RE: Dents in wood.
I use my soldering iron and one of those new aluminum pennies along with a folded paper towel soaked in water.
Most of the dent comes right out as the water in the paper towel turns to steam. That penny conducts heat very well!
RE: Dents in wood.
I use my soldering iron and one of those new aluminum pennies along with a folded paper towel soaked in water.
Most of the dent comes right out as the water in the paper towel turns to steam. That penny conducts heat very well!
CarveWright Model C
Stratos Lathe
Jet 1014
Half-a-Brain
Russell Neyman.
Writer - Woodworker - Historian
Instructor: The Woodturning Experience
Puget Sound, Washington State
"Outside of a dog, there's nothing better than a good book; inside of a dog it's too dark to read."
There are times when you have no other option than mounting a finished surface in steel jaws (see the previous notes about removing dents), as in tbe case when you're parting off a tenon or detailing a bade. In the past I have wrapped that vulnerable surface with blue tape with mixed results.
Recently, I began using that medical underwrap football players use, similar to an ace bandage. Works great, minimal wobble, and no residue.
Russell Neyman.
Writer - Woodworker - Historian
Instructor: The Woodturning Experience
Puget Sound, Washington State
"Outside of a dog, there's nothing better than a good book; inside of a dog it's too dark to read."
Try using a large Squeegee (sp?) insetad of a broom for cleaning up the floor. Works very well for me.
A camphor block placed in a drawer with steel tools will protect them from rust. I have purchased in the past 2X2X1/2 blocks individually wrapped in plastic film. I would slice the film and place the block in the drawer. It would last for months.
What exactly is a clothes line?
This tip for a shop-made chatter tool works great!
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...t-chatter-tool
Russell Neyman.
Writer - Woodworker - Historian
Instructor: The Woodturning Experience
Puget Sound, Washington State
"Outside of a dog, there's nothing better than a good book; inside of a dog it's too dark to read."
You know those worn out foam sanding mandrels with the hook-and-loop that won't hold onto the sandpaper any more? I haven't had much luck repairing them, so lately I've taken to simply gluing a piece of 60 grit on to it. Comes in pretty handy for grinding off a tenon nub. I'm still annoyed that another $7 mandrel has bitten the dust, but at least I can squeeze one last bit of usefulness out o f my investment.
Russell Neyman.
Writer - Woodworker - Historian
Instructor: The Woodturning Experience
Puget Sound, Washington State
"Outside of a dog, there's nothing better than a good book; inside of a dog it's too dark to read."
Wood shavings -- and we all have an ample supply of that, right? -- make great packing mateterial. I fill shopping bags o other plastic bags with the chips, creating "pillows" that I use to cushion my bowls for shipment. Cheap way to go.
Russell Neyman.
Writer - Woodworker - Historian
Instructor: The Woodturning Experience
Puget Sound, Washington State
"Outside of a dog, there's nothing better than a good book; inside of a dog it's too dark to read."
Our club is presenting these nuggets of woodturning wisdom at next week's meeting under the.title, "Fifty Nifty Shop Tips". We plan to film it and post it here and on YouTube eventually. Yes, we're crediting the Creepers who provided the tips.
There is still time for late additions if you've been holding back!
Russell Neyman.
Writer - Woodworker - Historian
Instructor: The Woodturning Experience
Puget Sound, Washington State
"Outside of a dog, there's nothing better than a good book; inside of a dog it's too dark to read."
Tired of sawdust and chips in your socks and shoes? You can purchase some "shoe bibs" online from one of the big tool houses, or...
Go to Target, purchase infant bibs (come in sets of 2 for about $5), add a bit of velcro so that it can be snugged up well, and there you go.
photo (23)-r25.jpg It's important to chose a non-embarrassing print though.
This one wad added by George Kromka last night at our monthly Woodturners' meeting:
Guitar strings make great burning wires.
Make a centre finder for spindle blanks from a short bit of square section timber. Drill a hole in it for a pencil then put it and the blank on a flat surface. Strike a line across the end of the blank, flip it 90 degrees and repeat. The lines will form a little square and you can dot the middle by eye accurately enough for most work.
Make the pencil hole off centre in the block. That way you can lay it on the side that brings the pencil point closest to the centre of the blank. The block doesn't have to match the size of the blank.
I use two or three of these marking blocks for different sizes of blank. They are very quick to make and use.
Being a guitar player, I may be able to add some further detail...
Guitar strings vary in gauge, type of metal, wound vs unwound, and coated vs uncoated. Rather than expand on the explanations for each, I'll add the following link:
http://www.stringbusters.com/stringfaqs.asp
Most of this information is intended to help select the best strings for your guitar, but the same explanations can help you decide which would be best for your turning application. The good news is that guitar strings are relatively inexpensive (from around $3-4 on the low end).
What a great thread and so many creative suggestions...now for my little addition. I use garden hose reels to keep my extension cords tidy.