A weekend of firsts

[gomeral]

This weekend I blew out my first blank - got greedy with the spindlemaster and tried to turn down a wood blank to bushing + light sanding diameter. Doh! It was a slimline, so I kept both tubes - one for the visual reminder, and one to try to make a "mix-n-match pen" next time I do it. On the plus side, now I have a reason to buy spare tubes...

I also got my first penmaking injury - I guess I'm not supposed to hold the blank in my hand when using the barrel trimmer in a cordless drill. I wear carpenter's gloves in the shop (no thumb/index/middle finger tips) and the blank spun out of my fist and whipped over the tip of my index finger, cutting it beside and below the nail. Nothing serious, but I've finally christened my lathe with my own blood. (I was standing right in front of it when I did this, and it splattered.) Doh! :redface:

So now that I've learned my lesson and have a set of channel lock pliers to hold the blanks, I thought I'd ask what's the accepted norm for holding the blanks to square the ends. I hate using the pliers, I feel like I have less control over the blank...but maybe it just takes some getting used to...



daniel

 

[1080Wayne]

Daniel Much safer to use a vise to hold the blank . Wayne

 

[nava1uni]

I have a set of wooden jaws that I use on my vise so that the wood isn't damaged when using the trimmer. You can also get magnetic rubber jaws that work on a metal vise.

 

[rjwolfe3]

I use a vise but I have been having problems with the blanks wanting to slide down the vise. I think the vise is shot and keeps getting loose.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Daniel,
I still hold the blank with my fingers if it's wood or acrylics... I can't hold an antler blank because it's not square and nothing to really grip. But I also always use the drill press to run the pen mill and can control the pressure better. For the antlers I do use the channel locks. I also drill the antlers by holding them with channel locks. Over the years I've been turning, I've had more than my share of thumb knocks when I loose the blank and it spins around and catches me on the knuckle. I drill my blanks on the lathe now because I get a much more concentric drill than what I used to get on the DP.

I'm not saying I'm correct in my technique, just the way I've always done it.

 

[jkeithrussell]

Use a belt sander and you won't have this problem.

Also, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to use your spindlemaster once the blank is round to take it all the way to the bushings. Some people make pens perfectly well using nothing but a spindle gouge.

 

[rick_lindsey]

Some people make pens perfectly well using nothing but a spindle gouge.

My pens are far from perfect, and it'd be a stretch to say they were turned "well", but I typically just use the spindle gouge (except a parting tool for euros of course). The Skew and I don't get along just yet, though I should practice.

On the mill front, I typically use a big wooden clamp (I forget what they're called, but it has 2 threaded rods through 2 big wooden "jaws") and the drill press for squaring/trimming my blanks with the mill.

Err, and a stupid question, but what's a spindlemaster?

-Rick

 

[jkeithrussell]

spindlemaster is a turning tool that is sort of a combination of a gouge and a skew. considered to be easier to use than a skew and more versatile.

 

[gomeral]

Use a belt sander and you won't have this problem.

I have a small disc/belt sander, I may start using this. Only problem has been that it's very hard to set the fence/table up square to the disc...maybe it's time to look at it in more detail and see what I can do.

Also, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to use your spindlemaster once the blank is round to take it all the way to the bushings. Some people make pens perfectly well using nothing but a spindle gouge.

I suppose I wasn't quite clear, I meant that I got greedy while trying to turn it down that small, and I caught and blew out the blank because I wasn't being as gentle as I should have been. I wasn't blaming the spindlemaster! :redface:



daniel

 

[JimB]

When using the mill I hold the blank in my hand... but I wear a leather glove. I use a VS cordless drill. I think I've only ever had 1 spin on me but with the leather glove no damage done.

 

[HSTurning]

I only started turning around May. I did my first 15-20 pens drilling the blanks that were clamped to a table. That made for some very off center blanks. I also have used my cordless to clean up the tubes. The first 10-15 pens i had no problem, then i had the first catch with the pen mill. Between the skin i lost on my palm and the skin between the thumb and index I was unable to turn for a few days. Started using a 48" pipe clamp. I still do now if I'm rushing. I now have a drill press and a vise tho. Much safer and cleaner.