I turn pen blanks made from slices of laminate structural wood I beams regularly. Ca regularly as you work, ultra sharp tools. Makes some interesting pens. I'll have to see if I have any left in the showroom tomorrow.
Anyone ever tried this?
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I have some glue lam pieces too....hadn't thought about that....
That looks more like Strand Board (OSB) than MDF.
I have seen it done with Strand Board (OSB).
Should be interesting.
Les
MDF
OSB
I have seen it done with Strand Board (OSB).
Should be interesting.
Les
MDF
OSB
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@ripjack13 , Here is the one I have left in Glue-lam on the sales floor.
I like it, makes an interesting pen and if the blank blows up while turning it usually just splits in two, and you can glue it back together and keep turning. They don't stabilize real well since they already have glue in them ( I did try it, wasn't impressed with results so easier not to waste the time and resin), It's generally just easier to CA them after every few passes with thin CA and then sand and fill (It will have a few voids here and there)
I like it, makes an interesting pen and if the blank blows up while turning it usually just splits in two, and you can glue it back together and keep turning. They don't stabilize real well since they already have glue in them ( I did try it, wasn't impressed with results so easier not to waste the time and resin), It's generally just easier to CA them after every few passes with thin CA and then sand and fill (It will have a few voids here and there)
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Sweet!!
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That looks pretty cool. If you hadn't already told me, I would of never guessed what it was. From a distance, looks a bit like burl.
Sorry, Marc, that doesn't make a a skew. It makes it an angled scraper -- but it's still a scraper.
To demonstrate: take the iron out of a hand plane and stand it upright, on edge, on your bench top (okay, on a piece of scrap wood on your bench top). Push the iron across the wood -- it's a scraper. Twist the iron 45 degrees and push it across the wood -- it's still a scraper. Want it to be a skew chisel? You've got to lay it down flat on the wood (bevel down), then slowly raise it till the bevel is flat on the wood -- probably between 20 and 30 degrees. Now it's planing, not scraping.
Nice try though
I use scrapers on a 45ish degree diagonal, rubbing the bevel for ultra smooth cuts. Much better finish cut than a scraping cut!!
Can you elaborate on "rubbing the bevel" please?
If it's what I think it means, what you've got is a scraper that you are using as if it's a skew (with around 80 degrees bevel angle instead of the more usual 25 to 35 degrees). Do you hone the edge?
Just imagine you have a rolling pin in your left hand. Rotate the rolling pin so that it is coming toward you just like if it was on the lathe. Put your fingertips on it as you're rotating the pin, above center. Now let the heel of your palm rub against the pin keeping your hand straight, not curved or bent. In order to do that you have to have your fingers above center and you have to rotate your hand either right or left to achieve the angle that lets your palm rub against the wood. The heel of the skew similarly rides along the spinning piece and can, with pressure burnish the wood as it goes. A rule of thumb is to pivot the tool down until the heel of the skew just touches, then maintain that position throughout the cut. This distinguishes the sheering cut from the scraping cut which is basically pushing a scraper flat up against the wood, essentially at right angles to the rotation, just barely below center.
If you want to learn how to sheer cut, you can teach yourselve by holding the tool in your right hand as shown, then rotate the wood into the tool with the left hand. When you rotate, go forward and back and change the cutting angle of the skew until you find the sweet spot. Going slowly this way allows you to see the cut you are making and lets you observe the adjustments you must make in order to make the wood peel up and off the wood in a curl. Practice slow speed by hand until you get the hang of it, then try it on slow motor speed.
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It's interesting what you've done Marc, but I can't help but wonder what some color might do to it?
Wonder if sharpies might penetrate at al, then sand back? I like what you've done but the color and tone doesn't grab me.
Wonder if sharpies might penetrate at al, then sand back? I like what you've done but the color and tone doesn't grab me.
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I can try using some using some burnt wood on the next one. (From the firepit) it fills in the crevices nicely.
This one I just wanted to show off the grain and just used CA.
It looks better in person. Thanks for the idea Mark.
I think you misunderstood what I was asking. I was interested in what Lee had said about how he rubs the bevel of a scraper.
It's a great illustration and description of skew use (but I already knew how to do that).
Pardon me Duncan, I missed that where he said scraper. My guess is that he's talking about a scraper that is significantly beveled at a steep angle so that it functions like a skew.
I see that you discussed that in your question.
Apologies for the previous misunderstanding. Was just trying to help.
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Mark, no worries -- as I said, it's a great illustration of how to get started with a skew, and if I ever have to explain it to somebody I'll be pointing them at your post.
Funky looking pen, Marc
My first thought was it looks like some variety of rock -- perhaps gneiss or mica schist (Manhattan schist). Great finish -- CA?