So I cast my first blanks this past week. Turned out great. Except for my turning. LOL. I had several blowouts but was able to come away feeling pretty good about my efforts. What I have learned. Don't turn to final dimensions.....sand to final dimensions and Sand opposite direction unless you want radial sanding marks. Keep tools sharp. Boy what a difference that makes! I'm on my way to spend my Birthday (42) money at woodcraft, so Pics will be uploaded later. Blessings from La grange Kentucky.......75 degrees with a slight breeze. Thank you Lord for a break from the heat.
The perils of PR
- Thread starter tt1106
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tt1106,
It sounds like you're making progress. Stick with it. Also, we like to talk about serious pen turning on this forum, so please keep the off topic chatter about birthday soiree's in the casual corner. Thank you.
If you need nay tips Pm me. I also cast. I have experienced the same things as you, so I know exactly where you are coming from. Kindred spirits it seems. I feel your pain about the heat. It's been scorching hot here as well.
Peace.Out.
It sounds like you're making progress. Stick with it. Also, we like to talk about serious pen turning on this forum, so please keep the off topic chatter about birthday soiree's in the casual corner. Thank you.
If you need nay tips Pm me. I also cast. I have experienced the same things as you, so I know exactly where you are coming from. Kindred spirits it seems. I feel your pain about the heat. It's been scorching hot here as well.
Peace.Out.
alphageek
Former Moderator
LOL... Nice reply.
(Why didn't anyone reply?) - Look at the other posts in this area.. things are pretty quiet the last couple of days... and you posted at the start of work time for many of us - It just might have not been caught.
On another note... Don't give up too soon on turning to final dimensions. It takes practice, but I normally start sanding at 320 grit. I'm already almost right on the nail when I start to sand. Blowouts are likely due to a variety of reasons - as you said sharp tools are a key.. so is angle and pressure.... and lathe speed can be a factor too.
How fast is your blank spinning when you turn?
(Why didn't anyone reply?) - Look at the other posts in this area.. things are pretty quiet the last couple of days... and you posted at the start of work time for many of us - It just might have not been caught.
On another note... Don't give up too soon on turning to final dimensions. It takes practice, but I normally start sanding at 320 grit. I'm already almost right on the nail when I start to sand. Blowouts are likely due to a variety of reasons - as you said sharp tools are a key.. so is angle and pressure.... and lathe speed can be a factor too.
How fast is your blank spinning when you turn?
LOL....Sorry alpha, it was more in jest than anything else. I'm new around here, so I'm sure it's irritating seeing me drivel on.
The lathe is pretty much cranked up....I think around 3,000.....Should it be lower. I have a HF 34706. It's usually pegged. I thought with it being so small (in diameter) that it should be spinning faster?
DurocShark
Member
I get pretty darn close to final with the skew. Sanding and polishing takes it down a hairsbreadth.
Tim'sTurnings
Member
The faster the better as far as I am concerned. I think I get less catches when spinning to the limit of my lathe.
Also I found out that when tapering the ends of the blank, start from the center of the pen. If you come at it from the ends you are more apt to get a catch.
You DO need to sand parallel with the blank when sanding between grits to get rid of the circular scratches. Do that sanding with the same grit before you start using a higher grit.
If you get good using your skew you will spend a lot less time with the sandpaper.
I had a hard time with resin blanks when I first started casting. They definitely turn differently than wood. IMO.
Welcome to the forum.
Also I found out that when tapering the ends of the blank, start from the center of the pen. If you come at it from the ends you are more apt to get a catch.
You DO need to sand parallel with the blank when sanding between grits to get rid of the circular scratches. Do that sanding with the same grit before you start using a higher grit.
If you get good using your skew you will spend a lot less time with the sandpaper.
I had a hard time with resin blanks when I first started casting. They definitely turn differently than wood. IMO.
Welcome to the forum.
Lenny
Member
LOL ... I enjoyed seeing your reply to yourself! Whatever you have to do to have an intelligent conversation, right?
As far as sanding to final dimension ... here is something to consider, as I have been lately ..... When turning wood if you turn to final dimension and then sand, your sanding will reduce it further. A bad thing? No, not neccessarily because you are then going to (possibly) be adding thickness in the form of CA finish.
On the other hand if you are turning PR or another material where you are just sanding and polishing you would want to turn to just slightly oversize so that your final sanding and MMeshing gets you to finish size! At least that's the theory I've been working with as of late.
alphageek
Former Moderator
NP... Just trying to relieve what looked like frustration... Don't worry about driveling on.. (just look a a few peoples post counts!!
)Good - I'm glad your speed is up! I find that works best too. Then keep practicing - and check out some videos....Ed is VERY good with acrylics and has made a few: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ed4copies&aq=f
I used to have issues with acrylics, but now can turn all of them - from the decent through the most brittle - but it does take practice to get there.
Lenny
Member
Ernie, are you going to help him turn PR or spend his birthday money at Woodcraft???
:biggrin::wink:
Ernie, are you going to help him turn PR or spend his birthday money at Woodcraft???
Lenny, i'm not a fan of our local woodcraft. But i've made and turned enough PR to help a brother kentuckian out. Besides he's only 20 miles from my house!!
Thanks Ernie. I appreciate it. We'll have to do that. Thanks for the tips guys. The one pen Blue turned out great. I think I'm a little scared of blow outs, so I'm leaving them kind of thick. I'm sure it's a practice issue. LOL. Or patience which I have little of, come to think of it.
DurocShark
Member
Yeah, the patience to take nice light cuts is a tough one for me too. I wanna jam my gouge into the pen and have it magically come out perfectly polished without any extra effort!
ctubbs
Member
Now Lenny, you know Ernie would never do something like that, now would he? I found that the Woodchuck made all the difference in turning PR. It helped with my wood also, but what a difference when I stuck it against a PR blank. My $0.02. YMMV
Charles
Charles