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Woodturning
Public Group active 9 months, 2 weeks agoDiscuss techniques, lathes, turning tools, and wood. Don’t rely on Al for advice, though 
Bill Dalton posted an update in the group Woodturning: 9 months, 2 weeks ago · View
Well it’s been awhile so I’ll brag a bit. Did the Trent Bosch and David Ellsworth class and learned a bunch and really improved my technique and finished product. Tried to take the end of my thumb off while doing something stupid on the lathe, that’s about healed up. Taught a very nice guy from Mo. for 2 Sundays had a great time. Was getting ready for a show next weekend, but now won’t be able to attend as I going up to the Southern States Woodturning Symposium. Should be fun, going as a helper to a vendor. Hope others will start using the Groups again!
Bill Dalton posted an update in the group Woodturning: 1 year ago · View
Next week, Wednesday, Thrusday and Friday I will be driving down to Lakeland, Fl for a class with Trent Bosch on bowls and hollow forms and then in March I will be taking a class from David Ellsworth at the same location. I will post pictures if anyone is interested. I will also try to take copius notes and try to put them in a coherent form for those who like that kind of stuff.
Bill Dalton posted an update in the group Woodturning: 1 year, 8 months ago · View
Just a bit of an update on my handle rant.. I made a new one that is 22+” long for my large carbide bit tool. Nice and heavy. I was dreading putting the PVC hose on the pipe as the last time I used black pipe is was a bit of a pain. Well I put the hose in the oven at 225 and the pipe in the freezer. I know the pipe isn’t going to shrink, but when you take it out of the freezer you get a fine layer of frozen water and the hose slips right on and in a couple of hours the hose tightens up and will not go anywhere. Very cool.
Dave Halter posted an update in the group Woodturning: 1 year, 10 months ago · View
I’m also attempting to make my own Easy Rougher tool. I’ve bought the carbide bits and some square 1/2” cold rolled steel, but I have yet to shape any of it. I was hoping to get a buddy of mine to turn a round shank on the end for putting in the handle, but he’s having some problems with his metal lathe.
Bill Dalton posted an update in the group Woodturning: 1 year, 10 months ago · View
The 1/2 in is Stainless, it’s what was on hand. The 3/8 is ? steel, I think it’s supposed to be cold rolled steel, but i’m not convinced. I get most of my steel from Alro Steel here in town and their cut off area is not always what it’s marked. That may be part of my problem. I use a 1 x 42 POS belt sander to shape the tool and then the top surface is make flat on a diamond plate. I really like the belt sander, I’m planning on making a better one. The 1/2 I used an ”end mill bit” in my drill press to but the recess. I’m not sure the recess is necessary except to lower the blade on the tool. Any thoughts? If the supporting surface is flat to support the bit, why does it ”need” to be recessed? I know that some will say to stop the bit from turning. But I’ve used it on some really nasty stuff, 10 year old Live Oak Burl, and it didn’t move.
I am not sure that it is essential to have it recessed; I don’t really know. My guess is that, if it works fine, then it IS ok. I hope someone who really knows their woodturning tools will chime in.
If it works, you cannot mess with success!
Bill Dalton posted an update in the group Woodturning: 1 year, 10 months ago · View
My problem child.
Sorry to hear it is still not behaving well. It looks tapped now – success??That’s the tap in the hole.
I went to Sears yesterday and bought a micro extraction tool. I’ll let you know if it works.OUCH! Now I know the rest of the story. Good luck with the micro tool.
The micro tool was a waste. Cut off the tip and reshaped, Drilled and tapped. Got a new Tap from ACE and took my time. I have never been a fan of ACE, but after messing around trying to find stuff at big Orange and Blue, I’m becoming a big fan.
Tool works great.
Bill Dalton posted an update in the group Woodturning: 1 year, 10 months ago · View
This is the 1/2 ” with the round bit and square bit on the side.
It looks terrific, Bill! Did you do all the metal work yourself? 1018 steel? Or something ready for heat treatment after tapping? No wonder you had a little trouble with the tapping. The toe looks great, with enough clearance to allow getting into tight spaces, too.
Bill Dalton posted an update in the group Woodturning: 1 year, 10 months ago · View
I’m working on a 3/8 version but keep breaking the taps 4-40 and their supposed to be good ones. Ahhh! Oh well back to the store for another tap and more patience. I hope they sell it by the gallon(patience).
Bill,
I take it the taps are to make the threads for the machine screw that holds the replaceable blade on your shop-made Easy Rougher? I am not much of a turner – just barely able to make things nice and round.
More patience… I could use some of that some days, too!
Bill Dalton posted an update in the group Woodturning: 1 year, 10 months ago · View
Made an Easy Rougher type tool on a 1/2” bar. Used it on green wild cherry and an old oak burl (really dry) made a big mess. Like it so far, but I’m not giving up my bowl gouges or hollowing tools…ever.
Bill,
NO way would Sandy give up her gouges or hollowing tools NO $%#^& way!!! Did you make it with the replaceable blades, or a fixed blade?
Bill Dalton joined the group Woodturning 1 year, 10 months ago · View
Dave,
I used a grinding wheel but don’t like what it does to the wheel, so I use the 1” x 42” belt sander. This is a cheap one I picked up off Craigslist. 
I have a 100 grit belt on it and have done all these plus a bunch of other stuff using the same belt. I do make sure the area that the blade sits on is flat. I usually use the belt sander a little and then spend a few minutes with a diamond plate to make sure the area is flat, only where the blade fits. The tap on the small one is 4-40 NC using a #43 drill bit and the big one is 8-32 using a #29 drill bit. I drill them all the way through. Oh, also you have to countersink the hole on the tool otherwise the screw when tight will not hold the bit; it will spin, cool huh. 
The tool I use the most I put in my Oneway handle until I make a PVC/black pipe handle for it. I make these just like theirs but a lot cheaper, using my wood lathe, oven, and dead blow hammer. On the wood handle, I made this one for my dad; I just eased the edges a bit. Drilled a 9/16” hole in the wood handle eased the edges on the ½” stock, put in some 5 min epoxy and drove it in using a dead blow hammer.
I have used these on some really tough wood and works quite well. I would recommend a glove on the leading hand, you may be a lot tougher than I am, but those little bits coming off the oak burl was a bit much after a few minutes. The green cherry was not bad except it got a little warm after a while. I took the day off to do taxes, done. Now I found my son’s new cat has chewed through the return hose on my pancake compressor I use in the shop. Fortunately she can’t reach the big compressor. Anyone have a receipt for cat stew?
I have done a couple of these and took a couple of photos so you can see the profile I’m using.
Bill,
Thanks for the info. So you don’t recess the cutter into the steel? I was planning on doing that, but if it doesn’t need to be I guess there’s no reason to waste the metal. For your home-made handles I’m assumiing that your tapping a couple of set screw into the black pipe then covering it with the PVC tubing. I may have to look into that also. Lots of good stuff to consider. Thanks again.
I haven’t found a real need to recess the bits other that to keep them from turning. You are looking for as much support as possible and a flat surface provides this. I also have not had a bit move, even on the oak burl I’m working on. My handles are a little more involved but not much, I turn aluminum stock to fit down into the handle and tap and use 8 x 1.25 x 8 mm set screws. These are what are used in my handles and most of the others also the 4mm allen wrench fits my handles and my Oneway chucks.
The first photo shows the insert during the process. Next the finished handle and last the handle next to a Oneway handle on the right, mine on the left.
Bill
Looks great, but I think I’m going to stick with a wood handle for now. At first I thought you were turning the aluminum on a metal lathe, then I realized that’s a Powermatic wood lathe.