Help needed on Wood Turning Chisels

[Ticky]

Hi,
I am about to buy my first turning chisels & was wondering if anyone has any opinions about Marples Wood Turning Chisels.

I am not flush with cash & can't afford the best, also, I am TOTALY inexperianced, so the best would be wasted, but I can get some of these for a reasonable price (I think)

Any opinions on these chisele would be appreciated.

Thank you

Steve

[Cliff Rogers]

Are they HSS or carbon steel?

If you want a starter set in HSS, have a look at something like this.
http://www.garypye.com/Turning-Tools/GPW-Turning-Tools/Sets/GPW-6Pce-Full-Size-Tool-Set-p438.html

If you want to start with a name brand starter set that you can add to later, have a look at these.
http://www.cwsonline.com.au/shop/category/-starter-kits

[Jim Carroll]

Marples turning chisels were generally carbon steel.

They can get a good sharp edge but it does not last very long.

Your best bet is to get the Robert Sorby Starter (http://www.cwsonline.com.au/shop/item/robert-sorby-67hs-starter-set) set @ $240.00.

It has the six basic tools to get you started in spindle turning or bowl turning and are a good quality High Speed Steel.

From there you add tools as needed

[Ticky]

Thankyou Cliff & Jim.

I think maybe the Robert Sorby starter set might be the way to go.

Good advice from you both & very much appreciated.

Thanks

Steve

[orraloon]

Steve,
I would advise you start with the first set Cliff pointed out. Half the cost but will work almost as well as the others. When you have mastered sharpening and worn a good bit of them down in the process then start building up a set of good brand tools.
Regards
John

[Christos]

In regards to turning chisels we all have to start somewhere. Normally you would get the lathe first and then the chisels. But in my case I started with the chisels. I managed to pick four from The Traditional Tool Group Sale. These were carbon steel and of course lots of sharpening.

The chisels were roughing gouge, skew, parting tool and a diamond shaped scraper.

The first turnings were between centers using a drive center and live center. It was just a matter of making shavings and simple shapes. Snowman, tool handle, round stick to a smaller round stick.

As these were carbon steel I started to replace the chisels one at a time. At the time I was not sure if I wanted to take up turning so it was a matter to try turning before committing too much funds.

For me I find the handled tools are too small as my hands are a little bigger then others, so I look for un-handled tools or except that I will be replacing the handles.

[Ticky]

I have taken everyones opinions into consideration, & I thank you all.

Rightly or wrongly, I decided to go ahead & order the Robert Sorby 67HS Starter Set from Jim Carroll.

I still dont have a chuck, but I have a turning center & a Live center so at least I can have a play.

I also want to grab a pen turning kit at some stage, but...

When your Outgoes exceeds your Income, your Upkeep is bound to be a Downfall.


Thank you all

Steve

[Paul39]

Ticky,

The Sorby set will serve you well. You need some way to sharpen the tools. The skew is easy, as little as a piece of 180 - 220 grit sandpaper on a flat surface. I use my lathe bed. and also have a chunk of granite that was cut out of a counter top for a sink hole. A piece of plywood and sand paper or a flat bench stone will work.

A diamond plate will work but is over kill. Save that for your carbide tools later.

Sharpen the parting tool as above, likewise the spindle gouge, but that will be more complicated.

If you do not have a grinder or a belt sander, a grinder needs to be your next purchase. With a flat rest you can easily sharpen your roughing gouge, spindle gouge, and scrapers.

My preference is a slow speed, which I think is about 1400 rpm down there, 1725 here, 8 inch aluminum oxide wheel of around 120 grit. The gray wheels that will come with the grinder will work but will tend to heat the tool. High speed steel will take much more heat than carbon steel before softening.

When sharpening bowl gouges a jig makes life much easier. There are some who claim that they can do a swept back grind on a bowl gouge free hand and scoff at those of us who use a jig. I am happy for them. I do not want to grind off 100 mm of expensive bowl gouge to learn.

If done carefully, using a jig will get you a repeatable grind removing the minimum of steel. When learning it makes life easier to have the gouge act the same way after each sharpening.

There are fancy grinding options available, Tormek, Sorby belt system, and others. I have a Tormek but mostly use an pair of 120 grit 8 inch aluminum oxide wheels on a 1725 rpm dry grinder. I have the Oneway Wolverine system with the flat plate on one side and the pocket for the bowl gouges on the other.

The Tormek is wonderful when sharpening to take the final tissue paper thin cuts on a piece of spalted timber or a burl that wants to tear out. When you are roughing, tearing out 5 to 10 mm per pass the dry grinder if fine.

You will find raging discussions about grinding systems on this site. Do a search.

I am a tool slut and buy seconds or thirds of things I have if the price is ridiculously low. A set of 4 thick heavy Craftsman high speed steel scrapers for $40, a set of 8 Chinese spindle gouges, skews, & scrapers for $20, etc. These "junk" tools are used to make special purpose tools for making the recess or spigot on bowl bottoms or on dirty wood and roots and stumps where there is danger of rocks, nails, etc.

I have found the skew from the Chinese set to be as good as my Henry Taylor skew, for a shorter time.
I use it when I'm working down close to a drive or tail center and might slip into either. The biggest drawback to cheap tools is the too small, too short handles. This is of little consequence for a parting tool or for making a spigot, but my big arthritic hands tend to cramp when using them a long time.

I have made big fat longer handles that I can hold for 4 to 6 hours at a time.

It would be good to have a little instruction or at least watch a demonstrator about the skew and sharpening. You can find posts about my adventures with the skew on this site.

Get and keep the skew sharp, attempt make something useful, such as tool handles, and do it for about 50 hours. Start with sessions of 15 to 30 minutes, then work longer. Do not throw the skew at anything hard, it makes it harder to sharpen. :D

At around 50 hours, hopefully sooner, you will walk into the shed, put a piece of timber in the lathe, and have a turned, sanded, and finished spindle in less than 30 minutes.

[orraloon]

As paul said sharpening comes next so some kind of grinder is required. I mostly use a cheep $50 job but I did change to an aly oxide wheel. The jigs can range from home made to very expensive but all will get the job done. The following link has some info on home made jigs as well as a lot of other good turning stuff.
http://aroundthewoods.com/contents.html

Regards
John

[Ticky]

Hey Paul,
What a great & informative post, thank you.

I have a 8" grinder, & a linishing belt, belt sander etc. I also have a Scheppach which is a copy of the Tormek, even takes the tormek accessories.

I am a Boilermaker by trade, Cabinet maker by hobbie & soon to be a turner, so I have a fair range of tools. I have given some consideration to tool sharpening but not a lot at this stage, having not yet started my lathe up.

I think Tormek do a wheel for gouges & I'm betting a jig as well, so that might come in handy, but I might have to get some new wheels for my grinder as well.

This is starting to become an expensive hobby, I hope I can muster some skills after my outlay.

Steve

[Ticky]

Thanks John, I had a quick look at that site, but Ill have a hetter look later.


Steve

[Christos]

.....

This is starting to become an expensive hobby, .........


This is going to be one thing that the majority of us will agree on.

[chuck1]

Also keep an eye out in the market place etc as the odd stray tool turns up. I picked up an old black teknatool Chuck posted to me for $83 and it had never been assembled/used! And the chisels I have picked up have lots of Life in them!

[smiife]

Also keep an eye out in the market place etc as the odd stray tool turns up. I picked up an old black teknatool Chuck posted to me for $83 and it had never been assembled/used! And the chisels I have picked up have lots of Life in them!

How come I never see these bargains:~
Hi ticky,
Warning !!!!!!!!! WOODTURNING IS ADDICTIVE!!!!,,
Plenty of great advice right here all you have to do
Is ask

[Ticky]

Also keep an eye out in the market place etc as the odd stray tool turns up. I picked up an old black teknatool Chuck posted to me for $83 and it had never been assembled/used! And the chisels I have picked up have lots of Life in them!



Yeah, I found some chisels on ebay last night, & was in negotiations with the guy up until this morn. I was just about to seal

the deal when I decided to start this thread. Glad I did or I would have spent over $100 on a set of Carbon Chisels. These

may have been ok, but it appears the ones I have ordered are better.




steve

[Ticky]

Hi ticky,
Warning !!!!!!!!! WOODTURNING IS ADDICTIVE!!!!,,
Plenty of great advice right here all you have to do
Is ask




Thanks Smiife,

I spent one day about 18 months ago, turning 5 pens. HOOKED!!!

I have been looking for a good cheap lathe to come up ever since. I'm not sure if I have mentioned my lathe in this thread, but its a Leda MC 1100. Should be able to make a real big pen with this little bugger.

http://www.ledamachinery.com.au/index.php/lathes-wood/ledacraft-mc-1100-wood-lathe-detail

I was lucky enough to get this one for $275. My new Chisels almost cost as much.

Nearly all my machines are Leda so I was stoked to find this one second hand. Leda is an Adelaide based company & I have been dealing with them for about 12 years now, & have nothing but high praise for their machinery & service.

I'll have plenty of questions mate, you can count on that. So many in fact, you'll prolly get sick of me asking.


Steve

[Paul39]

Hey Paul,
What a great & informative post, thank you.

I have a 8" grinder, & a linishing belt, belt sander etc. I also have a Scheppach which is a copy of the Tormek, even takes the tormek accessories.

I am a Boilermaker by trade, Cabinet maker by hobbie & soon to be a turner, so I have a fair range of tools. I have given some consideration to tool sharpening but not a lot at this stage, having not yet started my lathe up.

I think Tormek do a wheel for gouges & I'm betting a jig as well, so that might come in handy, but I might have to get some new wheels for my grinder as well.

This is starting to become an expensive hobby, I hope I can muster some skills after my outlay.

Steve

You are in good shape for sharpening. I very much like the Tormek bowl gouge tool, see:

http://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Tormek-Gouge-Jig-P354C101.aspx

Damn, that is expensive. One came with my used Tormek. Tormek sells the rail and mount so you can use their jigs on your dry grinder.

Compared to flying, boating, golfing, car or motorcycle racing, etc., turning is quite cheap. After a while you can sell some of your turnings so you can buy more turning stuff. I'm selling bowls in the $75 - $100 range so I get a little payback.

Turning for me is quite soothing as I am completely absorbed in what I am doing. I will sometimes stick a piece of interesting timber on the lathe and stagger out of the shed 5 hours later grinning, without having eaten, drunk, or peed.

[Ticky]

Thanks for the link Paul, that jig will go straight on my Scheppach. I have the Tormek Diamond Wheel dressing tool, & that works a treat.

Can I ask, what wheel do you have?

I watched a You Tube on it, it looks great.

I got an Email from Jim Carroll last night saying my chisels would be in the post today, so I should have them soon. I am as excited a a dozen Big Kevs at the moment.

Although I am not yet a wood turner, I agree with you about the calming qualities of working with wood. I have been a self taught wood worker now for about 14 years, and I find it helps keep me on the straight & narrow. I, like many others, suffer from the Dreaded "D", but working with wood really helps calm the farm. I just finished this piece for my Daughter this week.

317059

The Drawers are made but I haven't quite finished painting them yet.

Steve

[Christos]

.......Turning for me is quite soothing as I am completely absorbed in what I am doing. I will sometimes stick a piece of interesting timber on the lathe and stagger out of the shed 5 hours later grinning, without having eaten, drunk, or peed.


Ok you win..:erm_smile:....I will at least go to the rest room. :harhar:

[Paul39]

Thanks for the link Paul, that jig will go straight on my Scheppach. I have the Tormek Diamond Wheel dressing tool, & that works a treat.

Can I ask, what wheel do you have?

Although I am not yet a wood turner, I agree with you about the calming qualities of working with wood. I have been a self taught wood worker now for about 14 years, and I find it helps keep me on the straight & narrow. I, like many others, suffer from the Dreaded "D", but working with wood really helps calm the farm. I just finished this piece for my Daughter this week.

The Drawers are made but I haven't quite finished painting them yet.

Steve

I have on the Tormek the normal one that comes on it. The Tormek is a wonderful system for plane irons, bench chisels, etc., the super sharp edge is wiped right off a lathe tool with an abrasive piece of timber turning at 800 rpm or higher.

If you are referring to Depression I have found eating a simple balanced meal at regular intervals (for me 8ish, noonish, and 6ish) and taking a vitamin B supplement every day keeps the dragons away.

The table is absolutely beautiful. I admire people who have the patience and skill to do things like those legs. I do not have it in me to do such.

I am a retired commercial photographer who built, wired, plumbed, and finished studios and darkrooms for myself over 40 years. I then did home repair and maintenance for 10 more and am still working on my 1910 house heated by solar and wood.

As a boilermaker you should have no trouble making a lot of your own lathe tools. You should be able to order flat High Speed Steel of the desired size and then grind to suit.

Below are some of mine, The top one in the first photo is a scraper made from a High Speed Steel planer blade 1/2 in X 2 1/2 X 12 inches. I got 4 for $15 at auction. The two Bedan type tools; smaller from mystery steel from scrap pile 3/8 in square, bigger was a bench chisel made from a 5/8 in square file. The screw drivers are for making spigots and recesses on bowl bottoms. The lawn mower blade is too flexible so is relegated to ripping off dirt and rocks from roots and stumps.

These were early tools, and even though I have much more expensive name brand stuff, I still go to the Bedans for some things. The big heavy slab of a scraper is the best I have, including a couple Henry Taylors. The HTs are smaller and lighter. One day I may even weld a tang on it and put on a handle.

I mostly do bigger stuff. I did not buy a 20 inch swing lathe to make pens. Bigger bowls also sell for more money, even though they don't take that much more time.

[dougturner]

Ticky you have just about put yourself in the best position possible to start to learn woodturning. The one thing nobody else has mentioned yet, is in my opinion, the best thing you can do. Search out and join your nearest woodturning guild/club/group. There is nothing like one on one hands on learning, and I can assure you, you will get plenty of that from an organised group of woodturners. I advocate a woodturning group, NOT a men's shed arrangement, if what you want do is to learn to turn wood. I hope you get as much enjoyment out of our hobby as I have over the past 26 years. Doug. :U

[Ticky]

I have on the Tormek the normal one that comes on it. The Tormek is a wonderful system for plane irons, bench chisels, etc., the super sharp edge is wiped right off a lathe tool with an abrasive piece of timber turning at 800 rpm or higher.


Paul, just to be clear... Are you saying A bench grinder is better for sharpening turning chisels than your Tormek?

If so, what wheels would you suggest?



The table is absolutely beautiful. I admire people who have the patience and skill to do things like those legs. I do not have it in me to do such.

I would love to be able to make legs like those, but I can't and I bought the legs. So taking that away, the only thing I can brag about is the joinery. The rails are all joined to the legs using sliding Dovetails that I made on my home made Router Table

http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=177305


http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=167495

I am a retired commercial photographer who built, wired, plumbed, and finished studios and darkrooms for myself over 40 years. I then did home repair and maintenance for 10 more and am still working on my 1910 house heated by solar and wood.

As a boilermaker you should have no trouble making a lot of your own lathe tools. You should be able to order flat High Speed Steel of the desired size and then grind to suit.ols ,

I can probably make a few turning tool but at the moment, I wouldn't know what I need. Does it sort of just come to you after a while, like... If I had a tool shaped a bit like THIS, then I could get right in there?

I'm looking forward to having a bit of a go, & I think I would like to learn how to turn Bowls. My sister has a HUGE Burl up at her place, its about 4 feet round I recon. Might have to take the chainsaw up & carve a lump off.

Below are some of mine, The top one in the first photo is a scraper made from a High Speed Steel planer blade 1/2 in X 2 1/2 X 12 inches. I got 4 for $15 at auction. The two Bedan type tools; smaller from mystery steel from scrap pile 3/8 in square, bigger was a bench chisel made from a 5/8 in square file. The screw drivers are for making spigots and recesses on bowl bottoms. The lawn mower blade is too flexible so is relegated to ripping off dirt and rocks from roots and stumps.

These were early tools, and even though I have much more expensive name brand stuff, I still go to the Bedans for some things. The big heavy slab of a scraper is the best I have, including a couple Henry Taylors. The HTs are smaller and lighter. One day I may even weld a tang on it and put on a handle.

I mostly do bigger stuff. I did not buy a 20 inch swing lathe to make pens. Bigger bowls also sell for more money, even though they don't take that much more time.

Steve

[Ticky]

Ticky you have just about put yourself in the best position possible to start to learn woodturning. The one thing nobody else has mentioned yet, is in my opinion, the best thing you can do. Search out and join your nearest woodturning guild/club/group. There is nothing like one on one hands on learning, and I can assure you, you will get plenty of that from an organised group of woodturners. I advocate a woodturning group, NOT a men's shed arrangement, if what you want do is to learn to turn wood. I hope you get as much enjoyment out of our hobby as I have over the past 26 years. Doug. :U


G'day Doug,

I am looking into a club at the moment, but I'm having trouble finding one that works for me. Most of them seem to meet on a Saturday but I am really looking for a mid weeker. I'll keep looking & if I can't find one, I'll have to join a Saturday club.

[Paul39]

Ticky,

I have an 8 inch 1725 rpm dry grinder with 120 grit aluminum oxide wheels at the end of my lathe. It has the Wolverine jig: http://www.oneway.ca/sharpening/grind_jig.htm

For sharpening bowl gouges I have the vari-grind: http://www.oneway.ca/sharpening/vari-grind.htm

Which can be adjusted for the amount of swept back grind.

The grinder and jigs came with a used lathe along with a Oneway chuck. I got a good deal.

Much later a woodworking supply was closing out their school and sold off all their shop stuff. I had some surplus cash and in a weak moment bought a used Tormek with a slew of accessories, some still in unopened boxes. As it was cold out at the time I did not put it in the shed which gets below freezing.

I set it up in the kitchen and sharpened a bowl gouge and promptly cut myself. I had an abused Henry Taylor skew and put an edge on it that I could shave with. I sharpened knives, plane iron, bench chisels and some other gouges. It is a wonderful machine and puts a razor sharp edge on things. It is still in the kitchen.

If you have a freshly sharpened plane and plane a 34 inch board with say 10 strokes, you have traveled 340 inches in about a minute.

You have a freshly sharpened skew and are making a rolling pin of 3 inch diameter. Circumference is 9.43 inches. I start 3 inch stuff at 1400 rpm, so in one minute the skew has traveled 13,202 inches. That razor edge is gone in less than a minute.

This is why I say the wonderful edge made by a Tormek is wasted on lathe tools, except when you are doing the final tissue paper thin finishing cuts. With hard maple, walnut, or cherry, nice solid free machining timbers, fresh off the dry grinder is fine, give the piece a hit with 220 grit sand paper and finish.

With burls, and rotten spalted bug eaten punky timber, after getting to around a half inch from finished surface with the frequently sharpened tool from the dry grinder, then use the small swept back Tormek sharpened and honed bowl gouge and carefully slice off tissue paper thin cuts.

As I mention before, there are long passionate discussions about sharpening on this site. Search.

Your starter set provides all the tools you need.

Bob Stocksdale used only a 1/2 inch bowl gouge and a scraper, see:

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1024&bih=615&q=Bob+Stocksdale+bowls&oq=Bob+Stocksdale+bowls&gs_l=img.12...12734.18086.0.21544.6.1.0.5.5.0.281.281.2-1.1.0....0...1ac.1.47.img..1.5.295.KvuJGAk_ogY

Rude Osolnik's lathe: http://rudeosolnik.com/sites/default/themes/rude_osolnik/images/studio_01.jpg

Rude Osolnik's bowls: https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1024&bih=615&q=rude+osolnik+bowls&oq=rude+osolnik+bowls&gs_l=img.12...2138.13642.0.15578.18.8.0.10.10.0.284.1555.2-6.6.0....0...1ac.1.47.img..7.11.1573.xhdKB7DpqK8

Richard Raffan has a good book on bowl making. Also videos but I don't have a TV. Some years ago I read he had made 30,000 bowls.

There is a tendency in lots of hobbies and professions to think that "if I only had the better; lathe, tool, golf club, camera, I could do wonderful work". Beyond a certain minimum level, it's not the tool.

I hope you will find a place to get some hands on instruction. Two to four hours will get you started. Then it is practice, practice, practice.

I started down the primrose path with a 7 X 12 inch Chinese metal lathe and a couple of screwdrivers and a bench chisel sharpened on a 1 inch belt grinder. I made a few bowls.

With a better lathe and high speed steel tools it took 20 - 30 hours to make a finished bowl. Now I can make a bowl start to finish, starting with dry timber, in 2 - 3 hours, same lathe, same tools, but with several hundred hours experience in front of the lathe.

[Ticky]

Hey Paul,

That Oneway System looks pretty good, I'll have to see if I can get a look at one of those.

I think I have found a Turning club, I'll give them a ring in the next day or so & see what I can tee up.

I recon my new Chisels could arrive tomorrow with a bit of luck, so I might have a bit of a play in the next few days. Either way, I might see if I can get out in the shed tomorrow & finish painting the drawers for my daughters desk & start making the new stand for my lathe.

Thanks for all your help, I still have a huge learning curve ahead of me, but like they say, the longest journey begins with the first step. (or something like that)


Steve

[Christos]

Just one question as I can not recall if you mention it, do you have a faceshield?

[Ticky]

Good question,
I think I have one here somewhere, but I'll have to get some new visors for it I recon.

[chuck1]

Good question,
I think I have one here somewhere, but I'll have to get some new visors for it I recon.

Double check it's not a grinding/spark face shield there is different rated ones! With different impact ratings. This fairly important!
In all the years of turning I have only had 2 head body impacts from timber flying out. The last one, I was lucky I had dustmaster on still put me on the floor and dented the roof two stories high!

[Ticky]

Double check it's not a grinding/spark face shield there is different rated ones! With different impact ratings. This fairly important!
In all the years of turning I have only had 2 head body impacts from timber flying out. The last one, I was lucky I had dustmaster on still put me on the floor and dented the roof two stories high!

I don't even have to check, it is a Grinding/Spark one. OK, it looks like I have a bit more research to do.

Thanks for the warning Chuck.

Steve

[Ticky]

JUST RECEIVED MY NEW ROBERT SORBY'S FROM JIM CARROLL

Thanks Jim. They look beautiful. I'm too scared to use them now.

I have also found a club and I'm going along on Saturday.

Steve
317303

[Christos]

Great news to locate a club. Hoping you will find them helpful.

[Ticky]

Great news to locate a club. Hoping you will find them helpful.

Yeah, really looking forward to it.

I started making the mobile base for my Lathe today. At the pace I work, it will be an antique by the time I finish it, but then
"My lathe is mounted on an antique mobile lathe base" doesn't sount too terrible .... Does it?


Steve

[Paul39]

[QUOTE=Ticky;1784025]JUST RECEIVED MY NEW ROBERT SORBY'S FROM JIM CARROLL

Thanks Jim. They look beautiful. I'm too scared to use them now.

I have also found a club and I'm going along on Saturday.

Steve
317303[QUOTE]

Take the tools with you and get a little instruction on sharpening. They will be more beautiful after the finish is half worn off from being used.

I do understand how you feel. I had bought an almost new Easy Finisher for $90, still in the plastic case. I treated it with reverence until I had a spectacular catch on the big Woodfast which knocked a chip out of the tungsten carbide bit and put a nice notch in the pretty stainless steel shaft. Now it is just one of the tools I grab when needed.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=YwmcBRDUokJMmM&tbnid=Sn8c78Em3apLHM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fncfurnitureschool.com%2Fproduct%2Ffull-size-easy-finisher-by-easy-wood-tools%2F&ei=DQejU4qYK8WBqgbr8oKgBg&bvm=bv.69411363,d.b2k&psig=AFQjCNG-F8502MD7mX0N8_PDXjVr_jU2Fg&ust=1403279486262074

[Ticky]

Funny isn'y it, I paid $250 for an old Radial Arm Saw, bought a new blade for it, made a mobile trolly with folding wings for it & set it up all true & square & couldn't wait to try it out.

Now I pay $240 for a set of Chisels, & I don't want to scratch them. Somwhow, $240 for a set of Chisels seems to have more value than ONLY $250 for this great secondhand piece of machinery..... Go figure :)


Steve

[Ticky]

I went to the club yesterday & met the people, they all seem friendly & keen to welcome new members. I learnt how to sharpen turning chiesels & the bloke teaching me is a Ret TAFE woodwork & Turning teacher.

Unfortunatly, the bloke teaching me was in very high demand, so this is all I got done all day. Anyway, I have my lathe, I have my Chisels, so I'll get out & have a bit of a go myself.


steve

[Paul39]

I went to the club yesterday & met the people, they all seem friendly & keen to welcome new members. I learnt how to sharpen turning chiesels & the bloke teaching me is a Ret TAFE woodwork & Turning teacher.

Unfortunatly, the bloke teaching me was in very high demand, so this is all I got done all day. Anyway, I have my lathe, I have my Chisels, so I'll get out & have a bit of a go myself. steve

That is OK. You learned one thing this trip. After you have turned for a bit you will have a question and can be shown or an explanation given. Then you go home and turn some more, which will raise another question.

At some point you will be able to ask a question here, and having enough hands on experience to ask a good question and understand the advice.

After a while you may outgrow the need for a club, other than the companionship.

[Ticky]

That is OK. You learned one thing this trip. After you have turned for a bit you will have a question and can be shown or an explanation given. Then you go home and turn some more, which will raise another question.

At some point you will be able to ask a question here, and having enough hands on experience to ask a good question and understand the advice.

After a while you may outgrow the need for a club, other than the companionship.


To be honest Paul, I'm not really a club kinda bloke. I was once a member of a Shotgun Club, Simulated Fiels & Game, & I loved that & I was also a member of a Sport Fishing Club, but my best mate that shared the same interests has crossed the great divide, & it doesn't hold the same appeal for me any more. I used to ride, GPZ750R, but had no interest in joining a club.

I think it's a bit selfish of me, but I prolly wont stay on, however, I have a reasonable collection of Vids that I will donate a copy of, as I dont want to take & give nothing back, & I will help out in any way I can.
But who knows, I might get bitten by the bug & become a regular.

I think I will go & buy a 100mm (4") Scroll Chuck tomorrow. Leda have one for $160 & I wasn't sure about it but the guy at the club recons its a goer so who am I to argue.

I know there are better ones around, but I'm skint so Leda's will do for now.

Steve

[Ticky]

I bought my Scroll Chuck today, & then I shot up to Carbatec & grabed a Pen Turning Mandrel.

I Bought a PKMS2SET. Not sure if this is a good one or not, but it looked a bit more robust than the cheaper one. I also bought a bag of 5 Pen 1 kits to get me started.

317721


I am also keen to have a go at a small bowl. I have some nice bits of tree that I have been collecting so it seems I really should try & do something with them.

It's been a couple of weeks now since I bought my cheap lathe and after throwing about 3 times the original purchase price at additional required equipment, I think I am finally ready to plug it in & see if it spins.

I'm as keen as Mustard to have a crack, but like everyone, I have to find the time.

Steve

[Christos]

I am also keen to see your first turning even if is just a practice piece and shavings.

The first piece that I made was a snowman after heaps of cuts on scrap to make heaps of shavings. It was a very simple design and the proportion not quite right.

Then I made a second one much better this time. I thought I was on a roll so onto my third attempt as you can guess worst than the first. I fixed it by turning this into shavings. What I am getting at is you have outlay a lot of funds into wood turning and not made any shavings. Don't be discouraged if your first pieces don't turn out so well. We are all at different levels of this craft we call wood turning (Wood Working).

Above all have fun.

[Ticky]

I am also keen to see your first turning even if is just a practice piece and shavings.

Above all have fun.

Thanks Christos,

I had a day of supervised pen turning about 18 months ago, so it will be my fist time solo. I'm a little worried that I wont remember how to set it all up, but with a bit of luck, it will come back to as I go. I'll try & cut a few blanks later & maybe get them drilled & Glued.

I have been watching some You Tubes on Basic Bowl Turning so I want to have a crack at that. I prolly should get a bit of instruction first, but we will just have to see what pans out.


Steve

[Ticky]

Well Christos, here it is.


"Dad... I dug a hole" (Pick the movie)

317775317776

They are about 6mm too long, Whats the best way to approach this problem?

Steve

[Christos]

Well Christos, here it is.


"Dad... I dug a hole" (Pick the movie).....


Tell him his dreaming.


:clap2:

[dabbler]

They are about 6mm too long, Whats the best way to approach this problem?



Longer is good. Or so they say. A longer blank does help in many ways (drilling and CA finishing) and is often only an issue when you a trying to align grain or pattern.

Search the forum for “squaring”, “squaring off” or “trimming” and you’ll find lots of threads on the subject and a number of ways to handle things.

Pick one method that suits your gear on hand and maybe think of changing when or if you gather more toys. Actually, that will be when not if.

Finished body/blank/tube length is critical on some pen types so try not to take too much off.

Did you seal the tubes before glueing ?
I didn’t notice anything blocking the tubes to keep excess glue out. Some people use dental wax. I pour a thin layer of paraffin wax (because I have heaps on hand) onto a sheet of baking paper, which I re-melt and re-use over time. Potato works too. Either way, it’s easier to keep glue out first than to remove it afterwards.

Check out better pen making sources than carbatec. Their range is limited compared to the many other options, many of which are also WWF sponsors.

[Ticky]

Thanks Dabbler, Ill check that out.

I didnt seal the tubes, & fortunatly, I didn't have much of a problem. Gotta have a bit of luck now & again ... Hey?

I was checking out a few You Tubes last night & I saw a bloke that uses a couple of Nylon blocks on his Drill Press to assemble his pens. I thought this looked like a good idea & a lot cheaper than buying a pen press... Any reason why this should not be used?

This is a very interesting learning curve

Steve

[smiife]

Hi ticky,
I ain, t no pen maker but could you use
your lathe and wind in the tailstock , as a press
just a thought!

[dabbler]

smiife is correct. A number of pen turners use this method. There are many ways to skin this cat too. After persisting with a quick clamp for a whike, I opted for a pen press (got mine on special from GPW). That way I can sit in front of the TV and do final tube cleanout, deburr and assembly on the coffee table in a comfy chair.

[dabbler]

Ticky - I have just realised this thread has wandered from general woodturning to pen turning. Maybe you should start a thread there.

[Ticky]

Thats a good idea Smiife.

I think your right Dabbler, I should start a new thread.


Steve