# multi-axis turning - letter openers



## duncsuss (Aug 18, 2015)

I got a request to make some more letter openers from one of my regulars; he even found a tutorial showing how to do it as a multi-axis spindle turning so I guessed this was the kind of opener he wanted 

Here are the four (3 in olive wood, 1 maple) that I made over the weekend. As I said, the technique involves "multi-axis turning": after turning the whole length of the blank into a cylinder, I shifted the wood off the center axis of the lathe, first in one direction then the opposite direction. That let me make a profile more like two parentheses () than circular ... it still needed some sanding to thin down the tip so it can be slid under the corner-flap of an envelope, but much less than if I'd shaped the whole thing by sanding. He likes them unfinished, so these are _au naturel_ ...

Reactions: Like 4 | Way Cool 5


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## Jerry B (Aug 18, 2015)

very good for your 1st time  , curious, you don't have issues from oil on hands when handling over time affecting just the handle part ??

also, I have some pdf tuts from Barbara Dill explaining the different set-ups and how to repeat turnings,
she's well know for doing multi axis pieces, and they're very informative ....... lemme know if you'd want them


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## duncsuss (Aug 18, 2015)

Jerry B said:


> very good for your 1st time  , curious, you don't have issues from oil on hands when handling over time affecting just the handle part ??
> 
> also, I have some pdf tuts from Barbara Dill explaining the different set-ups and how to repeat turnings,
> she's well know for doing multi axis pieces, and they're very informative ....... lemme know if you'd want them



Thanks ... it's not the first time I ever did a multi-axis turning, just the first time I made letter openers this way. My first attempt was a mallet handle with 3 axis points on a ring around the center, resulting in a spiral twist up the shaft. (My second attempt was making the handle again but this time leaving enough meat by the tenon that it didn't snap the first time it was used to pound something )

I would not have left them unsealed, but that's what my customer likes ...

Barbara gave a demo at our club a few months back, she gave us handouts that cover her "four quadrant" approach to multi-axis turning. I'd still like to see the PDFs you have in case they cover things a different way, thanks. I'll shoot you a PM with my email address.


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## Jerry B (Aug 18, 2015)

she's made the best tuts I've seen on the net, and I've read a ton of em ;-)
here's a link to them, I zipped 4 together, think these cover everything she would in a demo
haven't had the pleasure to see her demos, so not sure if there's anything new in these .....
http://cozmos.net/filez/Multi-Axis-Turning.zip

Reactions: Great Post 1 | Useful 1


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## duncsuss (Aug 18, 2015)

Thanks Jerry, that's really good material. I remember I tried once to find her articles in the AAW American Woodturner online archives, but the one edition I was hunting for was missing! They might have restored the missing files now ... anyway, thanks again

Reactions: Like 1


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## rdabpenman (Aug 19, 2015)

Nicely done.

Les


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## duncsuss (Aug 19, 2015)

rdabpenman said:


> Nicely done.
> 
> Les


Thanks, Les


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## gman2431 (Aug 19, 2015)

Very cool!


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## kweinert (Aug 19, 2015)

You might have given HairStickGuy a new idea . . .


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## duncsuss (Aug 19, 2015)

gman2431 said:


> Very cool!


Thanks!


kweinert said:


> You might have given HairStickGuy a new idea . . .


Funny you should mention it ... that was one of the thoughts that prompted me to go ahead and post these pix


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