Wooden bracelets

[ribot]

I am currently helping some students from our local high school with a product they have chosen to develop.
Their idea is to produce wooden bracelets, probably Victorian Ash as the timber.
I was wondering if anyone has produced bracelets from wood and how ?
They don't necessarily have to be turned ,as the simpler the method the better.
The bracelets will mostly be painted by students for decoration. They may also want to use some other more interesting timbers such as Red Gum (at this stage.)

[knucklehead]

I saw a segment on the woodworking chanel about wooden bracelets.
The Guy turned them out of ply wood.

Sorry but I can't find any more details from http://www.thewoodworkingchannel.com/ or google. Maybe somelese saw it and can provide some details.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I am currently helping some students from our local high school with a product they have chosen to develop. Their idea is to produce wooden bracelets, probably Victorian Ash as the timber. I was wondering if anyone has produced bracelets from wood and how ?
They don't necessarily have to be turned ,as the simpler the method the better.
The bracelets will mostly be painted by students for decoration. They may also want to use some other more interesting timbers such as Red Gum (at this stage.)

As with most timber rings, Vic Ash rings tend to break easily where the grain runs across the ring instead of along the circumference. :( You could use ply instead as a workaround, but it'd be better go one step further and laminate up two or three solid boards. If they want to get into the natural timber look, they could laminate a piece of red-gum between Vic Ash or vice versa. A piece of ply between two solids also makes for an interesting finish, although normal ply doesn't really turn that well.

Personally I reckon turning to be the best method, but you could get away with bandsawing the outside and scrollsawing the inside or simply using a couple of BIG holesaws... however these method's would need more in the way of hand-finishing afterwards.

[Gil Jones]

ribot,
Check out this "how-to-turn-wooden-bracelets" site.
http://www.turnwood.net/projects/turning_wooden_bracelets.htm
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Also, this one on “wooden chuck jaws” to use while turning the bracelets.
http://www.turnwood.net/turning_wooden_bracelets.htm
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Or this page with, all of the project plans.
http://www.turnwood.net/projectplans.html

Have fun:)

[ribot]

Thanks guys, great info, I'm beginning to breath a sigh of relief.
Knucklehead, we only have free to air tv, Bugger!
skew chiDAMN, I was hoping there wouldn't be any mention of short grain problems, but of course it had to rear it's ugly head, never mind. The laminating sounds good and is probably the way to go, however I was trying to keep the production process down to a minimum number of steps due to time restraints.
The year nine students have to form a company, create a product, etc, etc, .....Attend a trade fair in September, sell what they can and then fold the company in October.
Gil Jones, thanks for the links, I have down loaded and will read it soon.
Thanks guys for the stress relief.

[CameronPotter]

A simple glue up will take very little time and will set overnight (or over a weekend if you want to be careful).

Basically, cutting the wood (which I assume would be bought flat) into chunks and gluing it up should be a very quick process.

cam

[rsser]

A friend makes and sells round cross-section bangles. Makes up blanks from laminated contrasting timber; uses a collet chuck I think. Can't tell you any more than that.

[HJ0]

Hey Ribot


Just click on this link, To watch the woodwoorking channel on your pc.(ie turning braclet using marine ply)

http://www.thewoodworkingchannel.com/


ps You may have to watch a while lol


HJO

[DavidG]

HJ0
You just wasted a heap of my time.
Just got ADSL and took my first look at the link you posted.

Well that used up some of my monthly allowance and a fair bit of time.:eek: :D

[HJ0]

Not My fault you with some server who does it's best to empty your pockets. Get unlimited mb without a silly extorsion contract.;)


HJO S@#$ (S@#$) you think poor ribot is still watching lol

[rsser]

Gee, I think that link is going to blow my download limit!

Good demo by Guilio though yesterday evening.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I only see a blank screeen. :(

[ribot]

Hi guys, I feel a bit silly thinking the woodworking channel was on tele.
Had a look but it's pretty slow.
PS; We still use landline for online.

[ribot]

Skew chiDAMN, on the screen you have to pick one of the options and then wait. Took a while for me.
Check out Gil Jones links, they're pretty good.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Options? Don't get that far. I link in and... see a blank, black screen.

Waited 5 mins and that's all I saw. This is on 300k broadband! :eek:

[TTIT]

Like this forum doesn't take up enough of my time - thanks for nothing HJO;) :D :D :D Didn't know such a thing existed - lucky I've got a fast link at work.....

[ribot]

Can I run this idea past you all for consideration ?

One of the students suggested turning a long length of timber into the round and then commence to turn it into a full length of beads. Then dock the beads into bracelets.

Since they want to make 500 odd ( with only two students with turning experience) I thought this to be a great idea.
What do you guys think ?

The problem I can see is, how to hollow out the internal bracelet hole "cleanly".
The internal diameters are between 63 and 73 millimeters.

[CameronPotter]

Sounds right to me, but as was said before, you would still need to laminate the wood to provide cross grain strength.

As for how to bore out the centre - I don't suppose that you have a massive drill bit?

The other thing you could do is rough turn the beads, then hollow out for a few widths, turn off the bracelets, hollow out a bit more, turn off some more bracelets etc...

Cam

[ribot]

Yea, I agree we will have to laminate.
Tried turning a cylinder and then beading it and docked the beads on the drop saw, worked out well.(3mm part between beads to accomodate saw blade width)
However I'm stuck as to how to now make the hole.
Thaks.

[CameronPotter]

I don't suppose that you have a nestled bowl parting tool?

I don't know how much they are (not cheap), but it would be a fast and easy way to do this while they are on the lathe.

Then of course, once you are finished with it you could send it to me! ;)

Cam

[Sprog]

You could use a router

[rsser]

Home-made chuck, out of appropriate diameter pvc pipe or fine-grained timber, cut about half its length each quadrant to make four 'teeth'. This goes over the outside. Turn the first half of the inside then swap it over to do the other inside shoulder.

You will prob. need a band to pull the teeth in when the ring is slipped into the end of the chuck.

Hope this makes sense. [Edit: sorry, this assumes you've roughly bored out the centre first. This can be done one bead at a time then parted off. This is how I do napkin rings with a straight bore, though I just have to sand over the outside rim, then part off, then reverse and jam the good end over a spigot in order to finish the remaining rough end.] (Edit 2: the above might be called a cup chuck. And on second thoughts, maybe 8 teeth wood work better).

[TimberNut]

Ribot, here is my 5cents worth.

have attached a sketch (very bodgy) that might help.

Part A - scroll chuck in headstock
Part B - scrap timber with spigot held in scroll chuck and taper turned on tail end
Part C - scrap timber that is mirror to part B except has divot to line up live centre from tailstock.
Part D - live centre in tailstock.

Method.
1. laminate 2 boards together with grain offset for strength.
2. use forstner bits to drill 63-73mm holes in timber. (different forstner bits for different width wrists!)
3. use a router bit similar to sprogs picture to run around inside edge of the holes from forstner bits to make curve easy to get on and off wrists.
4. turn timber over and repeat with router. this completes inside of bracelet.
5. use bandsaw to cut rough outside circle.
6. mount piece on lathe between other parts as per diagram tightening tailstock to apply pressure to turn piece.
7. turn outside round. if desired turn patterns in outside.

this way you can customise outside profile very easily and make each one unique with no additional effort.

simple to do. no complex techniques required. very fast to replicate a lot of them with added bonus of each one can be unique (good sales pitch!)

only downside, make sure tailstock doesn't unwind during turning or you could have a frisbee.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

??? It'd be basically the same as making captive rings, 'cept that unless you're making dolls' bracelets you'll have plenty of room to work around the tailstock. It also depends on whether you want a round profiled bracelet, or if you want it flattened on the inside, in a 'D' profile.

I'd laminate up a block say, 2' high, from appropriately sized squares of material, alternating the grains. Leave clamped up for a couple of days to be sure the glue has dried thoroughly.

Mount the piece between centres, rough it to a cylinder and, using a parting tool mark out the bead spacing by scoring the centre of every 2nd laminate, before turning the outside beads. This is assuming each laminate is wider than the parting tool... if not, score every 3rd joint instead. (Attached sketch might explain better) Then, from the tailstock end, hollow out until you can seperate the first bracelet. Sand before parting. Repeat the process until all bracelets are freed; the core of the spindle can be turned down a bit as you go to give more working room, so long as it's not turned so thin as to start whipping.

At worst they should only need a light hand-sand at the parted edge... and I'd guesstimate only a couple of mins turning time per bracelet. :)

[ribot]

ianhockings and ScewChiDAMN I like both these solutions and will definately run them past our woodgroup meeting this weekend to see what they think.
SkewChi, the thought was to go with a D shape however Ian's idea with the rounding over on the router sounds a nice touch. Question is, Do we need to eliminate this step of the process?
I have a mentor training day at the school on Monday, will let you know how things progress.
Keep the ideas coming if anyone can simplify it any further.
You guys will definately get a mention as part of the projects development.
Thanks again.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Another way, if you don't mind turning 'em individually, is to make up a mandrel and mount the blank like one would a pen-blank.

Nothing fancy, basically a bolt some 6-8" long, but, washer & a tube to fit over. A dimple'd need to be put in the centre of the head of the bolt for positioning on the tailstock, and the the first inch or so of thread would be best filed off to fit in a jacob's chuck or pin-jaws. Something like the attached pic.

The only prob I can see with this method is a lock-nut may be needed to stop the nut from undoing itself when the lathe is switched on. If you could work out some way to have the nut at the tailstock end, then this wouldn't be a problem as it'd tighten itself up instead.

This method allows both ends to be worked before parting, but means the inside needs sanding. [shrug]

[CameronPotter]

Use threaded rod instead of a bolt - then you can use a nut on both ends.

Voila.

Would have to be a big bolt though if you want the internal diameter to fit a person's hand...

Cam

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Would have to be a big bolt though if you want the internal diameter to fit a person's hand...

No... just thick enough to not flex and long enough to be able to work both sides w/out headstock and tailstock getting in the way. :) It's just to mount the blank, so it can be turned on both sides w/out mucking around... leaving a "hub" on the spindle after parting. (Hmmm... who was it that wanted wheels for a toy car? :D)

[CameronPotter]

Ahhh, but then you still need to part if off afterwards and wasn't that what the problem was in the first place?

Maybe I misunderstood.

Still, it is a good idea for how to handle a bangle - I might make a micarta one now (my girlfriend wants one). :D

Cam

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Ahhh, but then you still need to part if off afterwards and wasn't that what the problem was in the first place?

I don't think so... w/out looking back over the thread, the only criteria I can remember is "simple method." We pointed out it'd have to be laminated but apart from that...? I'll have to have a reread. :rolleyes:

I'll admit that seperating a ring can be messy the first few times, but it only takes a few tries to get it down pat; with practice you can get it down to a simple burr, like the lines in moulded castings, which can be quickly sanded out. :)

[CameronPotter]

...
However I'm stuck as to how to now make the hole.


Skew, this is what I was talking about (about half way up the page...)

Cam

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Ah. He was talking about something else there... although by drilling a hole for the mandrel in the centre of the disks he's already cut on the SCMS, he could also use the mandrel method to put the holes in, salvaging what he's done.

[ribot]

Hi guys. The main thing is simplicity cause it's high school students who will be doing a lot of the turning or other method if applicable.
Limited experience + safe practise (O H & S ) dictates we have to keep it safe and simple.
Thanks, gotta go to woodgroup, see ya soon.

[ribot]

A big thank you to one and all for your input to an easy solution.
We have decided to go with the router jig method for simplicity and (a big plus) the fact that non wood savy kids could have a go as well.

We will now produce prototypes and assess for final O K.

I will post photos once we have a final product to let you all see what we came up with. I will probably do this on a new post as this thread will probably move into the archives by then.

Once again, a big thanks to one and all.

[CameronPotter]

Looking forward to the results!