Mark Garetz

[Mark Garetz]

Hi Everyone,

I'm a new turner from the SF East Bay (Brentwood) and I am learning and taking a formal set of Woodturning 101 classes at our local Adult Ed and also where our local AAW chapter meets (also joined that). I got into turning primarily to make wood inlay rings and I am currently making opal inlay rings. In addition I own three lasers and have been doing custom laser engraving and woodworking for 5 years. I have a Rockler variable speed 12-24 lathe, and tiny lathe for the opal rings, a Rikon low speed grinder with CBN wheels and One-Way/Ron Brown jigs.

Mark

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

Welcome to the forums, Mark. You will find a lot of information here and turners willing to share their secrets. It's a great resource. Post some pictures of your rings.

 

[John K Jordan]

I'm a new turner from the SF East Bay (Brentwood) and I am learning and taking a formal set of Woodturning 101 classes at our local Adult Ed and also where our local AAW chapter meets (also joined that). I got into turning primarily to make wood inlay rings and I am currently making opal inlay rings.

Hello Mark! I'd love to see some of your work! (and some basic hints on how you make these rings would be wonderful. I've seen some on YouTube.)

It's been a LONG time since I've been in the Brentwood area. When working in software developent, I traveled fairly often to the San Fran area, for example Livermore Labs, but would get out and explore in all directions on weekends!

JKJ

 

[Mark Garetz]

Here are some pics of a few of the rings. Still working on photographing them well. Reflections from the lights and other things make the ceramic look like it has finish flaws. Basically they are ceramic (or metal) ring blanks that are filled with synthetic opal chips and mica powder filler, all secured with CA glue. Then sanded down to be flush with the blank then final CA finish, sanding and polishing.

 

[Mark Garetz]

Here's my first woodturning project, from a Rockler class with carbide tools. Wood is purple heart, finished with Mylands High Friction polish, Rockler magnifying glass kit.

 

[John K Jordan]

Those are fancy! And a good start on the turning! Is that magnifier shaft threaded? Where did you find the hardware?

You prob already know this but with a “softer” diffuse light, such as light through thin white cloth or even tissue paper, the harsh glare on glossy things can be spread out and look more even.

If love to see some made from wood too when you get to that point!

 

[Mark Garetz]

Those are fancy! And a good start on the turning! Is that magnifier shaft threaded? Where did you find the hardware?

You prob already know this but with a “softer” diffuse light, such as light through thin white cloth or even tissue paper, the harsh glare on glossy things can be spread out and look more even.

If love to see some made from wood too when you get to that point!

Yes the shaft is threaded. As stated, the hardware kit is from Rockler. https://www.rockler.com/rockler-magnifying-glass-turning-hardware-kit Comes with the glass and a threaded insert. After drilling and installing the insert, they have a mandrel that goes into a chuck on the lathe and the handle screws onto the mandrel. You have to buy the mandrel separate from the kit.

 

[John K Jordan]

I see. I did read about the Rockler class and should have made the connection they were the source of the hardware as well, sorry.
Yes, a 1/4"x20 thread would be best with an insert. I'd like to make a magnifier for a present.

Hey, have you looked at the Niles SS Bottlestopper site? https://nilesbottlestoppers.com/
When Ruth designed her's she went with a larger 3/8"x16 threaded shaft. She has a bunch of different hardware under "Shop" but I they don't carry magnifiers so I guess it's off to Rockler!
(I see Amazon carries a lot of Rockler items but not the magnifier.)

I do have some brass inserts for the 3/8" thread, but mostly use them for making things that needs to be removed, perhaps for cleaning, such as ice cream scoops or meat tenderizers.

Meat tenderizers with dogwood handles


I find that for most woods, I can tap 3/8" threads directly into the wood and don't need the insert.
If the wood is a bit soft, I drill a slightly undersized hole and reinforce the wood inside with a bit of thin CA glue, then re-drill if necessary and then tap.

For things that never need to be unscrewed, I just epoxy the thread directly into the wood. Epoxying a threaded shaft into an unthreaded hole works fine.

On the Niles site they do sell the mandrels, but do describe one way to make a mandrel yourself, at the bottom of this page: https://nilesbottlestoppers.com/bottle-stopper/
I like the mandrels threaded to fit the lathe spindle.

When tapping into wood (or even metal for that matter), one thing I find really helps is an inexpensive tool called a tapping guide. Available from several places but I got a couple from here:

You are being redirected...

littlemachineshop.com

This has a reversable spring-loaded shaft that works with both pointed or conical recessed end taps.
Mount in a drill chuck in the tailstock and use the spring-loaded shaft to keep the tap perfectly straight while tapping! Works so well!


In case you are interested, here are a few stoppers I've made using the Ruth Niles hardware.



This is how I often turn the bottle stoppers. mandrel not absolutely necessary for this but better if I want to turn detail into the top.



When you turn some wooden rings, maybe share the way you hold them and such. Lots of people might be interested.

JKJ

 

[Mark Garetz]

John,

Thanks for this. Nice looking stoppers. We are making a bottle stopper next week in class and I am pretty sure the instructor said we're using the hardware from Niles.

Mark

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

Here are some pics of a few of the rings. Still working on photographing them well.

Check out this article: https://turnawoodbowl.com/product-photo-shoot-made-easy-wood-bowls/. I'm about to set up my photo table.

 

[John K Jordan]

Check out this article: https://turnawoodbowl.com/product-photo-shoot-made-easy-wood-bowls/. I'm about to set up my photo table.

Lots of good stuff in that article. the title should end with "anything" instead of just "bowls"!

I just scrolled through it but saw a camera on a tripod. ALWAYS! There are inexpensive tripod mounts for any kind of camera, phone, tablet, etc. If no tripod, one can be improvised with wood, chairs, etc. I think I somehow ended up with 4 tripods. Ack!!

I posted earlier about what I usually use to photograph small things: https://www.aawforum.org/community/threads/can-i-beall-buff-this.23088/post-249730

We use similar techniques for larger photo and video shoots. I took some llamas to a TV studio to shoot for a commercial. It was interesting to see them use similar equipment. My oldest son is a pro photographer/videographer and a good resource.

John Lucas, on this and other forums, is also an excellent pro photographer and good resource.

JKJ

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

Lots of good stuff in that article. the title should end with "anything" instead of just "bowls"!

I just scrolled through it but saw a camera on a tripod. ALWAYS! There are inexpensive tripod mounts for any kind of camera, phone, tablet, etc. If no tripod, one can be improvised with wood, chairs, etc. I think I somehow ended up with 4 tripods. Ack!!

I posted earlier about what I usually use to photograph small things: https://www.aawforum.org/community/threads/can-i-beall-buff-this.23088/post-249730

We use similar techniques for larger photo and video shoots. I took some llamas to a TV studio to shoot for a commercial. It was interesting to see them use similar equipment. My oldest son is a pro photographer/videographer and a good resource.

John Lucas, on this and other forums, is also an excellent pro photographer and good resource.

JKJ

I bought a couple of LEDs lights on tripods and bought a two-pack of tripods as well. I should have enough tripods. Llamas in a commercial! Do you have a video per chance?

 

[Mark Garetz]

Thanks all for the photo suggestions. I actually have a light box with a curved background which I use to shoot my "normal" products. But these rings present a different challenge in that I want the colors of the opals to look nice and vibrant. And the color they appear is dependent on the direction of the light. A point (or points) source light does that best while a diffuse light hardly works at all. The problem with point sources are reflections and shadows. I am working on a slow speed turner and videoing the rings.

 

[John K Jordan]

Llamas in a commercial! Do you have a video per chance?

Unfortunately, I never even got to see the commercial. I was asked twice to bring llamas for different TV spots. The first one was at the Knoxville World's Fair site, with the Sunsphere in the background - some kind of sports promotional thing. They had some UT football players kneeling in a row with one of my llamas at one of the spots. They were trying to catch a moment when the player next to the llama looked up at the llama and the llama looked back. They finally got their shot but never contacted me when the bit was aired.

The second was in a studio. They needed 2 but I brought 3 in case one was less cooperative. (It's REALLY hard to convince a llama to do anything you want it to do other than move away from people.) It was a stormy downpour that afternoon but the shoot was inside. They worked hours to get the shot they wanted with me swapping out llamas occasionally. Again, I never saw the result. If anyone calls again, I'm going to tell them my fee is a dvd or digital copy of what airs

One interesting thing about that studio, the videographer was shooting with a Canon identical to what I use.




A newborn alpaca, and when grown.
BTW, you can give a 2-year-old kid the lead rope for a 400 lb llama and they gently walk where asked.
Just don't try to catch one without knowing how!






I made this short video with a drone. It's mostly about the mini donkeys but has a few llamas/alpacas too.
My shop is the building just past the barn at the end.

JKJ