Respirator question and seeking information about a table descrbing various woods

[James Edward Benson]

HI,

I am trying to find the brand of a repirator mask that I saw once in a wood safety class.

It was a cloth mask with a pocket in which you could put replaceable filters.

While I have a PAPR it is not always convenient to have at the various locations I work at.

As best I recall it had three letters in its name.

I currently use a 3m with the two rectangular filters, and I think that the other one would be as effective and more comfortable.

*********

Also, I think I once stumbled across an excellent wood table that listed nearly every wood, their hardness, workability health issues and just about anything you would wqant to know.

If I did, I was never able to find it again. As it stands now, I have to go to a supplier's website and and jump back and forth between differrent woods. If I could simply look at one page life would be a lot eassier.

**(***

I'm concentrating on spindle turning at the moment.

I started turning maple, found that walnut an Mahogony were much easier to work with, and then discovered Black Limba, which was like getting a cheat sheet.

I'm beginning to get the shapes I like consistently, so it's great to learn on.

But, it's I can't think of any better word for it, it's kind of porous.I'm still just turning, not finishing right now, but I'm wondering how to overcome that aspect of it.

Thank you for any advise or help you can provide.

Jim Benson

 

[Roger Wiegand]

Bruce Hoadley's two books "Understanding Wood" and "Identifying Wood" are the best resources I know of for, well, understanding and identifying wood. Not as compact as a wall chart, but easily kept in the shop.

 

[John Dillon]

I like this poster from the Wood Database

https://www.wood-database.com/worldwide-woods

 

[Rick Moreton]

For the mask maybe it was RZ mask? It was trendy for a few years, I used it too. It doesn't seal very well and I wouldn't recommend it. A little bit better than nothing but I wouldn't depend on it.

 

[John K Jordan]

Also, I think I once stumbled across an excellent wood table that listed nearly every wood, their hardness, workability health issues and just about anything you would wqant to know.

If I did, I was never able to find it again. As it stands now, I have to go to a supplier's website and and jump back and forth between differrent woods. If I could simply look at one page life would be a lot eassier.

Hello James.

Sounds like that chart/table would be useful. I personally go too one of two web sites for most of that info.
One is the Wood Dababase. There is a page with common names, or simply type in a wood name in the search field. Each entry has characteristics such as hardness, density, health issues, common uses, end grain for Id,and more.

Browse by Common Name | The Wood Database

www.wood-database.com

The articles are quite useful:

Wood Articles | The Wood Database

www.wood-database.com

And the new Wood Filter section seems valuable, although I haven't tried it yet:

Wood Filter | The Wood Database

www.wood-database.com

I also like this web site:

http://hobbithouseinc.com/

It also has a lot of information, but one especially useful thing is the numerous photos of each wood species, nicely showing the wide variation is color and look. I think of this site when someone posts a photo of a board or chuck of wood and asks what wood it might be.

I'm concentrating on spindle turning at the moment.
I started turning maple, found that walnut an Mahogony were much easier to work with, and then discovered Black Limba, which was like getting a cheat sheet.
I'm beginning to get the shapes I like consistently, so it's great to learn on.
But, it's I can't think of any better word for it, it's kind of porous.I'm still just turning, not finishing right now, but I'm wondering how to overcome that aspect of it.

I applaud your tackling spindle turning. Some people start with but seldom get past the bowl, some get stuck on the the green wood path. Nothing wrong with those but there's a world beyond. And, according to several well known experts (and me, FWIW), spindle turning can teach the fine tool control that will let you turn anything.

Are you working with the skew? I'm a skew evangelist - I start every new turner with the skew even if they have never seen a lathe before. I a way of teaching it that, so far, has not failed and no student has gotten a dreaded skew catch, at least while in my shop. (Knock on Bubinga.) After planing with the skew, we do shallow v-grooves, switch to the spindle gouge for coves, practice with the spindle roughing gouge, back to the skew for deep v-grooves and peeling cuts, then work on beads and more coves. I have a couple of tubs full of practice pieces:


I basically learned woodturning from two books, Turning Wood by Richard Raffan, and Fundamentals of Woodturning by Mike Darlow.

One of my personal favorite things is turning long, thin spindles.

I turned spindles from many species and I find that the harder the wood, the better I like it - some favorites are dogwood, ebony, persimmon, osage orange, cocobolo, sugar maple, purpleheart, guatambu, etc. The harder woods can take detail better, finish nicely, and are general stronger for functional things. I found black limba looks nice but is way too soft for my tastes. And note that there are various types of maple with different properties - sugar maple is the hardest, red maple and silver maple are softer. I also love to turn black cherry, somewhere between hard and soft - takes detail and texturing well.

BTW, I almost always turn dry wood. When I get local green hardwoods I use a bandsaw to cut up log sections into turning blanks and dry them. After years of this, I have enough dry blanks for two lifetimes! I made a video on this if you might be interested. It's quite long, made specifically for a covid pandemic era zoom meeting for our Knoxville club.

View: https://youtu.be/4Rbdas-jtD0


I do turn bowls, platters, vases, etc, but in case you are interested, here are a few of the kinds of things I've made in spindle orientation. Many are functional, some just for fun.



Many lidded boxes are also "spindles", as in "not face turning."

Sorry, I'm addicted to photographs!

The best advice I can offer:

• Find a local turning club if you haven't. Clubs provide great resources and let you meet wonderful people. By "local" I don't necessarily mean in the neighborhood - some of us travel over an hour to meetings, sometimes carpooling with turners close to home.
• Find a local mentor or two, perhaps through the club. Watch them, and let them watch you work and make suggestions. Classes are OK but one-on-one with a helpful experienced turner can be far better! I've taught many in my shop.
• Attend woodturning symposiums if close enough. Lots of good demonstrations, meet tool/wood vendors, meet up with other turners. I'm heading to the NC sysmposium soon, then the TAW in a few months.

BTW, I've spent time in Providence, mostly 30-40 years ago when I was working for a living. Used to ride motorcycles around in and out of town. Found some great restaurants.

JKJ

 

[James Edward Benson]

Hello James.

Sounds like that chart/table would be useful. I personally go too one of two web sites for most of that info.
One is the Wood Dababase. There is a page with common names, or simply type in a wood name in the search field. Each entry has characteristics such as hardness, density, health issues, common uses, end grain for Id,and more.

Browse by Common Name | The Wood Database

www.wood-database.com

The articles are quite useful:

Wood Articles | The Wood Database

www.wood-database.com

And the new Wood Filter section seems valuable, although I haven't tried it yet:

Wood Filter | The Wood Database

www.wood-database.com

I also like this web site:

http://hobbithouseinc.com/

It also has a lot of information, but one especially useful thing is the numerous photos of each wood species, nicely showing the wide variation is color and look. I think of this site when someone posts a photo of a board or chuck of wood and asks what wood it might be.



I applaud your tackling spindle turning. Some people start with but seldom get past the bowl, some get stuck on the the green wood path. Nothing wrong with those but there's a world beyond. And, according to several well known experts (and me, FWIW), spindle turning can teach the fine tool control that will let you turn anything.

Are you working with the skew? I'm a skew evangelist - I start every new turner with the skew even if they have never seen a lathe before. I a way of teaching it that, so far, has not failed and no student has gotten a dreaded skew catch, at least while in my shop. (Knock on Bubinga.) After planing with the skew, we do shallow v-grooves, switch to the spindle gouge for coves, practice with the spindle roughing gouge, back to the skew for deep v-grooves and peeling cuts, then work on beads and more coves. I have a couple of tubs full of practice pieces:
View attachment 80952

I basically learned woodturning from two books, Turning Wood by Richard Raffan, and Fundamentals of Woodturning by Mike Darlow.

One of my personal favorite things is turning long, thin spindles.

I turned spindles from many species and I find that the harder the wood, the better I like it - some favorites are dogwood, ebony, persimmon, osage orange, cocobolo, sugar maple, purpleheart, guatambu, etc. The harder woods can take detail better, finish nicely, and are general stronger for functional things. I found black limba looks nice but is way too soft for my tastes. And note that there are various types of maple with different properties - sugar maple is the hardest, red maple and silver maple are softer. I also love to turn black cherry, somewhere between hard and soft - takes detail and texturing well.

BTW, I almost always turn dry wood. When I get local green hardwoods I use a bandsaw to cut up log sections into turning blanks and dry them. After years of this, I have enough dry blanks for two lifetimes! I made a video on this if you might be interested. It's quite long, made specifically for a covid pandemic era zoom meeting for our Knoxville club.

View: https://youtu.be/4Rbdas-jtD0


I do turn bowls, platters, vases, etc, but in case you are interested, here are a few of the kinds of things I've made in spindle orientation. Many are functional, some just for fun.
View attachment 80953
View attachment 80954

Many lidded boxes are also "spindles", as in "not face turning."
View attachment 80955
Sorry, I'm addicted to photographs!

The best advice I can offer:

• Find a local turning club if you haven't. Clubs provide great resources and let you meet wonderful people. By "local" I don't necessarily mean in the neighborhood - some of us travel over an hour to meetings, sometimes carpooling with turners close to home.
• Find a local mentor or two, perhaps through the club. Watch them, and let them watch you work and make suggestions. Classes are OK but one-on-one with a helpful experienced turner can be far better! I've taught many in my shop.
• Attend woodturning symposiums if close enough. Lots of good demonstrations, meet tool/wood vendors, meet up with other turners. I'm heading to the NC sysmposium soon, then the TAW in a few months.

BTW, I've spent time in Providence, mostly 30-40 years ago when I was working for a living. Used to ride motorcycles around in and out of town. Found some great restaurants.

JKJ

 

[James Edward Benson]

Hi John,

Thank you so much for your lengthy reply.

My answer will be a bit more brief.

I have been using a skew; in fact I just realized that I could use it to quickly start to shape one of the basic forms I've been working with, and followed through on that earlier today.

Although I've have had catches on some of its other application, this one went smoothly.

One of the things I like about it is that is is really, really easy to sharpen up on a honing card, which will become even more important as I transition to harder woods..

I do have a question re: honing.

I have some honing fluid that comes in small bottles and one of those lasts a decent while.

But I was watching a youtube video (perhaps by April Wilkerson?), and she recommended car window wiper fluid.

That would be great; those bottles are $14.00 each, whereas awhile I don't know the price of wiper fluid, and gallon would be well nigh a lifetime supply.

 

[James Edward Benson]

For the mask maybe it was RZ mask? It was trendy for a few years, I used it too. It doesn't seal very well and I wouldn't recommend it. A little bit better than nothing but I wouldn't depend on it.

Thank you.

I believe RZ was the name I heard.

I guess I'll be sticking with the 3M masks when I don't have the PAPR with me.

I do enjoy breathing, and would like to continue doing so as easily as possible

 

[John K Jordan]

...
One of the things I like about it is that is is really, really easy to sharpen up on a honing card, which will become even more important as I transition to harder woods..

I do have a question re: honing.

I have some honing fluid that comes in small bottles and one of those lasts a decent while.

But I was watching a youtube video (perhaps by April Wilkerson?), and she recommended car window wiper fluid.

That would be great; those bottles are $14.00 each, whereas awhile I don't know the price of wiper fluid, and gallon would be well nigh a lifetime supply.

Glad to hear your skew work is coming along. More practice will banish all catches. Planing cuts for cylinders, tapers, and shallow coves are the easiest - deep V-grooves and facing cuts are harder and absolutely depend on angling the skew edge slightly for clearance to avoid catches. Turning beads with skew is the hardest due to the coordination required - most people just use a different tool for beads, such as a spindle gouge.

Maybe read up on what's in windshield wiper fluid (mostly water and alcohol) and what's in the Trend (petroleum based fluid), try both, compare. I think the primary purpose of honing fluid is to keep steel particles from clogging the abrasive grit.

Honing fluid:
Are you using the blue Tread fluid in the 3.4 oz bottle? It's cheaper in large bottles. I bought a 17oz bottle about 8 years ago, even cheaper now than then, and I still have most of it. I never use fluid on hand-held honing cards, plates, or diamond paddle hones, just a few drops on a CBN wheel on occasion, spread thin with a finger. Even water or water/alcohol will work but should be wiped dry to prevent corrosion. (if using a CBN wheel on a Tormek it's bad for the wheel to let is sit in water in the tray.)

Also, I don't use the handheld diamond hones on skews, usually just on bowl gouges, scrapers, and negative rake scrapers.

I don't like the honing cards or diamond plates although many do - I find the EZE-Lap diamond paddle hones easier to control - fingers around handle, the plate positioned tight between the edge and the heel of the bevel, forefinger behind the diamond plate to stabilize and let me feel the position. I mostly use the blue-handled extra-fine hones to touch up edges. Use the red-handled fine hones for preparing hand scrapers.


I also have some round or conical diamond hones I use inside the flutes of gouges.

I'll sharpen skews with an 8" CBN wheel, strop to remove the grinding burr using a hard leather wheel on the Tormek with a bit of stropping/honing paste, OR a hard leather strop on the bench a thin leather strop glued to a flat board, or the MDF strop descibed below. Any of these leave the skew shaving sharp.
After some use, I do restore the edge several times, not with a diamond hone but with the MDF method I devised years ago - a piece of MDF with polishing compound rubbed into a rough surface (usually apply to both sides):



I use MDF since it doesn't warp. I resaw a piece of 3/4" MDF into several thinner pieces and don't smooth the bandsawn surfaces. Rub on any kind of stick polishing compound. Put the MDF flat on the workbench, place the skew with the bevel flat against the surface, raise the handle the tiniest bit, and pull the skew towards me while putting firm downwards pressure on the cutting end. I can see that steel is being removed by the black marks on the MDF. Makes the edge shaving sharp again. I'll do this several times before going back to the grinder. (I sharpen skews on a 600 grit CBN wheel)

I sometimes use this method on spindle gouges, twisting and I draw the tool back. However, it's easier with the skew since there's not coordination rotation involved. Skews with curved cutting edges also need to be rotated while pulling the tool back but that's still easier than a gouge.

I'm not saying any of this is the best way to work - just the way I do it. Easy to get spoiled by razor-sharp tools! (Of course I'm turning dry, often quite hard wood.)

JKJ

 

[robo hippy]

If you are using window washing fluid, which does work, you want no ammonia in it. Apparently ammonia can bother the nickel plating and/or the bonding material that holds the diamonds onto the card. I do always strop, but some say it is not necessary. Just habit from my flat work tools, all of which have to be honed. Those who say it isn't necessary will do a VERY light final touch with a fine diamond plate, and then turn away. There is still a burr left after 8000 grit.

robo hippy