Club Meeting: 22 Aug 2018
Report by: Cathy Langley

This Wednesday Colin Wise demonstrated the creation of a three-cornered bowl with upward-pointing wings, after showing us a number of other ways to use a cube of wood. These examples included several hollowed boxes with a variety of openings and included shapes, and an amazing tower of graduated thin-walled cylinders, resting on a cube from which these cylinders were cut by bandsaw.

To create the winged bowl, Colin mounted two opposite corners of a cube between centres, pressing the cube between the headstock spindle and tailstock cup. When spinning the cube, we saw separate points created by two sets of three corners.

With the lathe running at about 1000 rpm, Colin turned away the set of three corners nearest the tailstock to create and finish the external surface of the bowl, as well as a spigot at the tailstock end. After removing waste beyond the spigot, he reversed the workpiece to hold it with a 50mm chuck.

He then turned away the wood that was now at the tailstock side of the three points, creating three wings. When the spindle of waste between the points and the tailstock became thin enough, Colin knocked it off and then turned the inside of the bowl at higher speed (about 1400 rpm) using a cup tool , thinning the wings at the same time.

Interior sanding required care given the risk created by three points spinning around; Colin suggested shaping a curved wood-and-Velcro sandpaper holder to reach into the bowl while keeping the fingers safe. He used a sanding block to smooth the flat wing surfaces.

Colin pointed out the tearout that is inevitable in turning a cross-grained bowl, and suggested using sanding sealer during the final cuts, to minimise this. He then described finishing the outside and the foot with the bowl held between centres using cushioning at the headstock end to protect the inside surface.

Throughout, Colin repeatedly emphasised the need to check the alignment each time the workpiece was reversed, to ensure the bowl remained perfectly balanced. He agreed with members’ suggestion that the order of events could be modified to create a similar bowl with the corners of the rim pointing down instead of up.

Thanks, Colin, for a demo that was carefully planned and brilliantly executed.

Club Meeting: 15th August 2018
Report by: Bob Yandell

The term project for the guild members is to produce an item from a 125mm cube but true to past form Dick was not content with producing 1 item he made 6.

The block of wood was 125 x 125 x125mm Kahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides) White Pine. In addition to the block of wood Dick had a block that was cut into 9 pieces 41x41x125mm, give or take a fraction, and his Magic Box and wand. The pieces are held by the square end for spindle turning, long grain.

1.  BALL AND CUP TOY as per that in the Club projects.

The piece was held in the chuck with a Steb live centre in the tail stock, a practice used in all of the 6 demonstrations, whilst using the roughing gouge to round and roughly shape. The tail stock was removed to ease finishing with either a spindle gouge and/or skew. None of the pieces were sanded as Dick’s skill and technique resulted in clean surfaces.

The initial roughing process didn’t go without incident. The piece was not securely locked in the chuck and went walk about. Once back on the lathe and back on track the ball, 10mm in diameter was put in the Magic Box followed by the Cup. The Box was tapped with the wand and low and behold the finished toy, complete with ball attached with string was revealed.

2.   SANTA TREE DECORATION or was it a selfie? It is also as per that in the Club Projects.

This time Dick demonstrated that by putting masking tape on the tool rest and marking where the cuts were to be made saved time.

Once the Santa was finished it was parted off, close to the chuck, cutting a slight concave in the base. The Santa went into the Magic Box and tapped with the wand and low and behold the finished Santa, complete with beard and red and white clothing was revealed

3.  CHRISTMAS TREE.

The cone shape was roughly formed with the roughing gouge. With the tail stock removed Dick proceeded to cut 4 cones with the skew, with each getting wider, as he worked from the top of the tree toward the chuck. Care needs to be taken as the initial cuts forming the sides of the cone are not supporting the bevel.

After the cones are cut a trunk is formed with the parting tool and a base made. The Christmas was finished and parted off, close to the chuck, cutting a slight concave in the base. It too went into the Magic Box and tapped with the wand and low and behold the finished green tree was revealed.

4. A real challenge –  TEA LIGHT DECORATION using 4 of the pieces together for Inside Out Turning.

The key to the success of this is all 4 pieces being dimensionally equal.

In Dick’s demo the pieces are not glued but held, as a “block”, 80×80(indicative) in place between 2 chucks. This requires a live centre in the tail stock for 1 of the 100mm chucks. The wood between the chuck faces is divided roughly into 3. Mark all 4 faces with the lines so they can be clearly seen when the piece is turning.

An alternative to using 2 chucks is to use hotmelt glue on the ends only, firstly joining 2 pieces to form 1 of 80 x 40mm then join these, again with hotmelt on ends only. Carry this process out using the flat surface of your lathe bed. Wrap duck-tape around the glued ends and turn using spur drive and live centre.

Round the centre 3rd and ensure the sides are square.
Cut cove with a deep vee in the centre but don’t go too deep as you need strength for when you are turning the outside. Sand and finish.

Separate the pieces and reassemble so cove is on the inside and permanently glue. Keep glue away from inside so when assembled glue is not squeezed onto finished surface. (If using alternative method of spur drive and live centre turn a chuck bite and remount into scroll chuck.)

Remount and turn the outside to the desires profile. It too went into the Magic Box and tapped with the wand and low and behold the finished decoration complete with Tea light was revealed.

5. HONEY DIPPER as per that in the Club Projects.

Considered by most to be the most useless addition to your cutlery draw was put in the Magic Box and tapped with the wand and low and behold the finished item.

6. The final demonstration had us all wondering “What the Hell”.

This time, after roughing down to a round, Dick demonstrated that by putting masking tape on the tool rest and marking where the cuts were to be made. From the tail stock end and the measurements were 15,10, 15, 25.

The 15mm section was reduced to 6mm diameter and parted off and put into the Magic Box;
The 10mm section was reduced to 9mm diameter and parted off and put into the Magic Box;
The 15mm section was turned into a sphere and the 25mm section was turned into a cylinder then parted off and put into the Magic Box;

The remaining wood was hollowed to a depth of 23mm with a flat bottom and straight sides. The mouth was rounded with a bead produced on the outside lip.

A stem, like found on a wine goblet, complete with base was formed and parted off, close to the chuck, cutting a slight concave in the base. “It then went to the bandsaw” then into the Magic Box and tapped with the wand and low and behold the finished item – a doll, complete with hair courtesy of Dick’s dog, sitting in a chair was revealed.

A challenging demo if ever there was one.

Club Meeting: 8 Aug 2018
Report by: Earl Culham

The term project for the guild members is to produce an item from a 125mm cube. Terry proceeded to show those in attendance how to make a winged lidded box from a 125mm cube of matai, which one of the hawk eyed observers caused Terry to admit that his cube was in fact only 122.5mm. That is not a bad observation from about 3m away, but it was typical of the fine repartee that took place during a most informative and entertaining demonstration.

As is usual with Terry’s demonstrations there were lots of tips and helpful hints e.g.

• Turn the cube cross grain
• Make sure that when centering the cube for a screw chuck, that you get the exact centre. Terry use a Stanley knife to mark the centre, then a centre punch finishing with a smack on the handle of a Phillips screw driver on the centre spot to ensure that when you drill the screw chuck hole the drill does not wander due to the grain
• Sharp tools are essential, when the chisel starts to feel dull; a couple of quick swipes on the CBN wheel will bring it back to sharp again.
• Use finger nail ground bowl gouges. Terry’s preference is to grind the tip so that the wings are swept back. Use 35deg and 55deg gouges.
• Hold the chisel handle in a lowered position, rub the bevel and then raise the handle until it begins to cut cleanly.
• Use negative rake scrapers; they are much more forgiving than the traditional grind.
• Keep your eye out for any early 20th century paino’s left on the side of the road for the inorganic collections. If you spot one, grab the black keys, they will be ebony. Great for making small finials. You might spot the odd ebony ornament on Trademe as well.
• Be careful how thin you make the wings, they may need support with bracing and hot melt glue, depending on the thinness and the sort of timber you use.

Terry finished the winged lidded box by adding some embellishment with his famous $10 texture tool which of course doesn’t cost $10, but adds $10 value to your work each time it is used. Well, that is what Terry reckons and he would be right!