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I have never turned Tagua nuts before. Does anyone have any helpful tips?
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Tips on turning Tagua nuts
- Thread starter Eric Mckenna
- Start date
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
I've turned lots. First tip.
They are often hollow. Be prepared to change your plans in the middle of the turning due to cracks and hollow spaces.
Look at the ends. One end has a sort of stem. Cut this off and you can often see the voids inside. Fill them through this hole using a thin epoxy such as West System 105 resin with 207 hardener or System 3 mirror coat. I mix a small amount of Black ink in with it to give it a smokey color.
They are odd shaped. Mount them very lightly between centers and turn a little to see how they center up. Move the centers if necessary. When you get it exactly where you want it turn a small tenon about 1/6" long on one end. Drill a hole to match this tenon in a waste block and then glue the nut to this block using the tenon and tailstock to align it. This gives you the best use of the shape.
Glue it sideways to a waste block. Saw off slices on the bandsaw. Now use a plug cutter to make little white plugs to use to decorate your work.
Take these same thin slices and cut them into a shape and then inlay them into your work similar to how pearl inlay is done on guitar backs.
Glue these thin slices to a scrap block, turn them round and then use a chatter tool to decorate them. Insert them into box lids or in my case the back of hand mirrors.
There's probably more if I think about it enough but one of the best used I've found was miniature doll house lamps. you can buy the lights at doll house supply's but it takes a little work to wire them up. They work on 12volts.
They are often hollow. Be prepared to change your plans in the middle of the turning due to cracks and hollow spaces.
Look at the ends. One end has a sort of stem. Cut this off and you can often see the voids inside. Fill them through this hole using a thin epoxy such as West System 105 resin with 207 hardener or System 3 mirror coat. I mix a small amount of Black ink in with it to give it a smokey color.
They are odd shaped. Mount them very lightly between centers and turn a little to see how they center up. Move the centers if necessary. When you get it exactly where you want it turn a small tenon about 1/6" long on one end. Drill a hole to match this tenon in a waste block and then glue the nut to this block using the tenon and tailstock to align it. This gives you the best use of the shape.
Glue it sideways to a waste block. Saw off slices on the bandsaw. Now use a plug cutter to make little white plugs to use to decorate your work.
Take these same thin slices and cut them into a shape and then inlay them into your work similar to how pearl inlay is done on guitar backs.
Glue these thin slices to a scrap block, turn them round and then use a chatter tool to decorate them. Insert them into box lids or in my case the back of hand mirrors.
There's probably more if I think about it enough but one of the best used I've found was miniature doll house lamps. you can buy the lights at doll house supply's but it takes a little work to wire them up. They work on 12volts.
