by Paul Carter |
February 03, 2016
Woodturners at Carter and Son Toolworks share seven tips they've found to be invaluable. Enjoy, and happy turning!
1. The tailstock is your cheapest insurance. Whenever possible, take advantage of the tailstock. It comes with your lathe and a stable, secure piece is always easier to work with.
2. Ride the bevel. Pay attention to how you're using your tools. Take it slow and remember to ride the bevel.
3. Use sandpaper like someone else is paying for it. Don't overuse the same piece of sandpaper, an 800 grit piece can quickly become dull.
4. A sharp tool is a safe tool. Sharpening can be a difficult skill to master, but it is essential to woodturning. Sharp tools are safer and more enjoyable to use. Be patient and take the time to learn to sharpen, it will pay off.
5. You see better with your hands. Don't just look at your work, feel it. Oftentimes your hands can best assess the shape and smoothness of a piece.
6. Master the basics. Every aspect of woodturning is based on some basic skills that are critical to learn. Don't feel rushed to learn complicated cuts, master the basics.
7. Practice. Spend time at the lathe, it makes all the difference!
Questions or tips of your own? Share in the comments below.
Tagged:
turning tips,
turning tools,
wood for turning,
wood turning,
woodturners,
woodturning,
woodturning blog,
woodturning tools,
woodworking,
woodworking blog
by Paul Carter |
April 20, 2015
Watch Your Sandpaper: Sandpaper is a cutting tool, keep it sharp and keep it clean. Don’t try to reuse and recycle your sandpaper, your piece will suffer.
Oil & Sandpaper: For a finer look, apply oil to the wood using 600 grit wet/dry paper or shavings. The friction caused by the heat will cure the oil faster. You can also apply this technique to wax finishes.
Rotary Sanding Disk: If you have lots of finishing to do, try using a rotary sanding disk. This method is faster than sanding by hand and oftentimes leaves a smoother finish with less scratches.
Use the Tools: Don’t be afraid to go back to your tools if a coarse grit of sandpaper isn’t doing the job.
Try Tung Oil: Many turners dismiss tung oil because of the time it takes to dry. Tung oil leaves a beautiful, watertight finish that may be worth the wait.
Don’t Skimp: Take your time finishing your piece. The better it looks now, the better it will look on display later. Finishing is important, don’t treat it as an afterthought.
What are your favorite finishing techniques? Let us know in the comments below!
Sources:
http://www.woodcentral.com/russ/finish7.shtml
http://www.morewoodturningmagazine.com/articles/finishing.php
Tagged:
finishing,
finishing wood,
how to finish wood,
sanding tips,
sandpaper,
tip and techniques,
turning,
turning tips,
turning tools,
wood for turning,
wood turning,
woodturners,
woodturning,
woodturning blog,
woodturning tools,
woodworking,
woodworking blog
