New woodchuck

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ctubbs

ctubbs

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Joined
Sep 12, 2010
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Murray, Kentucky
:biggrin:WoW! My new woodchuck just arrived. i bought the long one without the handle(cheepskate). I am a bit impatient so I tore the package open and gave it a spin. I had no pen blanks glued up so I slid a couple of tubes into a pair of really bad, throw away blanks I had already drilled, set them on the mandrel and fired up the lathe. With no handle, I know, IDIOT AT LARGE, I made the attempt to turn this pithy hard and soft wood. It looks like they were sanded to 600. I think I'll turn all the rest of my tools into door stops or something else more useful. Thank you Ken for this wonderful turning tool.

If this post is inappropiate, My humble appologies to the admins. I am just so thrilled at this tool's work.

Charles:):tongue::wink:
 
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Ya I got one and use it to rough just about all my pens, know matter what the material is. I even use it on large things other then pens. I would have to say its almost a all purpose tool. I,m still finding new uses for it.

John
 
The Woodchuck is a GREAT tool! Just be sure to keep the tool rest as close as possible and the cutting head at the center or just above the center of the blank. And get a handle on that sucker as soon as possible. A proper handle on a tool this aggressive is an absolute must!

Mine cuts so smooth that I can go directly from the Woodchuck to micro mesh on most materials.
 
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My new Woodchuck was waiting for me when I returned from a week long business trip on Friday. After family duties today I glued up a bunch of blanks and am looking forward to making chips fly tomorrow.
 
Ok, I'm a new pen turner and I need a little information about this tool. I dont have any tools that would allow me to go directly to micro-mesh. Is this pre-sharpened? How long does the insert last? Can the insert be sharpened or is it considered disposable? Is there any video anywhere of one being used?
 
http://www.penturners.org/photos/index.php?n=15299 The carbide insert can be sharpened. IMHO, it is easier to put a sharp edge on an insert with a diamond sharpener than to sharpen a skew on a grinder. Additionally, the Woodchuck insert has four sides, giving it four fresh edges by simply turning a screw. Lastly, the inserts (when bought from IAP members) are relatively inexpensive.

To get perfectly smooth blanks with a carbide tip does involve a bit of a learning curve. But when you learn how to properly use this tool, it is awesome.

A picture is worth a thousand words. http://www.penturners.org/photos/index.php?n=15299
 
Drew Croy said:
Ok, I'm a new pen turner and I need a little information about this tool. I dont have any tools that would allow me to go directly to micro-mesh. Is this pre-sharpened? How long does the insert last? Can the insert be sharpened or is it considered disposable? Is there any video anywhere of one being used?
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Check it out here.

http://www.woodchuck-tools.com

They are great tools and I have sharpened inserts by laying them flat on a little diamond file I have and just moving the insert back and forth. Seems to work.

Welcome to the forum
 
Andy, you are so right, this tool does deserve a good handle. If you will note my original post, I list myself as Idiot at Large. I even used the handleless tool to turn the handle out of white oak. Now with it safely mounted in its new handle, it is sweet as a new born baby.

As to Drew's question, I do not know about sharpening this tool. For teh price of the inserts from Ken, I'll just continue to buy them from him. When the arrive, they are already sharp and in the correct shape. No more than they cost, they are not really worth trying to put a new edge on. I may try an occasional touch up but as to a full fledged sharpening, no.

If I had to chose between this tool and my wife, the tool looses. But if it was between her cats and this tool, well, by kitties.:wink::biggrin::)
 
ctubbs said:
Andy, isn't there a video somewhere of a PR blank being turned with the woodchuck?
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There used to be a video and I looked high and low, including YouTube. I can't find it, but according to SWMBO, I'm blind anyway.

Lenny, a little help, please. I know you posted one, but can't find it.
 
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