Category Archives: Meetings

Multi Woods, “I’ll dream up something” – Terry Scott

Club Meeting: 3 Feb 2016
Author of Article: Wim Nijmeijer

Terry woke up in the middle of the night, thinking about this demonstration!

The following morning he started the preparation and found that the blades on his thicknesser were blunt. He sharpened the blades and then proceeded to fit the blades in the setting blocks and managed to strip the threads in the process! Not a good start, but as luck would have it, Cam Cosford happened to be on hand at the right time and “offered” to prepare the blanks for the demo. Terry supplied the wood, however it was not clear what happened to the (supplied?) ebony, as it was never used in the blanks!

The blanks were made up using Teak, Bubinga and Wenge, cut with a drop saw and bonded together using Titebond PVA glue.

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The first blank (outside of bowl and spigot already roughed out) was mounted on the lathe, using a screw chuck. Terry then proceeded by finishing the outside of the bowl, using a 10mm fingernail grind chisel. Turning speed approx. 1800rpm and slow travel of the chisel in order to get a smooth surface. Finally a skew chisel was used as a scraper to finish the outside. The use of a glue stick was explained for checking the outside curve of the bowl for any irregularities.
Adding 2 beads finished the foot of the bowl, and a recess was added for the insertion of a coin. (As an example.)

Power sanding (not fully demonstrated) followed using a 3″ dia mandrel.

Terry then progressed by turning a series of beads using a bead forming tool, followed by light sanding and then applied sanding sealer to the outside of the bowl. The bowl was then removed from the lathe.

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The inside of the bowl will be hollowed out at a later stage, however 2 small holes (approx. 3mm) were drilled and copper nails inserted, and also some holes for a Paua insert, just to demonstrate various means of embellishments.

The second blank (similar to the first) was then attached to the lathe, using a screw chuck. A spigot was turned (48mm dia) plus a larger “bead” for forming 3 small feet at a later stage. The final outside shape was then completed. As this was going to be a lidded box, a section for the lid was parted off using a 3mm parting tool and a hand saw for the final part. (Note that the screw chuck was still in place for later remounting of the lid)

The bottom of the box was then reverse mounted. Next the edge of the box was shaped, and a “lip” turned to locate the lid at a later stage.

The inside of the box was then completed by using a 55degree bowl gouge, followed by using a negative rake scraper presented flat on the tool rest and rotated to follow the inner contour. The box was then reverse mounted in the tailstock.

The lid was then remounted in the headstock, and a rebate was turned to match the lip of the box. Next the box was butted up against the lid so that the circumference of the box and the lid could be turned and finished as an assembly.

It was noted that the laminations lined up nicely since only a 3mm parting tool was used.

A further bead was then applied to the box, and the inside of the lid was then finished and embellished using Terry’s ten-dollar tool.
Next the box was remounted in the headstock, and the lid was “jam chucked” onto it. With the tailstock in place the outside of the lid could now be completed.

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More beads and knurling added further embellishment to the lid.

Terry mounted some African Blackwood and proceeded to turn a knob and a small spigot to locate the knob to the lid.
The size of the small spigot was marked on the lid by holding the center of the lid (screw chuck hole) against the rotating spigot of the knob. This left a visible mark on the lid, identifying the size of the spigot!) A good trick to quickly establish the required size of the hole for the spigot)

Finally the box was remounted again and the lid was taped to the box for security. The hole was opened up to accept the spigot of the knob. The knob was then offered up to the lid and its final shape completed.

All in all a very interesting demo with plenty of little tricks to remember, including the expert tool control and execution.
Thank you Terry for the demo.
Also a thank you to Cam, for the preparation of the segmented blanks.

A Journey to 3D Printing – Ian Connelly

Club Meeting: 21 October 2015
Report by: Graeme Mackay

Great Scott, it’s back to the future day, Ian is leading us on a long technical path from the home origins of 3D printing through to the current future. Ian feels he is in the midpoint of a long journey started in the mid-1990s. 3D printing is an exciting IT and technical movement.  Although much is held under various patents, there is still a future going forward for this medium as many of the patents are expiring.

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There are many small 3D printing units available on the general retail market.  Companies such as Noel Leeming offering a $2000 unit in recent times. Ian looked at the course and said “I am going to do this myself”. He went to the net, that is the Internet, and started getting the bits to put together to make a 3-D printer. Ian used his CNC software skills to get going and joined it up with his vast knowledge of 3D CAD. A skill that started developing back in the mid-1990s and has been able to be kept on through due diligence, full application and perseverance of Woodturner.

The printing technologies have been here for a while and in various forms; extrusion printing, sintering printing and liquid polymer at the high end. So Ian headed out into the ionosphere of the blog set, open source joydem and special blogs (reprap.org).  Ian provided views of the earlier iterations of this printer. The one on display (see photo) fits into space 400mm x 400 mm x 250 mm. He made the observation that the smaller size printers are related to the size of the domestic doorway i.e. that is the amount that you can sneak through quickly before anyone sees aborted under the home.

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The next but it is a demonstration walk the audience through the requirements and choices;

  • deciding on the plastic type (in his case ABS)
  • the need for the printer to have its own computer operation and drive
  • the ability to drive from high end ST cards
  • the drive for the vertical axis
  • the drive is required for the X and Y axis
  • the choices stepper motor
  • the heated pad system for the base
  • the software choices (and they were many)

Many the parts for operation were sourced from China and Taiwan with a nuts and bolts and framing coming from New Zealand the software choices were many and varied. Ian stated that it was to do was ones background skills ability and the whatever. This later to whatever covered CAD, slicing software, computer interface software is or printer firmware.

There were many trials and tribulations (although he did not mention many of the letter and detail). One of the challenges is getting to learn how to bond the layers and developed support structures to assist the printing. Examples of the printing support structures were available for view in all their complexity and provided an excellent example of the physical technical requirements to be worked out for this type of “simple” printing operation.

Ian’s explanation of the printing process and calculations were interesting to the point of mind-boggling. Solid old-fashioned direct calculation of the steps and direction is required to make a layer by layer printing workout.

A quick and simple list of some of the physical requirements to be completed provides excellent idea of the complexity of this very simple 3-D printing project:

  • the direction of the steps
  • printing and stop locations
  • steps per millimetre vertical
  • multiple steps or multiple steps (I’m not sure which)
  • steps to accommodate the type plastic  being used
  • steps and temperature to ensure bonding

The machinery moving the plastics extruder has to perform the correct steps and movement along the way and within the correct axis. The little example provided required 4800 steps per millimetre of height for the Z axis. The belt driven machinery for the horizontal X and Y axis required 100 moves per horizontal millimetre.

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And then there’s a plastic extruder itself: an extensive technical subject with an item that has a hot in the cold end. Fan cooled to maintain the required temperature of the extrusion material. As always, in lead us up to further discussions of importance such as a grain of printed material, control of temperature in the printing zone, and a host of other things.

And the use the 3-D printed object; a replacement part to hold his daughter’s bicycle reflector.

Graeme Mackay

Mini Demos – Bruce Wiseman, Colin Wise

Club Meeting : 14 October 2015
Report by: Terry Scott

The evening started with informative information on projects the club supports –

  • Wig stands for Look Good Feel Better
  • Butterfly boxes for butterfly given to parents who have lost a child through cancer
  • Kidz First bowls
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For those new to the club we had a run through of how the Papakura sale of woodturning works.

The evening was to be a montage of demos of items suitable for the  Sale but because of the interest about the above was cut a little short.

A Plain Pen – demo by Bruce Wiseman
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  1. Start with a blank that is at least 190 long and 20 x 20mm. It is best to hold this in a 25mm chuck  but bring up a live centre for security . Or You  can hold it in the centre of a larger chuck, for this make the blank longer. Round it off.  Wind the speed up as this wood has a small diameter.
    Bruce showed an alternative of turning a dummy Mt2 on the blank; He said this made the repetition speed up as He didn’t have to take the chuck of between stages
  2. With the wood round, take the tailstock away. Use the dent made by the tailstock to start drilling a 3.5mm hole 130mm into the wood. Do this gently, withdrawing the drill after each 2 or 3 mm. Then drill a 4mm hole into the first 10mm of the wood. In soft wood the 3.5mm drill may have already made the start of the hole this large. Bruce held his drill bit in an old egg beater drill but said you can also make a wooden handle.
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  3. Remove the  pin from a  4mm  rivet insert in the drilled hole and bring the tail up again.
    This prevents the timber splitting when the timber is turned to the small size need to mate up with the refill
    Now shape the pen barrel. Knobs, beads, coves, burn lines, endless possibilities.
    Bruce used the Piano wire trick to add 3 black lines
    Bruce said he enjoys making different shapes but prefers a bulge about a third of the way up
    Continue shaping and sanding until almost ready to part off at the headstock end. Apply the finish of your choice.
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  4. Part off. Remove but don’t lose the pop rivet. Finish the parted off area. Insert a bic refill.
    A pen like this sells for $8 to $9 depending on the character of the wood and quality of finishThanks Bruce well done

A small bowl suitable for Kidz First – demo  by Colin Wise

As they say there are many ways to Skin a Cat
Because of the time frame Colin had come prepared with a blank with a spigot already turned on a 150mm cylinder blank
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He said he normally finishes the foot which is turned to 47mm so that the 50mm jaws grip all the way around the spigot not leaving a mark,
He then proceeded to turn the back of the bowl from the headstock side ,a difficult task for many as this was turned up hill which would normally leave torn grain to die for .He had obviously perfected this  method as a smooth finished that would have need little if any sanding at all
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Next He cut a grove at the rim with  a parting tool  3mm deep .This was so that the bevel had a shoulder to rest against and if he did have a dig in the side of the cutting tip  would be pushed clear.
He used a 35 degree 13mm bowl gouge on the bevel to shape the inside of the bowl
A Teeth biting moment was then had by many in the audience as he proceeded to cut from centre out, tool upside down.
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Yep you guessed it another very clean curve and finish, Sorry for doubting you Colin you sure had me sitting on the edge of my seat but be assured Ill be trying your technique on my next small bowl.
Thanks to both demonstrators that had put a lot of thought and planning into staging their respective demonstrations.
Cheers
Terry Scott

Show & Tell – 21 October 2015

Kidz First Bowl - Alan Day
Kidz First Bowl – Alan Day
Kidz First Bowl - Alan Day
Kidz First Bowl – Alan Day
Rata Bowl - Cam Cosford
Rata Bowl – Cam Cosford
Pedestal Bowl - Wim Nijmeijer
Pedestal Bowl – Wim Nijmeijer
Acrylic Pen - Pat Clay
Acrylic Pen – Pat Clay
Acrylic Pen and Corian Bowl - John White
Acrylic Pen and Corian Bowl – John White
Avocado - Wim Nijmeijer
Avocado – Wim Nijmeijer
Pens - Colin Wise
Pens – Colin Wise
Vase - Wim Nijmeijer
Vase – Wim Nijmeijer
Vase - Wim Nijmeijer
Vase – Wim Nijmeijer
Pepper Grinder - Richard Johnstone
Pepper Grinder – Richard Johnstone

Show & Tell – 23 September 2015

Blackwood Bowl - Ross Johnson
Blackwood Bowl – Ross Johnson
Walnut Bowl - Ross Johnson
Walnut Bowl – Ross Johnson
Off Centre Wall Piece - Carole Knowles
Off Centre Wall Piece – Carole Knowles
Off Centre Wall Piece - Carole Knowles
Off Centre Wall Piece – Carole Knowles
Off Centre Wall Piece - Carole Knowles
Off Centre Wall Piece – Carole Knowles
Off Centre Wall Piece - Carole Knowles
Off Centre Wall Piece – Carole Knowles
Spheres - Richard Johnstone
Spheres – Richard Johnstone
Off Centre Bowl - Colin Wise
Off Centre Bowl – Colin Wise
Funky Bit -Graeme Mackay
Funky Bit -Graeme Mackay
Pen - Colin Wise
Pen – Colin Wise
Bowl - Alistair Hancox
Bowl – Alistair Hancox

Offset Candle Holder – Richard Johnstone

Club Meeting: 23 September 2015
Report by Colin Wise

A set of plans is available here

Richard set the piece of wood in the lathe between steb centres, setting speed to around 2000 rpm. Turn to a rough round with a roughing gouge then explained that Warwick did it this way, Dick action went something like this, Phred will use a skew like this, while Terry winds up the speed and with the roughing gouge fires chips everywhere, Terry to a T.

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Richard went on to make quite a respectable shape with the 2 centre piece. Then went on to one he had started at home, which has 3 centres, giving a twist effect. Showing 1 to 2, 2 to 3 and 3 to 1 then said it was easier to colour the centers, red, green and black and do it red to red, black to black…

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He turned it using a roughing gouge and the the skew, with a slight whoopsy. Finishing it off with a bowl gouge, making it a very interesting evening.

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Well done Richard.

Off the Edge – Gary McDonald

Club Meeting: 16 September 2015
Report by : Alan Day

Gary shows us half a dozen trial pieces of work he had to do to get it right !  The inspiration of this piece came from Barbara Dill.

While starting his project at home, he had a loose fitting garment, and unconsciously slid it over the tool rest, while he was concentrating on the job in hand of trying not to let the off centre work strike him in any way ! now his left arm is entangled with the tool rest, he was trying to turn the lathe off, but couldn’t reach it with his right hand ! but eventually managed it ! phew, now he has a remote off switch, – once bitten !

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For our Demo he has a block of timber 110 x 110 x 130 mm, makes lines both ends from corner to corner, makes a centre mark, then another centre mark 35 mm along one of the lines, and at the other end a similar mark but in the on the other side of the centre mark, so it will look like a diamond when it is spinning !
Using a hand drill with a Forstner bit in, he drills shallow holes at a slight angle so when he has the block off centre, the two steb centres, one as a driver, and the other live,  will have a flat surface to push into. Gary offers the block up to the headstock steb centre, he brings the tailstock up and locks it with the Handle on the downward side, as recommended by Champion Wheel Maker – Brydon,

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The work is marked around with black lines to help guide the gouge while it’s spinning, and blue lines to show where the sphere will be, a 100 mm tool rest is brought up,and the block spun by hand to make sure it is all clear, Gary has a long Carbatec Universal Gouge handle, and fits a Bowl/Spindle Gouge with a 30 deg grind to it, gently offering it up to the spinning block rotating at 500 rpm, and we can hear the hit and miss, tic tic tic as the wood spins, and Gary is watching not the gouge, but the shadow on the top, working one side, then the other gradually deepens a groove, while pressing down the gouge firmly on the tool rest, to get a clean cut.

Gary stops the lathe to measure the width of the gap, and now he can change the 100 mm rest for a 30 mm to fit inside the groove, scary turning eh !
Gary recommends reading the article on Off Centre Turning by Barbara in the AAW magazine, now making deeper cuts while the wood wizzes past at an alarming rate, not a time to lose your concentration !   Now turning a ball at the bottom of the tapered groove, and widening the sides, Gary says be careful not to hit the right side while widening the left  or vice versa, now cutting the base next to the headstock end, he says Nick Agar uses an under hand grip, not possible with this rest,

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He has made a `Bow Sander’ to sand the ball, so instead of a bowstring, a long strip of sandpaper is stung between the ends, so he is able to sand the little ball while keeping his digits away from the spinning work, he stops the lathe and uses a Hot Melt Glue Gun to glue wedges in to support the unsupported nascent sphere, he says Barbara turns at a higher speed, and gets a better finish off the gouge,  check out the Web Site on Multi Axis Turning, doing lights cuts outside the tailstock end, and quickly gets the required shape. He recommends a book by David Ellsworth which suggests keeping the right hand further back on the gouge handle for greater control/leverage, left for left handers, he says one time he was at home and had to re-tighten the tailstock out several times, only to find the headstock was moving backwards !!
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Speeds of 800 rpm now, holding his gouge handle close to/touching his body, he didn’t complete the Off The Edge Sphere, but says at home it takes about 1 & 3/4 hours.

Questions are asked for, and answered, this was a really good demo, – of something we might not have thought of trying at home,
Thanks Gary for showing us how to, and not be afraid of the spinning lump of timber !
Cheers Mate,
Alan Day