Tom Gall
TOTW Team
I love the grain patterns in Ziricote. Unfortunately, I could never find any over 8/4.
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What’s on your lathe?
- Thread starter Rusty Nesmith
- Start date
Glued up a bunch of leftover pieces and making a platter. Making a solid maple foot for it.
Another “what WAS on your lathe”
I have trouble understanding this thread. "What's on your lathe?" Let's see, I'm in here tapping on the computer, so....there's nothing on my lathe. If there were something on my lathe, I'd be out in the shop. The major benefit of woodturning is that you can take a chunk of wood, throw it on the lathe and in a short period of time, you've got something. And you're done. If I could maintain my interest in a project for longer than a few hours, I'd make furniture. Maybe I need some Ritalin.
Taken last night....Goncalo Alves in progress.
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Finished today.
Odie, I always love seeing the pics of your shop because you have have a doowiggy for everything. It would be interesting to hear what all the stuff at the end of your lathe is and what its for. I'm sure I could learn some things.
I noticed you are using your bowl steady. I have one that I sometimes use on small hollow forms but have never used it on a bowl. Would be interested in hearing your take on that.
I noticed you are using your bowl steady. I have one that I sometimes use on small hollow forms but have never used it on a bowl. Would be interested in hearing your take on that.
Sir?????? Makes me think of an old John Wayne movie, I think it was the Sons of Katie Elder, and some French guy called him 'monsieur'. He looked at the guy and said, "I ain't no sewer'...... Going through the shop of the family business in Missouri with my dad, when I was a kid, he was never Mr. or Sir to anyone, he was always Joe. That kind of stuck with me......
robo hippy
robo hippy
A friend offered me some Oak from tree that had just been cut down. I got a couple of pieces roughed out, coring a few smaller bowls while I was at it. Whenever I turn Oak I start by coating the ways with oil (I use Ballistoll, usually just before leaving the shop! 
) to help with tannin staining. Didn't help much, there seemed to be a lot of tannin even for Oak. This was the first time that it took days to get all of it off of my hands!
Pay no attention to the big knot hole in the bowl on the left, it is a design opportunity!
) to help with tannin staining. Didn't help much, there seemed to be a lot of tannin even for Oak. This was the first time that it took days to get all of it off of my hands!Pay no attention to the big knot hole in the bowl on the left, it is a design opportunity!
OK, I get it, robo......
Sons of Katie Elder was a great movie.....don't remember that quote about monsieur, but it could be. Been many years since I've seen that movie.
It was in "A few good men" where Tom Cruise didn't like being called sir by the young Marine defendant.....
Anyway, by using the term sir, it was adding a little bit of emphasis for the respect you deserve in the woodturning world....
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Howdy Don.....You've just increased my vocabulary with the "doowiggy" word addition!
I'm adding the photo of my doowiggies on the right side of my lathe from another post today, plus the one of the bowl steady I included in a post earlier in this thread.....for convenience of the reader.
I could probably write a book about these two pics, but here are a couple comments:
You mentioned the Oneway bowl steady. I use mine on nearly every bowl, except where it interferes with other tools and jigs being used. I've heard other turners say it doesn't work.....but, I have proven that it does with the use of my vibro-meter. Not all bowls will need the bowl-steady, but when it does help, the improvement will increase the probability of a finer executed cut, providing you do your part.
On the right side of my lathe is where all my doowiggies are! I have made a great effort to make my bowl turning as convenient as possible, and there are many things there that make that happen. There are spaces for four tools to be momentarily held. There are three types of pencils for marking, plus a sharpie. There are rulers and other measuring instruments. There is a space to hold a pre-adjusted depth gauge........plus many more items of convenience.
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Can I post what’s about to be on the lathe?
This morning we were taking our usual walk in the neighborhood and came across a couple of large ash trees that the power company had just taken down. Much of the ash I get is riddled with black stains and tunnels from, what I assume are ants. The wood was beautiful, and I couldn’t resist. I went back and got out four large slabs that I should be able to take several cores out of. Biggest is 18”x 8”, down to 16” x 7”. (And no, those vines aren’t poison ivy. It’s English ivy.). I was working on the smaller of the two trees, about 20” in diameter. The larger one I didn’t touch is about 30”.
This morning we were taking our usual walk in the neighborhood and came across a couple of large ash trees that the power company had just taken down. Much of the ash I get is riddled with black stains and tunnels from, what I assume are ants. The wood was beautiful, and I couldn’t resist. I went back and got out four large slabs that I should be able to take several cores out of. Biggest is 18”x 8”, down to 16” x 7”. (And no, those vines aren’t poison ivy. It’s English ivy.). I was working on the smaller of the two trees, about 20” in diameter. The larger one I didn’t touch is about 30”.
Attachments
Currently working on a few cake stands to use up some red oak. Three pieces glued together. After gluing, the transition areas are re-turned to obtain a true transition. There’s a small recess on the top of the stand to hold a 12 inch acrylic dome.
The movie was The Comancheros and the actor with the line was Stuart Whitman. Whitman was a criminal from New Orleans and Wayne a ranger.
I have that same problem with Mesquite when I turn it. I have found that bottled lemon or lime juice in the fridge takes it right off. Wonder what it does to my lungsA friend offered me some Oak from tree that had just been cut down. I got a couple of pieces roughed out, coring a few smaller bowls while I was at it. Whenever I turn Oak I start by coating the ways with oil (I use Ballistoll, usually just before leaving the shop!
View attachment 50627View attachment 50628
Pay no attention to the big knot hole in the bowl on the left, it is a design opportunity!
Just finished an hourglass for the presidents challenge at our club.
OK, there you have it, folks, Odie's secrets. I played Where's Waldo and counted 6 lights, and I bet I still missed some. (BTW, nice looking bowl in the works there, Odie.)
Yep....you know it, Dean......lighting is important. A couple of those lamps have been in service for 35+ years....and, they show it!
There are a couple more lights hanging above the lathe, and not in the photo.
All of the lamps, except for the one were turned off for the photo.....(too much glare for my camera.) Normally, they are all turned on.
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That is cool. Where did you get the globe part?
Some very wet oak earlier today. So…surface rust is on my Lathe. 
Edit: I’m only a 95% slob. Here it is after cleanup:
Edit: I’m only a 95% slob. Here it is after cleanup:
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Nice looking piece. Alot like the layout of my cutting boards. is it walnut, oak and cherry?
Some one told me the quote was from the Sons of Katie Elder. I just remembered the quote. Loved it. Kept it too.... When friends are teasing me, they call me sir.... Can't believe I am old enough to be considered a sir....
robo hippy
robo hippy
Jim McLain
Artist
Yet another black walnut bowl on my new Mustard Monster aka "The Beast." Just started sanding.
A few weeks back I was lucky enough to share in a bounty of Walnut. Tree down less than a week. This is side ‘B’ of a substantial crotch. Truly ‘green’ turning. About 17 inches at it‘s widest.
Walnut, maple and cherry. Good guess!
Sanded to 400 grit, Yorkshire Grit friction polish, and 3 coats of TruOil burnished in. I'm still not satisfied with that elusive "perfect curve." I've got a 3-day class with David Ellsworth this summer. That should help clean up some of my bad habits that I learned mostly from YouTube videos when I was getting started during the shutdown. Never stop learning!
edit to add: This one came from a box of rough-turns I got from Scott Alexander of @alexanderdesigns on Instagram. Super nice guy, and his bowls are unbelievable. Check him out!
edit to add: This one came from a box of rough-turns I got from Scott Alexander of @alexanderdesigns on Instagram. Super nice guy, and his bowls are unbelievable. Check him out!
I love it, Marc! A natural edge piece that needs regular mowing!
Maple burl
Nice bowl on the lathe, Are you applying the DO while rotating on the lathe? I had always done it off the lathe. And what is the story on the cute bowl holding the DO?
Looking good, Odie. And, it almost looks like you have a slab of burl protecting your ways. Wouldn't surprise me
Thanks, Bill.....
Ya......I usually rotate the bowl by hand with power off while drenching the bowl with DO. Sometimes, on 3rd or 4th application of DO, I run the lathe very slowly.....maybe 20rpm.....while applying subsequent applications of DO. All applications of DO are done within about 1/2 hour. The paper bowl is a one time use bowl, and tossed out after done.
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Thanks Michael.....Looking good, Odie. And, it almost looks like you have a slab of burl protecting your ways. Wouldn't surprise me
Actually, that's a laminated counter top sink cut-out, that can be had free from many places that do cabinet work......if you take the time to rummage through their garbage! It's been in use for a couple decades, so it's very stained with many times applying DO to my bowls. There is a wood runner screwed to the bottom side of the sink cut-out that fits in the slot between the bedways.....that way it's nice and stable while being used.
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Is that steel wool in bowl?
Hi Charlie......No, it's a terrycloth wash rag that I cut into pieces specifically for applying DO.....tossed out after use.
Note: I stopped using any steel wool on my bowls years ago. Too many problems using steel wool, as little slivers of it will be imbedded in the wood, and will discolor. I'm now using Scotchbrite for things I used to use steel wool for. I continue to use steel wool for things like cleaning lathe bedways after roughing bowls with high moisture content, and cleaning up grinder platforms.....etc.
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I took his class last month. You’re in for a treat—enjoy!
Have a slug of good sized maple and cherry to core. First cuts with the Korpro cutter and must say it's hype meets expectations.
Nice ribbons Dave!