Aug/Sep meeting planning and chatting

[gketell]

Hokay, 2 months from the last meeting is mid/late august so we should try to schedule the next meeting for around then. But, our norm is to "miss" by a month so mid/late sept is also fair game. When we get the when/where figured out we can start another thread for the details.

Some folks were wanting to do a casting session again. Since there is a lot of $$ and prep in doing that can I see a show of hands of folks who want to? If it is just a few of the crowd maybe we do that a separate day and do something else during the get together. Actually, I'll put up a poll. Please vote.

The challenge for this coming meeting is to turn some eggs. Big, small, solid, hollow, what ever you feel like. But start a-layin' so we have things to talk about and show off. I made my first eggs yesterday and my first nice egg today so the challenge is working in getting some of us back to the lathe!

 

[gketell]

Just to whet your appetite to try an egg...

This was my third successful (5th total) egg. It was an ugly piece of dried up mango I've had in a box for years and years...

"Stabilized" with thin CA, sanded then sprayed with Deft rattle-can lacquer. 2-1/2" tall by 1-3/4" wide.

Pardon the cell-phone pictures.

 

[kludge77]

I voted yes. I've never seen it and I'm totally interested.

If the meeting is anywhere but the central valley (sorry central folks ) I plan on coming.

 

[nava1uni]

Your egg is really cool. I guess I need to start working on eggs. I can do anything after the weekend of August 6th.

 

[turn4fun]

Hi Everyone..

Those eggs are supposed to be a real challenge.. the instructors in the turning class that Connie and I took at Craft USA didn't have us try it in class. Instead, they told us if we really want to stretch our abilities with the skew to try turning eggs and stick with it until we can finally do it. By the way, when we were in Provo at the 2010 Utah Woodturning Symposium, there was a contest open to anyone.. to see who could turn the fastest egg! That was a great and really inspiring symposium, definitely worth going to.. it had to be because it's where we met Cindy!

If possible, we'd greatly prefer Sept over August for our next meeting. We have a 15 day out of state RV trip planned for the last half of August. We really want to attend our next meeting, specially since we missed this last one. It's been too long since we've seen everyone. In addition, we'd love to learn some casting basics.

Regards.. Connie and Larry

 

[gketell]

Hi Everyone..

Those eggs are supposed to be a real challenge.. the instructors in the turning class that Connie and I took at Craft USA didn't have us try it in class. Instead, they told us if we really want to stretch our abilities with the skew to try turning eggs and stick with it until we can finally do it. By the way, when we were in Provo at the 2010 Utah Woodturning Symposium, there was a contest open to anyone.. to see who could turn the fastest egg! That was a great and really inspiring symposium, definitely worth going to.. it had to be because it's where we met Cindy!

If possible, we'd greatly prefer Sept over August for our next meeting. We have a 15 day out of state RV trip planned for the last half of August. We really want to attend our next meeting, specially since we missed this last one. It's been too long since we've seen everyone. In addition, we'd love to learn some casting basics.

Regards.. Connie and Larry

I can vouch for them being a real PITA using a skew. Attached are my first two attempts that I tried to do with a skew. After those I switched to a spindle gouge + 80-grit gouge.

 

[nava1uni]

I think that this challenge is going to be a RPITT. How big was the piece of wood to start?
September would work for me.

 

[gketell]

I think that this challenge is going to be a RPITT. How big was the piece of wood to start?
September would work for me.

For which piece? The Mango wasn't much bigger than it is finished. A little less than 2-3/4" "square", finished out at 2-1/2".

The first failure (the better looking one) went really well. I only cut the turned dowel by a little bit to get the egg shape. It just had a few "skates" that I thought I had turned out until I stopped the lathe and looked at it after sanding it. The second failure (the "what the heck is that?" one) started out as a 2+" block of red oak and ended up less than an inch before it was "done". Skews and I really don't get along!!

ps: rpitt? Real Pain in the T____?

 

[reefboy1]

"real pain in the tush"?

Greg - nice looking eggs. I'll try one this weekend with both skew and spindle gouge.

Where is the next meeting going to be?

 

[gketell]

"real pain in the tush"?

Greg - nice looking eggs. I'll try one this weekend with both skew and spindle gouge.

Where is the next meeting going to be?

Well we've done North and South, seems like it should be "center" this time. If nobody else around here wants to host I'm willing.

Sept 10th looks good on my calendar. How about everyone else?

 

[turn4fun]

Greg, Sep. 10 works well for us. Thanks for volunteering to host. I guess I'm going to have to figure out how to sharpen my 80 grit gouge.:biggrin: Larry

 

[ldubia]

Well we've done North and South, seems like it should be "center" this time. If nobody else around here wants to host I'm willing.

Sept 10th looks good on my calendar. How about everyone else?

That is also the date of the BAWA meeting. How about a Sunday meeting so we can go to both meetings? I have some materials I need to get back to them. If not, I can make the trip out there, get the materials in, and go to the meeting. I'm good for most anything.

 

[gketell]

Dang, i gotta get the bawa meetings into my calendar!
Sunday is fine with me but others are more sensitive to that. Thoughts from the crowd?

 

[darcisowers]

weird. I replied last night, but it 'ain't there... It managed to keep my vote, but lost my reply. again, I say, weird.

We're up for it. also want to do the casting. Currently our only conflict is the weekend of Aug 20 (just before Abby starts school).

Shhhh - Sept 11th is a certain guy in this household's birthday.... :tongue: And that weekend also marks my second year of penturning.

 

[kenlicciardello]

Sunday should be fine with me also. Are the bawa meetings open to anyone? Any idea how much dues are? Sounds like they do some good stuff.

 

[Dave_M]

Only weekends I know I can't make it are the third weekends of the month. I have an on going theatrical lighting gig that I do those weekends. Other than that I should be free.

 

[reefboy1]

That sunday is currently fine with me as well.

Ken - you can attend the BAWA meetings without being a member. Membership is only $40 a year though...

Art

 

[ldubia]

That sunday is currently fine with me as well.

Ken - you can attend the BAWA meetings without being a member. Membership is only $40 a year though...

Art

And definitely worth the time and money to go. Very informative, professional demos, sawdust sessions, discussions, etc. They also have a library of materials to check out at $1/month for each item.

 

[turn4fun]

Sunday works for Connie and I.. Larry

 

[kenlicciardello]

Thanks Art and Larry. Sounds like a great deal. I think I will join and try to get to some of the meetings. I found their website and they have some nice projects.

 

[nava1uni]

"real pain in the tush"?

Greg - nice looking eggs. I'll try one this weekend with both skew and spindle gouge.

Where is the next meeting going to be?

Art got it right. I have tried eggs in the past, but they appeared mutant in form. I will keep trying. I looked at George's jig, but I am not sure that I get it. I think that I will have to read it a few times.

Sunday works for me and I would also like to get to both meetings. BAWA meetings are real good. I always learn something new.

 

[gketell]

I looked at George's jig, but I am not sure that I get it. I think that I will have to read it a few times.

One way to hold the egg to turn/sand off the final tenon is to have a "jamb chuck" to fit the egg into. I've seen them made out of PVC pipe by glueing one end of the pipe to a face plate then cutting the other end length-wise so you have several "fingers". Push your egg into the pipe and use a band clamp to snug it into place.

George's jig uses a plumbing repair tube that does the same sort of thing. It has a rubber grommet that is V shaped and the thread on cap is V shaped in the opposite direction. When you thread the cap on it forces the rubber grommet into a smaller diameter. So you turn your egg to the diameter of the pipe the jig is made for, slide the egg into the jig and tighten the cap to hold it in place.

BUT, you need something on the inside to keep the egg at the right depth and off the chuck and in proper alignment. So you turn a cylinder to fit inside the jig and turn a V shape (to capture and center the round egg) in the end of it. By adjusting the length of this inset you adjust how far your egg goes into the clamp so the cap and rubber grommet are most effective.

The only downside to this is that the egg has to be the exact diameter and exact length (within about 1/16"-1/8") to fit the clamp. Which is why George had the plastic "this is an egg" jig that gave him diameter and shape.

The cut pvc pipe is more forgiving for sizes: you can be too big or too small and it will still work. Just watch our for that spinning band clamp; it will shred your knuckles really well.

 

[ldubia]

One way to hold the egg to turn/sand off the final tenon is to have a "jamb chuck" to fit the egg into. I've seen them made out of PVC pipe by glueing one end of the pipe to a face plate then cutting the other end length-wise so you have several "fingers". Push your egg into the pipe and use a band clamp to snug it into place.

George's jig uses a plumbing repair tube that does the same sort of thing. It has a rubber grommet that is V shaped and the thread on cap is V shaped in the opposite direction. When you thread the cap on it forces the rubber grommet into a smaller diameter. So you turn your egg to the diameter of the pipe the jig is made for, slide the egg into the jig and tighten the cap to hold it in place.

BUT, you need something on the inside to keep the egg at the right depth and off the chuck and in proper alignment. So you turn a cylinder to fit inside the jig and turn a V shape (to capture and center the round egg) in the end of it. By adjusting the length of this inset you adjust how far your egg goes into the clamp so the cap and rubber grommet are most effective.

The only downside to this is that the egg has to be the exact diameter and exact length (within about 1/16"-1/8") to fit the clamp. Which is why George had the plastic "this is an egg" jig that gave him diameter and shape.

The cut pvc pipe is more forgiving for sizes: you can be too big or too small and it will still work. Just watch our for that spinning band clamp; it will shred your knuckles really well.

Greg,
I like the idea you came up with. Although the egg jig mentioned previously is very good, as you say, the egg has to fit the jig pretty tightly to specs. he other clamp idea you brought up would be great for new turners f eggs and is very forgiving (except for the knuckle buster) on size differences. I am going to try this one out.

 

[kenlicciardello]

Greg,
Is the jig you are talking about the one that is in the IAP library?

http://content.penturners.org/library/other_things_we_make/woodeneggs.pdf

I was going to try George's or this one. The hose clamps kind of scare me. Had not thought of the tight tolerances on George's.

 

[gketell]

Yup, that was it.

An alternative for you. Same idea, pipe or turned "pocket" for the egg + a cone-shaped insert to capture/align the end of the egg in the pocket + DUCT TAPE instead of clamps.

That is how I did mine; I used a piece of redwood as the pocket and cone (turned with a very small round-nose scraper) then put the egg in it and aligned the tenon to the tail stock to make sure everything was straight, then duct-taped it to the redwood and turned off the tenon. Just be GENTLE.

 

[kludge77]

The jig is cool, but getting the thing perfectly centered is a bear. Plus turning an egg between centers will help develop your skills more.

When I turned my few eggs I found that the spindle gouge was my go to tool, but I will totally try this with a skew first just to see.

Another good idea is a cardboard template to help you maintain your shape!

My old egg. I'll totally try to get a new egg, my box and myself to the next meeting!

 

[Ckendall]

Meeting and eggs

Greg,

I would like to attend the next meeting if I am available. Please keep me posted on the date. I am interested in the casting session also. I am willing to pay a fee for materials etc.

Charlie
Seaside CA

 

[kludge77]

I take it all back... I CANNOT turn an egg with my skew!!

I thought I had it twice and them got a catch on both while forming the back end and turned a death star sized CANYON in the an elegant tearing and ripping spiral of defeat.

Hello gouge...You're next!

 

[gketell]

I take it all back... I CANNOT turn an egg with my skew!!

I thought I had it twice and them got a catch on both while forming the back end and turned a death star sized CANYON in the an elegant tearing and ripping spiral of defeat.

Hello gouge...You're next!

Your eggs all turned out askew? :laugh:

No worries, you are not alone in that department. Gouges forever!!

 

[ldubia]

me and the skew, or better known as the "wood destruction implement", are not good pals either. I do like the gouge though.

I have about 10 odd looking sized eggs now.

 

[kludge77]

Seriously. I thought I was proficient with the skew. I felt like a chimpanzee with a sharp rock!

I love my sandpaper pile....

 

[kludge77]

Claro Walnut (shocker!)

Kinda pointy but still egg shaped. Need to do a couple more, just to get the process down.

 

[gketell]

Claro Walnut (shocker!)

Kinda pointy but still egg shaped. Need to do a couple more, just to get the process down.

That's the nice thing about eggs: their shape depends a lot on how the hen was sitting so there is no "right" shape.

This one looks Really nice! Can't wait to see it in person.

 

[nava1uni]

That is a very purty egg!

 

[reefboy1]

Nice egg Peter!!

Wow, it's August - time to dust off the old lathe and try egging

 

[Dave_M]

I'm the exact opposite. I use the skew more than I probably should because it works really well for me. That is... as long as I keep it very sharp it's like peeling an apple. I love seeing the ribbons fly off the work piece although sometimes all I get is fine dust streaming off almost like a ribbon.

Using the gouge has the same effect as if I were using a mace on the wood. I can take off scary chunks of wood with little effort and totally destroy a nice piece of wood with a couple passes. I have to find a way to use the gouge for something besides decimating wood. I can use a gouge on small stuff like pens & stoppers but for some reason it's the bigger stuff that gives me problems.

Seriously. I thought I was proficient with the skew. I felt like a chimpanzee with a sharp rock!

I love my sandpaper pile....

 

[nava1uni]

I use it like a skew, on it's side at an angle. You have to keep it razor sharp and it can also send off ribbons. I have worked with a turner in Sebastapol and the shape of his gouge is an english grind and I find, that for me, it cuts much better without catches. Lovely turning shape.

 

[kludge77]

Is that Jerry Kermode by any chance? I was considering a class from him

 

[nava1uni]

Yes, it is. I have taken 3 of his classes. Only 5 of us in his shop. We each had our own lathe. Good instruction and education about cutting, grain, etc. It has definitely helped me improve my understanding of wood turning, as well as, reinforced my ability.

 

[reefboy1]

Hi all,

Is the date set for our next meeting?

Art