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Useful shop gadgets.....shop, and "evolving shop" photos......

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Along these lines, I purchase bar "hobby" magnets from HF when they come on sale. They are $0.99 for two. I have so many glued to my lathe that, if I ever have a pacemaker installed, I might need to stay away from my lathe.

They are great for holding everything from Chuck keys for my several brands of chucks I use regularly to tools and knock out bars. Makes things much easier to get to without running to the cabinet or drawer each time when I'm in a turning frenzy.
 

odie

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Along these lines, I purchase bar "hobby" magnets from HF when they come on sale. They are $0.99 for two. I have so many glued to my lathe that, if I ever have a pacemaker installed, I might need to stay away from my lathe.

They are great for holding everything from Chuck keys for my several brands of chucks I use regularly to tools and knock out bars. Makes things much easier to get to without running to the cabinet or drawer each time when I'm in a turning frenzy.


Howdy Jeff.......

I've been buying my large bar magnets at Lowes and Home Depot.......they are a bit more expensive. Don't remember off hand, but I think they are around $3 for the pair. Too bad I've already got about ten of them yet to use. Thanks for the tip of getting them at Harbor Freight......when I run out, I'll get them there......

One thing about it.....it's a good thing to have a few of them on hand in various sizes. When the "inspiration" strikes, it's nice not have to make a shopping list, and then make a trip to town!

My motto is "do it now", and I've done many little upgrades and invented jigs at the moment when the idea occurs. If a person relies on getting "round tuits", then many things just don't get done.....no matter how much we wish we would do things later......:rolleyes:

ko
 

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odie

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Fixed airline for shavings removal......

I originally made this jig in the late 1980's when I had a Northwood lathe. There have been a few modifications over the years, but the initial concept works very well for the purpose......so, it's pretty much remained as it was originally designed, as well as a staple for my style of lathe turning for about 25 years.

It's a position-able airline that can be directed into the interior of bowls with inward slanting walls. Bowls that have outward slanting walls don't require an auxiliary method of shaving/dust removal while the work is in progress.....because they automatically eject. With inward slanting walls, the shavings have nowhere to go, and will build up until you do something about it......either stop the lathe, or use a manually applied blast of air. I find it important to be able to see the progress of my lathe tool here, thus a visual indication of how well the cut is progressing. Seeing the "wake" of the tool as you shape the interior is a big help to finding the right final shape.

In the first photo, you can see the flexible airline entering the interior of the Madrone bowl at about 5 o'clock position. The position needs to be low and the line curving to the back side of the turning as much as possible, thus avoiding conflicts with lathe tool usage. The other end of the airline is mounted to a magnetic base. The magnetic base can be positioned anywhere on a flat steel plate I have mounted on the back side of the lathe. (see photo number two for the mounting of the steel plate)

In the 2nd photo you can see the line coming from the compressor back by the headstock. From there, it goes to a water separator, and then a "T" coupling. From the T coupling, one line goes to my manual air nozzle for general lathe clean-up. The other line goes to a valve that controls the amount of air to the position-able fixed airline in current discussion. It's intended to be manually set to the right amount of air flow. If you look closely, I've made up an extended lever from the inline valve with a wooden knob that points upward.....(looks like a little gearshift knob) This is for easy access to the valve from the other side of the lathe. As long as the air flow is started at the beginning of the cut, and with no shavings in the in the interior of the bowl, it does not require much air flow to keep the interior free of shavings while you work your cut.

This whole air control jig will require some thought, planning, expense and effort to install, but it's been a great help to me in my lathe turning of bowls with inward slanting wall. It's such a valuable asset to me, that I can't live without it.....but, if you don't do bowls with inward slanting walls, it's something of little use to you. :p

In case there is any confusion as to what I mean by "inward slanting walls", I've added three examples below......

edit: Oh, by the way......in the 2nd photo you'll see a piece of white angle iron bolted to the steel plate with some rubber floor mat glued to the side of it. This rubber matting is for me to brace my hips, when I need to do a lathe cut from the back side of the lathe. With inward slanting walls, this is a necessary modification, since I do all my bowl turning with a fixed headstock long bed lathe.

ko
 

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odie

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How to set up the Oneway bowl steady so it works with maximum ease and effenciency.

The Oneway bowl steady is a wonderful invention for lathe turning of bowls......particularly thin wall bowls, where the slightest harmonic vibration will ruin an otherwise finely executed cut on both interior and exterior walls. This is not a jig for the newbie, who is still struggling with the basics.....everything must be in order for it to work to it's potential. If the right tool isn't sharpened to perfection, and applied to the wood with the best possible presentation and rpm.....the bowl steady will seem to that turner like it doesn't work as advertised. It does, and IMHO, those who have trouble with it, need to hone some of their other skills first.....:(

As good as the OBS is, there are some things that a turner can do to fine tune it's potential.

The inline skate wheels are good for what they are designed for, but they do have a few thousandths of out-of-round to deal with. For a lathe turner, they need to be perfectly round, or they will be a contributing vibration factor.....for inline skates, it doesn't matter as much. This is easy to fix with the wheels spinning on a perfectly round surface. I used a premium faceplate by Precision Machine for this. Use a coarse grit sanding disc very lightly applied at 90° to the very outward surface of the wheel, and the wheel is trued up in short order.

Because we are not all turning cylinders, but bowls, the wheels need to be running in the exact same orbit on the bowl. There are two things to do, in order to accomplish this. First, use longer bolts for the wheel axles. you can add washers to get the two wheels very close to tracking together. Next, the shape of the wheel can be altered to a "V" shape on both wheels, so as to pinpoint both wheels to a very small tracking width at the desired point on the bowl. (This also helps you align the wheels to a very small track on the bowl, because the V shape gives you a better view of what you are doing.) A "balloon" tire might be all right for skate wheels, but isn't easy to deal with for thin wall bowls. I use the same coarse disc to grind the wheel into the "V" configuration. It's done while the wheels are spinning on a specially made circular block of wood that has a small groove cut into the outside surface with a spear point scraper. This small detail groove is what you're matching the tip of both wheels to. I've colored the interior of this groove black with a sharpie, so that it's very visible when spinning on the lathe. With the lathe running, and you're grinding the "V" shape on the wheel, it's very easy to shape the V on both wheels to about 3/32" width with the points of the V on both wheels in perfect coordination. This, because the dust being created will show the point of contact on the surface of the wheel while the grinding is taking place.

You may also want to do the setup of the OBS without the use of tools.....well, except for the bolt the secures it to the bedways of your lathe. The center of the distance between the two wheel axles should match the centerline of your lathe spindle. This height is the same every time you mount the OBS, so a simple PVC pipe of the correct length can be slipped down onto the vertical bar of the OBS base. The height adjustment becomes automatic every time you make the setup. Swivel adjustments of the wheel apparatus is easy, without needing to tend to the height adjustment. I've made my own "T" handle for securing the wheel apparatus to the vertical post, so that adjustment is quick and easy. I've added a wing nut to the adjustment of the scissor arms.....no tools there either.

You will see that I've added a spring to the ends of the scissor arms. When I first did this several years ago, I thought it may help at high speeds, but it didn't work out as I had envisioned. I did discover, however, that using spring pressure only (no scissor clamp used), that it helps with warped bowls turning at slower speeds.....would have never known this, if not for my failed attempt at something else!

edit: Another thing that might be of interest to a few of you, is that block of wood and sanding platform shown in the second photo. This serves as support for power and hand sanding of my bowls. The block has three usable heights, and can be positioned on the supporting platform to the front, rear and side of a bowl being sanded. I only recently added the three pieces of foam rubber to the block......and, OMG what a difference to rest your hand on it while sanding bowls! Wish I had thought of adding the foam rubber years ago. Matter of fact, I think the platform and rest blocks (there are two of them) might make a good subject for a future addition to my thread here......stay tuned! :)

I've tried to make all of this simple to understand.....hope so! :p

ko
 

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hockenbery

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Kelly,
Seems like a good description.

I don't use a steady and I have never seen anyone use one to turn a thin bowl.

Thin is relative. The thinnest I go is a bit under an 1/8" and I don't do that often. Makes the bowls non functional.

As long as you stair step the wall turning to thickness in 1-2 inch increments and leave a thick wall to the chuck or faceplate a lathe steady isn't needed for bowls up to 14-16 diameter or so.
Also Sharp gouges with seconday bevel to minimize bevel contact or shear cuts with little bevel contact are needed too.

Turning a really large bowl might need a lathe steady to keep it from pulling apart from flexing.
I have never tried turning anything over 14" to a thickness less than a fat 1/4"


Al
 
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odie

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Kelly,
Seems like a good description.

I don't use a steady and I have never seen anyone use one to turn a thin bowl.

Thin is relative. The thinnest I go is a bit under an 1/8" and I don't do that often. Makes the bowls non functional.

As long as you stair step the wall turning to thickness in 1-2 inch increments and leave a thick wall to the chuck or faceplate a lathe steady isn't needed for bowls up to 14-16 diameter or so.
Also Sharp gouges with seconday bevel to minimize bevel contact or shear cuts with little bevel contact are needed too.

Turning a really large bowl might need a lathe steady to keep it from pulling apart from flexing.
I have never tried turning anything over 14" to a thickness less than a fat 1/4"


Al

Well Al......I think there may be a few things you haven't seen done before. As most of us here have, I suspect you have seen other turners using their fingers on the back side of the bowl, in an effort to suppress minute flexing of the bowl walls while progressing through a precise cut. This is the same theory, but done with skate wheels......safer, and better.....and better than nothing at all. I went from nothing at all (with "stair stepping"), to using fingers, to using the OBS, to making the OBS work better.....and, I'm still "stair stepping" today! I'm fully aware that a bowl can be produced without any means of support, but the quality of the cut is inferior to using a method that actually reduces the flexing, and results in a cut that requires less sanding.

Of the very few turnings you've shown us, I've seen nothing but very simple shapes that could be done with excessive sanding. I'll bet I'm not the only one who would like to see your AAW album, or online gallery, or web page, or something.....and keep it updated with your latest turnings. You have shown us a couple of photos recently, and if you can put them in the forums, you can start an AAW gallery just as easily......so, why not? A photo in the forum will get buried, but a clickable and visible gallery will be there when anyone wants to compare the words given to the results that person is getting. I expect no less from those who want to compare what I have to say, to the results I am currently getting. In the final analysis, the only thing that really counts is results.....not words. It's time to stop being so secretive about your on-going results.

As usual, I expect to see your response to this post, and since I have responded to you, you are welcome to do likewise......but, given our past interactions, and after you've posted your response to me here.........I'd appreciate it if you do not respond to this particular thread anymore....thanks.

You have the last word, Al.......

ko
 
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hockenbery

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You have the last word, Al....... ko

Appreciate the offer of the last word...
You get flexing from too much bevel rubbing. To reduce the bevel rubbing shorten the bevel by grinding a secondary bevel.
The Michelson grind is excellent for turning thin very little bevel drag.
Or use a shear cut with the Ellsworth grind. You learned how that works in the video.

These produce a surface you can sand with 220.
Which if you are turning thin you can't sand much so a 220 and a 320 then apply finish.

Have fun,

Al
 
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odie

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Sanding platform, sanding station, etc...........

Here is another look at the sanding platform I gave a glimpse of in post #204......

This has been such a great help to my sanding operation. The two support blocks represent six heights for my hands while sanding with the Sioux and Milwaukee drills, or hand sanding with sandpaper strips. It wasn't until recently that I added the foam rubber on the two blocks, and this is such a great improvement over the hard surfaces against my hands. As you can see in the photo showing the bottom of the platform, it was once smaller, but I added some length to it. The curved front surface is to give my body some necessary room for certain procedures. (Like many jigs I've made, it's been necessary to modify them, once some practical time has been invested in using them.....sometimes modifications need to be done multiple times, as you just got to keep making improvements, until you get it right! :p)

There is a block of wood attached to the underside of the platform sized to fit between the bedways.....no tools, easy on, easy off.

Not much else to say about this sanding platform. It's easy to make, and works well for the purpose......:cool:

ko
 

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odie

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This is how I remove bowl from faceplate and do the foot......

Good morning! :D

Since I'm a faceplate turner, and most turners are not, this may not be of interest to most of you.......:p

Photo #1.....There are four things I need to part off the finished bowl from the wasteblock. Nick Cook thin parting tool, modified drum brake adjusting tool, modified tool rest made up for this specific purpose, cotton glove.

Photo #2.....I put a piece of white shelving material underneath the turning and shine a light directly on it. This is to show me clearly how much of the part depth I've taken. Normally, I leave a thin strip of the waste block attached to the bowl, which is easily turned away in final step. Use 2 passes of the parting tool, so that it's about 1 1/4 of the width of the parting tool. Take the depth down in small steps.....one side, then the other. This Jarrah burl bowl is fairly heavy, so I've left a little over one inch of the waste block. You may want to go thicker for out of balance, or very tall turnings.

Photo #3.....The drum brake adjusting tool.

Photo #4.....Slip the brake tool into the part at 90° to the grain direction of the waste block, and break the remaining waste block within the part. (In the photo, I don't have the tool at a true 90°.....I was thinking more about the camera than what I was doing!)

Photo #5.....Shows a clean removal of the waste block.


Hang on.......The next three photos show how I turn the foot.

ko
 

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odie

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(Continuation of previous post)

Photo #6.....I have two homemade gauges that tell me what hole I should use on the Oneway Stronghold Jumbo Jaws.....one for expand mode, and one for contract mode. For this Jarrah bowl, I've chosen to do the foot in the expand mode.....the gage shows that I should be using hole #4. For some thin wall bowls, only use the contract mode, as this positioning will be better for delicate bowl walls that have little strength. The expand mode is safer, because the buttons are internal. With some bowls there is no choice.

Photo #7.....The bowl is mounted in the Jumbo Jaws, and ready to finish the foot. First thing to do is remove the rest of the waste block. I do this with a standard grind on a bowl gouge.

Photo #8.....The finished foot, ready to apply Danish Oil......

ko
 

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Face Plate turning

Hey Odie. Very nice post. Have you ever tried using turning rings instead of face plates? In my mind a little cheaper and more easily moved from lathe to lathe if need be? I have a Rikon Mini that I do some final finishing on and a Oneway and of course the threads are different but I do have a Nova for each lathe which their rings will fit. I have ordered a few rings to try.
I just love the seemingly easy way you have with words AND jigs. Really wish this thread could be turned into a list which would be at least for me much easier to use. Thanks again for starting it!
 

odie

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Hey Odie. Very nice post. Have you ever tried using turning rings instead of face plates? In my mind a little cheaper and more easily moved from lathe to lathe if need be? I have a Rikon Mini that I do some final finishing on and a Oneway and of course the threads are different but I do have a Nova for each lathe which their rings will fit. I have ordered a few rings to try.
I just love the seemingly easy way you have with words AND jigs. Really wish this thread could be turned into a list which would be at least for me much easier to use. Thanks again for starting it!

You are welcome, Pete......:D

There have been a number of multiple faceplate kits available over the years, and I can remember thinking about buying them at one time, but never have. I started with a couple of Precision Machine screw center faceplates, and I think it was because I saw someone using them in an article I read in Fine Woodworking......or somewhere. At that point, I suppose I was "locked in"! Eventually I found myself running out of faceplates, because they were WIP (work in progress). Remounting a screw center faceplate is pretty close, and in most cases, not good enough for any fine details. Leaving a faceplate (or chuck) mounted until finished is best, because there never will be any alignment issues. Those turners who still rely on sanding to clean up less-than-perfect tool usage, will find the alignment issues less problematic than the more experienced turners doing more complicated shapes......sanding covers up a lot of bad tool handling, and it also eliminates possibilities that could have been!

I subsequently purchased more Precision Machine SC faceplates in three sizes, and I have since never run out of faceplates again.

Two 4 3/4" (now discontinued.....such a shame, because this is a very useful size.)
Two 1 3/4"
Six 3 inch'ers (my most used size)

For all intents and purposes, there is probably nothing wrong with choosing the chuck rings, or multiple faceplate kits......but, since it is technically a remount, there will necessarily be a variation between one mount, and subsequent remount. Certainly, it will be a more mechanically perfect remount than someone with a 4-jaw chuck, or traditional faceplates can get. In your case, Pete, since you have two spindle sizes, and are using two different chucks to mount the same ring, the rings are probably your best bet......

My intent is for this thread to be a "show and tell" thread, and others are welcome to participate if they are adding to that general concept. I'm hoping that any protracted discussion can be over in the main forum!

ko
 
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white paint & magnets

Odie, thanks for starting this thread. As a new turner it has been very helpful and I appreciate everyone’s ideas.

I combined a couple of the ideas recently when I made the most recent changes to my setup. Things are always being changed and modified aren’t they?

I painted my big gulp from Rockler a bright white on the inside with spray-can plastic paint. I put a length of 1 1/2†angle iron behind the bed to support the dust hood.
I attached 2 magnets to the bottom of the hood. I like the ones from Lee Valley that come with cups.
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=58750&cat=1,42363,42348

With the magnets covered with plastic laminate samples (I never throw anything away), and the angle iron sanded smooth, I can slide the hood anywhere along the lathe.

P1170832.JPGP1170837.JPGP1170838.JPG
 

odie

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Odie, thanks for starting this thread. As a new turner it has been very helpful and I appreciate everyone’s ideas.

I combined a couple of the ideas recently when I made the most recent changes to my setup. Things are always being changed and modified aren’t they?

I painted my big gulp from Rockler a bright white on the inside with spray-can plastic paint. I put a length of 1 1/2†angle iron behind the bed to support the dust hood.
I attached 2 magnets to the bottom of the hood. I like the ones from Lee Valley that come with cups.
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=58750&cat=1,42363,42348

With the magnets covered with plastic laminate samples (I never throw anything away), and the angle iron sanded smooth, I can slide the hood anywhere along the lathe.

View attachment 8138View attachment 8139View attachment 8140

You bet, Paul.......:D

I like your idea of using magnets to secure the hood to your lathe.

As usual, I look forward to seeing any more of yours, and anybody else's ideas for improving turning in your own home shop.

ko
 

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"Evolving shop" photos......

I made an accessory table back in the 1980's for having my angle drill sanders handy (photo #1)......This table is still being used today, but you'd hardly recognize it! Sometime about fifteen years ago, I made up a couple of cradles for the angle head sanders....(photo #2) The 3rd and 4th photos show the original table with all the modifications as it is now.

Recently, I've been having difficulty with the elbow joint in my right arm, and added a rest to this table.....what a difference! With the "step blocks" for steadying the sanding near my wrists, and the tall block for my elbow, I now can greatly reduce the pain I've been having in my elbow the past few years. I'm also using an athletic elbow brace while sanding.

There are now four accessory tables for my lathe and all of them are in photos 3+4. I don't have all the tables out at one time, but thought I'd show them all to you in these two photos. There are plenty of things that make lathe work a little bit easier for me by having things easy to get at and accessible. One of my rules for items on the accessory tables, is everything must withstand a blast of air without becoming dislodged.

All of the modifications didn't come at once, but were done a little bit here, and a little bit there......but, the final version does look rather complicated. This is the result of experimentation over the years......and, of course, following up on ideas the moment I get them. One of the best bits of self-imposed standards, is the "do it now" philosophy I've been using. This is the concept of always stopping what I'm doing and make little jigs, adjustments, and whatnot when the idea strikes. This is a great philosophy that leads to real positive improvements that mostly would never have happened if relying on the "I'll do it when I get a round tuit" theorem!

ko
 

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AlanZ

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Odie,

I too adopt a "do now" approach to fixtures and gadgets. Improving the shop and process is as much fun for me as turning.
 

odie

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Odie,

I too adopt a "do now" approach to fixtures and gadgets. Improving the shop and process is as much fun for me as turning.

Hey, you got that right, Alan.......

It's also important to have the "never give up" attitude, because many of those experimental fixtures and jigs just don't work out as well as you were hoping. The trick is to keep at it.....modify, or start over. If it was a good idea, it may not be easy, but there is a way to make it work. If it was a bad idea, it will die a natural death, but not without exhausting all the options! :D

Matter of fact, I was doing some sanding last night, and I need to move that elbow rest back to the rear a couple of inches. I didn't know that until after I used it a few times.......I'm headed out to the shop right now, and that's the first thing on my list of "to do's" for today.

Without that "do it now" attitude......you will never know what you could have accomplished.

Sometimes, I see a problem, or opportunity to make something better......but, have to experience it a number of times before the "light bulb" clicks. When it does, that's the moment to make it happen! :cool:

It must be a decade since I wrote "do it now" on the wall behind my lathe. I see it nearly every time I'm working in the shop......stupid things like this don't seem so stupid when it becomes results! :p

ko
 

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odie

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Pinpointing a particular spot on a bowl's exterior surface......

This is such a simple thing, but has become a very valuable tool for my turning. It allows me to concentrate on a single point of interest, instead of a larger area.

Many times there is just one or two tiny spots that need a bit more tool work prior to proceeding to sanding. It's hard to have pinpoint accuracy in dealing with that spot once the lathe is running. I've learned that the jet black mark left by a Sharpie on the tool rest, pointing directly at that spot, is great for zeroing in exactly. The alternative is doing more area than necessary to make sure the spot needing attention is covered.

The Sharpie mark is easily removed with a 3M pot scrubber, available at any grocery store. I keep a small square of 3M pot scrubber attached to a retractable identification card clip, available at any home improvement center (Lowes, Home Depot, etc.) The retractable clip is hot glued to a magnet and can be attached anywhere on my lathe.

I'd say I use the Sharpie for this application on 3 out of 4 bowls I do.......and, has become a regular item in my "bag of tricks". :D

ko

(On interior surfaces, I'm using my specially made up jig using a laser pointer to do the same thing as the Sharpie on exterior surfaces. This has the advantage of the laser actually on the spot to be worked on. I think I've already shown this before, but as with most jigs and things, it's been improved! )
 

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Bill Boehme

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The fluting that has a slight flare and bit of spiral looks very interesting. I don't recall seeing anything quite like it before and I think it is really cool. Is it a pedestal for the bowl/dish/platter (I apologize for not knowing the right term)? Please don't say that it is just a tenon.

I frequently do something similar to your Sharpie trick because it is much more difficult to identify the right spot to do some fine tuning when the piece is spinning. This is especially true on the interior or turnings because there is no outline to watch. Also, we use our sease of touch to "see" what our eyes can't.
 

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The fluting that has a slight flare and bit of spiral looks very interesting. I don't recall seeing anything quite like it before and I think it is really cool. Is it a pedestal for the bowl/dish/platter (I apologize for not knowing the right term)? Please don't say that it is just a tenon.

I frequently do something similar to your Sharpie trick because it is much more difficult to identify the right spot to do some fine tuning when the piece is spinning. This is especially true on the interior or turnings because there is no outline to watch. Also, we use our sease of touch to "see" what our eyes can't.

Heh,heh,heh......yep, Bill......that's just the waste block that will be parted away when everything but the foot is done!.......:D

The shape is a result of being as big as possible for strength, but as small as possible in the right places for tool clearance.

ko
 

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I frequently do something similar to your Sharpie trick because it is much more difficult to identify the right spot to do some fine tuning when the piece is spinning. This is especially true on the interior or turnings because there is no outline to watch. Also, we use our sease of touch to "see" what our eyes can't.
Chalk works really well for this. Put it on the high spot comes in colors easy to see when the piece is in motion.
Compressed air removes any left over chalk from dry bowls.
 
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I use chalk too, and most of the time I can find it. I had a spare laser pointer so made this little contraption, quick and dirty,
just electrical taped the laser to the top my work light. The funny thing is it works a little better then expected. I've used it for bowls and platters,
but also for pinpointing the rim of a natural edge bowl or even a specific area on an eccentric piece. Shoot it across the shop and
it even shows you how much dust is floating in the air.
 

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odie

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Good morning!

One drawback to using chalk, is the moment your tool hits it, it's gone! This may not be an issue for some, but from my perspective, it cuts right to the heart of how a fine tool finish is accomplished. It isn't done with a single pass, but multiple very delicate passes.

Here is my laser jig. I primarily use it for interiors of bowls, but could be used on exteriors just as well. This would be a personal preference on my part, but I prefer to use the sharpie/pot scrubber for exterior surfaces.

The articulating arm is made up from a magnetic base used for a dial indicator. It's been modified for quick non-sliding axial adjustments, with a flat steel piece attached to the end for laser pointer. The laser pointer is kept in a dust free plastic case with magnets attached to the bottom. It's stored with the articulating arm on top of the headstock. There is a magnet attached to the laser pointer itself, and this is used to mount it to the steel plate at the end of the articulating arm.

Note: One bit of added benefit to the articulated arm, is it's a great indicator of harmonic vibration due to out of balance pieces of wood. I'm one who doesn't generally do distinctly out of balance turnings, but I do turn the occasional piece that is. While the articulating arm isn't being used, and in the upright position, there are times when it's extremely useful to fine tune the rpm for the least vibration possible.

ko
 

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Good morning!

One drawback to using chalk, is the moment your tool hits it, it's gone! This may not be an issue for some, but from my perspective, it cuts right to the heart of how a fine tool finish is accomplished. It isn't done with a single pass, but multiple very delicate passes.

Here is my laser jig. I primarily use it for interiors of bowls, but could be used on exteriors just as well. This would be a personal preference on my part, but I prefer to use the sharpie/pot scrubber for exterior surfaces.

The articulating arm is made up from a magnetic base used for a dial indicator. It's been modified for quick non-sliding axial adjustments, with a flat steel piece attached to the end for laser pointer. The laser pointer is kept in a dust free plastic case with magnets attached to the bottom. It's stored with the articulating arm on top of the headstock. There is a magnet attached to the laser pointer itself, and this is used to mount it to the steel plate at the end of the articulating arm.

Note: One bit of added benefit to the articulated arm, is it's a great indicator of harmonic vibration due to out of balance pieces of wood. I'm one who doesn't generally do distinctly out of balance turnings, but I do turn the occasional piece that is. While the articulating arm isn't being used, and in the upright position, there are times when it's extremely useful to fine tune the rpm for the least vibration possible.

ko
Kelly, Have to say this may be the neatest ting you have come up with.
 

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Kelly, Have to say this may be the neatest ting you have come up with.

Hey, thanks Gerald.......

You should see all the things I "invented" that didn't work worth a darn! :D

ko
 

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For standard ground gouges only........

Sometime last year, I began using some cloth hockey grip tape on the shank of my gouges, near the ferrule. There is a purpose to my madness with this! I'm not sure how I came to this idea, but for standard ground gouges, the tape gives my fingers a little extra "feel" to it, while the grind is taking place.

Of course, most turners don't use the standard grind as much as I do, but just in case there are a few who do.....this is worth a try. It is only worthwhile if the grind wheels are in balance, and a very delicate spin of the gouge is being done with a light grip of your fingers.

A standard grind is where the handle butt fits into the "V" arm of the Wolverine jig, and spins on the tools axis while being ground. Some turners may refer to this grind as the "traditional" grind.

ko
 

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odie

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Handmade single point depth measurement tool........

Although I've been using this single point depth gauge for several years, I'm finally getting around to showing it to you......:D

The first photo shows all four of my handmade depth measuring tools, but the one with the blue wrap with white stripe is the one I'm discussing in this post. It's kept on my accessories tool holder that stays on the far end of the long bed lathe.....last photo.

Close-up in the second photo. It's simply a 1/8" stainless rod with a wood handle wrapped in colored hockey tape. there is a red sliding piece of 1/4" air hose on the shank of the stainless rod.

3rd photo: Put the tip of the stainless rod to the bottom depth of the interior of the bowl. Visually align the near and far edges of the bowl rim and slip the red sliding air hose section so it matches the rim on both sides.

4th photo: Take the depth gauge from the interior of the bowl, and place it on the outside towards you. Align the near and far rims to the red sliding air hose section. You must then move your eye over to the left some so that your view is approximately 90° to the end of the stainless rod. Observe where the end of the rod aligns with the foot of the bowl.

5th photo: The single point depth gauge is located near the top of the photo. (blue wrapped handle with white stripe)

I've used this single point depth gauge for virtually every single bowl I've made for the past few years. It's quick and easy, and you don't have to move tool rests, lamps, air supplies, lasers and other things that get in the way of using a more traditional depth gauge. It doesn't replace the accuracy traditional depth gauges offer, but it's very close......depends on how good you are at aligning three points visually! :p

ko
 

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hockenbery

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Hi Kelly,

I can use your system to set the depth on drill bits I use on hollow forms.
With a tight fitting sleeve like your red tubing I can mark the depth I want to drill by sliding the sleeve.
I now mark the depth with tape. The sliding sleeve would be quicker and more accurate.

Sometimes I do similar measuring on shallow bowls in a more low tech way. If I'm still turning I will use the gouge as depth gauge holding my thumb nail to mark the depth. If I have near finished surface I use a pencil with the eraser against bottom center. I also use calipers a lot too.

Great idea.
Thanks for sharing

Al
 

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Tomkins Gage 'T.....and Versa-Cal calipers........

These two shop tools are definitely worthwhile to have if you are making bowls.

The Tomkins Gage 'T is expensive, and I understand the mold and tooling to make it is why. I was a complainer about the price, but after using it for a year, or so, it is something I've found a place for among my lathe tools and jigs.

Like many things that you initially complain about the price, it's one of those things you're glad you bought! I use it often, and it's great in giving you an idea where on a bowl wall you need to thin a bit. It will also tell you where you need to not get any thinner! This is valuable information if you do many bowls......and, the Gage 'T gives you an "overall perspective". I would buy it again.

The Versa-Cal calipers are very easy to use.....much more so than the standard double end calipers. The advantage is in the grip holes. It makes this calipers one-handed to use. Matter of fact, I converted my older double ended calipers to allow for one-handed use because I like that advantage!

ko
 

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odie

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Micro interior LED lamp......

I made this adjustable LED interior lamp with some parts available from HF. Total cost was around $17, and the parts were as follows:

Magnetic base for dial indicator
Battery operated single cell flexible lamp
Hose clamp
A few pieces from my "junk drawer".

The hose clamp, along with a wooden slide, gives me some lateral capability, without adjusting the height. I installed a little piece of rubber hose over the LED itself, so the beam can to concentrated at a spot, instead of an area. The lamp body where the batteries are located slips into a piece of plastic tube. This makes it easy to remove for installing new batteries. (At the moment of typing this, I have forgotten, but the batteries are either a couple of AA, or AAA standard batteries.)

I don't need a little lamp like this very often, but it's very handy to have when I do. The lamp can be adjusted to come over the top, completely out of the way of other tooling.

ko
 

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odie

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Convenient shop exercise program

Since retirement in January, I've combined my exercise program with time in the shop. Every two hours, I do five one-minute sets of upper in combination with a stepper. If I stay in the shop for 8 hours, I'll do 20 minutes of good solid exercise.

gloves
curl support
straight pectoral spring
grippers
10lb dumbbells
15lb dumbbells
timer
screaming meanie timer

In order to keep the equipment dust free, I've installed wheels on an old military ammunition storage box w/lid.

I learned right away that I can't hear a regular kitchen timer over machine noise, but it's still good for timing the exercise. I purchased a trucker's "screaming meanie" extra loud timer that I can hear, while the lathe, or any of the other equipment is running. (available at a truck stop, or eBay) The screaming meanie will sound the alarm until the 9v battery is dead.....so, that's why I put my keys in the dust free plastic box with the timers......just so I won't forget to turn it off, if I leave the shop.

One interesting observation I've made is, even though you don't feel like taking a break from whatever you're doing at the moment......sometimes taking that exercise break works out to your advantage. This is because you have a moment for contemplation and reflection......!

If anyone else is combining exercise with shop time, I'd be really glad to hear about it. Equipment suggestions are helpful, too.....but, remember this is a very dusty environment.

ko
 

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One interesting observation I've made is, even though you don't feel like taking a break from whatever you're doing at the moment......sometimes taking that exercise break works out to your advantage. This is because you have a moment for contemplation and reflection......!

If anyone else is combining exercise with shop time, I'd be really glad to hear about it. Equipment suggestions are helpful, too.....but, remember this is a very dusty environment.

ko[/QUOTE]

Kelly that is an interesting observation about the break. Yes the exercise is good, just not sure the shop is good for me. I do feel better when I take a break instead of ploughing thru. I just have to figure out something like you did to make me stop.
 

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Kelly that is an interesting observation about the break. Yes the exercise is good, just not sure the shop is good for me. I do feel better when I take a break instead of ploughing thru. I just have to figure out something like you did to make me stop.

Hi Gerald......

I figure not too many other turners are combining an exercise program with shop time.......but, that's ok......I'm used to being the odd-ball anyway! :D

Maybe brewing up a "cup of joe" would work for some of the rest of you turners.....? I do this occasionally, myself!

ko
 

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Check weights for your digital postal scale........

These cheap digital postal scales are making it possible to accurately measure weight loss for seasoning roughed bowls.....on a budget.

It really doesn't matter about absolute accuracy with these scales.....the object is to consistently and accurately measure the loss of weight, rather than the actual weight......up until the point where the weight is stabilized. You don't need to know the actual weight, just that you can accurately measure the weight loss, and stabilization.

One quick way to assure your scale is consistently weighing the same each time, is to use something (the same something) each and every time you turn on the scale. I use three chunks of metal......55 grams, 245 grams, and 745 grams. I usually quick check all three.....only takes a few seconds to do. If all three check out to the established weight, I can trust my scale.....and my calculations that stabilization has occurred.

ko
 

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Turning Ring ...

Hey Odie. Very nice post. Have you ever tried using turning rings instead of face plates? In my mind a little cheaper and more easily moved from lathe to lathe if need be? I have a Rikon Mini that I do some final finishing on and a Oneway and of course the threads are different but I do have a Nova for each lathe which their rings will fit. I have ordered a few rings to try.
I just love the seemingly easy way you have with words AND jigs. Really wish this thread could be turned into a list which would be at least for me much easier to use. Thanks again for starting it!

Pete, can you provide a link for turning rings? Unfortunately, Google returns relate to the process of turning a ring.
 

odie

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Pete, can you provide a link for turning rings? Unfortunately, Google returns relate to the process of turning a ring.

Hi Jamie......I believe this is what Pete had in mind:

http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Mer...de=packard&Product_Code=112656&Category_Code=

Here is something very similar:

https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/109/5503/Turners-Select-Modular-Faceplate-System-3"-Faceplate

Instead of remounting to chuck jaws, the modular faceplate system has a threaded hub:

https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/109/5504/Turners-Select-Modular-Faceplate-System-Threaded-Hub

ko
 
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Rings

Pete, can you provide a link for turning rings? Unfortunately, Google returns relate to the process of turning a ring.
HI Jamie.
Here is a link to the ones I bought. I just love them. I have 8 and mounted each to a glue block which I can then glue to my piece. As stated it lets me move them from my oneway to my Rikon and to my internal sander which uses glass and marbles to finish the inside of some of my hollow forms and other pieces.
http://www.teknatool.com/products/chuck_accessories/faceplate.htm
 

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Merry Christmas! :D

When truing up a surface, it's not always easy to tell by feel when you've completely trued it up. It's helpful to use a pencil to mark the surface. (I normally use an ebony pencil for this.) Do it at slow speed, and allow the pencil to move with the uneven surface. It's easy to see your progress, and when the surface still needs further work. When the pencil marking is gone, you're done.....:cool:

As an example, the first photo shows the entire surface marked with the ebony pencil. This is done solely for example, and most of the time, only a portion of the surface needs to be marked. If the rim, or the foot of a bowl is the object, only that area needs to be marked. In those areas of interest, the entire pencil markings need to be removed for the surface to be perfectly flat.

The second photo shows the surface in progress. Theoretically, a third photo would show the surface with the pencil markings entirely removed.

ko
 

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The dark pencil is great if you are removing the whole surface layer.
Airbrushing the surface works too I sometimes use that as guide in removing some surface layers.
Chalk is great for marking a small bump inside a bowl. If there is any chalk left it will blow of with compressed air.
Water color pencil is great for making lines to carve etc. if I miss the line a bit the carving will still look good once I use a damp paper towel to erase the line.
 

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The dark pencil is great if you are removing the whole surface layer.

No, not at all.....you must apply a little "vision" to the post, Al.......

The photos above are specific to the technique, and the entire area is covered only to more clearly understand the technique. Since that is the top, or the rim of the bowl, the usual application would be to only use the pencil for outermost 1", or so. When roughing a foot, the same applies for only that area where the foot will be......it is a very "target specific" technique.

ko
 
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