NotURMailman
Member
So I have been getting more and more back into wood working as my back tells me I need to stop messing with automobiles. I had always wanted to try my hand at a wood lathe. So, when Harbor Freight had a huge sale and double coupons this weekend I went and bought their 5 speed 10x18 benchtop model. I know it's not top of the line or anything, but for $165 out the door with a 2 year warranty I figured it was a good deal since I didn't know if I would even be able to get any good with it.
I figured I needed something small to start out with, and I figured pens would be a good teaching project. Who knew it would be so addictive! I have only made three so far, because I only bought four kits from WoodCraft, and I ruined one of them (well, the tube and the blank anyway).
I am learning as I go. So far I have learned to keep your carbide tipped turning tools away from your drive stock (OUCH!). I have also learned today that I was either having a bad luck day big time, or Lacewood is very brittle. Both times I tried drilling my blanks they split in half down the middle just as I got all the way through. After that I ruined the tube trying to remove it from a blank that I decided I didn't like (after gluing the tube into it).
Anyway, I have been reading a lot online and thought this seemed like a really good place for info and advise.
So here I am, and here are some pictures of my first three pens...
The first one I made from a piece of scrap pine and finished with Hut Crystal Coat.
The second one I Made from a Bocote blank and finished with thin CA and polished with MicroMesh.
The third I made from an Ebony blank and polished the bare wood with the MicroMesh and then finished with the Crystal Coat..
Please feel free to offer constructive criticisms or tips.
PS - Any body try the HF mini-lathe chuck and drill chuck tail stock for blank drilling? (After turning it round between centers.)
I figured I needed something small to start out with, and I figured pens would be a good teaching project. Who knew it would be so addictive! I have only made three so far, because I only bought four kits from WoodCraft, and I ruined one of them (well, the tube and the blank anyway).
I am learning as I go. So far I have learned to keep your carbide tipped turning tools away from your drive stock (OUCH!). I have also learned today that I was either having a bad luck day big time, or Lacewood is very brittle. Both times I tried drilling my blanks they split in half down the middle just as I got all the way through. After that I ruined the tube trying to remove it from a blank that I decided I didn't like (after gluing the tube into it).
Anyway, I have been reading a lot online and thought this seemed like a really good place for info and advise.
So here I am, and here are some pictures of my first three pens...
The first one I made from a piece of scrap pine and finished with Hut Crystal Coat.
The second one I Made from a Bocote blank and finished with thin CA and polished with MicroMesh.
The third I made from an Ebony blank and polished the bare wood with the MicroMesh and then finished with the Crystal Coat..
Please feel free to offer constructive criticisms or tips.
PS - Any body try the HF mini-lathe chuck and drill chuck tail stock for blank drilling? (After turning it round between centers.)
