HOJ
Established Member
I'd suggest Douglas Fir, I have to say @Stigmorgan you are prolific, I wish you all the success you deserve at your fair.
Post a photo of the last thing you made
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Phil Pascoe
Established Member
You could well be right.
HOJ
Established Member
The only reason I say that it could be DF, is that I've been machining up some big lumps of the stuff recently:
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
The hard rings tie up with it's being D.F. I didn't think of D.F. when I said it was pine.
thetyreman
Established Member
if it is douglas fir I've found it has a lovely sherbert smell that is very distinctive when working it with hand tools.
frankendoodle65
Established Member
If it was a fence post and looks somewhat oak like, my money's on sweet chestnut. It's used a lot for fences due to its impressive rot resistance, and certainly looks possible as far as i can tell from the photos.
Not a recent last thing I made did this back in early 90 s when I fancied wood turning , thing was I had a carpy lathe made it out of bits lying around workshop . I started my own joinery buisness soon afterwards so never had time to peruse as a hobby
Thanks Stig not up to your standards but I may have another dabble and pick up a 2nd hand lathe I have got all Robert Sorby tools its a pity to waste them you know the sentiment "I'm going to start wood turning i was bequithed a new tool lathe so went to Millersdale in Derbyshire watched some guys turning and treated myself to full set of Sorbys they are like brand new will post a pic when i unpack them must be worth a few bob now
If I ever finish the train its over 6 ft long Engine,Tender,2 passenger coaches and Caboose
Stigmorgan
Established Member
Thanks @HOJ , the grain definately looks the same as does the colour
Been a busy day, woke in a stubborn frame of mind so when I went out to the maker space I cut off a piece that looked like it would be trouble from a branch of sycamore, to my surprise it turned really well and I love the end result, sanded to 320 and finished with Danish oil, I cut the rest of the branch into 8 pieces about 200mm long and started making figurines, 4 males and 1 female done so far.
Stigmorgan
Established Member
That train is beautiful, beyond anything I have the patience for
Hallelujahal
Established Member
Earring holder and trinket box for youngest daughter. I’m new to Woodturning so it’s not perfect but hopefully it’ll be a nice stocking filler!
The elephant in the pic is a test piece for something I hope to make again but larger and in hard wood!
The elephant in the pic is a test piece for something I hope to make again but larger and in hard wood!
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Jameshow
Established Member
Sa
Says he of 1000 Christmas decs!!!That train is beautiful, beyond anything I have the patience for
Seeing all your production pieces you've been 'turning' out lately you might be interested in this chap. His name is Steve Jones and has been a production woodturner for many years. He rarely posts these days although he has put a video on just yesterday. WOODTURNER 21. You won't often see him using much more than a skew and a gouge.
Stigmorgan
Established Member
I follow him already, he is amazing, he posts more regularly on Instagram, I've tried the skew and just can't to grips with it, until I buy the jig for my Robert sorry sharpening kit I struggle to sharpen it too.
Stigmorgan
Established Member
250 tree decorations so far and the boredom set in very quickly 
may do another 50 if I get time but I still want a few more bigger ticket items.Yorkieguy
Established Member
Steve is, I think, the 5th generation of a family of noted woodturners and is a master at his craft. No fancy cryogenically hardened turning tools, no Sorby Pro-edge sharpening kit, no jigs, a home-made marking gauge and 'storyboard', no CBN wheel. Just a skew, a spindle gouge and a parting tool. Low-tech/high skill craftsmanship. All done in nine minutes, no dramas.
Respect!
Him and Richard Raffan are my kind of turners although they've both now acquired CBN wheels I see. I do like them but I've gone this long on a 120 grit which I reckon will outlast me anyway.
Stigmorgan
Established Member
OMG did I ache this morning after spending 7 hours out at the lathe yesterday 
my shoulders and forearms felt tight and heavy, so after a good strong coffee to wake up I went back out at lunchtime to finish turning my ladies and to see what else I could come up with, first was a roughly 3x3x12inch lump of spalted silver birch (I absolutely love this stuff) which once rounded off screamed Christmas tree, then I found a piece of ash that had caught the gauge and flew off the lathe last week so rounded that back off and it became another tree then finally just for fun I thought I'd try a quick snowman from a 3x3 piece of very soft pine, may do a few more (No plans to make a nose/eyes etc). Going to also have a go at doing some smaller snowmen that can be used as tree decorations
my shoulders and forearms felt tight and heavy, so after a good strong coffee to wake up I went back out at lunchtime to finish turning my ladies and to see what else I could come up with, first was a roughly 3x3x12inch lump of spalted silver birch (I absolutely love this stuff) which once rounded off screamed Christmas tree, then I found a piece of ash that had caught the gauge and flew off the lathe last week so rounded that back off and it became another tree then finally just for fun I thought I'd try a quick snowman from a 3x3 piece of very soft pine, may do a few more (No plans to make a nose/eyes etc). Going to also have a go at doing some smaller snowmen that can be used as tree decorations
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
Abrasive paper on a ply or mdf disc on your lathe is all you need to grind a skew. Touch up with a diamond plate until it needs refreshing on the disc.
