First EVER turnings

[Vernon Jenewein]

Finally got the lathe setup out in the Quonset tonight with the extension bed. It's a Central Machinery 10" 5 speed lathe. When I was in High School I avoided wood shop as I hated the feel of sanding wood with my fingers. However, now I have started playing an Armenian Duduk and decided to start making them, since NO ONE in the United States makes Duduks or Balabans here. They are made out of Apricot wood and I have a guy in NM that sent me a couple of blanks that I reduced so I could make more than 2 (sawn into smaller lengths). My duduk I got from Ebay and from an Armenian Master Karen Mukayelyan (concert grade) got me interested. The duduk is just a bit over 13" long and the center is bored out from 11.5mm to 12.0 mm diameter with finger-holes drilled at around 9.1 mm or 23/64". I have it at this stage, from setting it up on the front porch on a make shift table. I got my lathe tools (cutters) from Menard's. 5 for about 16.00. I had some left over small pieces of Apricot wood and decided to make a few Harry Potter wands, or (Conductor Batons) from them. The "magic" wand made of Apricot is the first thing I have made (completed) on a lathe...ever. I don't have any training, never seen one work before live, just what I seen on You Tube. I've tried to always be crafty with my hands. I did not destroy any pieces of wood. Worked on 2 pieces and here they are at this time. I am not finished with the Duduk yet, but have one that I bought from eBay there for a comparison. I see I didn't quite get the slope down from where the reed mouthpiece fits in, but I'll do better on the next one. I had a notion to buy a 1 1/2" wood chisel and take it to a bench grinder and contour it so that I would merely bring it against the wood on the end, and when the one end met the longer smaller diameter of the main body I would have it. I also built a jig to hold a carbide cutter at a precise distance. So, when I cut one down, and it gets close I can load in the concert duduk or one that has the proper diameter, set the depth to where the carbide cutter meets there and back off just a few thousandths, and then put the rough cut piece back on the lathe. I should then be able to keep the diameter pretty even all along the way according to the set stop.This one is not too bad for consistent diameter for free hand. *S*
first_2_lathe_projects.jpgmagic_wand_first_lathe_project.jpg

[Brent VanFossen]

Hi, Vernon. Welcome to the Creek. Good job on your first turnings. Keep it up. You'll learn quickly.

[John Keeton]

Vernon, looks like you have done well on your maiden voyage!! Congrats!!

[Vernon Jenewein]

Thanks Brent and John!! I even tried out a long screwdriver I had that was way too long for most applications as a screwdriver, so I sharpened the point to a chisel edge and did some work on the "wand" with it. BTW, just this morning, before getting ready for work, I put in a piece of aspen square I have, 1 1/8 x 1 1/8" and about 8" long and used that carbide insert tool from Harrison Specialties. Wow, does that make a nice round piece so quick and easy. I'm watching more You Tube videos and getting a better handle on where to set the tool rest (I think). My best friend is patience followed with a great deal of precision or detail. Once cut, it's cut. You don't glue wood back on and try some more. I've always been slow in my machining, but careful and strive for precision. It worked great at Boeing, but at Egging, where I had to drill a 7/8" hole in steel for some Caterpillar track guards, they wished I was faster. They really did not care for the finish on the inside of the hole, as a bolt went in there and all it needed was clearance.. LOL I figured if I could run a 6' radial arm drill for all those years I should be able to figure out a wood lathe.

[Bill Bulloch]

Not bad at all for a first project. Hard to tell that this is a first from the beads, most beginners have problems with them. I am interested in the reed that goes in the Duduk. Is it something you are going to make or are you buying one? Can you post pictures of it when you get to it?

[Vernon Jenewein]

Bill, here are a couple of pics of what a duduk would look like close up. 2 holes in back 9 in front, and they don't exactly have even step notes, but follow the Middle Eastern, scales of a sorts.

The reeds come from a reed plant that grows in Armenia, Turkey, pretty much anywhere good water supplies are over in that area. Interesting is that someone brought the Giant Reed over here to America and it has become a noxious weed of sorts in some states. It doesn't seem to reproduce by seeds, but by pieces and cuttings of the plant. They did a DNA genome study a while back of 26 diffferent sites in American from California, Texas all the way over to the Carolinas. The plants are idential in DNA and they crowd out local plants in favor of their growth. I have seen how they are made and would intersting to "try" to make one sometime. I have a friend on Facebook and on Skype that makes them, so might leave that part to the professionals. The reed is what gives "life" to the duduk and I have some reeds that, although they look alright, don't play well at all.

[Bill Wyko]

First off, welcome to the Creek. You're off to a good start Vern. Just remember, it is essential that you keep your tools sharp at all times. It's the secret to successful turning. So far so good though.

[Baxter Smith]

Welcome Vernon! Your Duduk looks good!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Welcome Vernon. Looks like you did pretty well on your intial voyage.

[Rick Markham]

Wow, those are all great first turnings! Welcome to the vortex! The Duduk is awesome, I look forward to seeing what turning brings you... It's quite a ride, I have LOVED every second of it!

[Vernon Jenewein]

Thanks to all for the compliments and encouragements!! Tonight I turned a square poplar 2" piece from Menard's, 9 1/2" long into a nice round piece. Then I used the steady rest and my 12mm boring bits and drilled a perfectly clean, centered hole down the middle. I have a drill chuck with #2 Morse taper for the tail stock, set the lathe on lowest speed and began moving the drill in and out and got it all the way. I have one of those 2" Woodturner 3 - Jaw Micro Chuck. LCM18X from PSI that I used to hold it as I drilled it. It worked, but I think something a bit bigger might have been a bit better. Once I drilled it I had to open up or chamfer the one end where a mouthpiece would go. I had a large hand reamer, but wasn't about to try to hold that with the lathe running and jamming that thing in the one end of the turned piece. The steady rest was quite an interesting thing to set up, since I have never seen one or used one before. but, getting all the wheels touching finally worked. I used the tailstock and large live center to keep the turning centered while I set up the Steady Rest.

Like I said, when I tried to ream out or chamfer the one end for a tapered hole that is when it got a bit more difficult. Maybe I'll have to find a drill chuck large enough to hold that reamer tail and one that has a #2 Morse taper as well. This is the chuck I used. http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LCM18X.html Seems to be a bit minimum. I need a chuck to hold onto the piece that is around an inch or just under an inch, and do it well. ANY suggestions? Have you all seen something like this mini chuck?

What I think the best would be would be to late it down quite a bit to near the dia I need, then drill the 12mm hole just a few inches down on the mouthpiece end, and then chamfer it (some way??) to get my taper right. As you see the taper on the end of the mouthpiece, it has some fine string wound around it to give it a bit of forgiveness and good seal, but the taper is what I am looking for. I almost wonder if one of the coarse sanding cones might not be useful in this situation.

Anyway, carrying on.

[Vernon Jenewein]

[Vernon Jenewein]

I returned the Central Machinery (Harbor Freight) lathe and got a Rikon 70-050VS lathe instead. The Rikon is so much better built and the speed is a lot slower on the low end for drilling. The above pictures shows the 1st and 2nd Duduks I have made. One on top is the Second (with mouthpiece) and one underneath (in the 2 duduk photo) is the First one. I used Lime and water to coat the duduks, and let soak. Then I removed the lime and it brought out the grain, and darkened the wood just a bit. After all the Lime was buffed out, I applied Walnut Oil and the color is what you see for this Apricot made in U.S.A. Duduks.

[Pete Jordan]

You are doing great! If you want to work on other types of woodturning, please let me know. I am in Mason and I get out of school in a couple of weeks. You are more than welcome to come over and turn whatever you please. I have plenty of wood it you want to make another Dudek.

Pete

[Vernon Jenewein]

Finished my 3rd Duduk Monday (5/21/12) evening after supper. From a wood blank as seen above at top to the finished Duduk with drilled center hole and finger holes. Played it with a good mouthpiece (Ghamish) and it's GREAT. In tune and in key of A.