What did you do in your shop today?

More like what I almost did in my shop today. I wasn't planning on doing anything that required a lot of paying attention as last night was a short one and I am familiar with how I do stuff when I'm tired.

So I put together a couple of molds from the material that Tony sent, measured how much liquid went in them and was getting ready to use the Alumilite that was delivered this afternoon.

Got up in the overhead garage storage to get down my pressure pot and saw the air fitting was missing. Went to put another on and discovered that it was only partially missing. Yep, it must have gotten broken off during the move.

*sigh*

So I'm back inside with my plans thwarted. I'll run out tomorrow and pick up the parts and see if I can get to it later this week.

I've been gluing up rings for the Christmas order.

I picked up 5 1x4x14 ft poplar boards (free) and I now have a prototype for a segmented yarn bowl that I'm going to use some of that for. Some of it will also go to Lincoln Logs I think.
 
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Not in my shop. I drove down to the shoreline to @Ralph Muhs place and we turned out 2 handles from the spalted maple and some cherry he had. I forgot to get pix of the cherry handle. And then we made some pens. No pix of the pens either darnit....
Tool parts are from @jaustin ....nice workmanship on em....
Here's the pix of what I have ....

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In the pic above, Ralph is turning on the cherry handle....
 
IMG_0542.webp With the plant closed, thanks to hurricane Irma, I had a few unexpected days off. After cleaning up all the debris, I managed to get this lumber storage system up. I was so tired of having it stacked on the floor of my small shop.
 
So I do need to work on keeping it centered some how but I think it would well for a bottle stopper.

I wonder - do you think that you could run a bolt through the end of the mold into the luffa? Would it turn out after it cures?
 
kweinert said:
So I do need to work on keeping it centered some how but I think it would well for a bottle stopper.

I wonder - do you think that you could run a bolt through the end of the mold into the luffa? Would it turn out after it cures?
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If you used a release agent on it, I'd say that it was a definite maybe that it might. Otherwise, I'm gonna say probably not Ken.
 
Or, and the thought occurred to me later, maybe something like a small dowel run part way into the end of the luffa and through the end of the mold. Some play dough or something to seal the mold. Since it's meant to be something like a bottle stopper and it'll get drilled out anyhow that should work.

I think.

I haven't worked with Alumilite but I don't think that a double pour would work - you'd see a seam. Not even a timed double pour - mix and pour enough to give the bottom offset, let it start to get sticky, put the luffa in and finish filling the mold with a later mix that would still be thin. The timing could be real tricky with that, especially if the cure time is not linear.

Should probably move this discussion to its own thread.
 
kweinert said:
Or, and the thought occurred to me later, maybe something like a small dowel run part way into the end of the luffa and through the end of the mold. Some play dough or something to seal the mold. Since it's meant to be something like a bottle stopper and it'll get drilled out anyhow that should work.

I think.

I haven't worked with Alumilite but I don't think that a double pour would work - you'd see a seam. Not even a timed double pour - mix and pour enough to give the bottom offset, let it start to get sticky, put the luffa in and finish filling the mold with a later mix that would still be thin. The timing could be real tricky with that, especially if the cure time is not linear.

Should probably move this discussion to its own thread.
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Or, if you;re using a bottle stopper with a threaded shaft like the teardrop ones I used to use, drill hole in center of the mold wall, screw in the shaft and cast it right onto the shaft you're using for your stopper? Then just screw the shaft into a mandrel of some sort and turn?
 
Got the second Jet 1221VS back together with new bearings and up on the bench, cleaned the shop while I was at it.

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Schroedc said:
Or, if you;re using a bottle stopper with a threaded shaft like the teardrop ones I used to use, drill hole in center of the mold wall, screw in the shaft and cast it right onto the shaft you're using for your stopper? Then just screw the shaft into a mandrel of some sort and turn?
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That would work - I'd just have to find/make the correct mandrel. The one I have right now fits over the lathe shaft and screws into the blank. I'm pretty sure I have the taps I'd need to make a wooden adapter to do as you suggest though.

Thanks!
 
kweinert said:
That would work - I'd just have to find/make the correct mandrel. The one I have right now fits over the lathe shaft and screws into the blank. I'm pretty sure I have the taps I'd need to make a wooden adapter to do as you suggest though.

Thanks!
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Ken, just take the stopper to Home Depot or Lowes, they have all those threaded inserts hanging by the bolt section, figure out what size it is and get a bolt. Stick it through a block of wood go from there. Tony
 
Schroedc said:
Or, if you;re using a bottle stopper with a threaded shaft like the teardrop ones I used to use, drill hole in center of the mold wall, screw in the shaft and cast it right onto the shaft you're using for your stopper? Then just screw the shaft into a mandrel of some sort and turn?
Click to expand...

That idea has potential!! Lathe is going to turn backwards for the threads on the base, and may unscrew it from whatever you screw it into; you could however double nut the stud and lock them, and turn it in your chuck.

IF you can get them to set in the middle of your mold, you could pour them upright, turn them flat on top and cap with wood or an ornate cabochon.

https://www.aliexpress.com/popular/turquoise-cabochon.html
 
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