Thread: Got my Lathe

Looks like a slick little set-up. Big enough for most work, doesn't eat a lotta room. Didja turn the little carving mallet lying by the spindle sander?

Originally Posted by icedog

Being able to sharpen your own tools is a key to successful turning. The gouges and chisels used in turning don't have to be shave ready. They have only to be sharp as opposed to dull. Some woods have a high mineral content (puprleheart has visible streaks of calcium, teak is loaded with silica) which will take the edge off a tool as quickly as sandpaper. Typically I will re-sharpen the tools I am using several times while turning any given project. As most turning tools are high speed steel (HSS), they are not hardened and therefore cannot lose their temper while being sharpened on a low speed grinding wheel (just keep them from getting too hot by quenching in water frquently). I use this setup (except I keep my grinder on a bench):

Woodturner's Sharpening Kit - Woodcraft.com

Dad has a similar setup but for a 1 inch strip sander. The tools I got are so bad I will have to start with something like 220 grit to reshape the tips he mangled on a bench grinder, then put in a 400 to put the edge on them. A sharp tool is so much easier to use, the tool does the work you just guide it. Still need a lot of practice but I will get there.

I have a couple other work tables with the rest of my gear, loaders, strip sander, press, router, mostly small gear for finishing work. I go over to dads for the heavy work then finish it at my place.

Originally Posted by mikeyr

Looks like a slick little set-up. Big enough for most work, doesn't eat a lotta room. Didja turn the little carving mallet lying by the spindle sander?

They guy I got the lathe from turned that. It is not a bad little lathe. Nice and quiet, plenty of power for medium sized work. I have the bed extension off but with it on, I can turn stock nearly as long as that table.

Originally Posted by cannonfodder

A sharp tool is so much easier to use, the tool does the work you just guide it.

I agree with this statement completely. I was saying that there's sharp and there's sharp. Some folks try to sharpen their turning tools like they sharpen carving tools. I say this is excessive for turning. You should learn to sharpen bowl and spindle gouges and scrapers with a low speed grinder and for skew chisels a belt sander. They don't need to be honed on a stone and stropped.

If you ever find yourself in Connecticut, I am always happy to teach sharpening. I am told I'm a pretty good teacher.

I played with that handle I started yesterday. I smoothed out a couple of spots, did a little sanding and put a Dutch oil finish on it. I will cut it off that block in another day then put a little deft wax on it. Nothing special, but I will center drill the brush cup and put a large synthetic brush knot in it and give it to mother to use as a hair cut brush.

The guy I got the lath from had the pen mandrel and box of pen blanks and pen guts. He had one blank glued up and on the mandrel so I figured what the heck. Lets see if I can control the tools and turn an even and thin barrel. So I turned my first pen. I turned in a hand swell and then sanded it down to 1500 grit, buffed it off and put Dutch oil on it as well. Once it dries I will put a coat of deft wax on it and put the hardware on. I think it turned out pretty good considering it is only the second thing I have ever turned on a lathe.

Originally Posted by cannonfodder

I think it turned out pretty good considering it is only the second thing I have ever turned on a lathe.

The words of a man with a monkey on his back. The pen thing is a very tough habit to kick.

Finished turning a portafilter handle and matching controls for my espresso machine yesterday, the hard part was tapping the wood for the threads. Bacote is dense enough to work without a metal threaded liner. They work pretty good, I am happy with them.

Originally Posted by cannonfodder

Finished turning a portafilter handle and matching controls for my espresso machine yesterday, the hard part was tapping the wood for the threads. Bacote is dense enough to work without a metal threaded liner. They work pretty good, I am happy with them.

The Coffeegeeks are going to go wild over being able to buy custom handles for their Brewtuses and the like! You've got a new way to fund your razor hobby my friend. Very nice work.

I on the other hand sold my PID'd Silvia and my Macap MC4 long ago to fund my razor hobby!

Chris L

The hard part is divvying up time between doing razor work, lathe work, coffee work, sporting clays and home. Guess that is why I am in the garage at 1am quite often.

I need to pick up more Bacote, then I will turn myself a tamper handle to match, some day.

Nice handles for a nice machine