Woodturning Bracelets and Bangles With Custom Mini Longworth Chuck
This video is best viewed here on this page. However, in case of someone having watered the gremlins, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
Inspired by a great demonstration at our club meeting by Kip Christiansen and a visit with Nelson Cassinger year ago, last week I miniaturized a Longworth chuck to use instead of other custom chucks made for specific sizes. Now it is time to put it to use.
I glued up segmented rings of padauk, maple, heat treated ash, cherry, and laminated birch. Each was twelve segments and about four inches in diameter. I also prepared similar squares of walnut, maple, and cherry veneer.
For there, assembling the bracelets is a process of using double stick tape, glue, parting off, and facing off. I did not thin down any ring before gluing. Instead, a ring was glued to previous rings and then parted off at the target width. Then I would face it off to be ready for the next glue joint.
In use, I used my metal lathe for facing off rather than the wood lathe. The metal lathe is rigged with a similar spindle to my wood lathe. This enables me to switch between lathes to use whichever is best able to do the job. A metal lathe is great at cutting straight cuts at precise distances. The wood lathe is better at cutting curves and removing wood quickly.
You’ll have to watch to appreciate it.
To yield 4 bracelets from one glue up, I used a 1/8×1/8 High Speed Steel bit. My usual parting tool is too tall to effecting cut a small circle. The bit is available from machinist supply stores.
Enjoy.
Custom Longworth Chucks For Bracelets & Bangles
This post is best viewed here on this website. However, in case of technical difficulties, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
After a great demonstration at our club meeting by Kip Christiansen, I decided to try to upgrade jigs for bracelets. Since I have some experience with Longworth chucks, I decided to make small Longworth chucks and see if they could help with bracelets.
My chucks are 3D printed with PLA. I am also investigating PLA filament strength for these chucks. My small chucks use a 1/4-20 center bolt and #8 bolts for the button bolts. I also designed a variety of button styles to accomodate different situations.
Longworth chucks can be made from Baltic birch plywood, acrylic, phenolic, etc.
Next week, I will turn a bracelet using my chuck system.
Enjoy.
This Burl Spoke To Me – Don’t Cut Me With A Tenon
This video is best viewed right here on this page. However, in case of gremlin attack, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
The wood for this project came from my club’s wood exchange. It is cottonwood burl – somewhat on the small size. But this meant that there was no wood to spare – nothing much to use for a tenon. I also wanted to keep as much of the burl figure as possible in the walls of the bowl.
This requires a different process – and no scroll chuck. Instead, lots of hot melt glue and some creative thinking.
This begs the question – what would you have done with the beautiful, but small, burl?
Enjoy.
p.s. If you would like a more in depth demonstration, please contact me for an IRD (Zoom Demo) on this or other topics.
Revealing The Mysteries of Turned Volcano Salt Urn In Difficult Wood
Please view this post here on this page. In case of difficulty, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
This project is another volcano salt urn. This time in a burl with voids that would interfer with it being a salt shaker. The same consideration would be necessary for “stinky” woods.
In addition to the usual two questions: How to add salt? and, How to salt my food? Add two more: Won’t that flavor the salt? or How will that wood keep the salt inside?
A short answer to the new questions – insert a liner made from a food friendly wood.
In addition to the creator’s choice of style, size, and shape, add any wood for the exterior.
The new requirement is to turn a liner to separate and contain the salt.
Is this a rock or an apple fritter.
Links:
UV Resin on Amazon
SANAAA UV Resin Clear Hard Type 500g Transparent UV Solar Curing Resin
Enjoy.
p.s. If you would like a more in depth demonstration, please contact me for an IRD (Zoom Demo) on this or other topics.
Revealing The Mysteries Of Turned Volcano Salt Urn
This video is best viewed right here on this page. In case of media failure, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
This project is a volcano salt urn. These are unique in that there is no cap, lid, or trapdoor through which to add salt. Nor are there holes in the top to shake out salt.
There are always two questions: How to add salt? and, How to salt my food? Let’s answer these questions in this video.
Meanwhile, the style, size, and shape of the salt urn are up to the creator. As long as the inside is not larger than the outside, we’re golden.
The only requirement is to turn the bottom funnel part to fit the decorative shell.
The drill bits referred to are “Center Drills” such as in this link:
https://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=2990
Enjoy.
p.s. If you would like a more in depth demonstration, please contact me for an IRD (Zoom Demo) on this or other topics.
Woodturning Green Bowl & Carving Foot(s)
This video is best viewed here on this page. In case of a gremlin attack, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
I had this honey locust block of wood sealed with wax sealer and wrapped in plastic.
When one of you asked about a footed bowl instead of a bowl foot, why not use this wood.
I still consider the wood green but maybe it has lost some moisure. In any case, I will turn this bowl all at one instead of rough turning followed by time to dry, followed by final turning.
I did let it dry about a week before carving and sanding to prevent excessively wet wood from clogging my tools and sandpaper.
Then I marked off for three feet and carved them from the old tenon and waste wood.
The honey locust bowl is 8 by 2 finished with walnut oil.
Enjoy.
Turning Segmented, Slanted, Offset Vase – Double Trouble
This post is best viewed here on this page. In case someone watered the gremlins, it is also available on YouTube and FaceBook.
Over the past few years, I have turned several experimental projects involving irregular segmented rings. All were difficult. However, this one doubles the difficulty. Being slanted at a 20 degree angle, the rings want to slide past each others while being glued together. Now beyond that, I sliced the side of the vase and then offset it up one ring.
It has an interesting appeal. I saw one along the same lines at the Segmented Woodturners symposium. However, based on my previous experiences, I believed that I could derive a better creation process.
My 3D printer came in handy for temporary slanted base rings and for spacers to keep rings in line. This saved me from making them from wood or plastic by hand.
The vase is of oak and walnut with 12 rings of 8 segmentes each, totally 96 segments. It is finished with walnut oil.
Maybe I was crazy – you be the judge.
Enjoy.
Woodturn Old Fashioned Hand Crank Pepper Grinder
This post is best viewed here on this page. However, in case of bugs in the system, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
I do not turn that many kit projects. But, here we go with an old-fashioned style crank pepper grinder.
There are instructions on the box. The instructions are not verbose and I am not sure they could be more explicit. They do mention using a jam chuck. However, I prefer turned wood plugs that enable it to be turned between centers. The instructions mention a three inch block of wood of any length and a one inch hole to be drilled. I used a stack of segmented rings – 19 rings in all of 8 segments each – totaling 152 pieces.
In most cases, I was able to split the maple rings to get 3 or 4 per glue up.
The wood block can be solid, laminated or segmented as mine is.
One objection that I have to this kit is the design. The mounting holes are one a flange but not easily accessible since they are under the sphere of the grinder.
Still, a nice project.
Enjoy.
Upscale Old Fashioned Style Ornament To Sweet Treat Station
This post is best viewed here on this page. In case of computer difficulties, it is also posted to YouTube and FaceBook.
I love the old fashioned glass ornaments. I do not see many of them any more.
For this project, that ornament is the model for a candy station.
I turned a sphere but hollowed it out. Then I added the top section.
Just for fun, I 3D printed a cap and a stand.
I love Christmas and I love candy. Now I have both.
My ornament is about 4 inches diameter and finished with shellac.
For more detail on turning a sphere, please see:
Woodturning Perfect Spheres – For Wise Turners
Enjoy.
2022 Christmas Ornament Challenge Winners
Voting is over- what a great challenge. Thank you for voting. Thank you for your ornaments.
Countries represented
Australia
Belgium
Canada
Italia
Puerto Rico
The Netherlands
United Kingdom
USA
Sponsors
STARBOND Bonus Prize
ALUMILITE Bonus Prize
CRAFT SUPPLIES USA Grand Prize
WOODWORKERS EMPORIUM Bonus Prize
HUNTER TOOLS Grand Prize
AIR BRUSHING WOOD Bonus and Grand Prizes
SPIRACRAFT Bonus and Grand Prizes
WOODTURNERS WONDERS Bonus Prize
TURNTEX Grand Prize
AS WOOD TURNS Bonus Prize
Honorable Mention
1 Shelly Kent Nutcracker
14 Jack Murphy Segmented Ornament
1 Shelly Kent Nutcracker
14 Jack Murphy Carol singers
37 Ron Pollmann Lighted Sea Urchin Ornament
45 Frank Young Santa in a Segmented Ring
53 Steve Patzman Ballerina in Black
81 Gene & Norma Duck
164 Jonathan Durocher Self Discovery
166 Jonathan Durocher Toboggans R Dangerous
268 Doug Stearns Pierced Maple Ornament
Popular Vote
1 Kevin Kapp #140 Christmas Angel
2 Mike Lober #161 Everything Is Better With Chocolate
3 Victor Lopez #122 3 Wood Wise Men
4 Henry Morgan #243 Turned and carved
5 Dan Schmidt #6 Christmas Tree Globe
6 Brad Hildenbrand #13 A Day Off at the North Pole
7 Maynard Green #188 Lighted Snowman
8 Mark Fishburn #251 Turned Hollow Form
9 Bob Summers #7 Frigility #6
10 Layne Manginelli #35 Multicolored wood ornament
11 Bob Keller #255 Santa Gnome
12 Howard Stenger #200 Globe ornament with tree
Plan now for the 2023 Ornament Challenge. Entry window will be November 2023.
For inspiration, go to www.OrnamentChallenge.com
Enjoy!