Search results

It's my understanding that gouges are ground to approximately the right shape by the manufacturer. They are not exact and they are not sharp. The first thing you should do with a new gouge is grind it to the shape you want and make it sharp. I wouldn't worry too much about its initial shape.

Thanks for this tip Morturn, I've just closed mine.

Thanks Blackswanwood. It's always unwise to click links in emails unless you are 100% sure they are safe. I meant giving the details to customers. You're right though - better safe than sorry.

Some years ago, when I was in business, I asked my bank about the safety or otherwise of giving out my bank account number and sort code. The bank assured me it was safe and standard practice. Knowing this information will allow anyone to pay money IN to the account but does not allow anyone to...

Hi Adam, Which is the Carob and which the Ipe?

Thomas, you've HAD a variety of views - you just don't want to listen to anything which conflicts with your preconceived ideas. You've already made up your mind and you are going to keep disagreeing with anything other than wood. So use wood!

Thomas it does seem to me that you are overthinking this. An attractively decorated cardboard box would probably be fine. On the few occasions that I've received something in a nicely made wooden box I've found it slightly annoying that, with contents removed, this nice box is now useless. I...

When I was at school (when God was a lad), I remember my metalwork teacher telling us that when a hard metal and a softer metal were in sliding contact it was always the hard metal which wore away the most. He said this was because tiny fragments of the hard metal became embedded in the soft...

What do you call a Spaniard with no balls? A senorita

A sharp wedge of almost any timber will do the job. A bit of experimentation would soon find a suitable one.

Ashley Iles sell tools without handles and are very good quality. They are my favourite gouges.

Thanks Spectric.

Custard do you mind me asking how effective your underfloor heating is? Would it replace a couple of radiators for example. It’s something I’m considering for my kitchen refurb. Bob

Isn't that a bit like saying that because there are only 26 letters in the alphabet it should be easy to get a computer to write every conceivable combination and hence copyright every possible future book? Somehow, I rather think not.

Like Marcros I always wonder what the attraction of the Union Graduate is. As I see it, it has a small bowl capacity and a fairly short bed, an odd spindle size and a (usually) outsize price tag. For the same money I can't help but think that there are much more versatile modern lathes available...

I use the mask that Sandyn recommends. As Sachakins has said, if it fogs you glasses it isn't sealed properly. The flexible rubber has to warm up before it is flexible enough to conform to your face. Put on and wiggle it to good fit. After a couple of minutes wiggle it again to improve the fit...

Put the bowl in place with the pins you have and then wrap masking tape around both the bowl and the chuck except for the bit you need to turn (presumably the foot). Bring up the tailstock and remove the bulk of the waste. Finally remove the tailstock and turn away the little bit you left taking...

Thanks for your replies, they give me the reassurance I wanted. Paul it's likely that in ten years it'll be me who needs fixing! I wonder if a generic unit will be available by then? ☺☺☺

I'm looking at a Laguna lathe but I'm doubtful about DC variable speed motors. I've no experience of them and wonder how powerful and reliable they are. Has anyone used a machine with a DC motor for long enough to say?

Thanks H-J, I understand now.