Remember that “knotty” log that decided to spin off and hit me in the shoulder? Well, it was time to show it who was really the boss. I was as little smarter this time and cut off part of the knot that was causing a majority of the unbalance. That made it much better right […]
Blog
Angular Momentum is a Cruel Mistress
As much as I’d like to admit that I’m getting more skilled at the lathe, there are times that still remind me that I’ve got a quite a way to go. It’s very humbling. This past weekend I thought I would try and make a vase out of an oak log about a foot long […]
Creating New Tools
Somewhere, at some point, I saw where another wood turner created some of their own custom tools. As per usual, I decided that I could do that too. Notice I said “could” and not “should” here. Let’s get the disclaimer out of the way… I know that I need carbide or high-speed steel for sharpness […]
Thanks, Facebook
This isn’t directly related to woodturning, but it is related to the branding I’m working on building up. You see, Facebook apparently thinks that PLEASURES is a naughty word… So thanks, Facebook, I can’t have a username for my business that is my business name… After some finagling, I was able to find a username […]
Exploded Bowl Epoxy Repair
Remember my exploded bowl and lessons learned? Well, here are a few pictures to help explain it. I mixed in some blue Pearl Ex Powdered Pigment with clear 1-minute epoxy and went to town on the edges of the exploded bowl to put them back together. You can see a fine vertical blue line here, […]
Bowl Explosion
One thing I was warned about by the salespeople at Rockler when I bought the lathe (and reinforced through numerous videos on YouTube) was when your item on the lathe “explodes”. I thought it was an odd term, but as I’ve found out, it’s an accurate term. It’s one thing if you do not have […]
Got Wood?
It’s funny how you can see fallen trees and other huge piles of wood on the side of the backroads all the time. At least until you buy a lathe and realize that it’s a great source of free material. Fortunately, I was able to find some of this fine free wood nearby where they’re […]
Simple Finish
Having made a few things now with the simplest of finishes, just mineral oil, and buffing, I thought it was time to play a little with some other types. I had just made a simple vase for my wife out of a block of wood I had sitting in the garage. I think it’s just […]
First Bowl
I’ve never been one to start slowly, so why should learning the lathe be any different? I had the tools, the will, and some basic know-how. I also had the safety equipment and have been around power tools and sharp objects long enough to know how to not injure myself. At least not too much… […]
Beginner’s Tools
Obviously, my new wood lathe wasn’t going to do me any good if I didn’t have the appropriate tools to use on the wood itself. So of course, I had to get some good tools for getting started. I could have gone with some nice, new, high-speed steel tools, but for the price of one […]