Thread: Couple of (Hopefully) quick questions

Hey Folks,

Sure, I am getting excited about my first attempt at the Aus day pen swap, but more importantly, I am making sure I get them done in a reasonable time (I get distracted quite a lot and put things on the back burner).

Whilst turning some pens for the swap, a few little niggles popped up that I thought I would ask about.

I am making a Sierra for the first time and as it is a single barrel pen, using a mandrel saver, my tool rest doesn't really fit between the mandrel saver and headstock. I overcame this by putting some additional bushes on the mandrel to create the space. Just wondering if this is a reasonable solution, or if there is a much simpler/better one that I have overlooked?

Second, I have been turning some darker timbers with dark grains. Whilst sanding the grain looks beautiful, but as I apply CA as a finish, the grain is that dark it is almost impossible to see the figure. Just wondering if there is a finish or oil I could apply before the CA that would 'lighten' up the grain or make it pop so as to highlight the figure rather than just darkening it.

Thanks a bunch

Gab