WIP Natural Edge Redgum Platter

[Robomanic]

Hi All,

I had this piece earmarked for a natural edge platter since I brought it home. A bit of discussion with Ern about centering irregular pieces inspired me to actually do something about it :) This project contains a number of firsts so here goes;

The ripped cut off the chainsaw was not quite in the same plane as the grain of the timber so I didn't want to mount it straight to the faceplate because the peaks would have been uneven. Mounting it between centers gave me the chance to get the rough face lined up square. By measuring the distance between the toolrest and the peak, then spinning the block 180deg and measuring to the other peak, you can tell how even they will be.

Initial mounting was very balanced but a word of caution here, as you start to rough you will probably be taking more timber from one side, so it will start to run out of balance. How far will be up to the shape and this piece went in and out of balance 3 times before the bottom was finished.

86934

I turned a tenon for mounting in the chuck, the only issue here was that to get the chisel in where I wanted the hand wheel on the tailstock had to come off. If that was not possible i would have made a shorter chisel soon enough :oo:

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The next stage was to rough out the back in a sweeping curve, and cut the recess for re-chucking

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Here is the platter re-chucked and roughing has started on the front. I wanted to be mindful of the unsupported end grain up on the peaks. Interrupted cut + hard timber + bevel rubbing = risk of levering one of those cracked pieces out. So my approach was to work the rim down with as much support around it - then take out the center. Rather than my usual approach of taking out the center first then enlarging the hole until it meets the rim

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More to come...

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I turned a tenon for mounting in the chuck, the only issue here was that to get the chisel in where I wanted the hand wheel on the tailstock had to come off. If that was not possible i would have made a shorter chisel soon enough :oo:

I'm confused... why? :?

Sounds a bit like incorrect tool selection. A skew on the flat (as a scraper) would cut the spigot with plenty of clearance. A gouge would cut the flat round it, with plenty of clearance. Even an angled scraper would do! (Now if you'd been turning a recess for mounting, that I could understand...)

So what tool were you using that needed the handwheel removed???

There's some nice figure in the redgum... hurry up and post the "finished" pix. :wink:

[Robomanic]

One I forgot in Part 1 was sanding the interrupted edges. This can be done a number of ways as long is as it doesn't involve ANY part of you or someone you care about. Stick the sandpaper to something like the nearest offcut and support it on the rest. Lean the edge BACK so that the top corner does not get struck as the edge comes around

86942

Why to pursue "curlies":
It is a bit hard to tell from the photo but I am about 25mm above center here and the cut is about 4mm deep. Further out near the rim I am about 50mm up from center. The curlies that come off are very satisfying but the point here is that the cutting force drops drastically once you get this going. Chisel sharpening will last longer too, because at these angles you are not scraping.

86939

For those of you who must be wondering by now "did he slip, and those edges....?":? Well nobody's perfect and the evidence is below. Two separate events actually. One sanding the outside and got a bit too far out and strayed onto the broken edge. The second is one I want to make a point about. When roughing the inside I just nicked the knuckle that stuck out the most, barely a touch but enough. This lead me to think about the following:
The top hand is at a lot of risk here because if you 'slip off' your cut the hand will roll in closer to that edge, if you are already close you can do some real damage so leave yourself some safety margin.

86943

Ok, safety warnings aside we get to look at the finished product. I love wood that makes me look good, like weathered, fiddleback spalted redgum :D. (check out the shadow on the profile photo, it looks like a shadow of a full bowl - not planned but hey I'll take it). This is also my first foray into Wipe on Poly too, and I have to say I am very happy with it. Especially in that I could work it into the rough edge and bring that out.

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Like I said this is a first so any tips, suggestions or repremands are welcome. This is actually a thank-you for the kind soul who gave me a car load of wood in the first place. SHMBO saw it and lets just say this won't be my last :doh:

[Robomanic]

I'm confused... why? :?

Sounds a bit like incorrect tool selection. A skew on the flat (as a scraper) would cut the spigot with plenty of clearance. A gouge would cut the flat round it, with plenty of clearance. Even an angled scraper would do! (Now if you'd been turning a recess for mounting, that I could understand...)

So what tool were you using that needed the handwheel removed???

There's some nice figure in the redgum... hurry up and post the "finished" pix. :wink:

There you go skew, :D

Um good question, that was yesterday (what's my name again?) I think it was actually because I was looking at mounting the jaws into the recess and I was going for the internal taper in that. Thinking about it more carefully I think I got that far an decided there was a perfectly good tenon looking at me....

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Thinking about it more carefully I think I got that far an decided there was a perfectly good tenon looking at me....

Been there, done that. :rolleyes: I've often changed a plan of attack in mid-turning when realising there's an easier - and invariably better - way.

It came out nice. And with so few battle injuries! :D

You going to seal the natural edge with something? What finish did you use? (Questions, question, questions!)

[Robomanic]

Been there, done that. :rolleyes: I've often changed a plan of attack in mid-turning when realising there's an easier - and invariably better - way.

It came out nice. And with so few battle injuries! :D

You going to seal the natural edge with something? What finish did you use? (Questions, question, questions!)

Thanks,

Finished with Wipe on Polly. Loaded up the rag and worked it into the rough edge. Some of the weathering darkened and some has kept its silvery colour.

Something else I forgot to mention - the inside of raised edge was hit with the power sander to take a couple of tool marks out.

[Manuka Jock]

One I forgot in Part 1 was sanding the interrupted edges. This can be done a number of ways as long is as it doesn't involve ANY part of you or someone you care about. Stick the sandpaper to something like the nearest offcut and support it on the rest. Lean the edge BACK so that the top corner does not get struck as the edge comes around

86942

:doh:

For my sanding of square platters , to keep my knuckles out of the way and avoid injury , I got a length of polystyrene maybe a foot long , about 2 inches wide and a inch thick and wrapped it around in plastic adhesive tape (the 2 ' wide black stuff we uses to stick down PVC damp proof before laying concrete floors ) .
Used with a strip of sandpaper that wraps fully around the stick lengthwise . That is , over twice as long as the stick . Hand held , but not attached . This is so that the lap in the paper can be where ever you need it at the time .
It can be used either by holding in both hands , at either end ( for sanding the outside ), or by a double grip at one end (for inner use ), what ever is required.
This works outside as well as inside the platter , and over time it developed a slight "S" shape , that works in its favor .
As a further precaution , I wear heavy duty leather gloves when using this 'tool'

Hope this makes sense , Its 2am and me brain is working on low power .
cheers
Jock

[Ed Reiss]

Wow...nice "shimmer" to that piece of Red Gum!!

Was this your first experience in doing a natural edge bowl?

If so, I'd have to say you did a good job of it:2tsup:and, no doubt learned a great deal about turning "air" about 40% of the time, and also about keeping the bark on (CA does wonders for that).

[Robomanic]

Yep first natural,

The CA around the bark is something that I will look at next time. I went the other way on this one and used a cloth to flick loose pieces out. It still kept the weathered look but re-enforcing with CA sound more universal.

Thanks for the tip Ed.

[rsser]

Nice work Shannon.

Another tip - Cliff's - for sanding the outside of nat edge is to tape your paper to the sole of a thong. Taking care though not to dub the edge over too much.

Yeah, a tenon would have given you a foot which you could later turn away if you don't like feet. (Friction drive at headstock end; tailstock up; leaving just a nub to remove by hand after demounting).

For a recess, by the time you've centred the piece and done some truing, then maybe remount on a wood screw or a chuck with shark or spigot jaws (expanded into a hole drilled with a saw-tooth bit) and pull the tailstock away.

Another option (which I've not tried) would be to do most of your recess hollowing as best you can (maybe reverse turn carefully with tool above and across live centre), and then refine the dovetail angle in the normal way with a ground Allen key held in vise grips.

[Ed Reiss]

SHMBO saw it and lets just say this won't be my last :doh:

Just a hint RBM...now that your darling wife has taken notice and swooned over it, DO NOT try to change it in any way, and definitely don't take it to an art show for sale.
Early on my darling wife fell in love with a crabapple tree piece that had been hit by lightning and had the most beautiful flame figure running through it. Second day of the show I was running low on bowls, so out came "her" flame bowl...after almost taking my head off, I calmed her down and promised that I would not sell the piece. Ten minutes later she drifted off to get a hot dog and Coke. By the time she got back the piece was no where to be seen! Damn crooks absconded with the bowl....at least thats what I tried to tell her, but, she knew better....didn't speak to me for a week and withheld something a lot more important for a month....a long, long month:C

Remember, you may have turned it, but it belongs to her...SWMBO!!

[rsser]

Just another tip when turning nat edge platters or bowls:

Use some kind of directional or spot light; position it so that the lower points appear as if shadowed. The extent of the shadow is the diff between your high and low points and give you a clear indication of the no-go zone.

Also sometimes with this kind of turning, esp with roughing an irregular outside bowl profile, don't look at where you're turning. Look at the top edge. That shows more clearly what your tool is doing. And feel with your hands what's going on.

Clear as mud?

[Cliff Rogers]

:2tsup:

[Robomanic]

Just another tip when turning nat edge platters or bowls:

Use some kind of directional or spot light; position it so that the lower points appear as if shadowed. The extent of the shadow is the diff between your high and low points and give you a clear indication of the no-go zone.

Also sometimes with this kind of turning, esp with roughing an irregular outside bowl profile, don't look at where you're turning. Look at the top edge. That shows more clearly what your tool is doing. And feel with your hands what's going on.

Clear as mud?

Very clear actually. I find myself looking at the top edge for profile. On the inner face I found myself concentrating on the shadow down in front bottom quarter, while my tool tip is up in the front top quarter. There are less chips getting in the way down there too.

I did want a more dedicated shadow and I will be looking for an LED lamp with a magnetic base and adjustable stand so I can do what you suggested next time.

[rsser]

Yeah, Carbatec have such a lamp.

Edit: sorry, it's halogen

http://www.carbatec.com.au/storage-shop-accessories/shop-lamps-lighting-aids/quartz-halogen-lamp-w-flexible-gooseneck

and you need to buy mag base in addition.

[Robomanic]

Yeah, Carbatec have such a lamp.

Edit: sorry, it's halogen

http://www.carbatec.com.au/storage-shop-accessories/shop-lamps-lighting-aids/quartz-halogen-lamp-w-flexible-gooseneck

and you need to buy mag base in addition.

Thanks Ern,

I'm looking for = I'll find it eventually on a stall for $2 - good thing I am patient. Speaking of which I picked up some nice Tungsten Carbide today - my tipped roughers are on the way (well the're on the list)