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View Full Version : Texturing bowls with an Abortech?



rsser
1st June 2005, 09:14 AM
Anyone had any luck using an arbortech mini-carver to texture their bowls and care to share their experiences?

Might save me from the 'yet another tool' syndrome ;-}

TIA.

Sprog
2nd June 2005, 09:17 PM
The Arbortech Mini Grinder is a great tool, well worth having. :D

I haven't used it on turned bowls yet, just for carving work but I have the Woodturning with Arbortech video which shows some impressive decorations using the mini grinder. I will have to give the mini grinder a go on a bowl someday.

The Woodturning with Arbortech video is well worth having a look at.

Oh well, yet another project, will I ever shorten the list of things to do?

Cliff Rogers
2nd June 2005, 11:43 PM
Mine's still brand new in it's packet in one of my sheds (not sure which shed :o )

I've had it for a couple of years now & don't know how I lived without it I'm sure. :rolleyes:

I have a project coming up that I'd like to try it on, I must look for it & let you know..... :D

PS. The last time I attemped to 'texture' the outside of one of my bowls, the bludy thing blew up & textured my forehead & the tin roof. :eek:
There's a bit still stuck up in the rafters.:rolleyes:

PPS. or is that PSS or PSP or ESP???? Anyway, I wasn't using the Arbotech when the bowl blew up, it was a scraper on the lip of a big bowl, it's started to howl (texturing happening) & then it must have hit a resonant frequency & blamo, whamo, stars, F', F', F', double F'. :mad:

Little Festo
3rd June 2005, 09:59 AM
Hello Ern,

The Mini grinder is quite usefull for texturing. It's just a bit more expensive than the the Sorby texturing tool and can also be used for roughing out carving/sculpting on your turnings or even carving bowls. I have the mini industrial shaper with tungsten teeth. It works very well but i would suggest you try it on a few practice pieces first, I found that i got a bit of a "furry' effect when going across the grain but that could have been the wood I was using. it seems to work very well when on vases etc when spindal turning (is this the right terminology?? - not faceplate turning, I got a bit of that furriness on the endgrain when faceplate turning but again that may have been the wood I was using). I'm using it more for carving now it is a great little tool for that. Carbrasive make some shapers that work well. You can also attach sanding disks as well.

If you are interested have a look at the Arbortect site - www.arbortech.com there is heaps of info there.

Peter

rsser
3rd June 2005, 10:53 AM
Thanks all. I actually got one for use in cutting out separate bowl legs and wondered how it would go for texturing, saving me the cost of a Sorby tool.

There's a Potocnik vase in a recent AWR that was done with one so I was left wondering about angle of presentation, speed of the piece etc.

Sprog, will look out for the video - thanks.

Cliff, you've clearly invented a new approach .. desegmented turning ;-}

Peter: yep, I have two v. ordinary roughed out cypress bowls ready to practice on (or desegment in tiny steps).

Sprog
3rd June 2005, 12:38 PM
Just to hijack the thread, :D if you want to try your hand at a bit of sculpting with the mini grinder but have doubts about where or how to start, this idea of laminating sections to a rough shape then finishing off the carving is very good.

Sculpture Patterns (http://www.fantasticwoodworking.com/index.php?cPath=4)