Number 102 Utah Woodchips Newsletter April 2010, page 1 Regular Monthly Meeting ( first Tuesday ) Message from the President April, 2010 We met at Timberline Woodworkers Supply in March. Mike Swenson provided a great demo on natural edge bowls and you know you can read more about it inside. I want to express thanks to Richard, A.J. and crew for their hospitality and Mike for his willingness to share his knowledge. We held a training meeting at MacBeath Hardwood on March 18th. Eldon DeHaan brought a very impressive tailstock support he designed and built for his powermatic. It includes a 7 degree angle to lower the tailstock as it pivot out of the way. Several of the guys offered to buy one as soon as he goes into production with them. We also had a great discussion about bowls and using vacuum chucks. I was able to give away a couple of nylon vacuum chuck blanks and several bowl blanks. All in all a great meeting. Thank you Trent for sticking around to be our host. On April 6th we meet at M&M Tool and Machinery where Tom Sorensen will demo. I've been in contact with Jim Kitchens about this and here is what he said. "Steve and I talked about it and here is what we came up with: We will give members of the club 10% off power tools and 20% off accessories for the week of the 6th (April 5 thru 10). In addition, the first 2 lathe purchases over $600 will receive a free D26451KR Dewalt Reconditioned 5" random orbit sander (Steve and I will be keeping track of this, so be sure to have the members speek to us to see if the 2 units have been sold already). Also, Sid at High Mountain Forest Products has chipped in on the effort and is going to give club members 10% off during the same time period." Don't forget the symposium coming up May 6-8. By now everyone should know their responsibilities for volunteering. If you have questions please contact Bill and Beth Denner. The Utah Association of Woodturners is a chapter of the American Association of Woodturners. The AAW does a lot to advance woodturning education in America as well as around the world. Please consider joining this great organization for 2010. Visit http:// woodturner.org for more information. Remember to do the turners' challenge each month. Not only are the challenges a great way to practice what we learn in the demonstrations and hone our skills, they are a great way for me to see how you are doing on your turning as I am ever looking for new people to demonstrate. ;-) The best few (judged by me) will receive a $10.00 gift certificate from Craft Supplies, USA. Any current member can enter. Dave Best Apr 6th - M& M Machinery 3362 South Main, SLC, Utah May 4th - No Meeting Please join us at the Symposium June 1st - Craft Supplies 1287 E. 1120 S., Provo, UT July 6th Timberline 1402 West Center, Orem, UT Mike Swenson demos for us NOW AVAILABLE: The 2009 Utah Woodturners Symposium DVD 2008 Utah Woodturners Symposium DVD is still available We also have CD s back to 1999 The CD is compatible with PC and Mac Cost $35.00 each and includes shipping If you would like to buy a DVD or CD at the club meeting, they are available for $30.00 by saving shipping costs
Number 102 Utah Woodchips Newsletter April 2010, page 2 Mike Swenson Turns a Natural Edge Bowl Mike is an accomplished turner with many years of turning behind him. That shows in the way he handles his tools, the wood and his use of the lathe. Mike chose a Box Elder Burl to use to create a natural edge bowl. The piece had been in his shop for a long time, so it was very dry. Before he began, he showed us several shapes, one or two bad and the rest beautiful, to make a point. He likes to have a shape that sings and finds that a smaller base sets the piece of better as an art object. The key to natural edge is to try and make the two wings and the two low spots level across the finished bowl. Otherwise, the bowl looks lopsided. He used a 4 prong spur drive, but admitted that a two prong works better in the soft burl bark. The crown, or top, of the burl is towards the head stock and the inside of the burl towards the tail stock. He also uses a very small cone center in the tail stock so he can move the piece easily to help center and balance the edges. After several adjustments, he was satisfied. Make sure you keep the tail stock tight as you begin turning as the spur drive tends to dig into the burl cap. A steady hand is necessary as you get closer to the outer edge as you are cutting air half the time. Mike uses a ½ standard grind bowl gouge for this. Use larger cuts at the base and lighter cuts towards the edge so the natural edge stays in tact. Once the basic shape is brought to round and the outside shape defined, Mike cuts a small tenon to go into a 4 jaw chuck for taking out the inside. At this point, Mike uses a standard grind ½ bowl gouge, cutting on the flat edge, to cut a smooth finish. On burl, he has found that sometimes it works better to break the rule and cut down hill against the grain and get a smoother cut. This may be because in a burl the grain goes every direction. Mike then sanded through several grits, just to show us how he used an angle drill. He has 6 snap-in sanding disks to make changing grits faster. After turning the blank around and mounting it firmly in the chuck, Mike showed us a homemade straight slicer tool he uses to take out the center of the burl. Sorby and Dennis Stewart also make these slicers. The McNaughton tool also works to give you a more round core that can better be used for a second, or third bowl depending on the size on the original burl blank. As with the turning of the outside, you are cutting air half the time as you first enter the slicer into the blank, Just move in steady and slow. Expand the cut as you go deeper to keep the slicer from binding. Aim for the center of the bowl and slow down at the end. Many times you can just break off the last bit after you stop the lathe. Mike doesn t like to leave the bark on most of his natural edge pieces, so he used dental picks to help remove the bark. Once this is done, he takes his big bowl gouge, a ¾ bowl gouge with a swept back Irish grind to take out the rest of the inside. As you approach the natural edge, make sure the flute is facing horizontal, or the direction of your cut so it won t skate and ruin the edge. :Mike works down 1 2 inches at a time as the edge will move as it gets thinner. He then changes to a small 3/8 bowl gouge with swept back wings to do the finish cuts Mike tries for about a 1/8 overall thickness, getting a little thicker towards the base. Cont. on page 4 Nice crowd at Timberline Creating basic shape Blank mounted Shape on outside Making chips... Forming spigot
Number 102 Utah Woodchips Newsletter April 2010, page 3 Utah Woodchips the official newsletter of the Utah Association of Woodturners 2006 to 2009 Club Officers President Dave Best 801.298.2176 639 East 1650 South, Bountiful, UT 84010 Turned around in Chuck Tailstock adds stability and safety! davidbest2176@msn.com Vice President Jay Brown 801.598.0780 7121 Cherry Tree Lane Salt Lake City, UT 84121 vermama@comcast.net Sec/Treasurer John Kartchner 801.710.3918 Beginning the core cut 4277 Blue Jay Circle Continuing the core cut Morgan, UT 84050-9757 CD Rom Bob Carter 801.879.6566 blcarter@comcast.net Editors Jay & Vernita Brown 801.942.0197 vermama@comcast.net Core removed Ready for final cut in bottom Photographer Dennis Brown 801.891.4471 denloclan@comcast.net Webmaster Russell Bateman 801.371.0431 Ring on finished bowl Power sanding inside russ@windofkeltia.com Centering on vacuum chuck using tail stock Hospitality North End - Hospitality Salt Lake - Larry Banz Wayne Johns 801.299.0737 Hospitality South End - Mike Przbyla 801.518.6184 Entire contents copyright 2009 by Utah Association of Woodturners Be sure to look at our club shirts, hats and videos on our Club Website: utahwoodturners.org Finished bowl Finished bowls
Number 102 Utah Woodchips Newsletter April 2010, page 4 Cont. from page 2 Watch out at the outer edge as the tendency is to have the outer edge thicker and just below that thinner. If he has to, his used his drill sander to even out the wall at this outer edge. Once the inside is finished and each stage blended together, Mike sands the inside to it s final finish. Make sure you don t sand out to the edge with a drill sander as it will tend to round off the natural edge. Mike uses a vacuum chuck in his shop to reverse the bowl so he can take off the foot or create a finished base. He has made many sizes of heads out of PVC pipe and rubber around the outside edge. There are commercial plans and parts for this or you can make your own. For this demo, Mike put a vacuum head on the lathe to hold the bowl and the tail stock brought up to hold it in place. He then took off the foot, except for a small piece in the center. This can be taken off with a hand sander. A great job, Mike. We all can learn from you every time you turn!...dennis Brown Turner s Challenge Utah Association of Woodturners The Utah Association of Woodturners was formed in 1988 and is a local chapter of the American Association of Woodturners Meetings - first Tuesday of each month at various shops or wood stores that support our club Refreshments 6:30 Meeting 7:00 8:45 pm You are invited to attend and become a part of the group. For more information contact any club officer. Dues begin July 1 st of each year: $25.00 full year $20.00 three quarters $15.00 half year $10.00 last quarter Spouse $10.00 Turners Challenge Mar (for Apr meeting) Nested Bowls Apr (for Symposium) Bring your symposium entry May (for June meeting) TBA Show n Tell Check these websites out http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com http://www.timberlinetools.com http://www.macbeath.com http://www.woodcraft.com For Sale or Trade Rough turned bowls, platters, etc. Call Kirk DeHeer 801-735-7858 For Sale: Original (Brand) Radial Arm Saw. New out of the crate. Twelve-inch blade crosscuts 24"; rips 27". Requires 220 volts. $2000.00 buys the saw and over $1000.00 in blades including a Forest dado set. Call John at 801-710-3412.
Club DVD s for sale Number 102 Utah Woodchips Newsletter April 2010, page 5
Number 102 Utah Woodchips Newsletter April 2010, page 6 The Utah Woodturners Club would like to thank our Premier sponsors... Premier supplier of woodturning supplies 1287 East 1120 South, Provo, UT Premier supplier of hardwoods 1576 South 300 West, SLC, UT (801) 484-7616 (800) 225-3743 Premier supplier of tools and machinery 1402 West Center Orem, UT (801) 877-3614 3362 South Main Street SL, UT (801) 485-8200