Wood Turning!

[theeggman]

Are there any Beeks who play with a lathe and create smoker fuel?
I've dug out my lathe (16 yrs. in a damp shed) and had the bed replated and am looking forward to reducing good bits of wood to shavings.
Is there a good Forum for sad woodturners?

Tim

 

[pargyle]

Yep ... I make loads of shavings on my lathe but tend to use them to light bonfires as the quantity is enormous (rarely get it right 1st, 2nd or 3rd attempt !). They smoke pretty well on the bonfire so should be good smoker fuel .... you'll need to be careful about some woods as the smokes a bit acrid - other people on here may advise what woods are best ?

There are several woodurners forums - most of them part of more general woodworking sites - some really good ones in the USA.

You're about halfway between two woodturning clubs who meet once a month - North Devon Woodturners (Barnstaple) and Devon Woodurners (Totness). I belong to my local club and they are so helpful and friendly ... we get regular guest demonstrators and the occasional masterclass - I've learnt so much. I hadn't touched a lathe for 40 odd years and things have changed a lot.

Great fun and you end up making things ~ Some of which are worth keeping and the rest is very attractive firewood !

 

[drstitson]

surely there are only so many porridge spurtles, chair legs and fruit bowls that any one person (or friends and family) actually needs>

 

[Hombre]

What's up Doc, surely you can never have too much attractive firewood

 

[Easy Beesy]

Been thinking for a while (takes time for the old noodle to warm up these days) about a trophy for local branch. Also fed up polishing all the cups! Any of you be able to turn a large (foot long maybe) honey dibber on a simple stand? Maybe engrave it with Honey Show Winner or some such? Willing to pay?

 

[pargyle]

surely there are only so many porridge spurtles, chair legs and fruit bowls that any one person (or friends and family) actually needs>

Yes you are right about that - gets about as popular as home made chutney at Christmas but I've discovered that modern turning is about a lot more than simple shapes ...

Have a look at what this man does ...

http://www.siragas.gr/gallery_turned.htm

Staggeringly clever and a mixture of turning and carving. It's more art than woodwork !

 

[theeggman]

Pargyle
Thanks for the club suggestions and the link.
I'll make some enquiries.
Tim

 

[pargyle]

Been thinking for a while (takes time for the old noodle to warm up these days) about a trophy for local branch. Also fed up polishing all the cups! Any of you be able to turn a large (foot long maybe) honey dibber on a simple stand? Maybe engrave it with Honey Show Winner or some such? Willing to pay?

I could probably do the turning but with my expertise I'd probably need to reduce a hardwood forest to shavings before I managed to produce anything that looked remotely like a honey dibber ! I might have a play with some bits of pallet wood I have knocking about ...

You might be better off with one of these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/High-Qual...A%2BFICS%2BUFI&otn=21&pmod=261077237729&ps=54

 

[notagain]

very handy can you make matchsticks?

 

[pargyle]

very handy can you make matchsticks?

Most of the time !! I'm a world expert matchstick maker ... surpassed only by my ability to make shavings ! ...

 

[BeeJayBee]

My brother in law made a lot of lace bobbins which he sold to local craft groups. He also made pens (biros), lidded boxes and some quite fancy things using burr wood for craft fairs.

 

[pargyle]

My brother in law made a lot of lace bobbins which he sold to local craft groups. He also made pens (biros), lidded boxes and some quite fancy things using burr wood for craft fairs.

Yes - we've a turner at our club that makes these - very creative - uses all sorts of materials to make them - corian, exotic woods, porcelain beads - amazing.

For me - I have enough trouble starting with a big bit of wood and ending up with a matchstick ... If I started on this small scale turning I would need a microscope to view the results !

Honey dibber exploded on the lathe tonight ! Now scattered over the garage - makes a change from shavings ... will try again at the weekend - First night of beekeeping course tomorrow ...

 

[BeeJayBee]

I think my brother in law made honey drizzlers by turning the 'knob' first, then the handle, then used a fine saw to make the gaps which were then glasspapered. Cheating, a bit, perhaps?

 

[pargyle]

I think my brother in law made honey drizzlers by turning the 'knob' first, then the handle, then used a fine saw to make the gaps which were then glasspapered. Cheating, a bit, perhaps?

Judging by how cheap they are on fleabay they must have it off to a fine art in China ... or they have hangars full of exploded honey dibbers !!

I may just be a clumsy turner !!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

surely there are only so many porridge spurtles, chair legs and fruit bowls that any one person (or friends and family) actually needs>

Always a demand for toothpicks

 

[BeeJayBee]

Always a demand for toothpicks

Or some very fancy looking, matchstick sized items, for the beekeeper who has everything!

 

[pargyle]

Or some very fancy looking, matchstick sized items, for the beekeeper who has everything!

This month's woodturning club competition piece is 'a bowl of the largest size you can turn on your lathe' - I've got a 13" diameter 6Kg lump of white ash as a starting point - wish me luck, if this bit comes off the lathe at 800 RPM I may be silent on here for awhile ! Otherwise, it's an awful lot of toothpicks !

 

[BeeJayBee]

It'll be good. Let's see a photo of the finished item

 

[pargyle]

This was last month's competition piece ... 'A hanging Christmas decoration' - Forestry commission had a felling team standing by ...

 

[BeeJayBee]

That's beautiful