- Joined
- Aug 19, 2009
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Hi,
I bought a lathe about 2 years ago but haven't made the time to do any projects until now. With football season around the corner, I got interested in making a full sized replica football. Here's a link to the only one I have been able to find online: http://www.woodcentral.com/shots/shot469.shtml Mine will be different in that it will not have vertical stripes at either end so it will consist of only four pieces of wood, one for each quadrant as defined by the seems. Has anyone ever tried this before? there are a few specific things I'm trying to figure out:
1) Someone told me I'll I will need for this project is a roughing gouge. Does that sound right or should I use other tools to finish it off?
2) Soon after I got my lathe a couple years ago a neighbor showed me all the workings and safety measures and eveen helped me turn a bowl. That bowl, and everything else I've practiced on still shows the cutting lines (I don't know if there is a better name for them). I'm trying to get a mirror type finish that I see on so many beautifully turned projects. Are there any specific things that could be causing the lines not to go away, i.e. tool isn't sharp enough, using wrong tool, wood is too hard, etc? Or is it just a matter of more practice? I tried sanding them away before but to no avail. Is it possible I just wasn't using course enough grit or is that a lost cause?
3) Is there more to the finish than sanding and polyurethane? I've heard of using wood filler and other things but I don't know if that would help on this.
4) In the link I posted above, the guy talks about turning the ball in 1/4 in. steps and then smoothing it out. Can anyone explain this step and whether it is necessary? Is this an easier way to turn it? The "smoothing out" part is obviously my problem, would this make it easier?
Thanks to anyone who replies. I'm really looking forward to doing a lot of turning from now on. I've enjoyed the little that I've done so far and look forward to being more proficient someday...with a little help of course.
-Ben
I bought a lathe about 2 years ago but haven't made the time to do any projects until now. With football season around the corner, I got interested in making a full sized replica football. Here's a link to the only one I have been able to find online: http://www.woodcentral.com/shots/shot469.shtml Mine will be different in that it will not have vertical stripes at either end so it will consist of only four pieces of wood, one for each quadrant as defined by the seems. Has anyone ever tried this before? there are a few specific things I'm trying to figure out:
1) Someone told me I'll I will need for this project is a roughing gouge. Does that sound right or should I use other tools to finish it off?
2) Soon after I got my lathe a couple years ago a neighbor showed me all the workings and safety measures and eveen helped me turn a bowl. That bowl, and everything else I've practiced on still shows the cutting lines (I don't know if there is a better name for them). I'm trying to get a mirror type finish that I see on so many beautifully turned projects. Are there any specific things that could be causing the lines not to go away, i.e. tool isn't sharp enough, using wrong tool, wood is too hard, etc? Or is it just a matter of more practice? I tried sanding them away before but to no avail. Is it possible I just wasn't using course enough grit or is that a lost cause?
3) Is there more to the finish than sanding and polyurethane? I've heard of using wood filler and other things but I don't know if that would help on this.
4) In the link I posted above, the guy talks about turning the ball in 1/4 in. steps and then smoothing it out. Can anyone explain this step and whether it is necessary? Is this an easier way to turn it? The "smoothing out" part is obviously my problem, would this make it easier?
Thanks to anyone who replies. I'm really looking forward to doing a lot of turning from now on. I've enjoyed the little that I've done so far and look forward to being more proficient someday...with a little help of course.
-Ben