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Useful shop gadgets.....shop, and "evolving shop" photos......

This is a follow up to post #276.......Here's the entire sanding set-up with the padded rests I'm using to brace my arms, and wrists. This has been a great help to positive sanding. The Padauk platter has just had the finish applied after it was sanded. (All the holes drilled into the one block is to lighten it up for easy use.....that thing was several pounds before I did that! :eek:)
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In this photo, the raised sanding brace is installed. There are a couple of pads on top of the headstock, attached to magnets. This, so arms and wrists can be braced on both sides of the piece being sanded near the top.
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It's also great to keep everything organized.......here is current sanding paper and discs in use:
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Oldie, you have got to be the most organized turner I've seen! Everything marked and labeled. Gadgets galore, I'm guessing your retired, how much time would you say you spend in your shop a week? Hope I get half that time when I retire!! This is without a doubt my favorite thread tons of great ideas and info. Just need to take some time and go thru them. I think I'm half way thru all the threads now. Anyway thanks for starting this thread and keep the ideas and gadgets coming!


Paul
 
Oldie, you have got to be the most organized turner I've seen! Everything marked and labeled. Gadgets galore, I'm guessing your retired, how much time would you say you spend in your shop a week? Hope I get half that time when I retire!! This is without a doubt my favorite thread tons of great ideas and info. Just need to take some time and go thru them. I think I'm half way thru all the threads now. Anyway thanks for starting this thread and keep the ideas and gadgets coming!


Paul

Thanks, Paul.......staying organized is important to keeping the "flow" of work going smoothly. :D

Yes, I'm retired, and woodturning has become my focus in life! It's not quite 40 hours per week in the shop.....probably closer to 30, my best guess.....but, who's counting! It's got my attention more hours than that, tho......! :eek:
 
Thank you for so many great ideas. As someone new to turning anything but a pen these fifteen pages have been a real learning experience.
 
I have discovered that firearm bore cleaning brushes work great for cleaning the crud build up within the flutes of gouges. I used to use larger "tooth brush" sized brass brushes that were just a little too big.....but, still work OK. The bore brushes are just a little bit better. Here are .22, 9mm, and .45 caliber brushes. This works for all my gouges.....
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The bore brushes now hang with all the other stuff I use for my sharpening regimen.....:D
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I have discovered that firearm bore cleaning brushes work great for cleaning the crud build up within the flutes of gouges. I used to use larger "tooth brush" sized brass brushes that were just a little too big.....but, still work OK. The bore brushes are just a little bit better. Here are .22, 9mm, and .45 caliber brushes. This works for all my gouges.....
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The bore brushes now hang with all the other stuff I use for my sharpening regimen.....:D
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Good idea, Odie. I have been using old toothbrushes but I think your brushes will probably work better. One added measure may help to work even better. I have a small nozzle squirt bottle filled with lacquer thinner, which I use to squirt a small amount in the flute and then use the brush. It seems to soften the crud and makes it easier to remove. Not sure if the lacquer thinner is the secret ingredient, or if any solvent or cleaner will also work. The bore cleaning brushes are probably stiffer than the old toothbrushes I'm using…..I'll have to look for some of those. :)
 
Hi Odie, you have a fantastic shop and all your setups are such an inspiration.... I have a rather small basement shop and I have things setup where it flows pretty well, however, in this thread I have seen so many Ideas that would suit my needs for an even better shop flow. Thanks so much for this post Odie and happy turning.
 
For those of you who have this high quality 8" compass, HF now has a larger version 12" for 6 bucks. It's decent quality, and can be either dividers, or compass. Not as refined as the better quality compass you're used to......but, will work just fine, and last a lifetime.

-----odie-----
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Wow....what a blast from the past this thread is!!!!!

As with everyone else, I continue to "evolve".

Some ideas stay and continue to be used, while others fade away into obscurity!

-----odie-----
 
Thanks, Paul.......staying organized is important to keeping the "flow" of work going smoothly. :D

Yes, I'm retired, and woodturning has become my focus in life! It's not quite 40 hours per week in the shop.....probably closer to 30, my best guess.....but, who's counting! It's got my attention more hours than that, tho......! :eek:
....and so you can find every darn thing later
 
I am just bumping this enormous thread to the top again.
It has so many great(and some not so great) ideas in it that remain useful. Perhaps it is time for a new thread of great shop ideas?
or maybe a collation and held elsewhere for all to reference later. There's a considerable collection of wisdom here that seems not to end.
 
This is my shop, tool caddy and dust extraction system. Note the wheels on the headstock end of the lathe. That is so I can roll the lathe into the house for storage either when I'm done for the day or when a cloudburst happens. The tool caddy holds the obvious plus calipers, small tools and chucks fit in the drawers. The dust extraction system is called the trade winds. While it would be nice to have a 600+ square foot workshop my 1950 Delta Homecrafter lathe and I more than happy with our open air lanai here on Kauai.
 

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This is a small hack I came up with after tearing a couple of fingernails on the sharp edges of the chuck jaws while sanding. It is a piece of a wheelbarrow inner tube stretched over the body of the chuck and the offending jaw edges.
I do similar but I use simple painter's masking tape - I get the Rough Surface tape from 3M that is light green in color - much more noticeable so all I need to do is stay away from "green" and I'm fine.. no mishaps since I started doing that (I have hit my knuckles a few times - the price of experience..)
 
Hi Odie. #281

Your sanding station's organization shows a large amount of thought and experience. Some would scatter these tools and jigs all over. You centralized. This is awesome.
 
After reading thru this thread, Odie you have a lot of cool stuff and gagets. I just throw the drills in the drawer, ha ha
Hi Odie. #281

Your sanding station's organization shows a large amount of thought and experience. Some would scatter these tools and jigs all over. You centralized. This is awesome.

Thanks for responding Gabriel and Larry..... :)

Since the original post #281, these items have been updated further, so they keep up with my "systematic" approach to turning bowls! That's the way everything in my shop is......because absolutely everything is in a constant state of change! :)

(I'm a little late for you, Gabriel....just noticed your post from last May.)
Note: If anyone wants to get the attention of any of the forum members, the way to do that is to use "@" followed with the members name.......
......like this: @Gabriel Hoff, or @Larry Mercier
 
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Thanks for responding Gabriel and Larry..... :)

Since the original post #281, these items have been updated further, so they keep up with my "systematic" approach to turning bowls! That's the way everything in my shop is......because absolutely everything is in a constant state of change! :)

(I'm a little late for you, Gabriel....just noticed your post from last May.)
Note: If anyone wants to get the attention of any of the forum members, the way to do that is to use "@" followed with the members name.......
......like this: @Gabriel Hoff, or @Larry Mercier
I wondered what the "@" before some names was for. Does that do some kind of extra notification? I usually just hit the reply on their post thinking they would get a notification if they have it set up that way.
 
I wondered what the "@" before some names was for. Does that do some kind of extra notification? I usually just hit the reply on their post thinking they would get a notification if they have it set up that way.

Yes, hitting the reply will do it, too.....using the "@" is just another way of making sure the person you're speaking to, or about.....gets the message.

-o-
 
I wondered what the "@" before some names was for. Does that do some kind of extra notification? I usually just hit the reply on their post thinking they would get a notification if they have it set up that way.
I wish more people would use the "reply" option - especially on long threads. Otherwise it is just a guess as to what they are talking/replying about. Such as this response. :)
 
I wish more people would use the "reply" option - especially on long threads. Otherwise it is just a guess as to what they are talking/replying about. Such as this response. :)

Yes, I can understand that, Tom......Your reasoning is sound, and definitely worth some extra consideration in many cases.

-o-
 
Yes, hitting the reply will do it, too.....using the "@" is just another way of making sure the person
I think this is a better way especially when addressing specific points in a long winded comment.
I wish more people would use the "reply" option
And it works excellent for replying to several different people
 
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