# Spatula How To



## Tom Smart (Sep 15, 2019)

Several folks asked for a step by step to make the spatula I posted last week (@B Rogers, @TimR, @William Tanner, @Nature Man, @barry richardson, @Steve in VA, @Chris S.). This is not my invention, it was shown to me by one of our turning club members.

I had one piece of bloodwood left. This is 12” x 2 3/4” x 3/4”. 13” long would be better but I needed to get 2 from my 24” piece.

Draw the pattern on the blank and head to the band saw (unless you are @Brink).





After the band saw you have 2 pen blanks as well.





Carefully find the center, use a punch to help align it when mounting.









Lightly ease over the edges on the head end. This will center things.





Begin to round the shoulders and add beads if that’s the design you want.

Reactions: Like 4 | Thank You! 3 | Way Cool 1


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## Tony (Sep 15, 2019)




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## Tom Smart (Sep 15, 2019)

Shape the handle and sand through the grits. Be sure to stop the lathe and sand lengthwise with each grit to remove the radial marks. I will usually wet it and re-sand.



 



Draw pattern on edge of the head.





Brace the spatula with some scrap wood and clamp.





Back to the band saw.

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## Tom Smart (Sep 15, 2019)

Drum sander using a jacobs chuck in the head stock. If you don’t have a drawbar for it be sure to use the tail stock to keep it from taking off. Continue to shape it, take it to the thickness you want, ease the edges, go through the grits.









Draw angle for the edge. At this point you can make it for right or left hand use. This is right handed.





Back to the band saw and sand though the final grits. Again, wetting to raise the grain and sanding it back helps.









With a mineral oil/beeswax finish. Buff if you are so inclined.

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## Tony (Sep 15, 2019)

Thanks for doing this Tom, I'll be trying some! Tony

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2


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## Tom Smart (Sep 15, 2019)

Tony said:


> Thanks for doing this Tom, I'll be trying some! Tony


This only the 3rd one I’ve done but they are all ready coming out faster now.

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## Sprung (Sep 15, 2019)

Nice write up, Tom! I'm thinking I'm going to have to give this one a try real soon...

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## B Rogers (Sep 15, 2019)

Great tutorial. Thanks for taking time to put it together.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## trc65 (Sep 15, 2019)

Just found a new stocking stuffer to make!

Thanks

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## William Tanner (Sep 15, 2019)

Excellent tutorial. Just what I was looking for. Thanks,

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## TimR (Sep 15, 2019)

Thanks Tom...a good project for sure!

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## William Tanner (Sep 15, 2019)

Trying to figure out how to save this thread so that I can try this once I get a couple of projects finished.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## woodtickgreg (Sep 15, 2019)

Great tutorial, thanks for taking the time to do this!

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Mr. Peet (Sep 15, 2019)

Clarify, :"With a mineral oil/beeswax finish. Buff if you are so inclined."

So you use beeswax first then apply mineral oil over it, then buff?


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## Tom Smart (Sep 16, 2019)

Mr. Peet said:


> Clarify, :"With a mineral oil/beeswax finish. Buff if you are so inclined."
> 
> So you use beeswax first then apply mineral oil over it, then buff?


I put straight mineral oil on first and let the wood take it in. Then I put a 1/3 to 2/3 mix of beeswax/mineral oil on. Once dry it can be buffed. It won't give a high shine but a luster. I keep the mixture in a small queso crock pot. Just heat it up and apply or you don't have to heat it. I use this on my end grain cutting boards.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Useful 1


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## Mr. Peet (Sep 16, 2019)

Tom Smart said:


> I put straight mineral oil on first and let the wood take it in. Then I put a 1/3 to 2/3 mix of beeswax/mineral oil on. Once dry it can be buffed. It won't give a high shine but a luster. I keep the mixture in a small queso crock pot. Just heat it up and apply or you don't have to heat it. I use this on my end grain cutting boards.



I was reading / as a math symbol, one over the other versus one & the other. I had figured you meant, but thought better to ask than to assume. Thanks Tom, thinking of trying it with a piece of 'Santos mahogany'...

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## Gdurfey (Sep 16, 2019)

@Tom Smart , question for you. I have an oscillating spindle sander which I think will work fine. Looking at the shape, do you sand predominantly perpendicular to the handle or is it slightly at an angle to fit the shape? I really like the “jig” for holding the piece to go back and cut the shape of the working end. That is something I would have struggled with being a new woodworker. Thanks for the pictures on that step.


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## Tom Smart (Sep 16, 2019)

Garry, your grain will run the length of the spatula so if the drum on your oscillating sander is vertical your piece will be horizontal. When you clamp things up be sure everything is flat on the band saw table.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Gdurfey (Sep 16, 2019)

I am realizing after your answer I didn’t describe my question very well but you nailed than answer!! Thanks.

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## DKMD (Sep 17, 2019)

Very cool! Tell me more about the drum sander on your lathe... homemade?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Tom Smart (Sep 17, 2019)

DKMD said:


> Very cool! Tell me more about the drum sander on your lathe... homemade?


No sir, Woodcraft. Just got it for this project. Use a Jacobs Chuck in the head stock. I’m finding it a bit difficult to mount the sandpaper and keep it mounted. It has a key to lock it in, but depending on the grit/paper thickness I’ve had to add tape to the key to hold the paper. If I was a rich Dr. I’d have one for each grit.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Gdurfey (Sep 17, 2019)

I get so darn excited about some of these projects, no wonder I have a stack of stuff not completed.......

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## Tom Smart (Sep 17, 2019)

Very cool! Gotta see the results.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Tony (Sep 17, 2019)

Tom Smart said:


> No sir, Woodcraft. Just got it for this project. Use a Jacobs Chuck in the head stock. I’m finding it a bit difficult to mount the sandpaper and keep it mounted. It has a key to lock it in, but depending on the grit/paper thickness I’ve had to add tape to the key to hold the paper. If I was a rich Dr. I’d have one for each grit.
> 
> View attachment 172042
> 
> ...



Tom, have you tried these?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/WEN-San...MIsaTy-KHZ5AIVEdbACh0XPAwTEAQYAyABEgJAzfD_BwE


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## Tom Smart (Sep 17, 2019)

Tony said:


> Tom, have you tried these?
> 
> https://www.homedepot.com/p/WEN-Sanding-Drum-Kit-for-Drill-Presses-and-Power-Drills-20-Piece-DS164/305175622?cm_mmc=Shopping|G|Base|D25T|25-9_PORTABLE+POWER|NA|PLA|71700000034127218|58700003933021540|92700046460801971&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsaTy-KHZ5AIVEdbACh0XPAwTEAQYAyABEgJAzfD_BwE


Yeah, I have some smaller ones that I used in my drill press Tony. None were big enough for this, however.

Reactions: Informative 2


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