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Crystal Rabbon

Crystal Rabbon

Crystal Rabbon

Joined
Jul 11, 2024
Messages
13
Likes
36
Location
Visalia, CA
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I wanted to come and say "Hey!" as I just remembered to check to see if my account was confirmed! I have been turning for about four years now. I started on a midi lathe and quickly maxed it out as I love to make bowls. I do woodworking as well as turning, when I'm not taking care of my littles or teaching. My lathe is a great addition to my woodworking. I had the opportunity to upgrade my lathe over the summer. I went with the Harvey T-60. I wanted something big and heavy to handle bigger bowls. I didn't realize just how BIG it was!

This is a 19" Walnut Checuterie Board I made.

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Welcome, Crystal. I'm also new here, it's a great place to share and learn tooth. I've been reading about that lathe and I'm curious how that servo motor holds up to since of the heavier stuff. Enjoy your new equipment.
 
Crystal Rabbon said:
I wanted to come and say "Hey!" as I just remembered to check to see if my account was confirmed!
Click to expand...

Hello! Looks like you have fun with turning!
I never looked at the specs of the Harvey until now - wow, what a lot of great features.

Crystal Rabbon said:
This is a 19" Walnut Checuterie Board I made.
Click to expand...

I've always wondered - what kind of finish is good for those (unpronounceable for my pea brain) fancy boards?

JKJ
 
John K Jordan said:
Hello! Looks like you have fun with turning!
I never looked at the specs of the Harvey until now - wow, what a lot of great features.



I've always wondered - what kind of finish is good for those (unpronounceable for my pea brain) fancy boards?

JKJ
Click to expand...
I'm loving it so far! I used Tried and True. Any cutting board oil will be fine or even shellac. I put shellac in the walnut dip bowl I made for it. (Char-cute-a-ry) ;)
 
John Kananis said:
Welcome, Crystal. I'm also new here, it's a great place to share and learn tooth. I've been reading about that lathe and I'm curious how that servo motor holds up to since of the heavier stuff. Enjoy your new equipment.
Click to expand...
I have heard people say it will stall with big catches. But, I haven't had an issue yet. I'm a tad lazy w/ the band saw and don't make nice pretty rounds. Those rough rounds REALLY beat up on my body, but the lathe doesn't seem to care!
 
Crystal Rabbon said:
I'm a tad lazy w/ the band saw and don't make nice pretty rounds.
Click to expand...

I don't worry about getting the rounds too pretty. I flatten the top and bottom on a drum sander, draw a circle, bandsaw just outside the circle, then use a stationary disk sander to clean to the line. As you say, the lathe doesn't care when you are turning round, but when I give a special blank to someone or donate to an auction I like to make them look nice (can crank up the bid a bit!)

Or when I make certain curved but not round things from blanks like these, it helps with the finial piece.

Penta_platter_blanks_IMG_7484.jpg

That's what I start with when I make these:

penta_jatoba_IMG_7636 - Copy.jpg penta_olive_comp_IMG_7459.jpg

JKJ
 
John K Jordan said:
I don't worry about getting the rounds too pretty. I flatten the top and bottom on a drum sander, draw a circle, bandsaw just outside the circle, then use a stationary disk sander to clean to the line. As you say, the lathe doesn't care when you are turning round, but when I give a special blank to someone or donate to an auction I like to make them look nice (can crank up the bid a bit!)

Or when I make certain curved but not round things from blanks like these, it helps with the finial piece.

View attachment 69096

That's what I start with when I make these:

View attachment 69097 View attachment 69099

JKJ
Click to expand...
Oh! Very nice!
 
John K Jordan said:
I don't worry about getting the rounds too pretty. I flatten the top and bottom on a drum sander, draw a circle, bandsaw just outside the circle, then use a stationary disk sander to clean to the line. As you say, the lathe doesn't care when you are turning round, but when I give a special blank to someone or donate to an auction I like to make them look nice (can crank up the bid a bit!)

Or when I make certain curved but not round things from blanks like these, it helps with the finial piece.

View attachment 69096

That's what I start with when I make these:

View attachment 69097 View attachment 69099

JKJ
Click to expand...

I've always liked square platters. These are particularly nice. I like how you cut the blanks to size and shape first... I found out within my first two square platters, that if you don't cut them to the proper size and shape first, you'll usually end up with an out of square shape, as blanks are often not truly square (even if they were originally cut that way, if it was green wood, then it will move as it dries.)

I have a bandsaw. Don't have any of the sanding tools. You think cutting a blank to size and shape like that could be done without the drum or disc sander?
 
Jon Rista said:
I've always liked square platters. These are particularly nice. I like how you cut the blanks to size and shape first... I found out within my first two square platters, that if you don't cut them to the proper size and shape first, you'll usually end up with an out of square shape, as blanks are often not truly square (even if they were originally cut that way, if it was green wood, then it will move as it dries.)

I have a bandsaw. Don't have any of the sanding tools. You think cutting a blank to size and shape like that could be done without the drum or disc sander?
Click to expand...

Thanks! That's one my most popular designs. The tops of these are gently dished. People use them for cookies, cheese, coins, wallets, etc. Make great wedding presents, house warming gifts. I have someone coming this weekend to get one.

I draw the arcs for the rim carefully and if I don't cut very close to the line, it is difficult to the the edge of the rim even all the way around, a lot easier if the starting shape is right. (I only turn dry wood so nothing moves significantly.) I've made so many of these I made a set of carefully shaped plexiglas templates of various sizes (from 7" to 10") and trace them onto the wood before bandsawing. (The clear plastic is nice since I can move the template around on the wood and avoid defects, get the figure the way I want, etc.)

EPSON004-copy3.jpg

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When I do demos on these I always take some templates and poster board so those interested can trace the outline to take home and not have to recreate the pattern.

I think, yes, if you cut fairly close to the lines with the bandsaw you can turn everything then smooth the edges with sandpaper, soft sanding blocks, and or sanding sticks.
As well as gently rounding the edges, I often round off the point on the corners a little.

sanding_soft_block.jpg
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However, even a cheap stationary belt/disk sander can be a great help for a woodturner. (I use the disks more than the belts) I have them in sizes from 1" belt/6" disk to 6" belt/10" disk. Another very easy thing people do is make their own disk sander from a piece of plywood held in a chuck or better, mounted on a faceplate on the lathe. Some build a plywood table made 90-deg to the disk. I mostly use coarse grit, 80 or 60.

JKJ
 
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