for bowls. I had saved them to my computer, but had just not taken the time to make them. Today, since I was tackling problems, seemed like a good day to get it done.
Font Circle Rim Metal Auto part

These will be much more accurate than guessing. I made them out of quarter inch plywood. It would have been better to rivet them together, but I had them all cut before I realized I was out of rivets that long. So I opted for some screws and lock nuts instead of making a special trip to town.
.
If any of you do any scroll work, don't hesitate to go over to Steve Goode's site I linked to above. It is a great site for scrollers. I have gotten a lot of great patterns and good advice from his site.
William,
Sounds like not everything is going wrong….
You were able to spend quality time with your son….
You caught dinner….
You made some shop implements….

Sorry to burst your bubble, but I don't think those scissors are going to cut anything!!!
 

Attachments

#735 ·
How NOT To Turn A Bowl

Wood Gas Hardwood Creative arts Machine

In the last entry, I had left the first bowl to ever be pressed in the bowl pressed drying for today. Well I unclamped it today and am glad to report that the press applied plenty enough pressure and I am very happy with it.
Dishware Tableware Serveware Wood Pottery

So I went to chucking it up on the lathe and went at it. I love turning bowls. You may notice it is a little shorter than what was shown clamped up in the press yesterday. I turned about an inch off the top when I messed up. That's one of the luxuries of turning bowls. If you make too big a mistake, you don't ruin the top part of the bowl. You just wind up with a shorter bowl.
I was happy with the way things were going. With the new bowl thickness calipers, I was able to get a more accurate measurement of the side walls and was much more comfortable about going thinner than I have in the past. Maybe I was a little too comfortable. If you read the title of this entry, you already know that a huge mistake is about to be told.
Wood Automotive tire Machine Auto part Plant

As I was getting near the bottom, I slipped with the gouge and made a nasty tear out section in the bottom of the bowl. So with some careful measuring, I figure I could go at least another sixteenth to an eighth inch deeper with no problems. I started doing that and quickly realized maybe that a sixteenth of an inch was about a sixteenth of an inch too much.
You see, when I thought back to see where I made the mistake at, I realized something. I did have enough material to go deeper about an inch and a half from the side where I measured at. However, since I, for some odd reason, like to cut a concave profile on the bottom of my bowls so they are sure to sit flat on a table, that meant I had less material than that closer to the center. Apparently, I had less than a sixteenth of an inch.
This is what happens when you turn clean through the bottom of a bowl. This is how NOT to turn a bowl. It doesn't hold things too well with a large hole in the bottom.

.

I also ran into another problem today. Well actually it is an ongoing problem that I am constantly learning to deal with. My lathe is actually underpowered for turning a bowl this large. It doesn't matter how light I make my passes, the lathe is under a stain turning this kind of mass. I feel there has to be a way around this problem, since there is no way I'll be able to afford a more substantial lathe anytime in the foreseeable future. So I am, as I'm able, working on a few ideas on that front. I am determined to be able to turn bowls.
I changed the grind on my gouge today to a steeper angle. That seemed to help a tiny bit, but I also plan on trying a ring, or hook cutter, sometimes in the future.
I'm also playing with speed on my lathe. It turned smoother at high speeds, but also seems to bog down easier. So I'm thinking of turning slower until the final passes to clean up rough areas.
I'm also thinking of ways to take some of the work load off of the lathe. If I remove the middle of the rings I glue up for blanks, that would eliminate the need for the lathe to have to turn that much weight in the beginning while I'm roughing everything out. This still would not help me if I'm turning a bowl from a fallen tree though. So that one is still a concept in the works.
I've done some research. The best answer would be to get a larger lathe with more horsepower that can handle that kind of mass. The thing is, when I look at the prices of such lathes, all I can think of is the fact that my kids need something called food more than I need a bigger lathe. So I don't see that happening.
So where does all this lead? Well, in the past, I've built my own tools when I couldn't afford large enough to do what I needed to do. It'll take some time. I've been looking for parts. The largest obstacle will be finding a large enough motor. I do see sometime in the future though that I want to build a heavier duty lathe than my wallet would ever allow me to purchase from a name brand supplier.
One day.
 

Attachments

#736 ·
How NOT To Turn A Bowl

Wood Gas Hardwood Creative arts Machine

In the last entry, I had left the first bowl to ever be pressed in the bowl pressed drying for today. Well I unclamped it today and am glad to report that the press applied plenty enough pressure and I am very happy with it.
Dishware Tableware Serveware Wood Pottery

So I went to chucking it up on the lathe and went at it. I love turning bowls. You may notice it is a little shorter than what was shown clamped up in the press yesterday. I turned about an inch off the top when I messed up. That's one of the luxuries of turning bowls. If you make too big a mistake, you don't ruin the top part of the bowl. You just wind up with a shorter bowl.
I was happy with the way things were going. With the new bowl thickness calipers, I was able to get a more accurate measurement of the side walls and was much more comfortable about going thinner than I have in the past. Maybe I was a little too comfortable. If you read the title of this entry, you already know that a huge mistake is about to be told.
Wood Automotive tire Machine Auto part Plant

As I was getting near the bottom, I slipped with the gouge and made a nasty tear out section in the bottom of the bowl. So with some careful measuring, I figure I could go at least another sixteenth to an eighth inch deeper with no problems. I started doing that and quickly realized maybe that a sixteenth of an inch was about a sixteenth of an inch too much.
You see, when I thought back to see where I made the mistake at, I realized something. I did have enough material to go deeper about an inch and a half from the side where I measured at. However, since I, for some odd reason, like to cut a concave profile on the bottom of my bowls so they are sure to sit flat on a table, that meant I had less material than that closer to the center. Apparently, I had less than a sixteenth of an inch.
This is what happens when you turn clean through the bottom of a bowl. This is how NOT to turn a bowl. It doesn't hold things too well with a large hole in the bottom.

.

I also ran into another problem today. Well actually it is an ongoing problem that I am constantly learning to deal with. My lathe is actually underpowered for turning a bowl this large. It doesn't matter how light I make my passes, the lathe is under a stain turning this kind of mass. I feel there has to be a way around this problem, since there is no way I'll be able to afford a more substantial lathe anytime in the foreseeable future. So I am, as I'm able, working on a few ideas on that front. I am determined to be able to turn bowls.
I changed the grind on my gouge today to a steeper angle. That seemed to help a tiny bit, but I also plan on trying a ring, or hook cutter, sometimes in the future.
I'm also playing with speed on my lathe. It turned smoother at high speeds, but also seems to bog down easier. So I'm thinking of turning slower until the final passes to clean up rough areas.
I'm also thinking of ways to take some of the work load off of the lathe. If I remove the middle of the rings I glue up for blanks, that would eliminate the need for the lathe to have to turn that much weight in the beginning while I'm roughing everything out. This still would not help me if I'm turning a bowl from a fallen tree though. So that one is still a concept in the works.
I've done some research. The best answer would be to get a larger lathe with more horsepower that can handle that kind of mass. The thing is, when I look at the prices of such lathes, all I can think of is the fact that my kids need something called food more than I need a bigger lathe. So I don't see that happening.
So where does all this lead? Well, in the past, I've built my own tools when I couldn't afford large enough to do what I needed to do. It'll take some time. I've been looking for parts. The largest obstacle will be finding a large enough motor. I do see sometime in the future though that I want to build a heavier duty lathe than my wallet would ever allow me to purchase from a name brand supplier.
One day.
I really do like your bowl glueing jig! That is a bummer about the bottom of your bowl. But, at least you can save it. Cut a bit of and glue a new section on, then take it back to the lathe. I am also sorry to hear about your new lathe bogging down. That is frustrating. Seems like you cannot catch a break, between bent spindles and weak motors. But at least you are not letting it get you down! That is inspiring and awesome! Keep it up!!!!

Nate
 

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#750 ·
Time To Back Up A Bit

Have any of you ever noticed that when things start going wrong, they keep going wrong? For me, once it starts, it keeps going until I just all of a sudden have a victory, or I back it up a bit. Since the failures keep coming, I figured it was time to throw it in reverse.
What do I mean by that?
I have a tendency to want to do things that are challenging. Some may argue that I sometimes even push the envelope too much, too quickly, on things. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. I know from experience though that this makes me sometimes need to back it up and get back to the basics of what I'm trying to do.
The multi wood pen I done a recently is going to a friend of mine. I wanted one for display though and had more blanks I had left over from gluing up all those strips of wood. These blanks look nice, but are a challenge to turn. I was careful about gluing them, but with the grain running all directions, it's almost like turning burl. No matter what angle of attack you use with your sharpest gouge, there is tear out if you are not careful and all the luck is there, and the stars align perfectly, and all that jazz.
Pen Writing implement Office supplies Writing instrument accessory Stationery

This was the second pen I tried turning today. The first one literally blew apart on the lathe. This one, although you can't tell it by the picture, is a reject as well. I kept having to sand the front end of the pen more and more as pieces kept blowing off. This wound up making the front end just short enough that I had a hard time judging how far to press the advance mechanism in. As my recent luck would have it, I ended up pressing it just a tad too far. With the pen retracted all the way, you can hold the pen perfectly vertical and write with it. The end of the ink cartridge is right there at the tip. I refuse to put something like this in my display. Those of you who know me know that I don't allow things to leave my shop in other's hands if it isn't right.
Don't worry. Pens like this one, that are usable but not right; they don't go in the trash. They go in my truck for me to use myself. I said I wouldn't allow things like this leave in other people's hands. I didn't say I wouldn't use it.
Anyway, I decided to just back up and turn a basic pen instead of trying anything fancy or different. Of course, since doing all the different styles I have now done, I don't do just simple, one wood species pens, unless it has some awesome grain. So I looked through my blanks and picked two woods that I have had good luck with in the past, walnut and maple. I did not try anything crazy here. I simply sliced the walnut down the length at an angle and glued a strip of maple in.
Office supplies Writing implement Wood Tints and shades Natural material

Baseball bat Wood Writing implement Window Varnish

Wood Writing implement Office supplies Tints and shades Writing instrument accessory

It isn't much, but just to do something without problems, like I've had lately, felt good.
That went well, but then I was thinking of what I wanted to do next. I decided that, while I thinking about it, to mount up between centers a piece of scrap wood and do some practice exercises. Sometimes I think it's good just to practice techniques. Even if you know how to do something, practice will either keep you good, or help you improve it in some way.
Wood Natural material Hardwood Vegetable Wire

Next, I liked the way that last pen had turned out, so I wanted to do something else. I thought about more crazy stuff, but settled on doing something similar to the last pen. Just keep it simple. Sometimes simple seems more elegant than the craziest of designs.
This blank is walnut and box elder. Since the box elder is bent pretty good while being pressed between the two pieces of walnut, I thought it would be a good idea to leave this blank overnight. It may self destruct on it's own if I unclamp it too soon. I took it out of the voce, snapped a photo, and put it right back in to leave till tomorrow.
Automotive tire Wood Art Natural material Gas

This is a piece of pipe a good friend gave me a while back to try turning. It looks like PVC, but has a more rubbery feel to it. I think it will make a neat pen if I can turn it without any issues.
I had tried a small piece of it before, unsuccessfully. I thought I'd give it another shot.
Wood Rectangle Flooring Hardwood Composite material

Here are the two blanks glued up. I'm leaving them overnight too. The last time I tried turning this, the tube let go in one of the blanks. I always scuff up the tubes before gluing them, but I think the type of material here may have had something to do with it. I'm hoping the extra curing time will help the situation.
So that's two blanks for tomorrow, hopefully. We'll have to wait and see how they turn out.
 

Attachments

#751 ·
Time To Back Up A Bit

Have any of you ever noticed that when things start going wrong, they keep going wrong? For me, once it starts, it keeps going until I just all of a sudden have a victory, or I back it up a bit. Since the failures keep coming, I figured it was time to throw it in reverse.
What do I mean by that?
I have a tendency to want to do things that are challenging. Some may argue that I sometimes even push the envelope too much, too quickly, on things. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. I know from experience though that this makes me sometimes need to back it up and get back to the basics of what I'm trying to do.
The multi wood pen I done a recently is going to a friend of mine. I wanted one for display though and had more blanks I had left over from gluing up all those strips of wood. These blanks look nice, but are a challenge to turn. I was careful about gluing them, but with the grain running all directions, it's almost like turning burl. No matter what angle of attack you use with your sharpest gouge, there is tear out if you are not careful and all the luck is there, and the stars align perfectly, and all that jazz.
Pen Writing implement Office supplies Writing instrument accessory Stationery

This was the second pen I tried turning today. The first one literally blew apart on the lathe. This one, although you can't tell it by the picture, is a reject as well. I kept having to sand the front end of the pen more and more as pieces kept blowing off. This wound up making the front end just short enough that I had a hard time judging how far to press the advance mechanism in. As my recent luck would have it, I ended up pressing it just a tad too far. With the pen retracted all the way, you can hold the pen perfectly vertical and write with it. The end of the ink cartridge is right there at the tip. I refuse to put something like this in my display. Those of you who know me know that I don't allow things to leave my shop in other's hands if it isn't right.
Don't worry. Pens like this one, that are usable but not right; they don't go in the trash. They go in my truck for me to use myself. I said I wouldn't allow things like this leave in other people's hands. I didn't say I wouldn't use it.
Anyway, I decided to just back up and turn a basic pen instead of trying anything fancy or different. Of course, since doing all the different styles I have now done, I don't do just simple, one wood species pens, unless it has some awesome grain. So I looked through my blanks and picked two woods that I have had good luck with in the past, walnut and maple. I did not try anything crazy here. I simply sliced the walnut down the length at an angle and glued a strip of maple in.
Office supplies Writing implement Wood Tints and shades Natural material

Baseball bat Wood Writing implement Window Varnish

Wood Writing implement Office supplies Tints and shades Writing instrument accessory

It isn't much, but just to do something without problems, like I've had lately, felt good.
That went well, but then I was thinking of what I wanted to do next. I decided that, while I thinking about it, to mount up between centers a piece of scrap wood and do some practice exercises. Sometimes I think it's good just to practice techniques. Even if you know how to do something, practice will either keep you good, or help you improve it in some way.
Wood Natural material Hardwood Vegetable Wire

Next, I liked the way that last pen had turned out, so I wanted to do something else. I thought about more crazy stuff, but settled on doing something similar to the last pen. Just keep it simple. Sometimes simple seems more elegant than the craziest of designs.
This blank is walnut and box elder. Since the box elder is bent pretty good while being pressed between the two pieces of walnut, I thought it would be a good idea to leave this blank overnight. It may self destruct on it's own if I unclamp it too soon. I took it out of the voce, snapped a photo, and put it right back in to leave till tomorrow.
Automotive tire Wood Art Natural material Gas

This is a piece of pipe a good friend gave me a while back to try turning. It looks like PVC, but has a more rubbery feel to it. I think it will make a neat pen if I can turn it without any issues.
I had tried a small piece of it before, unsuccessfully. I thought I'd give it another shot.
Wood Rectangle Flooring Hardwood Composite material

Here are the two blanks glued up. I'm leaving them overnight too. The last time I tried turning this, the tube let go in one of the blanks. I always scuff up the tubes before gluing them, but I think the type of material here may have had something to do with it. I'm hoping the extra curing time will help the situation.
So that's two blanks for tomorrow, hopefully. We'll have to wait and see how they turn out.
I don't know if I'll be able to sleep tonight….
Or if I'll have "pipe" dreams all night!!!

Eagerly awaiting the outcome of your latest experimentation!!!
 

Attachments

#761 ·
Not My Best Day

If you read my last blog entry, I had left one set of pen blanks curing with the tubes glued in, and another full length blank clamped up in a bench vice. I was anxious this morning to see how they would turn out.
Let's start with the rubbery black pipe blanks.
Writing implement Office supplies Writing instrument accessory Pen Ball pen

Writing implement Office supplies Pen Ball pen Writing instrument accessory

I did in fact get a pen turned out of this material. I must say it was a challenge. Almost nothing I tried worked on this stuff. It is softer than the corian and peeled off rather easily. It peels off so much, in fact, that I had to stop the lathe often to tear the streamers of black rubbery material from around the mandrel shaft.
I experimented as I went along because I did not want to get down to the final pen size and run into surprises. I learned right off that you cannot sand this material. Sanding, even with the finest of grits, leaves more scratches than it takes away. Sanding around it with the lathe running and then the length, like I would do for most material, simply leaves a crosshatch pattern. It does nothing to smooth it.
Next, I tried something a friend (Randy) suggested. I removed the blanks from the lathe and popped them in the freezer for a while. The thought is that the cold will harden the blanks and make them more workable. This presented a new problem. The tubes are metal based. Metal contracts when it is cold. The freezing of the blanks also shrunk the tubes enough that I could not get them on the mandrel shaft.
Next, I tried different turning tool. Since I was not going to be able to sand this stuff, I needed as fine a finish as I could get straight from the cutting of the tools.
The gouge left a terrible finish. The scraper simply dug in the softer than wood material. Eventually, I settled on the fact that I was going to have no choice but to turn this entirely with a skew chisel. While this is great practice with a skew, it also proved that I also need a lot more practice to get better than I am now.
Anyway, with the pen complete, I liked working with this material. It presented a challenge, and I like challenges. The finish is no where near as smooth as I would normally like, but I think that, and knowing what it was originally, adds to the originality of this pen.
I will revisit this material at a later date. Also, the same friend who gave me this has some other pipe, grey I believe, that I will have to get some of to try.
Wood Office supplies Office instrument Tool Hardwood

Wood Tableware Hardwood Natural material Metal

Next came the walnut and box elder blank I left clamped in the vice yesterday. I turned it, and it was shaping up to be one of the nicest pens I'd done in a while. I absolutely love the look of these finished blanks.
Then I started pressing everything together.
Now let me tell you something about me. I can stop a project at a good stopping point. If for any reason though I ever stop a project in the middle of an important step, something usually goes wrong when I return to it. Therefore, I hate, with a passion, having to stop on anything if I am not at a good common sense stopping point.
So anyway, with that explained, I was just starting to press the parts together when I got a phone call. My son's truck was broke down on the side of the highway. Ordinarily, that would mean I would finish pressing the parts together and then go help him. However, with a hundred degree heat index, and my son having his pregnant wife who is eight months pregnant with my grandchild in the truck with him, I had to go that very instant.
It turned out that he had a blown tire. His spare was flat. I drove him around to find a replacement tire while my wife carried his pregnant wife back to our place. With the truck back in commission, I returned to the pen.
Do you remember what I said about something usually going wrong if I stop on something the way I had to do? The advance mechanism somehow got cocked while being pressed. By the time I realized it, it had bent. I tried straightening it. It made it worse. I tried pulling it back out and using a different one, since it wasn't deep. It broke flush with the pen blanks. I used pliers to remove the nib (I had a replacement) and tried tapping the mechanism out using a punch. The blank slipped in the soft jaws and completely ruined it.
So my beautiful pen was ruined.
What to do?
Brown Textile Sleeve Natural material Bag

Well I glued up another one to try again, of course.
Wood Natural material Tool Hardwood Artifact

I also left another blank clamped up. This is just another one of my weird ideas. We'll have to see how both of these turn out next time.
Hopefully, next time will prove to be a better day than today.
 

Attachments

#762 ·
Not My Best Day

If you read my last blog entry, I had left one set of pen blanks curing with the tubes glued in, and another full length blank clamped up in a bench vice. I was anxious this morning to see how they would turn out.
Let's start with the rubbery black pipe blanks.
Writing implement Office supplies Writing instrument accessory Pen Ball pen

Writing implement Office supplies Pen Ball pen Writing instrument accessory

I did in fact get a pen turned out of this material. I must say it was a challenge. Almost nothing I tried worked on this stuff. It is softer than the corian and peeled off rather easily. It peels off so much, in fact, that I had to stop the lathe often to tear the streamers of black rubbery material from around the mandrel shaft.
I experimented as I went along because I did not want to get down to the final pen size and run into surprises. I learned right off that you cannot sand this material. Sanding, even with the finest of grits, leaves more scratches than it takes away. Sanding around it with the lathe running and then the length, like I would do for most material, simply leaves a crosshatch pattern. It does nothing to smooth it.
Next, I tried something a friend (Randy) suggested. I removed the blanks from the lathe and popped them in the freezer for a while. The thought is that the cold will harden the blanks and make them more workable. This presented a new problem. The tubes are metal based. Metal contracts when it is cold. The freezing of the blanks also shrunk the tubes enough that I could not get them on the mandrel shaft.
Next, I tried different turning tool. Since I was not going to be able to sand this stuff, I needed as fine a finish as I could get straight from the cutting of the tools.
The gouge left a terrible finish. The scraper simply dug in the softer than wood material. Eventually, I settled on the fact that I was going to have no choice but to turn this entirely with a skew chisel. While this is great practice with a skew, it also proved that I also need a lot more practice to get better than I am now.
Anyway, with the pen complete, I liked working with this material. It presented a challenge, and I like challenges. The finish is no where near as smooth as I would normally like, but I think that, and knowing what it was originally, adds to the originality of this pen.
I will revisit this material at a later date. Also, the same friend who gave me this has some other pipe, grey I believe, that I will have to get some of to try.
Wood Office supplies Office instrument Tool Hardwood

Wood Tableware Hardwood Natural material Metal

Next came the walnut and box elder blank I left clamped in the vice yesterday. I turned it, and it was shaping up to be one of the nicest pens I'd done in a while. I absolutely love the look of these finished blanks.
Then I started pressing everything together.
Now let me tell you something about me. I can stop a project at a good stopping point. If for any reason though I ever stop a project in the middle of an important step, something usually goes wrong when I return to it. Therefore, I hate, with a passion, having to stop on anything if I am not at a good common sense stopping point.
So anyway, with that explained, I was just starting to press the parts together when I got a phone call. My son's truck was broke down on the side of the highway. Ordinarily, that would mean I would finish pressing the parts together and then go help him. However, with a hundred degree heat index, and my son having his pregnant wife who is eight months pregnant with my grandchild in the truck with him, I had to go that very instant.
It turned out that he had a blown tire. His spare was flat. I drove him around to find a replacement tire while my wife carried his pregnant wife back to our place. With the truck back in commission, I returned to the pen.
Do you remember what I said about something usually going wrong if I stop on something the way I had to do? The advance mechanism somehow got cocked while being pressed. By the time I realized it, it had bent. I tried straightening it. It made it worse. I tried pulling it back out and using a different one, since it wasn't deep. It broke flush with the pen blanks. I used pliers to remove the nib (I had a replacement) and tried tapping the mechanism out using a punch. The blank slipped in the soft jaws and completely ruined it.
So my beautiful pen was ruined.
What to do?
Brown Textile Sleeve Natural material Bag

Well I glued up another one to try again, of course.
Wood Natural material Tool Hardwood Artifact

I also left another blank clamped up. This is just another one of my weird ideas. We'll have to see how both of these turn out next time.
Hopefully, next time will prove to be a better day than today.
What's up with the triple post? I heard ya the first time!
 

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