Thread: A few trial pendants

Fair enough, your way is safer and time is not an issue for us hobbyists. My problem is that I have not learnt to use hot glue yet...

So Neil, how long do you microwave it to soften the ht melt glue?

I used 2 sided cloth backed tape when I taught my class. We only had a few come off and beginner students are hard on work. The important thing is for the 2 surfaces to be flat, clamp them together and let them sit for a few minutes before turning. It's not as good for curved surfaces because you have to get both surfaces to the same curve.
Hot melt works I've just had trouble getting it back off the finished surfaces. Anyone have a good tip on that?

I saw an artical in one of my mags (somewhere in the stack) about using double sided tape for mounting larger things. He was applying tape to both surfaces and pressing it down while the backing was on, then peeling and sticking the bowl to the face plate. I guess you would get much better adhesion. Haven't tried it myself yet.

Originally Posted by John Lucas

I used 2 sided cloth backed tape when I taught my class. We only had a few come off and beginner students are hard on work. The important thing is for the 2 surfaces to be flat, clamp them together and let them sit for a few minutes before turning. It's not as good for curved surfaces because you have to get both surfaces to the same curve.

There are advantages and disadvantages with curved surfaces in comparison with flat surfaces as regards contat with the tape, because the lathe, (not surprisingly ,) produces concentric circles. Therefore, even when the concave and convex surfaces do not meet perfectly, there will always be a circumference where there is a perfect contact of both surfaces with the tape. The trick is to make the convex surface slightly deeper, so that that circumference is on the lip, where the held piece is constrained by the rim of the convexity, instead of at some point closer to the centre, which could produce a fulcrum that would eventually dislodge the piece when subject to pressure.

In other words, you basically produce a shallow jam chuck, which is safer than two imperfectly flat surfaces where the contact with the tape can not be assured to be equally distributed around the centre.

Originally Posted by tea lady

So Neil, how long do you microwave it to soften the ht melt glue?

Here during the day, about 10 seconds, but in Melb it will need longer. Try it and see, if not hot enough, just zap it a bit more.

Originally Posted by John Lucas

Hot melt works I've just had trouble getting it back off the finished surfaces. Anyone have a good tip on that?

Peel as much as you can, then zap it in the microwave and wipe of as much as you can. Then when cool, rub the remainder with your fingers and it should peel. If you finish turning with a decent finish on the bottom it will also come off easier.

Here are two simple jigs for turning pendants, work really well and are fast to use.

South Auckland Woodturners' Guild

Click on the Projects button then click on the Jewellery Chucks in the Tips and Jigs column.
Then click on Pendant Jewellery in the Projects column.