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It's my 8th wedding anniversary coming up and I have the idea to try to wood turn rock salt into a bowl. Has anybody got any experience with such a thing? It looks soft enough to turn, I'm just hoping it's hard enough not to disintegrate.

14 or 17mm?

I may have taken you up on that if I hadn't just ordered the steel to make my own. Thanks for the offer though, that would have been a nice deal. I'm hoping that you're confusing me complaining about the cost of carbide tools (effectively a piece of minimally shaped steel with a handle) with...

I do intend to make use of the turning tools my FIL gave me (among which were a huge roughing gouge and an even bigger skew), but I don't want the time (and cost) it takes me to sharpen them adequately to stop me using the lathe. The carbide tools have allowed me to get going and I already feel...

ok, so right thinking, wrong material. I ordered some stainless steel. I still can't get my head around the prices.

I recently picked up an AC370 lathe which I've been having good fun with. I've really struggled with sharpening the various turning tools that my FIL passed down to me so I gave up (for the time being) and turned my attention to carbide tips. I experimented with just buying the replacement...

The truth is that the shows name does not tally with what they're actually judging. It should be "Britains Best Wood Maker". They focus a LOT on design rather than quality of workmanship. Of course, they're trying to cater to as wide an audience as Bake Off does, and I applaud them for that...

Yes. 🤣 Actually it depends, either would work. It all depends on boring the mortices in the handle and cane, if I can get those absolutely spot on (positioned and plumb), then I can use the pin to locate the transition absolutely perfectly in the middle of the cane. In that scenario a...

Some really great food for thought in these replies. Please don't be offended if I don't reply to them all though. Yes you're right, but honestly that's kinda what I was asking for in retrospect. A combination of hard information (tool X performs job Y, tool A is bad for job B etc) and...

I should have stated that for thickness, I need a variety, but mostly using around 5mm. For those asking the use.. I’m making walking sticks and use these as transitions between the handle and cane

sure, but he was recommending a lathe powered by a drill, is that really better than a wood lathe? I’m guessing from your comment that a drill has more torque than a wood lathe?

I have an Axminster AC370 lathe that I bought recently, I assume that is better for this application.

would it be ok to use a table saw? I know brass is soft and you can use a bandsaw to cut it, but not so sure about a table saw blade. I’d be afraid to put that big a blade through that much material. Even with an appropriate jig for safety, bar stock would make a hell of a projectile.

Maybe this would be easier than I expected. I’m going to try a circle cutting jig first, and then maybe. It’s not just the price, but agility. I’m learning a lot about dimensions and materials, and that involves trying many things, so being able to do it myself speeds all of that up.

I had the same thought. They aren’t thick enough, but I bought some anyway and they turned out to not be completely flat either, somewhat cone shaped. Shame because washers would be the perfect solution if they could be obtained in the right sizes ☹️

Approaching a metal worker to make these for me is definitely in my plans for the future, but I need income from my Etsy store to fund that.

yes some context would have been helpful. I’m making walking sticks for sale on Etsy, and the metal discs act as a transition between cane and handle. So I need the process to be repeatable and quick . Using hand tools is out of the question unfortunately. I started out using brass sheet but it...

I’m after some advise on cutting brass (also copper, bronze and aluminium) discs from 25mm diameter rods (round stock?). Obviously the right tool for this would be a metal cutting bandsaw, but alas all I have is a woodworking workshop. I have successfully cut brass on my cheapo bandsaw with a...

I wouldn't pitch a tent on ground with that amount of slope 😬. You've made the best of it though, nice one.

I'm working on a black dyed high gloss ash cane. Osmo hard wax oil has given me the finish I want for other canes so I'm inclined to go the same route. I have noticed though that the India ink comes off on my hands a little. Does it need sealing before the osmo? I was wondering about shellac...