Now I am asking for it!

[Jenny Brandis]

Hi one and all, I have put my efforts online for you to look at and (hopefully) advise me on ways I can improve.

They are in chronological order from left to right.

tools: the basic 3 chisels from Carba-tec
woods: assorted from a pack of 100 bobbin blanks (8mm squareish and about 25cm long)
technique: trial and error

http://www.brandis.com.au/craft/lace/bobbins.html

what do you think?

[Cliff Rogers]

Not bad, not bad, here's the challenge.... make 2 the same. :D

7 & 8 go close but I bet that wasn't intentional. :rolleyes:

BTW, chuck number 2 away before anybody else sees it. :cool:

[Captain Chaos]

Good effort Jenny. Like Cliff said, think of a style of bobbins & then turn turn two or more the same. When you are satisfied with the results, try another style. Keep those pictures coming.
Keep on turning.
Barry.

[La truciolara]

...what do you think?I was pretty convinced that you would be contaminated by the virus and abandon the lace for the lathe. You can't leave leave it, do you? Quite addicted!
Too true with the other comments. Make two or three absolutely identical!
and keep showing us the results.
Then, when you have such a stack of bobins to heat you fro three winters, why don't you give it a try to a bowl or a dish?;)

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

So, when are you going to buy a band-saw and start cutting your own blanks? ;)

It looks like you're doing well without any input from us, give yourself a pat on the back! If you're looking for a few variations, try alternating a few coves between the beads, so the shaft looks like sort of like: ball-cotton reel-ball-cotton reel-ball- and so on.

If you want a real challenge, try making a mother&daughter. I assume you know what they are?

BTW, don't throw away no 2... if you buy some pin jaws for your chuck you can turn it down a size... along with 50 or so new ones of the same scale and do some fine-scale tatting. :D

As an aside, have you decided what you're going to use for "bangles" on them? I'm not sure of the proper name but I'm sure you know what I mean; The "beady" bits to stop 'em rolling. I've tried all sorts of things but that's where all mine fall down. They don't look too nice when you can see the ends of the wires sticking out. [sigh]

[Jenny Brandis]

Not bad, not bad, here's the challenge.... make 2 the same. :D

7 & 8 go close but I bet that wasn't intentional. :rolleyes:

BTW, chuck number 2 away before anybody else sees it. :cool:
Why would I want two the same? That would be boring :)
nope, it was not intentional, just the way it turned out.
#2 is what is called a Travel Bobbin - it goes with the much smaller travel pillow.

[Jenny Brandis]

Then, when you have such a stack of bobins to heat you fro three winters, why don't you give it a try to a bowl or a dish?;)But ... bowls and dishes? I have had enough of them with 30 years of being the wife and mother and chief bottlewasher.

Have you seen the turnings at http://www.brainsbarn.com/index.html (http://www.brainsbarn.com/index.html) ? Now that is worth doing. :)

[Jenny Brandis]

So, when are you going to buy a band-saw and start cutting your own blanks? ;)

It looks like you're doing well without any input from us, give yourself a pat on the back! If you're looking for a few variations, try alternating a few coves between the beads, so the shaft looks like sort of like: ball-cotton reel-ball-cotton reel-ball- and so on.

If you want a real challenge, try making a mother&daughter. I assume you know what they are?

BTW, don't throw away no 2... if you buy some pin jaws for your chuck you can turn it down a size... along with 50 or so new ones of the same scale and do some fine-scale tatting. :D

As an aside, have you decided what you're going to use for "bangles" on them? I'm not sure of the proper name but I'm sure you know what I mean; The "beady" bits to stop 'em rolling. I've tried all sorts of things but that's where all mine fall down. They don't look too nice when you can see the ends of the wires sticking out. [sigh]
I have got a bandsaw but am too scared to turn it on - it makes noise! :D
Cove - is that sort of a level dip in the wood?
Mothers and babe, cow and calf, wire wrapped, fairings, bone .... the list goes on.

Spangles are no worries as I have (again) raided 'mans land' (the shed) and lifted the fishing leader (twisted wire), using crimps and some nifty crimping pliers I dont even have to worry about tieing it off or having ends of wire. :D

How should I be taking the bobbin off the lathe? I am getting the bobbin to a thickness of about 3mm at each end, sanding, shellawax, then using a stanley knife while the lathe is spinning and 'cutting' each end through until one end parts, then using a hacksaw to cut the last end off. Sand the ends and rub Shellawax in to the sanded ends. There has to be a neater way!

BTW - when I try to drill with the bench drill it goes crooked - what am I doing wrong?

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I have got a bandsaw but am too scared to turn it on - it makes noise! :D

I s'pose you have to leave something for the man to do. :)




Cove - is that sort of a level dip in the wood?

It's the opposite to a bead. A bead is a rounded convex shape and a cove, called a hollow by some, is a rounded concave shape. If the two merge into one another in an S shape that's called an "ogee", but if you put a small step between the two, which I think looks better, then the step is called a "quirk."

There's even more obscure terms for a half-bead or half-cove, "ovolo" & "cavetto," but I won't mention them. Oh. I just did? ;)

Isn't obscure terminology fun? :p



Mothers and babe, cow and calf, wire wrapped, fairings, bone .... the list goes on.

I see you've already have a challenge list! I haven't tried bone, but that's on my soon-to-do list. Fairings? [shudder] I won't go there. :o



Spangles are no worries as I have (again) raided 'mans land' (the shed) and lifted the fishing leader (twisted wire), using crimps and some nifty crimping pliers I dont even have to worry about tieing it off or having ends of wire. :D

I nearly had the name right. Missed by that much. You know, I hadn't even remotely thought about doing it that way? I don't know why... it's not as though I haven't got the gear. It must be a man thing to think of fishing tackle as "for fishing ONLY!"



How should I be taking the bobbin off the lathe? I am getting the bobbin to a thickness of about 3mm at each end, sanding, shellawax, then using a stanley knife while the lathe is spinning and 'cutting' each end through until one end parts, then using a hacksaw to cut the last end off. Sand the ends and rub Shellawax in to the sanded ends. There has to be a neater way!

As far as I can tell, everyone has their own method. Whatever works for you and feels safe.

Personally, I only part from one end as I like and normally only turn the scottish thistle style head, IMHO the dimple from the tailstock looks good in the end. It also has other turners I know wondering "how do you DO that?" :D

I also use a Stanley, but an old dull blade that I squared off and resharpened as a parting tool. I curl my right hand loosely around the bobbin and oh so carefully part off. Usually it'll get down to a small fraction of a mm before parting, then I use a sharp Stanley blade to trim off the raggeds. I rarely need to sand the end after trimming

On the rare occasion I part from both ends I simply alternate shaving down both ends, cupping the bobbin in my right hand as a shave the headstock end and cupping it in my left as I shave the tailstock end. Again I'll usually get them both down to just under a mm before I finally part one, the other'll normally break off at the same time but it's usually easily trimmed.

You'll notice there's a lot of "usually's" and "normally's" in there... I've had my fair share of dammit! moments.

BTW, I use Shellwax, EEE and/or Danish oil for the finish, depending on the look I want.



BTW - when I try to drill with the bench drill it goes crooked - what am I doing wrong?

Work out where the hole will be on the side of your blank and drill it before turning! It's a lot easier to drill accurately through a square bit of wood than a round one! You might notice sometimes that when the drill comes out the other side it'll tear out a small piece of wood. If you drill the blank you can turn away the torn area, making for a neater look. If it plugs up with your finish, just use a bit of wire or a pin to clean it out.

[treefrog]

HI Jenny,

Reading your post I remembered a really cool tool that you can make for under $40 Aus. I first used it at about the age of 16 and it was something my Teacher had designed and built. The only catch is you need someone that can cut steel and weld. Its a duplicator and its basic, cheap and powerful. The sizes are up to you to decide. The actual template can be changed and is screwed in place. It could also be used as a design tool where you can design how you want your piece to work on a template then you go out into the workshop and create it. I hope anyone reading understands the theory of the drawings. I have been out of this game for a long time and slowly getting back to it. If I find mine I will post it up.

http://www.treefrogsolutions.com/tool.gif

Hope this helps.

Joe

[dai sensei]

Looks like you are really getting the hang of that lathe, and enjoying every bit of it - well done.http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon14.gif

I spent 10 years in the NT and a lot of time in Kunna whilst working on the Vic Hwy. It would be the perfect time at the moment to work in the shed, but terrible come the wet.

All the best.

[Jenny Brandis]

It's the opposite to a bead. A bead is a rounded convex shape and a cove, called a hollow by some, is a rounded concave shape. Is this what you meant? :)

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Yes, that's pretty much what I had in mind.

I think 'tis the hardest style to turn as any differences in size or shape of the parts are obvious to all, but that's where the challenge is! :D To be honest, it's the same task I give learners (albeit on a much larger scale) to teach them tool control.

In comparison to a lot of the first pieces I've seen, especially as accuracy is harder to obtain the smaller the turning, you're well on your way to mastering the craft! Practise, practice, practise. ;)

BTW, what do you call that style of head?

[Jenny Brandis]

BTW, what do you call that style of head?
Um, not sure. I copied it (with permission) from bobbins made by Neil Keats. He and some lace makers got together and came up with it to minimise the finer threads slipping off the bobbin. I tried some of his bobbins and it seemed to work so ....

now what is that quote - something about imitation being a compliment? :D

[Jenny Brandis]

It would be the perfect time at the moment to work in the shed, but terrible come the wet.
Very true - that is why the gear is set up on the concrete back veranda - under the overhead fan :)

It will be interesting to see how long into the wet before husband (or I) suggest it relocating into the large tiled empty dining area. ;)