Club meeting: 18 September 2024
Report by Roger Pye

As usual Dick had done his homework on producing various cruets from recycled plastic. So, his demo was a story in three parts.  

Part One – Selection of recycled plastic.

The plastic to be reused for turning must be HDPE. For recycled plastic, the ID is 2. It is most commonly used in the production of milk bottles. Other sources are available, white pill-bottles from your chemist is worth a try.    

Having obtained your collection of HDPE scrap it must then be broken down into small pieces. A good pair of secateurs will do the job.

Part Two – Rework the scrap plastic into a suitable “turning” size.  

The shape and size of your blank is determined by the dimensions of the end product you wish to make. This involves using dense and strong wood to construct a mould which will be capable of withstanding high pressure. Normally the mould will be made in two equal halves and be held together in two opposite directions with coach bolts. (ie Eight bolts). Using a Forstner drill bit, drill a centre hole to the depth required. A close fitting “ram-rod” is needed to apply pressure when your scrap plastic is inserted.

Your item to be made will require a predetermined weight of plastic, (ie Prior to turning) Weigh-out this weight in scrap and proceed to soften as follows. Use an oven or other form of controlled heating. Maximum temperature 180º. A couple of Teflon sheets (obtainable from the Warehouse or Briscoes) help to avoid your softened plastic from sticking in the wrong places. When softened at 180º and using gloves, start kneading your soft plastic and eliminate air bubbles. While still soft, or if necessary reheated, insert into your compression mould and apply the best pressure you decide is necessary to achieve a solid blank of plastic.

A typical wood-vice will suffice, or other like cramping tool.
Remove from mould by unbolting the two halves of your wooden mould.

Part Three – Making a plastic cruet set

These items are really a matter of choice. Bear in mind that a mould can be made to match any simple shape. The outer section of a mustard cruet and an inner bowl for it can be formed in premade moulds and cleaned up for use with sharp tools. Typically, this is likely to be a repetitive production line set-up.

Run your turning speed as low as 500 RPM. With sharp tools a good finish is possible. When sanding, choose a slow speed as any friction gets hot and will melt rather than sand. Perhaps wet and dry sanding could achieve a better result.

Using the same mix of recycled plastic, a matching set of salt and pepper grinders can easily be added to this collection. Because the plastic “Crush Grind” elements are inclined to slide around inside the actual cruet set of holders, some effort should be made to dig out notches for the grinder components to “lock-in” within the newly turned holders.

Conclusion

SAWG are fortunate to have a Dick Veitch who is clearly committed to exploring every nook and cranny of woodturning and then demonstrating to members how to use plausible and worthwhile methods. This is just another example.  

Club Meeting: 11 September 2024
Report by: Bob Yandell

The club had the good fortune to have 4 experts present on the key equipment we have or use either at the Club or at home:

• Bandsaw 
• Bench Grinder 
• Lathe
• Chucks
  

Bandsaw – Mark Williams

Mark outlined his background associated with Bandsaws which began as a Saw Doctor in the Waipārera Sawmill through sales at Thode and his current position at Carbatec. Starting with the history of bearing blocks of Black Maire soaked in oil, multiple steel bearings through to Ceramics, again with oil and then the current home used bandsaws and their bearings. The affect of oil and sawdust on the performance of the bandsaw. 

The structure and choice of the Bandsaw blade was explained and the correct unfolding and folding of the blade drew admiration from all present. The ideal blade is a bimetal blade, 6TPI and 1/4 inch. The blade should be tensioned as much as possible and once tensioned a maximum of 5mm movement side to side. Clean the wheel with turpentine to remove any sawdust. Regular cleaning is recommendeD

Grinder – Dick Veitch

A quick overview of the key safety features to be observed.

• Safety shield should be put down after use.
• Lock the slide once correct position has been set. 
• Never put Tool Steel on CBN wheel.

The white or blue wheel (Aluminium oxide) is for tool steel tools. The aluminium oxide wheel can be cleaned and flattened with the diamond dresser. Tool Steel sparks much more when being ground, if in doubt test your tool on the aluminium oxide wheel.

Lathe – Roger Latimer

The focus was how to remove the clean and maintain the Headstock , tailstock and the banjo. 

The focus on the Headstock was the need to be sure to remove the power source and wait at least 5 minutes before removing the cover plate as the unit is designed to hold power for a short period to prevent damage. The Headstock only needs to be cleaned once a year or when an error message “0 or 1” is displayed. The locking pin is made of steel and the indexing wheel is made of aluminium so susceptible to damage if over loaded. Vacuum the dust out and be careful if blowing.

The tailstock should be cleaned more frequently as dust can get in the quill. Keeper plate is subject to wear on the headstock side due to the pressure exerted when drilling, it can be turned around or should be replaced. It needs to be lubricated with graphite grease.

The banjo can be adjusted and a light lubricant applied.

Chuck – Ian Connelly 

Remove the jaws.

Use quality circlip pliers to remove the circlip from the back of the chuck as the tension in the clip is likely to break cheaper versions.
Ensure the position of the slides are marked (use a sharpie) or a centre punch to mark the first slide. For a supernova chuck hit the insert with a wooden mallet and the protective dust cover will pop off. Remove the scroll ring and slides. Clean using throttle/carburetor  cleaner as it will not leave a residue and apply a light coating of grease. 

Reassemble in the reverse order. Push the slides into the centre. You may need to rotate the scroll ring to get it to seat correctly on the slides.

I serviced one of my chucks to make sure that I was following the directions and I failed, hence the need to move the scroll ring until the slide adjusters located. Refer Teknatool.com – How to service Nova Chucks.

A thorough and comprehensive series of demonstrations. Needs to be repeated.

Club Meeting: 4 September 2024
Report by : Anwar Jahan

Turned from a 2 X 4″ pin oak
Machined accurately (rectangle)
Screw chuck to hold

Other timbers that work – Rimu, Oak, etc.
Speed 1200 rpm
Spigot for a 30 mm chuck
Using parting tool for making spigot
Used 35 mm bowl gouge
First get the feet right
Then start hollowing till the spigot

If you make it thin then you can make holes and patterns
Eye ball for the depth of the tea light candle height
Make it roundish at the bottom where the spigot 
Then you can blend or remove the spigot
Touch up the sharp edges and sand the underneath 
If turning is good, minimum sanding is required
Turn the project around and mount it on the 30 mm chuck
Use a jacobs chuck to drill 1.5″ hole

Support the jacobs chuck drill at 250 rpm mankind sure it does not go through the bottom
Make a Bead, keep checking the depth. Turn at 1200 rpm to make the curve
Can increase to 1400 rpm, thickness between 3 to 4 mm
As a guide mark the side with pencil for guidance (stop and see)
Can use sheer scrape cut to get better finishing

Then shape the bead (keep checking depth by placing the tealight candle in the depression)
Use parting tool and skew chisel for shaping the bead
Now reverse mount the project in 30 mm chuck in expansion make to take off spigot

Pyrography

Design of decoration inspired by Greek pottery in 1000 B.C. 
Black in the background and then coloring

Burn master – use 5B pencil to ensure no damage to fibres of wood
Free hand drawing of flower
Creating a deep groove or scar to the depth of 1 mm
Razor tips also can be used
Pinky finger to be used as support on wood for stability
Try to get smooth curves
Clean tip with brass wire brush to remove carbon build up 
No need of shading pyrography if you are going to color it
At level 4 on the burn master
Use fan to blow smoke away from yourself for health and safety reasons
Random pattern – frame the edge

Treat over burns with nail polish remover or thinner
Can use 600 grit sandpaper for tidying up

Acrylic paint and dyes
Soak leaves in water with brush opens the fibres
Then dip paintbrush in dyes and apply (blend colors)
Kauri wood has gum so could react differently 
Color should be medium thick so it’s evenly coated
Dye on top of acrylic

Terry started off with an interesting story about some of his Deer Antler Boxes having pride of place between tow intricately carved antlers worth over a million dollars each.

The buttons are what is shed after the antlers are harvested for their velvet a supposed aphrodisiac.

Terry started by flattening off one side on a belt sander so it can be mounted on a wooden faceplate with hot melt glue. He drilled a hole in the centre of the button and the face plate was prepared with a nub in the centre for location purposes.

The assembly needs to be turned relatively fast (2000rpm) as the surface is uneven. With the handle of the gouge well down cutting above centre. Terry explained that wider wings and a smaller bowl look better and a smaller piece of button can then be used for the lid, the spigot needs to be flat an parallel. There is no grain so a good finish can be achieved with a skew used as a negative rake scraper. Sand to 400 grit and then use the sanding pad for a finer finish. Apply EEE or Shellawax finish. The item will take the Timberly Textura well.

Remove any wax from the foot before remounting for the upper surface. Use a hot air gun to remove from the faceplate or it can be parted off.

Mount in a small jaw chuck and flatten the top. Drill a hole in the centre to the depth required and measure the wing width to scribe a circle for the hollowing. A recess and small bead can now be cut for the lid to fit into, the inside can be finished with a small round nosed scraper.

Another button mounted to a faceplate as before is now prepared and cut to fit the recess prepared for it rough shape the lid. Using the base as a jam chuck finish the lid using tailstock pressure for safety. Finish as per the base.

A hole is drilled in the lid to take a piece of dark wood to make the finial, which is glued in preferably with 5 minute Epoxy sand before reducing the finial point as it will be very delicate and could fly apart as Terry’s did.

The body can then be mounted onto a chuck using the lid recess to carefully reduce the spigot to for a neat foot of your choosing.

Thank you Terry once again for a well put together and informative demonstration.

Club Meeting: 21 August 2024
Report by: Garry Jones

Shannon gave a quick introduction of himself and what his demo was going to cover this evening

Inspiration – He started off talking about what things you can get inspiration from by thinking out side the box of woodworking and showed us a pottery cup that his daughter had made and decorated by using a screwdriver to make the patterns

He also talked about using other tools that you might have lying around in your shed and experimenting with patterns and not to be afraid to try something new as it might lead to something exciting

Shannon then talked to a few bowls that he had experimented on and embellished with different methods and tools and showed us the techniques he used

He then demonstrated how he uses the Woodcut Pro mount artist clamp that had a bowl attached and created a pattern with a Phillips screwdriver into the walnut bowl, when he had completed the pattern he then filled to marks with a coloured wood filler (Timbermate) that he purchased from Bunnings

Next he moved onto the demo about Paint Carving- He mentioned a friend of his that is doing this type of art Hikurangi Edwards, she is worth while looking up if you want inspiration to get into this medium.

Shannon demonstrated and talked about how he prepares the bowl and how many layers/coats of paint he puts on and this depends on what you want to achieve, he used Resene test pots for the paint and typically put on 30-50 coats. He also mentioned that the paint takes a lot longer to dry in the winter between coats so this might be something you want to think about.

He showed us the tools that he cuts the patterns with which is just a normal lino cutting set that he got from an art shop but you can also get them from Bunnings/Mitre10 or Temu etc

Cutting the groves for the pattern is a lot easier that cutting wood as the is no grain to create resistance but you do need to make sure that you control the depth and pressure during the cut

The audience asked a lot of good questions and Shannon gave very good and informative answers, one question was “can you use a Dremel on the paint” and he said he didn’t know but had a Dremel with him so he tried it and guess what, it worked, so we all learnt something

Shannon then invited members to come up and have a try which a few of us did and found that it was reasonably easy to do so hopefully we will see some examples of the demo on our Show n tell in the future

Thank you Shannon for a very informative and inspiring demo

Club Meeting: 14 August 2024
Report by Graeme Mackay

Janet provided an interesting and colourful way of using other materials such as metal wire for inlays into wood.

The sections and techniques were clearly defined with examples, demonstration pieces and a whole array of tips and assists. The overall goal being to insert metal wire into turned and carved Wood Craft pieces. And as the demonstration proceeded, Janet highlighted an arrangement of uses that this form of embellishment can be used. Janet showed design layouts and ways in which you apply your own particular application skill level.

Cloisonné:

Janet showed aluminum  cloisonné wire that is rectangular in shape. Working from standard sizes and commercial based products. Also she showed how to use round copper wire using the same techniques.

Channeling:

Carving channels to fit in wire is an important part of the wire application and one that needs much practice and patience. Clean grooves are a constant for this and the laying process. Carving a channel deep enough that 1mm of the wire protrudes from the surface of the wood. Remember to keep your wood shaving for later.

Wire fixing

Thin CA glue was used to dampen the channels and then wire inserted. Then use sawdust to fill any gaps where your channel might have got a bit wide. Apply CA again and allow it to totally dry.

Sanding:

Speed is not your friend when getting your wood and wire to a smooth even surface. Do not put the wood back on the lathe to skim or use a bench top sander. The friction from the fast movement and heat buildup will soften your CA glue and the wire and bits of  wire will pop out.  Use a hand held mouse sander or a dremel style drum sander first. Then hand sand down to 400 to 600 grit. Do not use a Beal buff system to polish as it will reheat the wire. Any oil or wax is fine to use.

Club Meeting: 7 Aug 2024
Report by: Ian Connelly

Glenn started by saying the inspiration for this was a youtube by Ronald Kanne.

He started by mounting the blank on a worm screw, rounded the timber and marked the centre, as well as 30mm either side of centre. Another mark was put 20mm down the side of the blank on either side. These marks were used to take the corners off the blank

The design involves turning out the centre then putting an insert in each side of the flask. This insert area was marked at 105mm.

Glenn then hollowed the vessel and formed a shoulder for the insert to rest on.

The vessel was then turned around and mounted on 100mm jaws in expansion mode. The hollowing was then repeated from the other side.

A Munro hollower was used to hollow under the rim.

Glenn then mixed powdered dye with isopropyl alcohol and rubbed in onto the vessel, using multiple coats to build it up to the desired colour.

Then Glenn moved onto making the disks to insert into the flask. He mounted the disk in the chuck and marked the size as measured from the recess. It was turned to size.

The insert was glued into the vessel, then the process was discussed further and it was determined that his normal process would have been to turn both disks before getting the glue out. (demo nerves)

He then drilled the hole for the spout to be put into

(Let us assume glue had not been used yet) The disks would then be smoothed to final shape, using the flash as a jam chuck. One side at a time with the other recess being used to mount the flask on the 100mm jaws.

He then turned the spout and a stopper from a spindle blank.

An entertaining demo, with techniques and inspiration for us all. Thanks Glenn.

Club Meeting 31 Jul 2024
Report by Roger Pye

Denise would happily toss away housekeeping in favour of woodturning. Her campervan is ready to roll complete with mini lathe to join in with any convention where there are other woodturners doing their stuff as well. No, she does not travel alone; her husband is there to do the driving and provide the meals or as time permits is out visiting the local sights.
So, this time, at her favourite SAWG Clubrooms, she elected to show us how to use other materials than just wood.

Being naturally inclined to produce items of jewellery, her choice was to make a pendant. The materials comprised a 4mm slice of pure white deer antler, together with a 4mm slice of jet-black buffalo horn. These two separate pieces were held in place face to face with double sided adhesive tape. A scroll saw was then used to cut an interesting design.

A drill press is used to drill an 8 mm hole through the joined slabs in the centre of the pendant scroll. When the two 4mm slabs were separated and one of the two pieces reversed, an exact fit is achieved. These two pieces are then permanently held in place with superglue.

With appropriate shaped blocks of wood fashioned to fit and hold the pendant centrepiece in the lathe the outer edge is carefully trimmed. Because of possible variations in thickness, a 10 mm round rubber pad is used at the tailstock.

8 mm diameter black and white infill buttons are turned-up separately about 10 mm long. Each is cut to an appropriate length for insertion in contrasting positions on the pendant.

A dense piece of mounting wood for the pendant is cut to a diameter of 60 mm. A Forstner bit of 38 mm diameter is used to cut out the initial mounting hole. The depth and final diameter are turned to get the exact fit for the pendant. The newly made disc is glued into place using medium Superglue.

A suitable “jamb-chuck” is then made for the final finishing of the new pendant. With the usual grades of sanding and polishing materials the front face of the pendant is brought up to a highly polished and smooth finish. Using the same wooden “jamb chuck”, reverse the pendant and polish the backside.

A small hole drilled through your selected top edge of the pendant will enable the fitting of a cord on which to hang the pendant around your neck.

Thank you Denise.

Club Meeting: 24 July 2024
Report by: Ian Connelly

This demo was of two of the projects the Guild does to support the community. Wig Stands are donated to Look Good Feel Better in support of those going through chemotherapy. Butterfly Boxes are in support of Child Cancer, where parents of those children that don’t survive are given a glass butterfly which is presented in a hand turned wooden box, rather than a small cardboard box.

Both of these projects have multiple project sheets.

Wig Stand
Wig Stand Shafts
Wig Stand – Ball & Vase Shaft
Wig Stand – Drunken Shaft
Wig Stand – Handshake Shaft

Box, Butterfly #1
Box, Butterfly #2
Box, Butterfly #3
Box, Butterfly #4

Wig Stand as turned by Dick for the Demo.

BASE

Mount blank for base between steb centres, check everything is tight, check speed is 500rpm.

With a set of calipers set to 46mm mark the spigot on the bottom of the blank, and then cut the spigot.

Remount the piece in the chuck (standard 50mm jaws). Speed up the lathe and shape the top surface.

Drill a 26mm hole for the stem, and clean up the surfaces with a sharp gouge (push cut) and sand.

Reverse into Mini Spigot Jaws and tidy up the bottom surface and sand.

HEAD

As with the base – Mount between stebs, but spigot 46mm, mount on spigot.

Because Dick was using timber with the grain running along the bed of the lathe, he was able to round the piece with the Spindle Roughing Gouge. He then cleaned up and straightened the bottom with a small bowl gouge, and sand bottom.

Drill a 26mm hole for the stem.

Mount on Mini Spigot Jaws, and shape the top. Sand the top,

STEM/SPINDLE

Mount between steb centres, round with the spindle roughing gouge.

Dick then marked up the pattern he was planning for the spindle – 14mm each end for the spigot, then a bead at each end. From the top he then marked out for a cove, another bead then a longer ogee shape.

The spigots were formed with the parting tool. The parting tool was then used to mark out the transition points of the other features.

A spindle gouge was tehn used to form the beads and the cove, and then back to the spindle roughing gouge the shape the ogee. Sand it all up.

The next process is you take it off to test fit, find your spigots are too big, put it back on to trim….

Finally you glue it together with a good wood glue, and spray it with lacquer/polyurethane or another hard finish that will not transfer to the wig.

Butterfly Box

Mount between centres, make a spigot.

Mount on the spigot – tailstock up and round the wood.

Put a spigot on the other end.

Part off the base, the lid remains in the chuck.

Clean up the lid, make a step in the edge as the lid will sit inside the box.

Mount the base in the chuck, initially hollow with a bowl gouge. Dick finished the hollowing with the Soren Berger end grain hollower. (this could be done with the square scraper)

Disk then worked on fitting the lid, tuning the size with a skew as a scraper.

Your can then tidy up the spigots using a method of your choosing.

As with always it is a pleasure to watch Dick with some wood and the chisels, always got a tip to share and demonstrates a mastery of the tools we can all aspire to.

Club demo: 3 July 2024
Report by: Ian Connelly

Kieran started the night by showing us what he was going to make, it was a spoon with a lid as designed by Guilio Marcolongo. He then talked about how useful such a device is. He then acted out scooping some sugar and walking across the room, pretending to trip. This is where his youthful enthusiasm failed and he hit the floor, the audience gasped thinking this was the end of the demo. Kieran leap up and on the show went. Fortunately all of the senior members of the club also survived the shock.

Kieran start with a blank 165 x 55 x 50, then a 20 x 50 piece was cut out of it, and a waste block glued in it place. The piece that was cut out was carefully marked to allow for realignment of grain later.

Handle end to the tailstock, he rounded to blank and added a spigot at the tailstock end.

Mounting it in a chuck he turned a sphere for the outside of the spoon bowl.

This sphere was mathematically calculated, firstly by taking the diameter of 46 and multiplying by 0.293, resulting in 13.5, this was to be the length to measure to take the first corners off. The next length was 46 multiplied by 0.1075, which gave 5mm, the length to measure to take off the four corners that were left by the last cut. Then he smoothed up the sphere. He also got out the Soren Berger designed sphere caliper which does these proportions for you.

He then proceeded to remove the bulk from the handle area. He turned a couple of timy beads by the spoon bowl, finished turning the handle. Used a wire to friction burn a couple of embellishments on the handle.

It was then sanded, and parted off.

He then talked about how to mount the spoon to allow him to hollow the bowl. The final invention he came up with (or subconsciously copied) was a cardboard tube split and put in nova spigot jaw to protect the wood.

He then turned off the waste block, and hollowed the spoon.

The lid

The piece that had been removed from the original spoon blank had bee glued to another waste block. This was mounted in 50mm jaws.

Kieran turned the wood round, faced it off and hollowed the lid of the box, making and testing the tenon of the lid was going to fit the spoon.

The then partially shaped the top and parted it off, before making a jam chuck with the remaining waste block to tidy up the lid.

It was a great demo by Kieran of one of the projects on this website that does not get made very often.

https://sawg.org.nz/sawg/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Spoon-Box-Guilio.pdf