Club meeting: 11 Nov 2020
Report by: John Young

Terry’s Production Turning Tips

With Christmas around the corner, and the clubs Christmas shop needing to be stocked, Terry gave three lightning fast demos, with an emphasis on how to get the most out of your time at the lathe.

First Demo – Kauri Spoon

Despite already having made a astronomical number of wooden spoons (2747 to be precise!). Terry was happy to shred through a bit of kiln dried Kauri and show us how he makes his production spoons (in 12 minutes no less!).

He batch makes them for speed, 25-30 at time to achieve a $70 hr rate at the lathe.

1. Start by taking a rectangular piece of wood and marking the centers at either end. If you want to conserve timber, the sides can be cut off for pen blanks.
2. The blank is fitted between centers.
3. Spoon handle is roughed out with roughing gouge. Skew chisel used to achieve a good finish.
4. Power sander with 240 grit sandpaper to smooth handle.
5. Handle textured with Terry’s famous $10 tool.
6. Band saw used to shape spoon head, followed by disk sander to tidy up.
7. Power sander used to smooth up spoon head, and finished with Bee Kind beeswax.

Inside can be alternately scooped out with power carver. Right and left hand versions can also be made.

Second Demo – Tea light

*Note: Any candle must have a metal case/layer to separate it from the wood and prevent it catching fire.

1. Start with a square block of timber (Kauri in this case). Mark center and fit between centers.
2. Make a 48mm spigot and round the bottom. Mark 1/3 way down from the top, as this will be your widest point.
3. Turn around and insert spigot into a 50mm chuck.
4. Shape top third to pleasing shape.
5. Use small parting tool to create hollow on top for tea light.
6. Tidy up outside shape, sand, and add texture with texturing tool.
7. Remove from chuck, turn around and insert opening into small expansion chuck.
8. Turn off spigot, sand base and texture.

Third Demo – Potpourri holder

1. Take timber round and drill a shallow hole to fit an expansion chuck. Mount on 50mm scroll chuck.
2. Cut a 48mm spigot on bottom and shape underside.
3. Flip around, insert spigot into chuck and shape top half
4. Mark the opening diameter for the top and hollow out with bowl gouge. Check your metal fitting fits flush into top. Only need to hollow a shallow cove. No finish is needed inside, to allow perfume to penetrate into wood.
5. Sand, then texture rim for appearance.
6. Turn round and fit into expansion chuck. Remove spigot and sand bottom to finish. Coat with wax.

Other, simple items Terry suggested for the Christmas shop included bag holders, salt pigs, back scratchers, honey dippers, lemon squeezers, wooden fruit, and Christmas ornaments.

Again, it was another highly informative demo from Terry. One which is sure to help get the shop filled to the brim this Christmas.