# Having fun at the Topsfield Fair



## duncsuss (Oct 2, 2017)

Saturday was dismal (rained pretty much the whole day) but yesterday was sunny and warm enough for short sleeves.

One of the club members who was staffing the club booth with me showed me how he turns "acorn boxes", and I tried my hand at making a couple ... first one was maple acorn and cup, the second I made the cup from a piece of yew. They are about 2" diameter.

Reactions: Like 5 | Way Cool 11


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## barry richardson (Oct 2, 2017)

Neat boxes! Are you there to sell stuff, or promote wood turning? both?

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Smitty (Oct 2, 2017)

Very nice. I've been wanting to try to make one of those. You have inspired me.

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## CWS (Oct 2, 2017)

That's cool. Nice thing about wood turners is we are always willing to share.

Reactions: Agree 3


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## duncsuss (Oct 2, 2017)

barry richardson said:


> Neat boxes! Are you there to sell stuff, or promote wood turning? both?



Both -- the fair has an area where "artisans" have sheds/booths -- next to us is a blacksmith school, across from us is a fine furniture school, around the corner are sculptors, artists, and potters.

In addition to demonstrating turning and engaging with folks who might be interested, which we do outside the shed (under a verandah, with plastic safety windows between us and the targets), we have shelves with items that members have made that are for sale.

The third benefit to being there is the opportunity to watch and learn from other turners -- and immediately try their technique while they are still around to offer guidance. As Curt said, "willingness to share"

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## Wilson's Woodworking (Oct 2, 2017)

Looks cool! I would love to see the inside part of the lid.

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## Lou Currier (Oct 2, 2017)

Nice acorns....I miss going to the to the Topsfield fair, have been many times but too far of a drive now

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## duncsuss (Oct 2, 2017)

Wilson's Woodworking said:


> Looks cool! I would love to see the inside part of the lid.



They are nothing fancy -- it's your standard box-lid, square sides, slightly domed roof. If they are still there when I go back to the fair on Saturday, I'll take a pic of the inside of the lid; if they've sold (wishful thinking!) I'll probably make another and will take a snap of that.

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## duncsuss (Oct 2, 2017)

Lou Currier said:


> Nice acorns....I miss going to the to the Topsfield fair, have been times but too r of a drive now


I think it's always been too far of a drive from Florida to northeast Massachusetts 

(Did you live around here?)

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## Lou Currier (Oct 2, 2017)

duncsuss said:


> I think it's always been too far of a drive from Florida to northeast Massachusetts
> 
> (Did you live around here?)



Yes...just across the border in Salem, NH


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## duncsuss (Oct 2, 2017)

Lou Currier said:


> Yes...just across the border in Salem, NH


One of my favourite towns -- there's a Rockler, a Harbor Freight ... and no sales tax 

(plus there's a Texas Roadhouse just down rte 28 in Methuen where I can get some fine ribs on my way home )

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## Tony (Oct 2, 2017)

duncsuss said:


> One of my favourite towns -- there's a Rockler, a Harbor Freight ... and no sales tax
> 
> (plus there's a Texas Roadhouse just down rte 28 in Methuen where I can get some fine ribs on my way home )



Try the prime rib Duncan, it's outstanding!! Tony

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## duncsuss (Oct 2, 2017)

Tony said:


> Try the prime rib Duncan, it's outstanding!! Tony


Thanks for the tip -- if it weren't for the fact that their baby-back ribs are so damned good I might have looked at other things on the menu

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## ripjack13 (Oct 2, 2017)

Very cool. I like em.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## Tony (Oct 2, 2017)

Thanks Duncan. My wife saw them on FB and told me I need to turn her some. 

I'm so screwed.....

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## rocky1 (Oct 2, 2017)

You just think you're screwed, when Lee finds them he's going to tell you to thread the lid!

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## Spinartist (Oct 3, 2017)

rocky1 said:


> You just think you're screwed, when Lee finds them he's going to tell you to thread the lid!




Yep!! Thread the lid!!

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## Tony (Oct 3, 2017)

Spinartist said:


> Yep!! Thread the lid!!
> 
> View attachment 135108



Fortunately my wife is not on here so she'll never see this!!!! Tony

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## duncsuss (Oct 3, 2017)

Spinartist said:


> Yep!! Thread the lid!!


Lee --

I got a few pieces of stabilized wood from Matt @Sprung but haven't had time to try chasing threads again. My first attempts (on non-stabilized boxelder) were a dismal failure.

This looks like a lid, not the body of the acorn ... have you already made and threaded the body before you work on the lid?

Also, is it easier to learn using a fine thread or a coarser one? (The tools I borrowed are 20 tpi).

Thanks!


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## Smitty (Oct 3, 2017)

Tony said:


> Fortunately my wife is not on here so she'll never see this!!!! Tony



Just think, Tony. If your wife sees i,t and if your lathe does not have a slow enough speed to make threads, you may get a new lathe out of it. 

By the way, Lee, how slow does a lathe have to turn to make those threads?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Tony (Oct 3, 2017)

Smitty said:


> Just think, Tony. If your wife sees i,t and if your lathe does not have a slow enough speed to make threads, you may get a new lathe out of it.
> 
> By the way, Lee, how slow does a lathe have to turn to make those threads?



That's a nice thought, but I just got this one 3 months ago! Tony

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## Spinartist (Oct 3, 2017)

duncsuss said:


> Lee --
> 
> I got a few pieces of stabilized wood from Matt @Sprung but haven't had time to try chasing threads again. My first attempts (on non-stabilized boxelder) were a dismal failure.
> 
> ...




Stabilized wood threads great!!
Ebony, Boxwood, Norfolk Island Pine red knots, plastics, Corian, thread wonderful. Almost every other wood is problematic & I c/a glue with thin c/a before & after every 4 passes of the thread chaser to stabilize it.
You must use very gentle, light passes with the tool & be moving the tool across the wood, especially when starting. Most folks use to much pressure which causes straight groove!
On the male thread I usually cut 5 threads length & cut off 3 to get the 2 threads I want to end up with. Its much more successful.

RPM's - 300 to 400 is ideal. I've threaded at 500 to 600 rpm. Any speed faster is almost impossible to thread chase.

Thread chasers must be sharp & used like a scraper because that's the kind of turning tool they are. Cutting outside top flat surface of the tool must be lined up to the woods center or slightly below.
Inside the top flat surface of the tool must be lined up to the woods center or slightly above.

I use 16 TPI . 20 TPI is good also for most applications.

I usually do the base or the female/inside thread first. Then use the threaded top as a screw chuck to finish cut the base. Photo is of an acorn birdhouse ornament top.

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## Lou Currier (Oct 3, 2017)

@Spinartist how do you sharpen the tool?


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## Spinartist (Oct 3, 2017)

Lou Currier said:


> @Spinartist how do you sharpen the tool?




Diamond hone it probly15 to 20 times or more ( 6 to 8 strokes each time) on top flat edge then grind upside down on top flat edge when needed


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## duncsuss (Oct 11, 2017)

Spinartist said:


> You must use very gentle, light passes with the tool & be moving the tool across the wood, especially when starting. Most folks use to much pressure which causes straight groove!


I spent a couple of hours (and several inches of stabilized boxelder ) trying, and eventually got female threads which I thought were nearly okay -- still a bit scruffy in places. I did this without an armrest (though I do have one -- the blacksmith in the next booth made it for me a few years ago in trade for a pen). Do you recommend use of an armrest like THIS ?

The male threading was much faster -- but when I got the the point where the F would screw onto the M, I found one of them must have been defective as it locked up a turn or two in.

I think I'll get there in time, just not this time


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## Wilson's Woodworking (Oct 11, 2017)

duncsuss said:


> I spent a couple of hours (and several inches of stabilized boxelder ) trying, and eventually got female threads which I thought were nearly okay -- still a bit scruffy in places. I did this without an armrest (though I do have one -- the blacksmith in the next booth made it for me a few years ago in trade for a pen). Do you recommend use of an armrest like THIS ?
> 
> The male threading was much faster -- but when I got the the point where the F would screw onto the M, I found one of them must have been defective as it locked up a turn or two in.
> 
> I think I'll get there in time, just not this time


No pictures it didn't happen.

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## duncsuss (Oct 11, 2017)

Wilson's Woodworking said:


> No pictures it didn't happen.



You want pictures of me not getting there? Tough crowd.

Reactions: Funny 3


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