Melb weekday turners meet 21st Oct

[rsser]

Thursday 21st. 11am.

Focus will be bowl turning, starting from taking a log, blocking it down and green turning. We'll have some gouges and hollowing tools for you to try (GJ, if you can make it, would you bring your Munro?)

We'll use a lump of English Elm. Has spekky cream sapwood and chocolate heartwood. There may be enough for folk to take a blank home depending on numbers.

BYOG and barbie meat.

Forum members only.

Email me for RSVP and address at rsser at westnet dot com dot au

[Grumpy John]

I'm in.

[steck]

I'm in, too!

[letzzzgo]

I'm in as well! :)

[efgee88]

Ahh,
Can't make it unfortunately due to being too young to be a man of leasure. However, if it was possible for someone to take some pictures of the process of getting the best bowl blanks out of a piece of log, that would be much appreciated by me and maybe some others on the forum who can't make it......

Cheers,

FrankG

[Sturdee]

I.m in too.


Peter.

[rsser]

Goodo. Now Hughie or Cliff posted a while ago with an attachment showing the grain effect of different blank orientations in a log. I saved the attachment but am having trouble finding it - doh

Edit: got it.

[mick61]

Maybe depending on the weather if it`s crap I should be able to make it.
Mick:D

[TTIT]

Maybe depending on the weather if it`s crap I should be able to make it.
Mick:D.....and with Melbourne weather it would be odds on . . . . . . off . . . . . on . . . . . .off . . . . . . .on . . . . . . .off . . . . . . . on . . . . . . . off . . . . :roflmao:

[rsser]

Snow showers forecast down to 500m today!

Dammit, I wanna head back to the red dirt country.

[Grumpy John]

.....and with Melbourne weather it would be odds on . . . . . . off . . . . . on . . . . . .off . . . . . . .on . . . . . . .off . . . . . . . on . . . . . . . off . . . . :roflmao:

:rotfl: :rofl: :clap:
It's only funny cos it's true.

[joevan]

Hello Ern,

I will be a starter as well and will bring a bottle of red to have with the lunch. I am coming with LETZZZGO (John)

Regards

Joe v K.

[efgee88]

Thanks for the link Ern,

That is clear as a whistle.

Cheers,

FrankG

[rsser]

Peter, could you bring your Bedan along if you're willing to give us a bit of a demo?

[woodwork wally]

.....and with Melbourne weather it would be odds on . . . . . . off . . . . . on . . . . . .off . . . . . . .on . . . . . . .off . . . . . . . on . . . . . . . off . . . . :roflmao:
Teehee and you dont get rain in Q/land :no::doh: Fair comment but Fair go

[woodwork wally]

If the car is back on the road Iwill try thanks Ern Www

[rsser]

Goodo. Pls let me know, and you too Mick, on Tues as the shed has shrunk a bit in the rain and I need to know rough numbers to make space.

[Sturdee]

Peter, could you bring your Bedan along if you're willing to give us a bit of a demo?


Yes, will do.


Peter.

[Sawdust Maker]

I'd love to come

but dammit, wrong bloomin city :doh:

[issatree]

Hi Ern,
I now find I can make to your Turning Day.
Just need directions.
Regards,
issatree.
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[rsser]

Apologies Issatree, we've reached shed capacity now.

[tea lady]

Teehee and you dont get rain in Q/land :no::doh: Fair comment but Fair goyeah! Seem to remember they got a bit of rain recently that they were complaining about.:rolleyes:

Hope you have fun guys. I'll be playing ..... I mean working :doh: .... in another shed ! :cool:

[rsser]

Green turning is usually a lot of fun, and we'll have a few hollowers for folk to have a play. The Proforme flexi was added yesterday; I'm a big fan of that J shaped cutter and it's p*ss easy to sharpen.

Actually I'd better extract the digit and do some sharpening. I've been slack (note to self: don't use weak wrist again as a mallet to get the car towball nut off.)

We might have a shot at a natural edge bowl and give the Con Chuck a run. Also the FET tool. (Clever naming by ; I was working on 'FLEET': Frank L's easy & enjoyable tool.)

[rsser]

Got the lumps of timber home today. The Elm is big. 6 bits of it and 2 of Poplar and I was hErniated ;-}

Several bits of Elm got no further than the front yard.

Some of the Elm will need the pith cut out or else can be cut for some vase blanks. May get to this tomorrow if I can.

Cos of the limited number of Elm half logs, I'll also have other lumps folk can take home if they like: fiddleback redgum, some English Ash, some variable quality White Oak and some NIP logs.

Many thanks to the anon. forum member who donated the Elm. Also the Poplar (re which I'm gunna be selfish and keep).

[letzzzgo]

Ern,
With all that lovely wood you have, I'm really looking forward to coming over!
Let me know if you need a helping hand to relocate timber, I'm not too far away from you.
Cheers, John

[Frank&Earnest]

... Also the FET tool. (Clever naming by ; I was working on 'FLEET': Frank L's easy & enjoyable tool.)

Thanks Ern. I can think of another word starting with F that some people might be currently using to describe it. :D:D:D

[rsser]

Thanks John; I'll ask for a hand in the morning. Depending on what folk want, there'll be a mix of moving and blocking down.

....

Frank, as Charlesworth once said, some tools you make friends with, some you don't. All tools involve varying trade-offs in learning time, resulting finish, maintenance, cost etc. What one person is willing to settle for won't suit another, even among experienced turners, as this and the earlier thread show pretty clearly.

[mick61]

G`day Ern I can`t make it so ISSATREE can have my spot.
Mick:D

[rsser]

Thanks for letting me know Mick.

There's an offline waiting list so I'm afraid this list is closed.

The shed houses two more machines than earlier days so for safety's sake the numbers have to be capped.

[letzzzgo]

Just got home from another beaut day at Ern's place. We all enjoyed a day, bowl turning a large piece of 'elm' using different tools on a spiffy looking vicmarc VL175. Not bad eh!!!
At the end of the day we were all rewarded with loads of free timber. Just love the red gum with lots of fiddleback and the elm. :)
A big thanks to you Ern for setting up today and for making it yet another success, and for your generosity.

Cheers, John.

[Sawdust Maker]

Didn't happen :no:
no piccies :p

[Grumpy John]

Didn't happen :no:
no piccies :p

Did so.

One very ornery piece of elm, resisted all attempts with both the Munro and Pro Forme hollowers. Very stringy and clogged the cutters. You can see how stringy it was after Peter attacked it with his bedan. I missed getting a picture of it coming off the lathe (twice). Once whilst being roughed out in outboard mode, seems when the lathe is running in reverse the chuck likes to unscrew, and once when the bedan bit off more than it could chew.
150786

The proud owner polishing his new toy.
150787

Sorry there's not more piccies, having too much fun.

Thanks to Ern for opening his heart and shed for another informative day. Thanks also to Steck for the lift over.

[steck]

Thanks to Ern for his Tern.:yeah:
Thanks again for your hospitality and the chance to play with a few different hollowers.:minigun:
Superb cooking of the chops too!:bbq2:

[rsser]

It was a pleasure guys. Great day. I enjoyed it too.

The Elm was very green which I figure accounts for it being stringy; but it had some lovely colour.

Courtesy of Sturdee we had a demo of and a play with the Bedan about which I feel unready to come to a conclusion. Need more time with one. Also used the FET tool and I can't add anything new to what I've posted already.

[Sturdee]

Another great day, thoroughly enjoyable.

Funny thing is that I've never been able to knock something of my lathe, so maybe an MC900 clone is better than the Vicmarc :D:D:D:D:D , just kidding ofcourse.:D


Peter.

[Sturdee]

Courtesy of Sturdee we had a demo of and a play with the Bedan about which I feel unready to come to a conclusion. Need more time with one.

Anytime you want to practise some more let me know.

Peter.

[Sawdust Maker]

surprisingly few photos :cool:
but I'm willing to concede that it happened :q

actually I'm sorry I wasn't there*






*did I say that :o

[joevan]

Hello Ern,

Many thanks for a very interesting day. It is always fun to play with other peoples toys. I always say, something very unusual has to happen to have a story to tell and a story we have to tell when a half a ton of wood comes "rolling" out of a lathe (it did not fly because it was too heavy).

Regards,

Joe v K.

[rsser]

Yeah, reverse turning without a wrap of tape around the chuck/spindle join was a dumb oversight.

As for the levering of the lump out of the chuck, this is only the 2nd time it's happened on my watch in years and both were with overcooked scraping cuts.

[rsser]

The Elm 'play piece' was of reaction wood, ie. one side of branch or bole grown out to buttress the rest, so the pith is off centre. For bowl rough outs, this stuff is not going to dry well.

Letzzgo and Joe took away a better piece and I'll be interested to see how it goes.

I've got another three and despite the stringy character green-turned I hold hopes of getting a useful large utility bowl out of a rough out.

Efgee is coming over to pick up a lump to give his NZ lathe a workout ;-}

And many thanks to Steck for the bird's eye figured lump of Red Alder.

..

The VL175 did all that I expected.

The stand needs bolting down, on my uneven floor, and I'll need to avoid all those cut off anchors from past lathes!

The outrigger tool rest is a bit of a fiddle but offers a lot of flexibility.

With the long bed and the right bed gap, the VM hollowing tool rest will fit nicely and give my ageing paws an easy time of it. After a bit of practise I may offer to host another turning day on deep hollowing.

Since the last version of the 175 I owned there's been many minor but useful improvements. Full marks to Vicmarc.

[Jim Carroll]

Why were you going in reverse anyway .

Having a swivel head eliminates the need

You should have used the locking collar to hold the chuck onto the spindle.

[rsser]

Good question.

I'd blocked down the lump with the chainsaw to a bit over 36cm OD. But as an octagon the widest corner still exceeded the swivelled head/extended banjo reach by a smidgen, and in haste with an audience I placed the rest on the offside with the lathe in reverse just to take a tip or two off.

I don't think the VM safety collar would match the Con chuck, not that I thought of it, nor did I think of my normal fabric tape wrap-around.

Well the lump unrolled on my side and I saw it happen in slow-mo and got the left foot out of the way, thankfully.

[Sawdust Maker]

Good question.

...

Well the lump unrolled on my side and I saw it happen in slow-mo and got the left foot out of the way, thankfully.

I'm pleased, I'm not sure we'd be that impressed with another injury

[letzzzgo]

Hello Ern,

Yes, Joe and I got a few nice pieces of timber from you which included the 'Elm'. I think it should make a great bowl. I'm going to 'block it down' as you say to around 400mm tomorrow (I've never heard of that term before!). Not something you made up, is it Ern? I don't have a Con Chuck, so I will probably attach it to a 5" face plate for the 1st stage of the roughing and shaping. What do you reckon .... for that size of bowl.... I should leave the wall thickness say around 35mm? After which of course I'll seal it and leave it to dry.
I'll keep you posted on how it turns out. :2tsup:

Cheers, John

[rsser]

Sounds feasible John.

I think you a got a lump in which the pith was fairly centred; if not, the more off centre it is the greater the wall thickness with a rough out.

And if the top is close to or includes any pith, turn it away cos checking will start there first off.

Good luck with it.

[rsser]

Just an afterthought for others who got a lump of the Elm, with big pieces just end-grain sealed and stored, with earlier hauls I've found internal checking when it comes to turning time. So there's value in roughing out sooner rather than later if a bowl or platter is what you have in mind.

[rsser]

This is a late thankyou to Steck for the green Red Alder bowl blank.

Just rough-turned it as it was starting to move big time.

Crumbs, what a challenge. Checks, bark inclusions, soft end grain so lots of tear-out, but oh-so-nice epicormic figure.

I saturated the bark inclusions with thin CA and slopped sealer over the lot.

Will hover over it for the next week or two to see if it wants to throw up more challenges.

How have you found your lumps Steck?

[steck]

Hi Ern,
I reckon the Red Alder was one of the most spectacular bits of wood I have got from the "Drop Zone". I would be happy to get some more of it.
Definitely difficult to work with all the lumps and bumps, furry grain, soft and harder bits.
I made a couple of bowls from the plainer stuff which seem to be behaving as it dries and seems very lightweight. - It is not too far out of round, yet??????

I liked the "birdseye" epicormic bud riddled alder and tried an experiment. I took a bit of the highly figured stuff and hollowed it out to final thickness while still wet. Then I wet sanded with danish oil to 800 grit. Oiled inside and out and wrapped in paper to dry. The vase is about 35cm tall. My plan is to NOT remount it on the lathe but to just give it a final hand sand when it dries. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this one!

[Grumpy John]

I'll third that on the red alder being difficult to work with, but it's definitely worth persevering with. It's damn thirsty stuff though, soaks up the oil like there's no tomorrow.

[rsser]

Thanks for the tips folks.

That vase looks like a keeper Steck, if it behaves. Very nice.

Added: I've roughed out your donation too GJ. Some nice subtle variation in colour there.

Maybe a coat or two of sanding sealer would be the go to save on oil.

[Grumpy John]

I wonder if anyone who tried one of the hollowers has lashed out and bought one yet. I'd be interested to hear any feedback/opinions on the hollowers that were sampled. If anyone can remember that far back :p.

[Sturdee]

GJ, Of course I can remember that far back.:p In fact it seems like it was only a few weeks back, fresh in my memory.

Haven't bought any as I spent nearly all my tool budget for this year at the WWW show, tool blanks from Gary Pye and on deep hollowing tools from Hughie.

Plan to make some bowl gouge oland style tools as an interim measure and maybe I'll get some next year. Will post some pics of the oland tools that I have made shortly.


Peter.

[rsser]

I got a really hi-tech hollower afterwards. It's called a 5/8 bowl gouge :wink:

[steck]

My recollection was that the hollowers jammed up a bit with that furry elm.
I bought a vermec ultimate hollower and I also got an easywood finisher.

[rsser]

The green elm was not actually a good test of most of what you encounter.

FWIW I once tried to rough green Cottonwood with a bowl gouge and the fibres wrapped around the edge in seconds, making the task impossible.

That said, I'd be keen to see the Vermec in action and would be happy to host another session at my place. Can mount some more typical turning timbers.

[letzzzgo]

I wonder if anyone who tried one of the hollowers has lashed out and bought one yet. I'd be interested to hear any feedback/opinions on the hollowers that were sampled. If anyone can remember that far back :p.

Yes John , As I remember the the Munro and Pro-Forme didn't perform all that well with that 'ornery' piece of elm that Ern had set up on his VL175. Both hollowers, after only short use, needed to be unclogged and cleared of material on a regular basis. It wasn't a good recommendation for either tool. At the time I think we all put it down to the elm being wet and fibrous. I would like to have another get together, where we can see these tools perform with other timbers! I'm sure they work far better than what I witnessed.
In saying that, I have purchased a Pro-Forme hollowing head with the intention of making my own shaft and handle. This looks like a 2011 project! :2tsup:

Cheers, John

[letzzzgo]

I got a really hi-tech hollower afterwards. It's called a 5/8 bowl gouge :wink:

Yes, I got one as well Ern, and they don't clog up.:)

John

[Sturdee]

In saying that, I have purchased a Pro-Forme hollowing head with the intention of making my own shaft and handle. This looks like a 2011 project! :2tsup:

Cheers, John

I can bring the shafts I made for the oland tools to see if they fit. If so I'll keep your hollowing head to save you the trouble of making a shaft.:D


Peter.

[rsser]

No luck Peter.

They need an offset hole pref., a top face ground flat and a hole drilled and tapped for the grub screw fixture. (see my blog here if interested; John, if you don't have the gear feel free to come over and we'll play; I have to say my first effort turned out well but that was more ar*se than class.)

[Sturdee]

No luck Peter.

They need an offset hole pref., a top face ground flat and a hole drilled and tapped for the grub screw fixture. (see my blog here if interested; John, if you don't have the gear feel free to come over and we'll play; I have to say my first effort turned out well but that was more ar*se than class.)

Shucks,:D but I can grind a flat top on a steel bar and drill and tap a hole, no problems.

In fact I'm doing that at the moment to make my copies of the Sorby hollowmaster that I ordered to scraper blades for.


Peter.

[rsser]

Onya Peter.

The Proforme head has distinctive mounting specs and you need one in front of you to get it right. If you're happy to take it from there, John is lucky to have choices.

[Sturdee]

Ern,


Just saw your blog on them, thanks for the reference. Will have to look into that a bit further. Probably do that next year.

Trouble is I have so much to do and so little time.

Priority will be over the next 2 months to convert part of my daughter's garage into a proper turning workshop. It needs a new timber floor, ceiling and walls lined and insulated, lighting and wiring installed and shelving and tool racks to be made. We have started and cleaned out the garage and collected drawer and shelving units. Might have to start a WIP thread.

BTW yesterday I learned how to put bends in solid bars and pipes to make the goose necks.. :D


Peter.

[letzzzgo]

I can bring the shafts I made for the oland tools to see if they fit. If so I'll keep your hollowing head to save you the trouble of making a shaft.:D


Peter.

Peter, You're very thoughtful and kind! :roll:

[letzzzgo]

No luck Peter.

They need an offset hole pref., a top face ground flat and a hole drilled and tapped for the grub screw fixture. (see my blog here if interested; John, if you don't have the gear feel free to come over and we'll play; I have to say my first effort turned out well but that was more ar*se than class.)

Like you Ern I enjoy the challenge. Seriously though, I don't see a problem with duplicating the shaft, although I maybe in need of an oxy - acetylene torch for bending the gooseneck.

John

[rsser]

Did you manage to get an oxy torch John?

If not, I came across a recipe for a simple home-made forge.

[letzzzgo]

No, unfortunately, Ern. My intentions were good, but as usual other home projects got in the way. I'll source a steel fabricator in the new year for the oxy torch and have a go at bending the shaft using a fixture that I put together. Funny you talk about a forge to do the job, I did try heating the shaft in a open fire place a couple of months back, but couldn't control the heat, it spread too far along the shaft to make a smooth bend. It may have helped if I could have moved the work bench with vice into the lounge at the time! (my wife didn't see the wisdom in this! funny buggers aren't they!).
However I would like to see the home made forge.

Cheers
John

[rsser]

A tip from a mag it was ...

Get an old brake drum, bury it to the lip in the ground but first run a bit of steel pipe to the axle hole underneath. Fill with charcoal IIRC (maybe heatbeads, not quite sure but can check if interested), light, put a vac on blow on the other end of the steel pipe.

HTH.

[letzzzgo]

Yes, I can see that home made forge working a treat. I like the idea! The forge would have come in handy 15 years ago when I made a set of fire tools (check out pic). At the time I made a couple of fixtures and using a piece of railway line as my anvil, I played blacksmith for the day using the open fire. A whole lot slower than a forge, but it worked well. The missus was a lot more forgiving in those days! :roll:

[rsser]

Lovely work John.

Sturdee was just over and showed me a 16mm rod he got a nice gooseneck in just with a 4" engineer's vise and brute force. I've encouraged him to post about it.

[Sturdee]

John,

I'll be doing some more soon (when I find the time) and I'll be posting some pics about the process. Meanwhile this is the one (http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachments/f8/155409d1292136080-sturdees-turning-tools-jigs-tools-002a.jpg)I showed Ern.

Peter.

[letzzzgo]

Not bad Peter! :2tsup: What type of cutter will you mount on the shaft?

Cheers
John

[Sturdee]

The cutter for those two can be any one of Sorby's cutters for their Hollowmasters but we'll be using the cutters ordered from the bulk buy being organised through the forum.

Actually I've got the Hollowmaster and this copy is for my daughter so she doesn't have to borrow mine.


Peter.

[Sturdee]

John,

I'll be doing some more soon (when I find the time) and I'll be posting some pics about the process. Meanwhile this is the one (http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachments/f8/155409d1292136080-sturdees-turning-tools-jigs-tools-002a.jpg)I showed Ern.

Peter.

John,

I've made the next goose neck for the other set of tools, details can be found here on post 15. (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/sturdees-turning-tools-jigs-127580/#post1254540)


Peter.

[letzzzgo]

John,

I've made the next goose neck for the other set of tools, details can be found here on post 15. (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/sturdees-turning-tools-jigs-127580/#post1254540)


Peter.

Yes, I had a look, you have a little production line happening there! Keep up the good work.
Peter, the goose neck shaft that you showed Ern the other day, did you cold bend the 16mm steel in your vise?

John

[Sturdee]

Peter, the goose neck shaft that you showed Ern the other day, did you cold bend the 16mm steel in your vise?

John

Yes, same method but more effort in bending it. No heat, but more muscle power.:D The longer the pipe for leverage the easier it becomes. :D


Peter.

[letzzzgo]

Yes, same method but more effort in bending it. No heat, but more muscle power.:D The longer the pipe for leverage the easier it becomes. :D


Peter.

That's one strong little vice!!

John

[Sturdee]

That's one strong little vice!!

John

All my vices are strong.:D

The red one is a 4 " engineering vice that I bought decades ago, not used often but mighty handy when needed. The woodworking vice holding it is from Carbatec. (http://www.carbatec.com.au/carba-tec-quick-release-bench-vises_c7900)



Peter.