Hints on making Thimbles

[Tree Frog]

Hi dusty ones, assuming you've had time to run the lathe this time of the year.
I've been asked by the chief cook to make some thimbles for a friend of hers who is a collector of these finger protectors. First thought is that the process is to make a really small goblet without a stem. But before I get stuck in and waste a lot of wood, well some offcuts really, are there any hints from anyone whose been there, and created some exhibition quality items, or even ones that are not quite that spectacular.

Cheers
Greg

 

[Randy_]

CSUSA used to sell a gizmo to cut the precise shape of the interior. It was quite expensive.....over $50 as I recall. Don't now if they still sell them??

 

[talbot]

I saw the results of a local club competition recently and the guys all used the little off cuts from pen blanks as the rough stock.
Some used small bowl and spindle gouges, others used small forstner bits and drill bits to remove the inside then finished with a gouge or small scraper.
All sorts of tools were used and the results were quite amazing.
Altyhough there is a special bit for this, none of the guys had or used one for this competition.
Lots of chatter work, wire burning and pyrography was evident here too and lots of acrylic.
regards, bill

 

[KenV]

I have the gizmo (1/2 inch tapered ball mill) that makes some sense if you are going to do several/many - but it is handy - not necessary.

Process either way is to make the finger recess match a wooden mandrel that holds the thimbled while you turn the outside. The tapered ball mill provides a consistent shape that fits the mandrel(s) consistently.

The quilter I live with wants thimbles that are light, catch the eye end of the needle without slipping, and she likes the back of the finger open (think pierced work). Think hard dense woods, hard acrylics, and perhaps inset of small amounts of metal. Easy practice is with a 7/8 inch blank of blackwood or stabalized wood. If are better than I am, you can probably get success with 3/4 inch mateial.

Ed Davidson has some acrylic ones on his web page (yoyospin.com)

Happy turning

 

[CaptG]

Hi Greg, I have made a bunch of thimbles for my sister who is into quilting. I use one of the tapered cutters on pen blank remnants in the blank vise with drill press, then using a jam fixture in my wood lathe I turn o.d. and end. I made a fixture that goes over thimble and puts the little divots on the end. Use a dremal with a small sanding drum to smooth out chatter marks inside thimble. I will post picture with a couple I made. The other items in picture are perfume spritzers with out the spritzer. I sell them as needle holders to the ladies who sew.

 

[Skye]

The other items in picture are perfume spritzers with out the spritzer. I sell them as needle holders to the ladies who sew.

Brilliant!

 

[penhead]

I add a _BRILLIANT_ also...!!...

I have the tappered cutter and have made several of the thimbles, never figured out how to make the little dimples in the end though...mind sharing your secret

Hi Greg, I have made a bunch of thimbles for my sister who is into quilting. I use one of the tapered cutters on pen blank remnants in the blank vise with drill press, then using a jam fixture in my wood lathe I turn o.d. and end. I made a fixture that goes over thimble and puts the little divots on the end. Use a dremal with a small sanding drum to smooth out chatter marks inside thimble. I will post picture with a couple I made. The other items in picture are perfume spritzers with out the spritzer. I sell them as needle holders to the ladies who sew.

 

[CaptG]

Thanks for the "brilliant" comments. Needle holders are good sellers (take the hint). Back to the thimbles, hopefully not hijacking this thread, but expanding on the original question. Posting pictures of my fixture. When thimble is finish turned on jam chuck, while lathe still spinning, move center in and establish a center "spot" on thimble. remove thimble and use fixture as shown to add five more spots. I used a 5/16 dia. 5 hole bolt hole patern for the fixture, holes reamed to 1/8" dia. I use #1 X 4 inch long center drill and hand twist. It does not take much. Center bolt for locating on the center spot that was put on by the lathe center is a 8-32 bolt with 1 inch thread, threaded end radius'd and head turned almost flush with thread dia. for clearance. Pictures should explain a lot, sorry for the poor photogaphy. Thimble end showing spots had a lot of glare. The spots are really nice and round. It looks a lot nicer in real life.

 

[dogcatcher]

Thanks for sharing that jig, that is so slick the way it works.

Marvin

 

[Tree Frog]

Merry Christmas everyone, hope santa bought you some more tools cause you can't have too many tools.
Really appreciate all the replys, the great info and the sidetrack into needle holders. So to make sure I got it right, I now need:
A new tool from craft supplies,
to make a jig for dimpling thimble tops and
Some perfume atomisers from craft supplies. Yep can do all those with pleasure.
And then I'll be working on pens, thimbles and needle boxes rather than big bowls for another indeterminate amount of time. Funny how the retirement trial takes some wierd turns sometimes away from what you thought was your main interest and reasom for buying a bunch of specific tools. Oh well....guess I was right, you cant have too many tools or jigs

Happy New Year

greg