• September 2025 Turning Challenge: Cindy Drozda Finial Box! (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Dave Potts, People's Choice in the August 2025 Turning Challenge (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Jim Hills for "Textured Ash Bowl" being selected as Turning of the Week for September 22, 2025 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

After 33 years with my Woodfast, a Vicmarc VL240 is now on the way!

Odie said:
I may be wrong, but my theory is that when you really reef hard on steel threads against the much softer cast iron threads, they can become distorted. When this happens, then the union between the two metals is forever changed. Once that change takes place, the holding power between the two metals is likewise forever reduced......and the handle will slip.

=o=
Click to expand...
That's what the self-taught shadetree engineer in my mind thinks as well.
 
The lighting consists of two Super Nova lamps, one Quasar lamp, and an Amazon LED work lamp.

Seriously......I've never had so much light while turning. I think these lamps will allow me to identify turning blemishes more easily than ever! :)

Kicking and screaming, I'm slowly becoming a 21st century turner! :)

=o=
20250926_013456.jpg
 
Odie said:
I think these lamps will allow me to identify turning blemishes more easily than ever! :)
Click to expand...

A comment about seeing blemishes, in case you are interested.

I use just one Supernova lamp, works well for detecting scratches and certain other blemishes. My procedure:
  • Turn off or temporarily aim the other lamps away from the front surface of the piece.
  • I aim the remaining Supernova lamp so the light makes a glancing angle on the upper front of the piece.
  • I apply a generous coat of naphtha to the wood with a paper towel. Naphtha leaves no residue, drys very quickly, and doesn't affect any finish.
  • When first applied, the wet naphtha nicely shows the color and figure of the wood. However, it starts to dry quickly.
  • As the naphtha starts to dry, it stays a little longer in any scratches or small tearout. During that final drying stage I quickly turn the wood by hand and examine what I can before it dries completely.
  • To examine the entire piece might take several applications. I keep a plastic squeeze bottle with naphtha on a shallow shelf above the lathe.
For other defects, such as gentle curcular humps in the wood, inside and out, I do what I suspect many others do: feel for these defects with my fingers with the lathe off, mark the extents, then turn on the lathe and color the hump with pencil. Turn away the pencil marks. Repeat until perfect. This is the best method I've found.

The fingers can detect even gentle divots and humps in the bottom of a bowl or platter. Since these are horribly obvious once finish is applied I also feel for them and remove them quickly with hand scrapers when finish turning. Humps are trivial with hand scrapers. Removing deeper divots may take another pass with a sharp gouge or NRS, then the magical hand scrapers easily make the bottoms perfect.

I've had turners tilt finished pieces back and forth in the light and express surprise at no visible defects. We see far too many of these in many pieces at club show_&_tell and even in the work of professionals at symposiums. I won't name names.

JKJ
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top