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I collected today two lumps of holly which came from a dead straight 10ft by 7 to 8 inch diameter section lying on the ground since it was felled we don't know when. The sections I have are 3ft long and weigh 60 lbs +. For all intents and purposes the volume is 1 ft ^3 (OK it's 0.92, but who's...

Many thanks Nick - I should apologise for my rant earlier, but I think we all recognise that the author is not the source of the problem ! I'm going to drop you a line with a query and an order for the DVD - thanks for being generous with your time. Rob

Duncan - Definitely time for a new workshop - but still keep the compressor and extractor outside. Workshop size is a balance between being too large it is impossible to economically keep warm and being too small; at 12 x 6 - the size of my greenhouse, that's too small !! :D My old workshop...

Many thanks to all you who have replied and given advice. I've ordered a batch of bits off Ebay, hoping they won't be chocolate steel, but do have to start somewhere. I've made a gash platter to experiment on also. I'll pass on the high speed air tool for the moment and take my chance with...

That was the Blackwells that took over Thins in Edinburgh - I'm sure they would have had a far more extensive Crafts section , but maybe that's the approach that lead them to going under. Rob

Ian - that is amusingly ironic a piece of advise as it is Nick's article in the Woodturner that has been frustrating me and causing my rant!!!! I suspect it isn't really his fault but the text with his pomander designs is scant to say the least for the less advanced turner. Many thanks for the...

Thanks for pointing that out Nev, but sorry I found that last night and it doesn't really tell me anything on piercing such as if there is a technique and what tools to use. Regretably that WIP is a little too like many of the magazine articles that are giving ideas to turners who know all...

Just take advantage of this thread to slag off one of the nation's bigger bookshops. I had some time to kill the other day and wandered into Blackwells for a browse. I checked a couple of items and then wandered off to see what they had in the way of books on woodwork ...... not one !! I...

I'm making a pomander from a fairly recent WoodTurning magazine design which is pierced, but is the first piece I've tried with that feature. Does anyone know if there is a tutorial anywhere on doing piercing or can give me some guidelines? I have a Dremel with a flexible shaft but don't know...

Nothing like a bit of pressure then !!! Won't be for a wee while as I'm in production mode at the moment for an Xmas Craft Fair, though I might well explore my thinkings as a relief from spurtles, rattles, mirrors, pens, etc to make sure my proposal does work !! Fortunatlely I haven't been...

Not if the wheels are not running on the bottom surface. Yes I agree if the wheels are say like the wheels on a microwave turntable, but if they only have the rotating top surface bearing on them then they just stay in position. I like the pen mandrel idea, though I'm still hankering after...

Thanks for the wheels idea - yes but they are going to have to be no bigger than John's 16mm balls, or the whole structure will be too tall. My 'back-of-a -***-packet' sketch has currently 8 rollers though I'm sure 4 would do; a fully turned out groove in the base (could also be axially routed...

Thanks John - that clarifies, though doesn't help as I was hoping you had some clever trick with a wooden pin or the likes so that it could be dismantled when it goes wrong !! :evil: Rollers - I'm suffering for my art !! Just another approach worth exploring and playing with. I'll let you...

John I came across your excellent WIP when I searched for Lazy Susan after a command from SWMBO ! I'm going to explore a slightly different construction to see if rollers are possible rather than balls - my quick sketch has 8 rollers which do present a little less of a manufacturing headache...

John Very many thanks indeed for that. Your instructions are excellent and answer all my questions. The piece I have is a long way from the nice bit you show - and I like the little bit of detailing around the clock face. Here's a not to good a picture - it's up there to see if we like it...

Thanks for that and I hadn't thought of the router. But the piece is 60mm thick and that's going to be a bit difficult to rout. I could use the router to take out a blind hole, but is that recommended for a clock ? I should say that this is an electronic insert mechanism I'm using. Perhaps...

I put a query onto the General Woodworking page about this but no one has answered it. It is a 60mm thick planed block some 350mm long and 180 high. The burr and cutting form a nice background mount for the clock. I think I have questions I need some guidance on. 1 How do I drill / turn an...

Thanks guys - a useful question and a really helpful answer. Rob

Worth a try then !!! :D As my piece has dried a little naturally without cracking there is hope but the moisture meter says 30% so wet it is but is it rain wet or sap wet? I'll give it a bash and see what happens - I could try the microwave and see if I can get some of the moisture out. Even...

I picked up a small slab of elm burr from the local wood supplier that really just asks to have a clock in it, but I come from the 'round' world so am not sure how to prepare the wood and finish it. I do have access to a drum sander that would deal with the flat surfaces but I don't know how to...