• Beware of Counterfeit Woodturning Tools (click here for details)
  • Johnathan Silwones is starting a new AAW chapter, Southern Alleghenies Woodturners, in Johnstown, PA. (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Paul May for "Checkerboard (ver 3.0)" being selected as Turning of the Week for March 25, 2024 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Is this the wood or the woodturner?

Joined
May 4, 2010
Messages
2,432
Likes
1,846
Location
Bozeman, MT
Mike,
You've already heard quite a bit of feedback on the safety aspects of applying a sharp tool to wood when you don't have a basic understanding of how to safely do so.
This is so important that I recommend you not try turning again until you can spend a little time with a local turner--one-to-one time can get you a solid, safe start, very quickly. The Dakota Woodturners, a chapter of the AAW, meets at the Bismarck Vo Tech, and someone from the club will undoubtedly be happy to provide this free service to you. (dakotawoodturners.com)

Responding to your question about grain orientation, in my experience helping high school students get started in woodturning, I've learned that it's one of the most important concepts for woodturners to grasp. Spindle orientation or 'between centers' involves the wood positioned as if the tree was lying on the lathe bed--the fibers run between the headstock and the tailstock. Face grain or cross grain or flat grain orientation means that the tree is standing straight up and down, until the lathe turns a quarter turn, and then it's lying down facing away from you, and with the next quarter turn, it's up and down again, over and over again. The orientation of the grain is very different in these two ways of mounting the wood on the lathe, and the best, safest way to cut the wood will also be very different.
 

odie

TOTW Team
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
7,072
Likes
9,470
Location
Panning for Montana gold, with Betsy, the mule!
This is what I recommend also. I've had a Varigrind jig over a year now and really like it.

The Wolverine is the only jig I've ever used, so I can't say if any jig is better than another. I can say that, with practice, the Wolverine is capable of producing just about any grind one would wish to make, with minimal effort.

-----odie-----
 

Bill Boehme

Administrator
Staff member
Beta Tester
TOTW Team
Joined
Jan 27, 2005
Messages
12,884
Likes
5,168
Location
Dalworthington Gardens, TX
Website
pbase.com
The Wolverine is the only jig I've ever used, so I can't say if any jig is better than another. I can say that, with practice, the Wolverine is capable of producing just about any grind one would wish to make, with minimal effort.

-----odie-----


My memory isn't what it once was, but I faintly recalled an old thread about sharpening jigs, so with a little help from the forum search function I found THIS POST that you made four years ago, you have also used the Varigrind jig.
 

odie

TOTW Team
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
7,072
Likes
9,470
Location
Panning for Montana gold, with Betsy, the mule!
My memory isn't what it once was, but I faintly recalled an old thread about sharpening jigs, so with a little help from the forum search function I found THIS POST that you made four years ago, you have also used the Varigrind jig.

I include the vari-grind jig in the Wolverine......also the Wolverine skew jig, V-arm, and platform. :D

Guess I should have clarified that.......:eek:

-----odie-----
 
Joined
Jul 30, 2019
Messages
19
Likes
3
Location
Bismarck, ND
Sorry for the delay. I have a phone with me at all times, I have since been taking in as much info as I can find on which tools are best for which job, and I always wear a face shield.
Thanks
 
Joined
Jun 29, 2017
Messages
799
Likes
562
Location
Jasper, Alabama
The Wolverine is the only jig I've ever used, so I can't say if any jig is better than another. I can say that, with practice, the Wolverine is capable of producing just about any grind one would wish to make, with minimal effort.

-----odie-----
Very true Odie, with a little practice I'm now able to put any type grind on my tools. I made a bottom feeder just the other day and turned out great!:D
 
Joined
Mar 19, 2016
Messages
1,174
Likes
1,268
Location
Haubstadt, Indiana
I have used the Vari-grind for quite a while, and it is a great jig. However like Odie says, there are others. I recently bought the Hannes jig at the symposium. I haven’t used it much to date, but so far I like it better than the Vari-grind. It does better on the sides than the Vari-grind IMO. I also like the built in relief grinds. It is quicker than the Vari-grind. I need to use it more before I put the Vari-grind in the drawer, but so far so good.
 
Joined
Mar 19, 2016
Messages
1,174
Likes
1,268
Location
Haubstadt, Indiana
That's a pretty big kick in the wallet for that jig.

Just about everything is a big kick in the wallet for this hobby. The Hannes jig does produce a different grind on the wings vs. the Vari-grind. The Vari-grind is a very good jig and the most popular, but so far I like the grind I get from the Hannes jig better and easier to use.
 
Joined
Dec 7, 2012
Messages
272
Likes
115
Location
Albuquerque, NM
Mike (Jennens),

For grain orientation: If you're turning a pencil (as in sharpening a pencil), you're doing a spindle. The tree or limb axis is in line with the spindle axis of the lathe.

If the axis along which the tree grew is not in line with the spindle axis of the lathe, you're

For practice purposes and to grow your skills, think about using 2x4 or other dimensional lumber of "white wood" (pine, fir, etc., not pressure treated!!). The pine is inexpensive (so you'll be willing to turn lots of perfectly functional 2x4s to chips), and it's relatively soft and tears out easily--so it will help reinforce your mechanics.

I think that you will very much enjoy having an experienced mentor from your local club spend an hour or two with you in the shop. Afterwards, spend lots of time with dimensional lumber to practice.

Best,

Hy
 
Joined
Jul 26, 2016
Messages
2,326
Likes
1,105
Location
Nebraska
There are plenty of truss building companies and wood milling shops that give away end cuts of pine lumber for the asking.
We have one shop in our town that has a pile of pine scraps that they let people sort through and load up as much as they want.
They will also load a tote full into your truck or deliver a truck load for a fee. This is good wood to practice on and can be used for
various purposes, I have cut and glued a number of segmented pieces using select pieces of pine lumber with certain grain patterns,
colors and knots to end up with some nice looking pieces.
 
Back
Top