What’s on your lathe?

[Barry Larson]

Hi Michael:
Looks like a good unit. Can I be so bold as to ask for some details on the light - I am looking for an upgrade to my current light which has a good LED bulb and reflector, but is a parallelogram style that I have found doesn't allow enough flexibility in adjustment.
Thank you.
Barry W. Larson
Calgary, Alberta, Canada eh!

 

[Michael Anderson]

Can I be so bold as to ask for some details on the light

Thanks Barry, I’m liking it so far. I got it from Woodturners Wonders. It’s their Quasar lamp. The neck seems really solid, and stays in position wherever I adjust. The magnetic base is pretty strong as well. I’m only on the first day of use, but the difference between what I was using before is night and day. Here is a link to some specifics:

Quasar LED Machine Lamp + 120 Kg Pull Magnetic Base

According to our internet research "Quasars are among the brightest, oldest, and most powerful objects in the universe. Powered by massive black holes at the center of most known galaxies, quasars can emit enormous amounts of energy, up to a thousand times the total output of the hundreds of...

woodturnerswonders.com

 

[Barry Larson]

Thanks Barry, I’m liking it so far. I got it from Woodturners Wonders. It’s their Quasar lamp. The neck seems really solid, and stays in position wherever I adjust. The magnetic base is pretty strong as well. I’m only on the first day of use, but the difference between what I was using before is night and day. Here is a link to some specifics:

Quasar LED Machine Lamp + 120 Kg Pull Magnetic Base

According to our internet research "Quasars are among the brightest, oldest, and most powerful objects in the universe. Powered by massive black holes at the center of most known galaxies, quasars can emit enormous amounts of energy, up to a thousand times the total output of the hundreds of...

woodturnerswonders.com

Thanks Michael. These lamps are actually available here in the Great White North through a company called Woodchuckers. I'll look into them further - it looks like a good unit.
Cheers.
Barry

 

[Larry Mercier]

Barry, theses handles are beautiful. Shop made handles and jigs give the turner more pride than ones that are manufactured. Good job.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

320 pounds of sand and concrete and as you can see I didn't buy enough containers. always something. Under is some gorilla anti-skid tape. I might still stick some rubber under there too, have to see how this performs. And another plus is it raises the dental lathe up higher to get to the on/off speed switch but I still don't really care for it. I'm thinking it will be used with a dedicated 80 grit gouge for emergency uses.

 

[Peter Kaup]

Red Gum
Just about the hardest, densest wood I’ve ever turned. Bone dry. Moisture meter won’t register. Trying to get it round in order to start hollowing. many trips to my Sorby Pro edge.
I don’t think I’ve gotten one curl nothing but all chips or shards. I don’t wear a glove but May have to.

 

[Monty Ivy]

We are rapidly approaching the time of year when I have to change the name of my shop building to "Surface of the Sun". Already getting HOT down here in Texas. Even with the AC running, the building in un-inhabitable for most of the day. I can usually get 3-4 early morning hours but I'm scheduled to work at those times during the week. Expect to see fewer posts in this thread and in the gallery. This condition will run through September...ish.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

We are rapidly approaching the time of year when I have to change the name of my shop building to "Surface of the Sun". Already getting HOT down here in Texas. Even with the AC running, the building in un-inhabitable for most of the day. I can usually get 3-4 early morning hours but I'm scheduled to work at those times during the week. Expect to see fewer posts in this thread and in the gallery. This condition will run through September...ish.

Something to be said for my damp hole in the ground. It stays relatively cool though I was thinking a fan little bit ago.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

See if you can spot what needs to be fixed in this "tried to channel my inner Odie" which obviously didn't work. (hint) it's on the inside unless you see other problems.

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

My wife said I needed to make a box for a friends birthday. My son is visiting from Texas so we got some shop time. My son recommended using acrylic. It was questionable for me but my wife loved it and said our friend would too. My son asked if he could make a pen. He has never turned before so I talked him through it.

 

[Neil S]

Red Gum
Just about the hardest, densest wood I’ve ever turned. Bone dry. Moisture meter won’t register. Trying to get it round in order to start hollowing. many trips to my Sorby Pro edge.
I don’t think I’ve gotten one curl nothing but all chips or shards. I don’t wear a glove but May have to.

Peter

Living as I do where the River Regum (camaldulensis) grows, I get to turn a lot of very hard seasoned pieces of it, with some of it having been dead for over a century!

Does this pile of chips/shards look familiar?

​

Keep going, Peter. It will be hard going, but the results will be worth all the effort...
.

 

[Michael Anderson]

My son asked if he could make a pen. He has never turned before so I talked him through it.

I’d say you did a fantastic job guiding him through the process. Then pen is great, and I’m sure the experience was even better. Thanks for sharing, Rusty.

 

[Russ Braun]

Well, not wood, but a big improvement nonetheless. Upgraded my focused light setup a bit (a lot). Out with the old, in with the new.
View attachment 53252
View attachment 53253

Edit: working on a new base for a lathe-turned heart. This one fits the style much better:
View attachment 53255

Ahhhh, a light for your grinder station!!

 

[Michael Brown]

Peter

Living as I do where the River Regum (camaldulensis) grows, I get to turn a lot of very hard seasoned pieces of it, with some of it having been dead for over a century!

Does this pile of chips/shards look familiar?

View attachment 53271​

Keep going, Peter. It will be hard going, but the results will be worth all the effort...
.

I can relate to that pile of chips too. here in AZ, we see more and more redgum being felled. Every time I turn or even plane redgum, it always looks like mustard seed husks.

 

[Charles Cadenhead]

Had to go to the dentist today so thought I would catch up on "signing" my work.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

Had to go to the dentist today so thought I would catch up on "signing" my work.

View attachment 53293

I'm guessing that's not the $300 model from ali express?

 

[Charles Cadenhead]

I'm guessing that's not the $300 model from ali express?

Sam, I ordered it from Amazon and looking back at my order it wasn't cheap but totally worth it. They also sell the Laser Peckers directly from their website (https://www.laserpecker.net/) and they're less expensive. If I was going to order another one or accessories I'd order directly from them. I guess they mark it up because of the Amazon cut?

 

[Michael Anderson]

Finish turned this Black Cherry calabash last night. A bit less than 7” diameter. This was my first bowl turning since the symposium a couple weeks ago, and let me tell you I was a bit rusty! It took about twice as long to turn as normal, with about twice the amount of sanding. That said, I think it might be one of my best low calabash forms. Ignore the sanding scratches on the exterior, as I’m going to heavily texture it. @Tom Gall I’m going to leave the interior natural—for the contrast!

 

[Jay Peterson]

Ash bowl. 9.5 inch diameter. Not finished, but it will be a one turn because it is very very dry. On a lunch break.

 

[Vincent Vogel]

Nested white oak natural edges about 3/16" wall. Did these yesterday and did some apple today the same design. This wood was cut in March so it's starting to get hard, dulls your tools and have to sharpen a lot.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

Do I even need to say it anymore? Ok, another walnut bowl. And I'm a glutton for punishment because I used the dr's wood shop walnut oil with micro-crystalline wax that I didn't like last time but I left it on the lathe to try some more buffing tomorrow.

 

[Jim McLain]

Working on a classic Glenn Lucas Roman ogee form in honey Locust. I was lucky enough to take a three day class from Glenn in Ireland the last part of May. I think he may have the best instructional space in the World.

 

[Marc Banka]

wish my shop dog acted like that. he gets nervous around music. must be my selection. Awesome bowl too! Will it keep that color?

The dog is Jim. He’s a rescue, German shepherd and Pit bull. Initially he didn’t care for the machine noises, but got over that. A great shop dog!

 

[Marc Banka]

The Apricot onceturned bowl is finished. After sanding the still green piece I immediately flooded it with my Danish oil, and reapplied daily . The bowl is moving, but no indication of stress (no cracks). The rim has gone out of round by 5/8”, and did that within two days but seems stable, for now anyway.

 

[Michael Anderson]

Very nice Marc. I had to look up and confirm it was in the same genus as cherries, Prunus. In my mind I can feel how porcelain-smooth that finish is. Beautiful bowl.

 

[Charles Cadenhead]

Prepping a yellow crayon (bois d'arc).

 

[Sam Fleisher]

Prepping a yellow crayon (bois d'arc).

View attachment 53344

(hedge apple) lol

 

[Charles Cadenhead]

(hedge apple) lol

Yup but the wood is so purdy. Watch the thorns! lol

 

[Sam Fleisher]

Yup but the wood is so purdy. Watch the thorns! lol

You want thorns? There's lots of honey locust around here. I always wanted to plant one of those in my front yard for the kiddies to play on when I lived in town.....

 

[Charles Cadenhead]

You want thorns? There's lots of honey locust around here. I always wanted to plant one of those in my front yard for the kiddies to play on when I lived in town.....

Nah, we got enough thorns on our citrus trees Though I heard honey locust is fun to turn, another pretty wood.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

This would make an awesome live edge if only you get past the thorns.

 

[Monty Ivy]

3 down one to go.

Worked with the large sycamore blanks again today. Unfortunately, the large bowl blank (26") on the lathe was rotten to the core and it was moved to the fire pit. Punky band longways through the middle. I was able to penetrate in several places with an ice pick to a depth of 6" with one finger. Deemed unsafe to turn.



Number 3 cut into smaller blanks. This allowed me to cut out the rot.

 

[Kevin Weir]

More Box Elder with the red streaks. Such a nice wood to turn as it is very close grained. The shavings look nice in the garden as mulch.

 

[Mike Novak]

Bluebird house made from elm. Beall wax over Odie’s oil.

Second picture is a close up of the stand made in 2 pieces from an old pressure treated 2x4. It also shows top removed to see the video camera inside.

The last picture is of the prototype I made a month ago. The baby bluebird left the nest today.

 

[Barry Larson]

Bluebird house made from elm. Beall wax over Odie’s oil.

Second picture is a close up of the stand made in 2 pieces from an old pressure treated 2x4. It also shows top removed to see the video camera inside.

The last picture is of the prototype I made a month ago. The baby bluebird left the nest today.

That's really neat Mike. Can you provide some dimensions for your bluebird houses? It looks like a good project to get some practice at hollowing out a cylinder. What size do you make the hole and the perch? Wood type - if that makes a difference? Some pics of the camera setup would also be appreciated. We have some property in S. Ontario I would like to build some birdhouses for and Bluebirds are high on the list of species to build for.
Thank you.
Barry W. Larson
Calgary, Alberta, Canada eh!

 

[Mike Novak]

Hi Barry

The inside is about 4 1/4” diameter. It’s 4 1/2” from bottom of the hole. I used a 3” forstner to start and then finished up with a Hunter Badger.

The entry hole is 1 3/4” The Audobon site says to use 1 1/2”, and face it towards southeast. The perch is just over 1/4”. There is a 1/4” hole in the bottom for drainage in case it gets water inside.

Not sure if wood makes a difference to the birds, but I stayed with a light color because that’s what the prototype was, and the birds liked it. Something more rot resistant than elm would be better, but don’t use cedar as prolonged exposure to the smell is toxic to some birds.

The post is 7’ long, you want the entry hole to be between 5’ and 6’ off ground.

Here is a picture of the other side of the camera. The disk with the hole sits on a ledge in the birdhouse as a ceiling. This way you can take the top off to and remove the camera for servicing without scaring the chicks. The other disk has the camera hot glued to one side to shoot thru the hole in first disk, and the electronics and battery are hot glued to other side.

The camera is from Amazon. Just search for WIWA bird box camera. This is the first time using it, so I can’t say how long it will last.

Good luck!

 

[Barry Larson]

Hi Barry

The inside is about 4 1/4” diameter. It’s 4 1/2” from bottom of the hole. I used a 3” forstner to start and then finished up with a Hunter Badger.

The entry hole is 1 3/4” The Audobon site says to use 1 1/2”, and face it towards southeast. The perch is just over 1/4”. There is a 1/4” hole in the bottom for drainage in case it gets water inside.

Not sure if wood makes a difference to the birds, but I stayed with a light color because that’s what the prototype was, and the birds liked it. Something more rot resistant than elm would be better, but don’t use cedar as prolonged exposure to the smell is toxic to some birds.

The post is 7’ long, you want the entry hole to be between 5’ and 6’ off ground.

Here is a picture of the other side of the camera. The disk with the hole sits on a ledge in the birdhouse as a ceiling. This way you can take the top off to and remove the camera for servicing without scaring the chicks. The other disk has the camera hot glued to one side to shoot thru the hole in first disk, and the electronics and battery are hot glued to other side.

The camera is from Amazon. Just search for WIWA bird box camera. This is the first time using it, so I can’t say how long it will last.

Good luck!

Thanks Mike. Really helpful. I'll see what I have for material. I'm also thinking I could try some stave construction as well - I have some WO off cuts that might work for that. Something else to experiment with.
Cheers.
Barry

 

[hockenbery]

Thanks Mike. Really helpful. I'll see what I have for material. I'm also thinking I could try some stave construction as well - I have some WO off cuts that might work for that. Something else to experiment with.
Cheers.
Barry

@Mike Novak bird house is great. If you are doing staves you might take a look at this article from the journal.
By Susan Schauer. Susan was
It was just reprinted in an AAW mailing recently but I can’t find it

I’ve done quite a few of these. I use 9 staves long enough for 2 houses join them with biscuits then cut the glue up in half and turn.
The roof I cut the rings with a parting tool at an angle so they can be glued in a cone an turned (like a bowl from a board)

 

[hockenbery]

Last page

 

[Neil S]

The Apricot onceturned bowl is finished. After sanding the still green piece I immediately flooded it with my Danish oil, and reapplied daily . The bowl is moving, but no indication of stress (no cracks). The rim has gone out of round by 5/8”, and did that within two days but seems stable, for now anyway.
View attachment 53341View attachment 53342

Marc

So very nice to see a well designed and made foot!

Thanks for sharing.
.