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Tagua Nut

T

TEK

Joined
Dec 22, 2004
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Location
Brunswick,Ohio
I have a couple of bags of Tagua Nuts and would like some tips on using them. I cut a slab from one and glued it to piece of walnut and turned a box lid from it. That worked out alright. How do you mount these on the lathe. I would think that they might be too fragile to mount between centers, at least pointed centers. Do you turn a wooden Morse taper and glue them to it? What kind of glue and finish works well with them? What have you made with Tagua Nuts ?
Thanks
Tom
 
Turning tagua nuts

I too have wondered what one can do with these things. Here is some info to get you started

"Here's Some Tips On Turning Tagua Nuts
Select the so called bottom of the nut, other end is pointed in most cases. I then grind the bottom flat (using a belt sander) to about the size of a dime, but you can position the nut any way you want by studing the character of the nut for optimum usage for what you are trying to turn. I then use a hot glue gun. Using Hi Temp glue sticks, not the low temp craft type sticks. I have several small cheap face plates made from a nut(the size of your arbor thread, mine is 3/4 x 16 and a large washer. I find large washers (2 - 2 1/2" dia.) with a hole large enough for the nut to fit the hole. Then tack braze or weld the nut to the washer. Drill 4 holes in the outer washer and screw it to a piece of two by four and mount it on the lathe and turn it round. Even if your face plates are a little off round or wobble some, the end with the wood surface will be true. I then squirt hot glue on the wood face plate and press the tagua nut into it. Let it cool or dry for a couple of minutes. Then screw the face plate on the lathe. I turn these nuts at about 2500-3000 rpms. Lets say I start out to make a small vase. I break through the center void and now the vase is ruined. Don't give up, just continue on for a small bowl, if this don't work, I still have a small piece left on the face plate, I make a dish out of it. I cut the wood down just a little and re-use the face plate over and over. I don't think I have ever had two items alike in the hundreds of turnings I have made, because of the center void is the main factor you have to work around and contend with. I finish the vegetable ivory with sand paper and polish on a cotton wheel with any white polish compound. Making minitures in vegetable ivory is a rewarding experence.




Article by Robert Spragg Sr."
 
I turn a lot of tagua nuts. There are a lot of things you can do. One is of course to simply turn something out of it. However they often have hollow centers and sometimes cracks. I've solved some of those problems by mixing india ink into West Systems Mirror coat. I cut off the end of the tague to reveal the hollow area and then pour the epoxy in. This fills the voids. The west System mirror coat is very thin as it cures so it goes into the smallest cracks. I've only tried this a couple of times but it worked welll.
They are often odd shaped. I mount them between centers with light pressure. I turn a little to see which part is the low part and then readust the centers until All the low points are equal. This will give me the thickest piece for the final project. I turn a small tenon on one end and glue this into a waste block. Now you can turn the tagua nut.
You've already discovered one of my favorite things to do with Tagua nut. I glue one to a 2x4 scrap and then either slice it on the bandsaw or table saw into thin pieces. These can be inlaid into other projects. One thing that's fun is to cut out designs from these slices on your scroll saw and inlay them into wooden projects. I also use plug cutters to cut out little circles that can be inlaid into drilled holes. This works really well with dark woods.
Last but certainly not least Tagua is very translucent when turned thin. I used this to make a little lamp shade for a doll house lamp. It came out well. I plan to make more when I get time.
 
Thanks

Those are some really good ideas. Sometimes it's quicker to ask than go through all of the trial and error on my own. I just have to be smarter than the inanimate objects I'm working with! :D
 
Great advice above. The only thing I'll add is that I sand the bottom of the nut flat until I get a decent size surface area. I smooth down a waste block that is attached to a face plate. I draw target circles so I can center the tagua and attach the tagua using medium CA glue and accelerator. Then I turn hollow forms or bowls. Once I have finished, I purposely sand the bottom flat after I have parted it off the lathe so it gets brown and then engrave ny initials that turn out white. Credit for the above methods go to Bonnie Klein and Nick Cook.
 
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