Woodturning – My DIY Steady Rest Is Still Steady
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For the convenience of some, this video is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
Several years ago, I researched steady rests for my lathe. A steady rest resists lateral pressure that may push the wood out of alignment or even out of the chuck. It works great on long spindles.
After making my steady rest, I revised it so that I could bring the tool rest closer to the steady rest. The original steady rest and the wide banjo on my lathe forced each other to be further away.
A revised base solved that problem. A tricky knob box reduced the need for a wider base. The knob box enabled my steady to be adjustable at right angles to the turning axis.
My revised steady has stood the test of time. I have not felt the need to change it again. There are minor improvements that could be made to make it prettier but would not change how it functions.
I have been asked about measured drawings. However, the steady rest should be customized for different lathes since axis height, bed gaps, bed thickness, bed width and turning styles all vary.
In this video, I am showing the principles involved with my steady rest. Once you understand the principles, you can adapt it to your lathe and style. I would appreciate hearing back what you have done to improve this design.
Previous Posts:
Update To My DIY Lathe Steady Rest
My DIY Lathe Steady Rest
Enjoy!
Woodturning Vase – Wet To Dry – Special Dye Finish
For convenience or in case of problems, this post is also available on YouTube and FaceBook.
During the recent Woodturner’s Worldwide online symposium, there were many great demonstrations. Of course a couple were mine. But another that I will attempt to emulate was by Phil Irons. In his demonstration, he used dye to finish light colored wood vases.
In this process, the wood is not sanded before applying dye. The wood is scraped, then dye is applied. After the dye is dry, it can be sanded with a coarse grit. However, the dye is not completely removed with this sanding.
Then more dye is applied and sanded with the next grit. I used a green dye until the last application. For the last application, I applied yellow dye which I felt was compatible with the green.
After many coats of rattle-can lacquer, I sanded the lacquer wet to remove the orange peel effect in the finish. The applied another coat of lacquer followed by a good buffing.
Some resources:
Update To My DIY Lathe Steady Rest (link)
Phil’s triangular scraper is available on Amazon.com “Woodcut Tools Irons Shear Scraper”
Enjoy!
Woodturning – Cutting Segmented Rings on Lathe, Band Saw and Table Saw
Thanks to each who commented on my last post. There were a lot of great ideas. Many focused on using a band saw. For this video, I show changes to the original jig for the table saw plus some examples for cutting rings on the lathe and bandsaw.
Each approach has its own strengths and limitations.
Table saw:
Can handle large and small ring sizes.
Slight limitation due to segment width vs saw height.
Takes a wide kerf depending on saw blade.
Band saw:
Narrow saw kerf
Jig and saw capacity limit larger ring sizes.
Lathe
Capacity limitation is moot since the lathe capacity limits ring size anyway.
Requires some form of mounting
For some techniques, I paid a visit to Frank Young, who has been a guest previously on this channel.
Splitting on the lathe:
I demonstrate an unsupported cut risking the ring breaking.
Frank demonstrates cutting while the offset is held securely
Splitting on a bandsaw:
Frank demonstrates his jig for safely and accurately cutting on the band saw.
Splitting on a table saw.
I show updates to my jig for additional safety while cutting on the table saw.
Which technique is best? That depends on your equipment, your project, your skill level. Best of all is to have a variety of techniques available to choose from and to adapt to different circumstances.
Some sources:
Live Tailstock Chuck Adapter: 1 in. x 8tpi – #2MT Shaft – Penn State Industries $36.95
Magswitch MagJig (various capacities) Amazon.com
Enjoy!
Woodturning – Table Saw Cutting Jig For Thin Segmented Rings
For convenience or if there are problems viewing this page, this video is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
Help. Please apply your creativity to my problem.
As I create more segmented projects, I like the look of thin segment rings. To me, thick segments look blocky many times.
The segmented woodturning books recommend milling wood stock to thickness. This seems to be a huge waste of wood. Alternatively, some recommend removing excess thickness while mounted on the lathe – again, a huge waste of wood. Some go so far as to splitting a segment ring with a parting tool. While this does not waste so much wood, when a segment ring is parted off, there is some excitement while the newly parted ring spins freely on the lathe and frequently breaks.
Some woodturners saw segment rings on a bandsaw. With good jigs and fixtures and a finely tuned bandsaw and a very good blade, this can work for smaller diameter rings. For larger rings, the exposed saw in the middle of the ring is a very scary safety risk.
Can I use a table saw? Often table saw jigs use the miter slots. However, this limits how to adjust segment ring thickness.
So, I made a box tall enough to support the biggest segment ring I can turn on my lathe. To resist tipping, the box is about 8 inches wide. 20 inches long seems to accommodate large segment rings through the saw blade.
A series of 3/8 inch holes allow a bolt for clamping. Originally, I wanted the lowest bolt to be higher than the maximum saw blade height. This did not work for smaller segment rings.
A large segment ring is secured with a bolt through one of the hole through the center of the segment ring and a cross piece of solid hardwood. Knobs on both ends of the bolt enable secure clamping.
Smaller segment rings cannot clamp the same way due to the possibility of the saw blade hitting the bolt. Instead, I used a different clamp cross piece. This clamping wood has a cross piece to distribute clamp pressure to the full diameter of the segment ring. The clamping bolt is above the segment ring and below a spacer block. Cinching up the bolt clamps the smaller segment ring.
In use, I first make sure the saw blade is as high as possible accounting for how many passes it may take to cut the ring and that the bolt placement will not interfere with the saw blade.
I then position the box against the rip fence and adjust for my target segment ring width.
Then clamp the segment ring in place. Slowly make the first cut, then rotate the segment ring for the next pass. In later passes, clamping pressure may tend to squeeze the saw kerf excessively. A thin slice of wood sized to the saw kerf is my “kerf keeper”
Final cleanup is similar to any other segment ring construction.
Since Covid-19 prevents me from collaborating with other local woodturners, I will appreciate your feedback and suggestions.
Enjoy!
Woodturning – Ornament Adapted From Christmas Ornament Challenge
For the convenience of some or if there are issues viewing this video, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
In this year’s Christmas Ornament Challenge, I saw an ornament that I would like to emulate for my last ornament for this season. Kurt Wolf-Klammer entered his ornament in the challenge. I thank him for the inspiration.
Essentially, this style requires two elements: a small natural edge bowl from a limb; and a finial. I have turned many of each previously but had never put them together.
I used a 3 inch walnut limb cut several months ago. Fortunately, it did not display end checks since I had sealed the end grain. Some worm holes add extra character and interest.
You may also find inspiration in the rich variety of ornaments from this year and past years at www.OrnamentChallenge.com Plan now for next year’s challenge.
Enjoy!
Christmas Ornament Challenge of 2020 – Final Tally
In case this video has difficulty playing, it is also posted on YouTube.
Wow. The results are in for this year’s Christmas Ornament Challenge. Thank you to everyone who entered an ornament and the clubs that helped spread the word.
With 199 ornaments, there are a lot of beautiful work and examples. It is up to you whether you envy them or move on to appreciate and perhaps to emulate your favorites.
Meanwhile, let us put 2020 behind us as a Covid year. Yes, we still have a long way to go but there is a light at the end of this tunnel.
Please have a Merry Christmas or Happy Season according to your core beliefs.
Thanks again to everyone who submitted their ornament; the clubs who spread the word, and everyone who voted for their favorites.
Enjoy!
If the video goes too quickly for you, please view the ornament at www.OrnamentChallenge.com
Woodturning – These Snow People Deliver Salt and Pepper
In case of difficulty, this video is also posted on YouTube (Click Here) and FaceBook.
For this project, I am crossing the concept of a salt urn with the seasonal concept of an ornament. A salt urn differs from a usual salt shaker in that it does not need to be turned upside down to dispense salt; there is not cap to remove to fill with salt; salt enters through the same hole that it comes out from. When stationary, no salt is dispensed.
Why not make a snowman into a salt urn and a pepper urn? The inner guts are the same – the visual difference is the exterior.
The inner guts are shaped like a volcano on the outside with a funnel shape on the opposite side. This then is glued into the exterior shape. The salt or pepper forms a ring around the volcano until shaken. When shaken, some salt or pepper flies up the volcano and falls out to season the food.
Please vote for the Christmas Ornament Challenge at www.OrnamentChallenge.com before 15 December 2020.
You may want to see a couple of my previous salt urn videos:
Enjoy!
2020 Ornament Challenge-Time to Vote
This video is much longer than normal. If there are streaming issues, please use the web page to view and vote. Here’s the link: www.OrnamentChallenge.com.
- To vote, please identify the numbers associated with your top five choices. For an example, let us say you picked 25,40,75,23,2
- Rank from High to low. For example. my top pick is 23 and my lowest is 40. Therefore 23,75,25,2,40 could represent my vote.
- Enter the vote in the comment below this video.
- Make sure you submit the comment.
There are 199 ornaments to view. So, if you prefer a more static (not video), please go to www.OrnamentChallenge.com.
Thanks for voting – we plan to announce results before 25 December.
Woodturning Levitating, Floating Christmas Tree
For the convenience of some people, this video is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook. Where best to View? Right here already!
For this project, I am borrowing from the realm of 3D printing. I found a 3D printed ghost on Thingiverse. It is a fun, little ghost that levitates or floats on a pair of small magnets. In the woodturning Christmas world, the ghost becomes a tree on a hillside ready for Christmas. It still floats or levitates on magnets. I had to be careful of the weight.
The base is a slab of plum with the bark edge. The bottom trunk is a small dowel. The mid trunk is a larger dowel. The tree is more plum burl. The magnets are 8mm diameter by 3mm thick source from Amazon.
Gluing the magnets with the correct polarity requires a trick that I explain in the video. Without the trick, the magnets will flip over and attract rather than repel each other.
I will add this ornament to the Christmas Ornament Challenge. Hurry, the challenge closes November 30. See www.OrnamentChallenge.com
Enjoy!
Woodturning Ornamental Herringbone Threaded Box
For the convenience for some, this video is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook. Where Best? Right Here Already!
I am still exploring herringbone glue-ups for woodturning, especially ornaments. In this ornamental threaded box, five difference species of wood revolve around the center as the block grows upward. Rather than cut off and possibly waste the excess wood, I decided to turn an ornamental box. This used the entire block of wood I had glued together.
Additionally, I printed a thread set on a 3D printer. The thread set is .5 inch overall height, .25 inch wall thickness, 8 TPI, and 3 starts. Multiple starts enable threads to engage more than once in the circumference and to engage more quickly. If you do not know about triple starts, look at your catsup or milk bottles.
BTW, for buffing, I used a Holdfast long buffing extension, standard buffing pads, and tripoli, white diamond, and carnauba wax compounds. A minor DIY interface holds the buffing wheels to the buffing extension.
I will add this ornament to the Christmas Ornament Challenge. Please share your favorite ornaments by November 30. See www.OrnamentChallenge.com
Enjoy!