Wet Saturday afternoon..

[PowerTool]

I am about to buy a lathe and am currently reading a turning book , so I am a virgin :wink:

thanks

That's ok,I'll try to be gentle.. :wink: :lol:

Here's the chuck :-

Dovetail jaws fit into approx.70mm recess

First couple of bases I did were like this

But now tend to leave a bit of decoration on them,like this

As for the thickness,blanks are often 50mm/2" thick to start with,and I actually like the chunky look (don't like skinny women either :wink: ) - so chucking recess is about 6mm,bases vary from 10-15mm,wall thickness about 6mm (now you've prompted me to measure them - just make them "by eye") ; the base thickness variation is depending on if the bowl is flat-bottomed or curved.
So this leaves about 30mm-ish depth of bowl from a 50mm blank.

Andrew

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Andrew
Try a 2 or 3mm recess... for the decorative rings just use the point of a skew or similar...

Just a word of caution.... only do it if you're confident that you can avoid any 'catches' :wink:

a 1mmm recess is possible... great care is needed though :lol:

I like chunky ( wood and the other thing you mentioned :shock: ) but there's a fine line between chunky and squeezed... only applies to turning :lol: :lol:

 

[Blister]

AHa

I see it all now , must say I like the base with the rings , very nice

So theres no rule regarding how thick the base must be then

Thanks for the photos

:wink:

 

[CHJ]

Andrew, if you have some blanks that are on the thin side try hot gluing a piece of scrap to them, use this to 'mount' the bowl, by doing this you can gain the depth lost making the dovetail or spigot.

Try this:
1. mount your piece on a screw chuck (or faceplate) to start with,
2. turn outside and base with slight concavity to aid level standing (NO RECESS) to finished sanding point.
3. whilst still on lathe hot glue a piece of scrap, (firm pine) to the finished base, a piece 75mm will easily hold a 200mm blank.
4. true up and cut dovetail or spigot in scrap.
5. remount on chuck, hollow and finish inside and polish outside as far as possible around base edge.
6. with piece off lathe carefully split the pine along the grain with chisel (support scrap on edge of bench or similar) and leaver off.
7. finish polish base by hand, or mount back on lathe with suitable jaws.

I use this method to maximise smaller pieces and when turning plates from 25mm or thinner stock I glue a scrap piece on to take a screw chuck for first side and then another piece on the finished base.

If you have decent Cole Jaws or similar then you can carefully turn off the scrap from the base and polish it.

Result, no telltale holding marks on the finished piece. Takes a few minutes longer but but worth it

 

[CHJ]

So theres no rule regarding how thick the base must be then

It gets embarasing when its thinner than the dovetail socket.

 

[PowerTool]

Graham and Chas - thanks for the continuing advice and support
Have learnt a lot from some good books,but nothing beats good advice and explanations (and pictures) from those with practical experience.

So still learning,still enjoying it all,sincere thanks for all the input - but I feel I've still got a long way to go before I could a 3mm apple on a VB36... :wink:

Andrew

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Andrew

Just a thought have you had a run out to Stenndrupp? try Raby Estate's office I remember years back they used to have piles of oddments from tree base's, crotch section's, odd wany slab's etc. They let folk have it by the trailerful for fuel but if they still do it you could get a good source their possibly? They do still fell and convert their own and other folks's timbers as far as I know soft and hard wood's. They have at least one of those twin blade bandsaw's that cuts a fence post in about 2 second's. Might be worth a phone call at least? Fosters at Croft was an excellent old school air drying yard with whole trees cut into 2 and 3 inch boards-oak elm beech etc. Another part of their business was supplying pit props and wedges for mines. But old man Foster died and they have finally bowed to the inevitable market pressures and now only do "fencen an decken" (and some of that is imported from latvia :roll: ) Anything else they obtain gets mulched.
PS Andrew your turnings are imroving no end especially the finishes. If you get a good supply of timber you wont have to worry about the expence of using too much wood :wink: I especially like the imbuya one with the shaped ridge's it reminds me of ancient neolithic pottery vessel's

 

[PowerTool]

Thanks for that,Mr.S

Used to deliver to Raby Estates,so might well be worth a ride out - have some holidays due,so I can get there during the week.
Know what you mean about Croft - they also do new railway sleepers and garden sheds
And yes,I also like ancient pottery shapes - neolithic,Roman,samianware etc.

Andrew

 

[treefella83]

andrew pray for windy weather and go for a walk in darlington park.
you will probably have to ask before taking any windfall branches.
the local council don't seem to like me taking away fallen branches that they would have to pay someone to cut up and remove.
the local police don't seem to like me wondering around with a chainsaw either i don't know why.
i had a spot of good luck recently whilst taking some rubbish to the local tip the van in front which was unloading garden waste had some large lumps of plum sat in the back so into the car boot they went .
the van driver thought i was mad and my wife now calls me a tip rat.
if you fancy a bit of bin diving the local tip is always an option if times get hard.
good luck mate

 

[PowerTool]

the local police don't seem to like me wondering around with a chainsaw either i don't know why.

I don't know why,either.. :shock:
Seems perfectly normal behaviour to me :lol:

Andrew

 

[Anonymous]

What grounds have they got to interfere? :roll: Shame they havent anything better to do.
About 10 years ago in the days before the nancy thought police got control of council policy's etc with all the risk assessment/obsession with H&S issue's/interference etc, I went to North lodge park and got some chestnut log's, about 12 inch diam x 48 inch long, which was the most I could carry away (on my back :shock: ) up to Westmoreland street!! There was log's up to 36 inch diameter. The logs were there (quite dangerous actually) unsupervised site, all loosely scattered and stacked about the place, if that was now there'd probaly be security guard community warden's to stop people even looking at it :roll: :roll: I took what I wanted as it was destined for the chipper anyway. It was when I got my lathe and I started off doing bowl's. Green chestnut 8) lovely stuff to turn. I got some cherry from Whessoe tip also about 9 or 10 inch diameter. Another time a gadgy turns up with an antire pine tree (must've been about 35-40 foot high, all neatly cut into 18 inch long log's) in his trailer. right place right time :lol: :wink:

 

[Paul.J]

Hello Andrew.
Just been catching up on the forum.
Fantastic turnings.Can't wait to see your work when your fully experienced. :lol:
I see that you use a Perform lathe.I upgraded xmas when Axminster had their 10% sale from the DML 24 to the Perform CCBL.I have only just set it up now but What a difference.So much easier to use.Makes it more pleasurable i hope.
Can i ask what chuck you use.I was thinking of getting the Supernova2.And how do you dry your logs out.I've tried in the past and get nothing but splits and cracks,and end up with smaller pieces than i'd like.
Keep it up Andrew.
Paul.J.

 

[PowerTool]

Hi Paul - it's the Axminster Clubman K10 chuck.Just have the standard Type C dovetail jaws at the moment (and a faceplate ring,four prong parallel drive,and screw chuck)
My logs are mainly still drying in-the-round,but I have loads of holidays to use up,so intend having some time off and converting some timber into blanks to continue seasoning.
I have a 12' x 8' timber store on the end of the workshop - top and three sides are covered,but far end and doorway are open,to allow air circulation.
Most of the timber is drying quite well and remaining stable,with the noteable exception of the holly - end shakes like it's going out of fashion :lol:

Andrew

 

[PowerTool]

Been a bit busy last couple of weekends,but made this today:-

Bubinga,150mm diameter,60mm high,oiled - thinner base,as I managed a 2-3mm chucking recess,and bought some callipers to be able to measure rather than guess.. :lol:

Made this from a couple of offcuts last weekend

Sapele head,padauk handle,200mm overall length.
Never made one before,didn't have a plan - would alter the design if I made another (most notably,where the handle and head join). Handle is fastened with a wedged spigot.

Andrew

 

[PowerTool]

This week,bought a "selection box" of blanks from Scottish Hardwoods

Nice selection of beech,oak,ash,elm and sycamore; tried it out today:-

Oak,155mm diameter,25mm overall height,waxed.

Andrew

 

[CHJ]

I guess you are enjoying the turning now Andrew, pity you are going to have to break off and build some more shelves somewhere. :lol:

 

[PowerTool]

Chas,you're not kidding - living room now a bit overful with finished items,and that's after giving several out at Christmas :lol:
And it gets worse - someone I know through work rang me up on Wednesday "I've got some timber for you,not sure how I'm going to get it to you yet" (from Liverpool)
"Oh,don't worry" said I "the works van will be over there next week"
"Err,I don't think it will fit" :shock:

Turns out he drove past some roadworks on the A55 where they were cutting some trees down to clear land before the work starts.He stopped and asked if he could have some - "yeah,just help yourself"
So the first bit is about 8' long and 3' diameter,and he's picking two more bits up for me this weekend

Good job I work in road transport,otherwise I might have had a problem :lol:

Andrew

 

[CHJ]

Time to hone your chainsaw skills :lol:

 

[PowerTool]

Time to hone your chainsaw skills :lol:

Err...time to buy one.. (but will be well worth it)

Oddly enough,the bloke providing me with the timber also has a mate who purchases tools and equipment for the whole of Mersey Docks,so is quite sure he can get a good discount for me :wink:

As they say,it's not what you know...

Andrew

 

[Blister]

Time to hone your chainsaw skills :lol:

Err...time to buy one.. (but will be well worth it)

Oddly enough,the bloke providing me with the timber also has a mate who purchases tools and equipment for the whole of Mersey Docks,so is quite sure he can get a good discount for me :wink:

As they say,it's not what you know...

Andrew

There the best deals , 100% discount :shock: :shock: :shock: