Thread: Using the Elsworth / Irish grind

Jeff

Ernie the milkman (remember Benny Hill) is on the go again for the next 4 or 5 days.

Will try to call in if i can - i owe you a couple of bits of wood so will try to find a Blackwood slab that i can cut into disks for you to "waste" as platters.

See you sometime over the weekend - all going well.

Cheers

Originally Posted by jefferson

....And Cliff, if you're out there....

Does that sound like me.

Hang in there Jeff, watch a couple of woodturning videos & then just go out & make some shavings.

Originally Posted by jefferson

I've "fessed up" to a few on the board about my "chronic" mental condition. One in particular dumped me as quick as. That wasn't great.

But the 3 or 4 that I've told have been very understanding. I just hope all of the rest of you don't dump me too quickly.

Jeff

Being on this board has kept me sane too. Hard to find a "community" in this world. And woodies all are very supportive. Shared help, shared thoughts, shared support. It all has really helped me get through my post natal depression (that seems to be going on for quite a while. ) So hopefully can understand a little of what you are going through. I guess some people in this world still think it is all in our heads. or just don't know what they can do to help. Just being there is a good start. So hopefully me being here is a help to you, too.

So with the turning......... Can you do the job you want to do with a different tool? Or maybe make something else that doesn't involve the wood spinning. Then come back to turning in a few days.

Jeff,

Have to say that one of the things I turn to when the black dog bites, is turning. It is the combination of the tactile, shavings, timber, the creative and the natural which is an escape which helps. Sometimes it isn't even the completion of something, or else it is the doing of something completely irrelevant to what NEEDS to be done.

That said, the last thing you need is frustration to drive you further up the wall. (I find loud bad language and throwing things at the shed wall helps if that happens)

Having learnt my initial woodturning by watching videos and making mistakes, I have to say that the best course out of your situation is hands-on input from a sympathetic and skilled teacher.

I then later did the TAFE woodturning course, which put everything into formal terms.

There is a danger in the early stages that teaching can be prescriptive (this is the only way to do...etc), but remember that many great turners have developed techniques which are formally "wrong" . Raffan is a good example. Ultimately developing a technique which works well FOR YOU, is the goal. Adapt and borrow with pride.

I'm sure that many of the top turners round your way would be prepared to help. If you are ever in Sydney, contact me, and I'll do what I can to help, if you wish to pop in.

regards

My Question is... why do we need one of these tools?

What does this do that you cannot do with a conventional bowl/spindle gouge or skew combination?

Excuse my ignorance forumites, but I don't get it.

There are a squillion turning tools out there that just confuses the heck out of me.

..... And an Irish grind makes me imagine something conjured up by that Irish builder from Faulty Towers - Yikes!!

Cheers,

FrankG

Ah yes, just thought of his name - O'Reilly!

Anyone with ideas to develop a new tool with the O'Reilly grind?

FrankG

Hi Jefferson,

I can't comment on the Ellsworth grind but I know that fortunately you will never need to acquire proficiency with the 40 tools in your rack in an individual sense. As your skills grow you will use less and less of your tools, settling finally on about 4 for spindle turning. I've got about 15 tools that I store horizontally on a little rolling table that I position where I want around the lathe but when starting a job I put all the ones I don't need in a plastic pail with a timber insert bottom; that usually leaves me with 3 or at most 4 required for spindles.

Don't get too excited about going a week without a run back or catch although that is good to hear. Some folk go years without those events happening because through long practice they have come to recognize the approaching point where a run back will occur and they re-orient the tool ( without stopping cutting) to avoid that happening. I guess it becomes semi intuitive. I teach turning and I find it difficult to illustrate live to students how a run back occurs because everything in me is directing me not to do just that. Keep at it: the first couple of thousand hours at the lathe can be written off as a learning experience!!! Old Pete.

Thanks people for all the support.

I've been getting some great turning tuition from and others, which has got me going.

The hard part is having all this great gear and not having the enthusiasm to use it.

I found a link on the net yesterday and sent a message to Fred Holder in the UK. He sent me back a copy of an article he wrote for a turning magazine doing the Ellsworth grind on the Tormek. I've asked him if I can circulate. It's a good article with plenty of pics too.

Thanks again, Jeff

To support old pete,

Attached my tool cabinet.

From the
Roughing gouge
13mm spindle
10mm detail

Used all the time on spindle work. Essential. Only need more if doing v large, or minature.

25mm skew
12mm square skew (h'made)

All the time on spindles. ~ 50% each.

16?mm bowl gouge, (mild Ellsworth grind) 100% bowl turning
1/4" h'made bowl gouge. Virtually never used since above bought.

10mm parting/ sizing
2mm x 20mm parting

H'made. Used all the time spindle, and box work and chuck recesses on bowls

70 deg scraper Used for cleaning up chuck recesses. Could use skew as well.

30 x 8mm scraper. Occasionally used for inside boxes, and cranky bowls.

Remaining 3 are home versions of deep hollowing tools. seldom used, just taking up space.

Also some detail on grind.

Finally 3 basic techniques with this tool:

Pic 4: Roughing outside. Slicing cut with handle down, using l/h wing. Pull cut. Good for removing material quickly, w/o tearout.

Pics 5 &6 Finishing cut outside. Slicing cut, handle horizontal, using r/h wing. Push cut with bevel rubbing

Pics 7,8 9 Inside cut. Cut starts upright, slicing cut on l/h wing, bevel rubbing. As approach transition, tool rolls to the right, (ie clockwise) and cut moves to steeper bevel at foot of flute to cut across bottom.

Jefferson
A couple of things
1 I'm having tomorrow off for "shed therapy" why - because I need it. I need a day to meself and pottering around in the shed. Will I accomplish anything? probably not but I will feel better by 3pm, I may or may not turn the lathe on.
2 Believe it or not I (and no doubt others) have learnt heaps from you.You have asked questions that I haven't thought of yet - but they and the answers have been very useful. There's a lot of knowledge out there in this forum. Questions such as yours have unlocked a lot it.

I'm sorry that someone dumped you 'as quick as' I don't know the problem. But, not to sound trivial about it, I think you might be surprised about some of the crosses which others of us carry.

can we see a rough hewn log turned into a bowel shape tomorrow?

Nick,

I don't have too much in the way of logs here - plenty of boards, slabs and 4 by 4s. Would a little 5 by 3 redgum trincket bowl do?

I got out into the shed last night and lit the fire. I re-ground one of the 1/2 inch German spindle gouges to a better shape and was pleased with the result. So expect some more questions.....

thanks again Jeff

Originally Posted by Sawdust Maker

Jefferson


can we see a rough hewn log turned into a bowel shape tomorrow?

Now THAT would be an accomplishment!

Originally Posted by Farnk

Now THAT would be an accomplishment!

But it would be a bit cr*p to eat out of

Originally Posted by Alastair

But it would be a bit cr*p to eat out of

I reckon you'd need one of those offset turning jigs