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tea lady
8th November 2010, 01:56 PM
So why do I choose just the time when the "long skinny stick " gurus are at the other end of the country? :doh: Someone recently asked my to make some shawl sticks for her. So after having a great time breaking more than I finished. (Actually haven't got any finished yet. :C ) I thought maybe I'll just practice doing long skinny straight ones before I go and try to put decorative woofles on the end. So I made myself some chop sticks. Which I need. (I know they don't cost much in those Chinese shops, but that's just not as fun. And doesn't give any turning practice.:p) Still only had a 66.66% success rate. But at least now I have a set of Red Gum chop sticks. Prolly would have been easier woods to do them in but that is what was kicking round 's off cut bin.:rolleyes: . I've decided that Red Gum is like the New York of Woodturning. If you can make it out of kranky Red Gum you can make it out of anything.:D:cool:

The next day I made a set out of "Dunno-prolly-some-sort-of-eucalypt" wood. No where near as kranky, so made me feel like a real expert. Now I have two sets of chopsticks so a freind can come over for dinner too. And I've had an 80% success rate.:cool:

They are about 240mm long. Used a traditional skew.:p And a really cheap finger steady. :cool: Which can get a little painful if you get a splinter in it. (:CDAMHIK) Oiled 'em in food safe hard burnishing oil. But you'll have to wait for the finished pics cos my camera went flat.:doh:

Sawdust Maker
8th November 2010, 02:08 PM
Interesting :2tsup:

Does know you're raiding his shed whilst he's away?

tea lady
8th November 2010, 02:43 PM
Interesting :2tsup:

Does know you're raiding his shed whilst he's away?Just keeping the lathe in practice. I hope I don't teach it any bad habits.:C:D Like going slow!:doh::rolleyes:

Woodwould
8th November 2010, 03:03 PM
Just keeping the lathe in practice. I hope I don't teach it any bad habits.:C:D Like going slow!:doh::rolleyes:

Very good! :thyel:

Can you make them any longer? The whippiness rises exponentially the longer you make them. You could set up in business making skinny sticks for Windsor chair backs.

tea lady
8th November 2010, 03:08 PM
Very good! :thyel:

Can you make them any longer? The whippiness rises exponentially the longer you make them. You could set up in business making skinny sticks for Windsor chair backs.:think: Well! The second pair were 250mm long! :D:cool: Bit thin for Windsor chairs I would have thought. Maybe I'll make some fat ones. How many Windsor chair makers are out there? :rolleyes::p

watson
8th November 2010, 04:02 PM
There'd probably be a lot more if they had someone to make the skinny sticks for them.
Well done.

seanz
8th November 2010, 04:19 PM
Cool, very skinny and very......ummm. :)

Is that just a normal drive-spur, it looks a bit different.



I've decided that Red Gum is like the New York of Woodturning. If you can make it out of kranky Red Gum you can make it out of anything.


:D Very funny line, mind if I steal it? :)

orificiam
8th November 2010, 04:20 PM
Nice job there T/L have you tried Spoted Gum?
Cheers Tony.:)

tea lady
8th November 2010, 04:36 PM
Nice job there T/L have you tried Spoted Gum?
Cheers Tony.:)Made a few finials once out off spotted gum.:D Worled quit4e well. Will have to track down some more. I'm sure there is some lurking on my shelvees. :pi: :cool:

tea lady
8th November 2010, 04:38 PM
Is that just a normal drive-spur, it looks a bit different.

I think so! :shrug: Its a "Steb Center" Can bet 'em from Jim's.



:D Very funny line, mind if I steal it? :)Sure! Just tell 'em who said it first! :D

stuffy
8th November 2010, 04:48 PM
Nice work TL!

One trick with skinny stuff is to use a chuck. It makes it stiffer on that end and less pressure needed from the tailstock.
:)

mkypenturner
8th November 2010, 04:57 PM
Interesting :2tsup:

Does know you're raiding his shed whilst he's away?
i finally met at prossy on the weekend and he wont be home till next monday hopefully your only raiding his scraps :D

Tim the Timber Turner
8th November 2010, 07:47 PM
Ego sticks!!!:oo:

Nai84
8th November 2010, 10:15 PM
Hey Tea Lady

Well done I think you have done a really good job :2tsup:

Ian

Skew ChiDAMN!!
8th November 2010, 10:22 PM
G'day AM!

Nicely done. For something that dia I like to use pin jaws and skinny wood... and just feed it through the head-stock a couple of inches at a time, minimising the need for a steady.

But I was sorta hoping from the title that you meant something long enough to need 's lathe. A 40' trembleur... now wouldn't that be something to boast about! :D

tea lady
8th November 2010, 10:24 PM
Nice work TL!

One trick with skinny stuff is to use a chuck. It makes it stiffer on that end and less pressure needed from the tailstock.
:)That takes all the fun out of it.:p:D


Ego sticks!!!:oo:yeah! I'm gonna make some REALLY long honey dippers. For REALLY DEEP honey jars.:D

nalmo
8th November 2010, 10:59 PM
Great idea about the pin jaws skew, I must remember that. Might not be as much fun, but I'd expect to get a higher success rate.

NeilS
13th November 2010, 12:46 PM
How many Windsor chair makers are out there? :rolleyes::p

Apricotripper on the forums comes to mind

.

dr4g0nfly
18th November 2010, 09:28 AM
I agree with Skew ChiDAMN about feeding the wood out slowly from a pin chuck but this will only work if you have a 2 MT taper (or better) in your headstock.

Another tip I'd offer is to grind your skew back further, giving a more acute angle and hone it with a diamond stone not straight off the grinder.

Lastly, use straight grained timber or you'll suffer terrible breakout of the grain where it flexes.

Oh, one last thing, where you use your finger as support - if you smell pork cooking - let go!

tea lady
18th November 2010, 06:11 PM
Oh, one last thing, where you use your finger as support - if you smell pork cooking - let go!:D My tip for nothing is put a bandaide on it. A fabric one works best! Saves the burning sensation AND the splinters. And kinda slips better on the wood.:cool:

Frank&Earnest
18th November 2010, 10:42 PM
Well done. I am not taking the bait... :)

I googled "Windsor chairs" and now know what they are. Seems that they are not turned, though:

"Our Windsor chairs (http://www.windsorchairs.biz/windsor-chair-01.html) are crafted using spoke shaves, drawknives and hand planes. Spindles and bows are split from red oak, then whittled and shaved to size for each chair."

The long bits for the back are just dowels, anyway: no beads and coves, so no need for turning. Are there more elaborate models that require it?

Waldo
18th November 2010, 11:05 PM
:D My tip for nothing is put a bandaide on it. A fabric one works best! Saves the burning sensation AND the splinters. And kinda slips better on the wood.:cool:

But if you don't caress the wood, how can you be one with it if you can't feel its silky smooth skinny body? :o

tea lady
19th November 2010, 07:58 AM
But if you don't caress the wood, how can you be one with it if you can't feel its silky smooth skinny body? :oI've got three othere fingers and a thumb (last time I counted.:oo: ). Its just the main one you want to protect a bit. I got a splinter twice and needed a bandaid anyway to stop the bloodstained look on the timber! :rolleyes:

Shaker chairs are all turned. Not quite as skinny as chop sticks though! :D

RETIRED
19th November 2010, 04:40 PM
Well done. I am not taking the bait... :)

I googled "Windsor chairs" and now know what they are. Seems that they are not turned, though:

"Our Windsor chairs (http://www.windsorchairs.biz/windsor-chair-01.html) are crafted using spoke shaves, drawknives and hand planes. Spindles and bows are split from red oak, then whittled and shaved to size for each chair."

The long bits for the back are just dowels, anyway: no beads and coves, so no need for turning. Are there more elaborate models that require it?Most components were turned.
Bodging - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodging)

Frank&Earnest
19th November 2010, 05:40 PM
Most components were turned.
Bodging - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodging)

Thanks , now I know about bodging also. :)

I was only referring to the spindles, though, and the description given made me think that they were not turned:

from the linked Windsor chair - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windsor_chair)

"Non ring porous hardwoods such as Maple are stiff and make crisp turnings, and were used for the undercarriage. Ring porous species such as oak, ash and hickory all rive (split) and steam bend nicely. These woods are also straight grained and flexible and thus work well for slender parts such as the spindles."

Another thing in that article that has challenged my ignorance is the statement that green wood blunts tools much more quickly than dry wood. Is that true?

Woodwould
19th November 2010, 06:14 PM
"Non ring porous hardwoods such as Maple are stiff and make crisp turnings, and were used for the undercarriage. Ring porous species such as oak, ash and hickory all rive (split) and steam bend nicely. These woods are also straight grained and flexible and thus work well for slender parts such as the spindles."

The flexibility ensures the chairs survive, but the spindles are still turned.

Frank&Earnest
19th November 2010, 06:38 PM
Thanks WW. They look about 1/2" x 24", is that right?

Woodwould
19th November 2010, 06:47 PM
Thanks WW. They look about 1/2" x 24", is that right?

The last ones I turned were 26" x 1/2", tapering to 5/16".

Frank&Earnest
19th November 2010, 07:27 PM
Thanks again, my eyeballing is still pretty good then. I must try some. :)

tea lady
20th November 2010, 09:37 AM
Thanks again, my eyeballing is still pretty good then. I must try some. :)With a skew Frank? :whistling:

Frank&Earnest
20th November 2010, 01:28 PM
With a skew Frank? :whistling:

If I can do it without putting my fingers where they shouldn't be, yes. :D

Otherwise, I will have to use more sophisticated tools... :whistling:

tea lady
20th November 2010, 06:36 PM
If I can do it without putting my fingers where they shouldn't be, yes. :D

Otherwise, I will have to use more sophisticated tools... :whistling::rolleyes::p The fingers just aren't supposed to be in front of the sharp bit. And not in between the tool rest and the work cos then they get squished. :p


:fishing:

Frank&Earnest
20th November 2010, 10:11 PM
The fingers just aren't supposed to be in front of the sharp bit.


:fishing:

Exactly. :D

http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachments/f8/152420d1289184626t-long-skinny-stick-practice-chopsticks2.jpg (http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachments/f8/152420d1289184626-long-skinny-stick-practice-chopsticks2.jpg)

tea lady
20th November 2010, 10:14 PM
Exactly. :D

http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachments/f8/152420d1289184626t-long-skinny-stick-practice-chopsticks2.jpg (http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachments/f8/152420d1289184626-long-skinny-stick-practice-chopsticks2.jpg)
Fingers are three dimensional. And that one was actually a long way below the pointy bit! :p

Frank&Earnest
27th November 2010, 02:12 PM
Finding 1: I will never be a bodger, it took 65 minutes.
Finding 2: reasonable time for restauring old furniture.
Finding 3; Yes, I smoothed slight bumps with 60 grit, so sue me.
Finding 4: no rest for the wicked. :D

Woodwould
27th November 2010, 02:19 PM
A fair effort indeed. What is the wood?

Frank&Earnest
27th November 2010, 02:49 PM
Thanks WW. Messmate, AFAIK. This piece had deep resinous veins. That's why a walking stick became a chopstick.:D

Sturdee
27th November 2010, 03:45 PM
Finding 3; Yes, I smoothed slight bumps with 60 grit, so sue me.


I'd only do that if you were using 40 grit, which I've been using to polish gal water pipe..:D

Peter.

tea lady
27th November 2010, 03:55 PM
Finding 1: I will never be a bodger, it took 65 minutes.
Finding 2: reasonable time for restauring old furniture.
Finding 3; Yes, I smoothed slight bumps with 60 grit, so sue me.
Finding 4: no rest for the wicked. :D

Yep! Long and thin. Well done. So is that with a skew? Speed comes with doing more of them/ :D
60# paper? :doh: Didn't you have any 120# on hand?

Frank&Earnest
27th November 2010, 04:28 PM
Sorry TL, I am still experimenting, I have no time to waste on old technology. :D

Seriously though, I found that because I enjoy always trying something new, I never invest the amount of time needed to fully master a tool or a technique. Every time I pick up a tool I have to rediscover how to use it and I need the time to think about what I am doing. On this thin conical shape shear scraping worked well, for example.

Familiarity breeds contempt and by trying to speed up my use of the insert tool I managed to get a few catches (not on this simple stick, on the more difficult things I am turning for the challenge). Not as bad as those of some expert turner for whom the contempt for an insert tool can be expected, of course, but still... :D

Yes, I finished with 120 and 180 grit.:)