What did you do in your shop today?

[David Hill]

Nothing quite as exciting as the preceding---just replaced the tires on the 14 in Delta.
Then got to looking at all the cutoffs I had laying around-- you know all the littles that get set aside because they look too good to throw away (I might need that...). After putting a new blade on, I got'em all cleaned up and shelved. Now have lots p- mill, salt shaker blanks, and a couple of blanks to try spinning a cube.
Plus my neighbor came and got the scraps for his firepit/bbq.

 

[kweinert]

Got 4 bottle stoppers turned. 2 related to a trade here and 2 (of 12) for a Christmas order.

This was on the lathe hooked up to an extension cord. Well, hooked into a power strip so the LED light could light things up as well. And I had to search through boxes to find my turning tools first. It's hell trying to get set up when you're only partially ready to work but you have obligations :)

 

[Schroedc]

Working a few cribbage boards this morning, Had a request for some smaller ones than the big benches I do so quick getting these knocked out. Also going to work on the rest of the cutting boards and get a few things ready to cast.

 

[kweinert]

Working a few cribbage boards this morning, Had a request for some smaller ones than the big benches I do so quick getting these knocked out. Also going to work on the rest of the cutting boards and get a few things ready to cast.

How easy is it to 'knock out' all those holes? They look good, I'm just curious.

 

[Schroedc]

How easy is it to 'knock out' all those holes? They look good, I'm just curious.

I got the Rockler template for the little ones a few years back as a gift, use one of the self centering drill bits in a cordless drill and go nuts, I can drill all the holes in about 8-10 minutes. The big bench ones are slower as I drill all those freehand on the drill press after marking the spots.

 

[Spinartist]

I got the Rockler template for the little ones a few years back as a gift, use one of the self centering drill bits in a cordless drill and go nuts, I can drill all the holes in about 8-10 minutes. The big bench ones are slower as I drill all those freehand on the drill press after marking the spots.

Is the jig metal or plastic? Metal I hope.

 

[Schroedc]

Is the jib metal or plastic? Metal I hope.

The template? Plastic.

 

[Sprung]

Today has been a little bit about negotiations.

Dad texted me this picture. His accompanying message read: "How about 40 feet of walnut burl?"



Apparently this tree was growing along the ground. It's 3/4 of a mile from his house in Michigan. After going back and forth, it sounds like he's at least going to talk to whoever the property owner is and see if he can get a chunk of it for me. I'm hoping for a big chunk - I can only imagine what the grain looks like in this thing...

 

[Spinartist]

Today has been a little bit about negotiations.

Dad texted me this picture. His accompanying message read: "How about 40 feet of walnut burl?"

View attachment 118564

Apparently this tree was growing along the ground. It's 3/4 of a mile from his house in Michigan. After going back and forth, it sounds like he's at least going to talk to whoever the property owner is and see if he can get a chunk of it for me. I'm hoping for a big chunk - I can only imagine what the grain looks like in this thing...

Exactly where in Michigan???

 

[Sprung]

Exactly where in Michigan???

I ain't telling until I know for certain whether or not I get to end up with some of this!

 

[Spinartist]

I ain't telling until I know for certain whether or not I get to end up with some of this!

Lets see... Google "Matt (aka-Sprung), Dad's place"... New drainage construction project... Got it!! Making the call!!!

@Sprung you got first dib's on my "Walnut Burl for sale" post next week!!

 

[Sprung]

New drainage construction project...

Ha! I realize what's in the background, but that view is quite misleading as to what is really going on around there!

 

[rocky1]

Cleaned, Cleaned, organized, put lots of Flat Rate Boxes in Mobile FRB filing system. And, turned one little bitty Predator Call out of a sweet little piece of Honduran Rosewood I got in a box of goodies from @against.the.grain in the recent auction, rubbed CA all over it, then polished it to an impeccable shine.

 

[Schroedc]

Ran into the shop for a bit this morning and got the other 8 mailbox banks in the clamps. Monday I can spline them, sand them and start on assembly.

 

[woodtickgreg]

I found a nice piece of 12" channel to use as the weight box shelf on the wood lathe. I notched one end to fit past the smaller shelf brackets that are cast into the legs..
Here you can see why I notched the channel out to clear the upper brackets.

That allows the channel to have a large purchase on the lower shelf bracket. I plan to add a lot of weight to this shelf.

It will Cary the weight down low and wide. should really help to stabilize the lathe. I haven't seen a lathe yet that doesn't benefit from some sort of weight .

It will get painted black. I think I'll make the weight box out of wood and attach it to the shelf. wood will quiet things down. I'll put a lid on it so I can pile things on top of it, lol. a work in progress.

 

[deltatango]

Greg -
You might consider another approach to the shelf. The way it is, no matter what it will get full of sawdust. Why not flip it over and Lag bolt onto the big wood beam that would be on the underside of the shelf?
Would be an even lower center of gravity and if you made it almost go to the floor you wouldn't have to sweep under the lathe.
Another idea if you want to be adventurous that would work super well would be to weld plates on all sides of the channel forming an elongated box. Fill that sucker full of concrete.
Lathe will never dance and vibrations will be all but gone! Just don't plan on moving it....

 

[woodtickgreg]

@deltatango I"m not sure if I understand you or you me. lol. What I plan to do is add a wood box to the top of the shelf and then put a lid on it after it is filled. I will be filling it with very thick steel plate and bar stock scraps, so if I ever have to move it I can.

 

[deltatango]

Yeah, 6 of one or 1/2 dozen of other - except yours can be moved. Same/same, but not so much.

Both will work. Won't the scraps rattle? A guy could always use sand bags I guess.

 

[woodtickgreg]

Yeah, 6 of one or 1/2 dozen of other - except yours can be moved. Same/same, but not so much.

Both will work. Won't the scraps rattle? A guy could always use sand bags I guess.

I have thought about the noise of the scraps if they rattle. First thing is they are very thick and heavy bars, maybe a layer of carpet between them might quiet them if it is an issue, or a few spots of silicone caulk between them. I used sand bags once, I didn't like the way the bags could leak once a little tiny hole would appear, and they took up a lot of space. heavy steel plate and bar stock is very dense, more so than sand or concrete. Not a good choice for most people but I have access to it from a lot of different places for free! This will be a trial and error thing and learning as I go, I'll post progress good or bad.

 

[Sprung]

Been running the vacuum pump just about non-stop since Sunday. I have the old square style chamber from Turn-Tex that requires me to use another container inside the chamber to contain the resin and keep it from contacting the chamber itself. This is real nice because I can load it with a container, pull vacuum, and then pull the container out for the soak once vacuum is done. Then I can immediately load the chamber back up with another container and keep going.

Friday I started two different colors for the initial dye for some double dyed blanks. Those are curing in the toaster oven right now. After the little bit of vacuum on those I started a container of clear, which ran until yesterday. Once that was done I swapped out containers and ran another load of clear. After that was done with vacuum today I pulled that container out and have run 6 different colors in various containers for the initial dye for some double dyes.

The dyed ones will go in the oven in the morning for curing. The clear ones will go in the oven for curing on Wednesday. (Would do it on Tuesday, but we'll be gone all day.)

And after I get some more vacuum pump oil I'll be back to running the pump again. Have a few more rounds of clear I need to do, as well as a few rounds of color under full vacuum. Good thing I bought 4 gallons of Cactus Juice a few weeks ago...