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Bruce101
22nd April 2007, 06:56 PM
Hi all,

Just thought I'd put this in for interest sake, and any comments/criticisms appreciated.

I was asked to make a clock for a family member, and after many (many) months I happened to be in a saw mill (surprise...surprise) and saw a piece of timber I liked the look of. I asked what it was and told it was Brush Box. I asked what it would be like to turn and received the reply "ya ever turned sandstone??" 'No' was the response, to which he replied "well.....turn this an ya will av".

With some trepidation relating to both the timber, my el-cheapo chisels and a fragile roof, (having never turned a square object, I started.

Many days later, and several mm off my chisels, I was reasonably satisfied with the results.

I would suggest that anyone considering this timber (1) use it & (2) be patient, and you fill find it most satisfying.

Anyway...........for what it's worth this is the result.

Regards all,

Bruce

DJ’s Timber
22nd April 2007, 07:04 PM
Very nice Bruce, I am sure your family member will be very happy with it :2tsup:

Just one minor quibble, the time is not correct :q

Bruce101
22nd April 2007, 07:10 PM
Very nice Bruce, I am sure your family member will be very happy with it :2tsup:

Just one minor quibble, the time is not correct :q

Ahhhhhhh Geeeeee! I thought something was wrong!!!!

(As a matter of interest, the clock mechanism lasted approx. 8 hrs. (It's a good job I have a small amount of time 'till delivery to rectify the situation)

Thanks DJ!

Bruce

joe greiner
23rd April 2007, 12:47 AM
At least it's correct twice a day. But, ain't the numbers supposed to go 'tother way around in the southern hemisphere?:D

Back on topic, how did sanding this stuff work? Or was tool finish smooth enough?

Joe

OGYT
23rd April 2007, 03:13 AM
Good job on the clock.:2tsup: Still got all yer fingers? :U

Bruce101
23rd April 2007, 12:19 PM
Joe & Al,
Great to hear from you both!

Sorry you got it wrong, you lose a day travelling east so you 'yanks' are travelling backwards. Aussie land is always ahead of the rest (see your earth time calender).

Butttt...............

No Joe I can assure you my wood turning ability is nowhere near that good. Standing well clear I rev'd it up as much as I was game to, then used a 2" rotary sander (a lot!!!!) to get the finish, followed by 0000 steel wool (taking care of the fingers on the points).

I then applied EEE several times on the workbench, buffing it off by using a lambswool buff in a pedestal drill. Then followed by several coats of Shellawax in the same manner. I could not get the courage to attempt the polish in the lathe.

And yes, other than a couple of bruises while 'steel wooling', I still have my fingers.

Thanks for the einquiry, & take care.

Cheers,

Jackson
23rd April 2007, 10:48 PM
G'day Bruce - The brush box looks terrific. I've seen it used as flooring but never turned.

I've turned a couple of square pieces and nearly always end up with skin off from an argument with a spinning corner. I've tried with some success using a folded up cloth as a base to hold sand paper. I haven't tried it but I'd guess it works with steel wool also. You fold the cloth up into a fairly tight ball then lay the paper over it. You can hold both the paper and pad with one hand. You usually need to clean up toward the outer corners of the square but it's reasonably useful for the early stages of sanding. You just need to be careful - if you go too far you sand the leading edge down faster than the trailing edge.

It might be worth trying....

Cheers

Skew ChiDAMN!!
24th April 2007, 02:16 AM
Very effective, Bruce. How'd you mark the minutes? Indexed chuck and a drill? Did you just use the sticky-backed numerals, or did you use an adhesive? I've made several with the sticky-backs, but found that they fall off with age. :( As yet I haven't found a good glue, so I'm curious... :wink:


I've turned a couple of square pieces and nearly always end up with skin off from an argument with a spinning corner.

That's why I always suggest gluing sacrificial pieces to the edges and turning it round. Stops arguments with props & keeps the edges nice, crisp & square during sanding. Bit of a pain separating 'em later, but ya can't have everything. :shrug: (Now, if only I'd learn to follow my own advice... :-)

Bruce101
24th April 2007, 09:28 AM
Hi Skew, good to hear from you.
Firstly, this is the first clock I have made, so it's a trial for me, but....

Regarding the numerals, I have read that there may be a problem regarding the numerals, so having used 'All Clear' as an extremely good glue on unknown surfaces where there is not a great deal of tension involved I put a couple of spots using a match on the back of the numerals.

To mark the minutes, I used a template (see attached and courtesy Jonathon Knowles Clocks (http://www.jknowles.com.au/) over the turned face then marked the minute points with a pyrography pen :- (http://www.carbatec.com.au/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=230_11420_11520
(and I'm not on commission from anyone!!)

Love the idea of the sacrificial pieces as I must admit I never thought of it.

Anyway, perhaps these idea's may help someone.

Cheers all

Skew ChiDAMN!!
24th April 2007, 04:41 PM
Regarding the numerals, I have read that there may be a problem regarding the numerals, so having used 'All Clear' as an extremely good glue on unknown surfaces where there is not a great deal of tension involved I put a couple of spots using a match on the back of the numerals.

Thanks, Bruce. 'All Clear' is a new one to me, but I'll give it a try. :)


To mark the minutes, I used a template (see attached and courtesy Jonathon Knowles Clocks (http://www.jknowles.com.au/) over the turned face then marked the minute points with a pyrography pen :-

I'd never have thought of that approach! Much simpler than mucking around with indexing, certainly just as effective and I can see it being applied to other items besides clocks... I'll have to remember it for the next time I borrow our club's pyro unit.

Bruce101
24th April 2007, 05:19 PM
Hi Skew,
Look in your local Selleys handyman bar. It's quite common but is usually used as a water leak repairing product although I have used it for a number of other uses. It does however take quite a long time to set.

Skew ChiDAMN!!
24th April 2007, 05:29 PM
Hi Skew,
Look in your local Selleys handyman bar. It's quite common but is usually used as a water leak repairing product although I have used it for a number of other uses. It does however take quite a long time to set.

A silastic type product? I know the one... something else I'd never have thought of in this context! :doh: Although I do use Silastic variants for gluing tiles into platters (else they crack with wood movement) so I should have.

Bruce101
24th April 2007, 05:35 PM
Now ya got it!!!!

(incidentally, I've since contacted Jonathan Knowles, and while I picked up the template some years ago at a 'Woody's' show in Sydney, they do still have the templates available. )

rsser
24th April 2007, 06:15 PM
Nice piece Bruce.

Brushbox is slow, true, but takes a nice finish. I've turned some wide shallow bowls out of it and was sharpening the gouge after each full pass. It's the silica.

Bruce101
24th April 2007, 06:45 PM
Glad to hear that Ern. While I expected a hard material, I thought that maybe it was due to my el-cheapo chisels, but I do accept that this did not help.

Cheers

ss_11000
24th April 2007, 09:23 PM
awesome work mate:
i think i know what to do with a troublesome peice of square huon pine now...thanx for the idea:2tsup:

cheers

Bruce101
24th April 2007, 09:56 PM
Your welcome Stirlo, but remember,,,light cuts on the edges, or you'll lose a gouge, or some knuckles ..........real fast!

ss_11000
24th April 2007, 10:00 PM
half is alredy turned, was going to be a bowl ( still could be ) but i think its destined for a clock now....i turned the outside of the proposed bowl and yeah, stuffed up the spigot so its easy enough to turn into a clock

cheers and thanx again for the idea

BernieP
24th April 2007, 10:38 PM
G'Day Bruce

That's a nice clock haven't made one yet let alone a square one thanks for sharing.

Cheers
Bernie

rsser
24th April 2007, 10:39 PM
Couple of tips ... play around with the position of your work light. Sometimes the shadow or the opposite side tells you more about what's happening at the cutting edge.

Bruce101
24th April 2007, 10:44 PM
Glad you brought that up Ern. I use the opposite side as a guide whenever I am turning an object of uneven circumference. On many occasions it's a far better guide than trying to see the cutting edge. This was very significant when turning this square object.

rsser
24th April 2007, 10:59 PM
Yup. Too much crap flying around at the cutting edge. Opposite side view is often better even for regular forms.

Gil Jones
25th April 2007, 02:46 PM
Real nice work on that clock, Bruce!!

Bruce101
25th April 2007, 07:43 PM
Thanks Gil, nice to hear from you.