Laser

[Jerry Brill]

Greetings all. Anyone useing the new laser
for hollowing. How do they determine wall
thickness and how well do they work overall?

[Graeme]

Hi Jerry

The laser is directed onto the tip of the cutting tool and then the position of the tip can be observed quite easily from the outside of the turning. They work best when used in conjunction with a system which keeps the tool in the same plane at all times, such as the Stewart outrigger or the Lyle Jameson system.

Regards
Graeme

[Russell Seaton]

I saw one of the laser devices at the AAW Symposium in St. Paul Minnesota, USA. It works by adjusting the laser to be 1/4" to the left of the cutting tip on the tool. When cutting the cutter tip is inside the wood and the laser is on the top and you can see the laser. When the laser just gets to the edge of the wood and drops off to the floor, you know the cutting tip is exactly 1/4" away on the other side of the wood. And the wood wall thickness therefore has to be 1/4" thick. The space between the laser point and the cutting tip remains fixed at 1/4" no matter what you are cutting or where.

Note the 1/4" is just an example. The laser can be adjusted any direction or distance from the cutting tip. Think of the laser and cutting tip as a fishing bob and hook. You always know the hook is directly below the bob. Its a means of locating the hook.



Originally posted by Jerry Brill:
Greetings all. Anyone useing the new laser
for hollowing. How do they determine wall
thickness and how well do they work overall?

[Baz]

Hi Jerry,
This site should answer all your questions. www.fholder.com/Woodturning/article7.htm (http://www.fholder.com/Woodturning/article7.htm)

Cheers
Barry

[This message has been edited by Baz (edited 04 August 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Baz (edited 04 August 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Baz (edited 05 August 2001).]