Thread: First Practice Wood Turning Project with a Few Observations and Questions

Originally Posted by nipper

Isn't Northern Ash what they use for baseball bats? would be a fun project.

Joe-I haven't played baseball in decades, and never was much good at it when I did, but yeah, that would be a great turning project!

One other issue I'm trying to solve is how to turn a drilled brush around and finish the bottom face. I am looking at these TeknaTools 25mm Jaws to put on my G3 chuck (which is supposed to be universal for all their jaw sets, right?). Seems like this would be a viable option for the 25mm holes I'm drilling for 24mm brushes?:

Here they are at Woodcraft: https://www.woodcraft.com/products/nova-jaw-set-25mm?via=573621bd69702d0676000002%2C573621db69702d 0676000d9d%2C5763fed669702d6582000b74
If anyone has a better option, I'm all ears.

Originally Posted by nipper

Isn't Northern Ash what they use for baseball bats? would be a fun project.

Sadly with my lathe it would be about a 12" long bat!

Ash is great for things like hammer and axe handles, so it wouldn't surprise me if they were good for bats too.

Ash is what the made my ole cars frame out of too originally. Good hard stuff.
Inside gripping chucks are a must for turning the bases of brushes. The live centre dimple goes surprisingly deep.
When I’m sanding on the lathe, speed is 800 or slower and hand pressure is light. Media always moving lengthwise back and forth quickly as it turns. Too easy to get into the radial “shoe shine grind” and score the grain deeply. Don’t lose sight of the grain direction basically.
I run through the grit progressions from 120-400 pretty quickly.
CA application and sanding around 1200 rpm. Use paper towel folded To apply as I drop the glue along the turning piece.. build up 8 coats quic5k before I start to wet sand it back.

Watch for spontaneous smoking and heat in the paper as you go!

Just saw this... Wow

https://woodworkingcrazy.net/index.p...BzaJ9Fo2PCI-pc

The chuck im waiting for in the mail has both the inside and outside jaws. If it ever shows up. It was shipped on time but then went the wrong direction. Still waiting for it to turn around and come back my way.

That egg is cool, Tom. Very nice looking piece to have on a table.

Tom, that egg is an awesome decorative piece.

Jerry...Ya got lots of time till Easter!

Pete <:-}

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/f...-piece-bit-set
And here's a 16-piece forstner bit set on sale at Woodcraft through the end of July. You could drill any sized hole you need to drill with these! I can't see me drilling enough holes to need the professional grade sets that are several times more expensive.

Ive had Forsner bits for years. But that set... Up to 2+ inches? WOW!

Dammit Pete! Now i got to find me a root ball and figure out how to fill in the gaps with plastic. But I agree that egg is amazing. Time to start reading. Its all your fault Pete! You just wait bro. I might just figure it out by Easter.

Why not start small and make a few the size of chicken eggs for practice.
The Ostrich sized egg can come later.

Pete <:-}