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Thread: Hand wheels

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Elkhart, In
    Posts
    553

    Hand wheels

    I've been wanting to add Hand-wheels to my smaller wooden screws, so I've messed about a bit with the design, and think I've finally come up with something that will work and still look ok.

    The problem is that it only looks ok, not really all that eye popping, and I would like to change that. I'm a spindle guy, and rarely turn much in the way of bowls and the like, and these have more in common with bowls.

    These are about 4" diameter, made out of some sort of Mahogany (or possibly one of them is a bit of spanish cedar, one of them smelled like Spanish ceday and was not nearly as hard, the other was harder than soft maple) that I had left over from a job about 10 years ago or so.


    Any suggestions for design changes to make these look a bit better?
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Making furniture teaches us new ways to remove splinters.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    Quote Originally Posted by Matt Evans View Post
    Any suggestions for design changes to make these look a bit better?
    Designs are so subjective and personal it is difficult to make suggestions! I would probably turn some scrap into the size and shape of just the fronts of a few hand wheels and try some different things to see how they looked.

    One thing that sometimes adds visual interest is just a touch of detail. I might try just a simple v-groove or two somewhere on the face, perhaps just a bit down the side of the depression and maybe near the hub. Or at the hub, try a sharper corner instead of the rounded corner or perhaps a slightly angled face instead of straight across. I try things like this on bowls and face work to avoid the common rounded over rims.

    A simple point tool, made from a round rod by grinding three facets, is great for putting small detail groves in face work. I ground one a little differently years ago and it seems to cut cleaner - I call it my Wicked Point Tool:

    point_tool_comp.jpg

    Other ways I've used to add visual emphasis:
    - cut a groove and fill with brass powder, inlace, black epoxy, gilder's past, etc.
    - use a star texturing tool, perhaps on a narrow band on the face. (Texture like this can be iffy on end grain) I like to mostly finish first, texture, perhaps fill in the divots with a contrasting grain filler, then ightly sand with very fine paper and finish. This works well on things like platters. Note that any type of texture added to a band looks better if the edges are "cleaned up" with some narrow grooves.
    - carving, by hand or with a Dremel - I often add stippling to a raised band to add interest on both spindles and bowls - very easy, but takes a bit of time. I can find pictures later if you want (running late at the moment!)
    - try filling the grain before finishing for a smoother finish - a glass smooth surface with a slightly matte finish instead of gloss looks great sometimes.

    BTW, I also turn mostly spindles but also like platters, plates, boxes, mugs, and an occasional bowl.

    JKJ

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