Why won't my punches even raise a welt?
 

After reading M. O'Donnell's book on decorating, I tried using carver's
punches to make shallow depressions in turned wood surfaces, then I
sanded down to their level and by moistening the surface the patterns
were supposed to rise proud of the surface. It was a miserable failure.

Maybe the punches cut instead of compressing the wood surface and maybe
I used the wrong wood; dry mahogany and wet NIP. Or as I do with Leif's
world famous LDD manifesto, I didn't follow instructions, and was irate
when I didn't succeed. Just because it works for him is certainly no
reason to follow his advice. :)
Have any of you used this method successfully to raise decorative
patterns?

(Neckties and long shirt cuffs may enhance your appearance while
turning, but the bandages, stitches and scars _if you should survive_
won't.)


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

"Arch" wrote in message
...
After reading M. O'Donnell's book on decorating, I tried using carver's
punches to make shallow depressions in turned wood surfaces, then I
sanded down to their level and by moistening the surface the patterns
were supposed to rise proud of the surface. It was a miserable failure.

Maybe the punches cut instead of compressing the wood surface and maybe
I used the wrong wood; dry mahogany and wet NIP. Or as I do with Leif's
world famous LDD manifesto, I didn't follow instructions, and was irate
when I didn't succeed. Just because it works for him is certainly no
reason to follow his advice. :)
Have any of you used this method successfully to raise decorative
patterns?

I've used tapped wires to make waterproof boxes out of softwoods. I'm
betting on fiber cutting. Try some annealed steel wire taped to the surface
and tapped in. Use a last under the piece for support.

Now answer mine.

How can potatoes planted in the same furrow erupt to the surface seven or
eight inches either side, where they're cut off by my cultivator? Grrrrrr.

George, An old farmer on rcw advised gently peeling off potatoe vines.
He insised that a cultivator used properly should peel, not thrust. I'll
try the wire.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

"Lobby Dosser" wrote: (Don't set your skilsaw on a plastic lawn chair until
you are sure the blade has stopped spinning.)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Also, don't use your finger to make sure it has stopped.

Thanks Lobby, you were right to question the depth of the dent. I
should have said "sanded to below the original surface".

(smell the roses not the laquer thinner, you'll live longer.)


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

"Lobby Dosser" wrote in message
news:kCoqe.168$yw4.164@trnddc09...
(Arch) wrote:

After reading M. O'Donnell's book on decorating, I tried using carver's
punches to make shallow depressions in turned wood surfaces, then I
sanded down to their level and by moistening the surface the patterns
were supposed to rise proud of the surface. It was a miserable failure.


Do you mean sand the surrounding area down to the level of the dent?

(Don't set your skilsaw on a plastic lawn chair until you are sure the
blade has stopped spinning.)
=========================
Lobby,
Have you disabled the blade guard on your Skilsaw?! (:-0

Ken Moon
Webberville, TX.

(Arch) wrote:

Thanks Lobby, you were right to question the depth of the dent. I
should have said "sanded to below the original surface".

Are you sure you were supposed to use a Punch and not something like a
ball?

(Make sure you know where the cord is while you are trimming the hedge.)


(smell the roses not the laquer thinner, you'll live longer.)


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

"Ken Moon" wrote:


"Lobby Dosser" wrote in message
news:kCoqe.168$yw4.164@trnddc09...
(Arch) wrote:

After reading M. O'Donnell's book on decorating, I tried using
carver's punches to make shallow depressions in turned wood
surfaces, then I sanded down to their level and by moistening the
surface the patterns were supposed to rise proud of the surface. It
was a miserable failure.


Do you mean sand the surrounding area down to the level of the dent?

(Don't set your skilsaw on a plastic lawn chair until you are sure
the blade has stopped spinning.)
=========================
Lobby,
Have you disabled the blade guard on your Skilsaw?! (:-0

Nah, the guard caught the edge of the seat and then the saw began to eat
it way across as it wound down. Never liked those chairs anyway. Have to
find a creative way to get rid of the rest of them.

(Never spray paint near an uncovered beverage container. Corollary:
Always check the contents of an uncovered beverage container prior to
drinking from it.)

Ken Moon
Webberville, TX.

Arch wrote:
After reading M. O'Donnell's book on decorating, I tried using carver's
punches to make shallow depressions in turned wood surfaces, then I
sanded down to their level and by moistening the surface the patterns
were supposed to rise proud of the surface. It was a miserable failure.

Maybe the punches cut instead of compressing the wood surface and maybe
I used the wrong wood; dry mahogany and wet NIP.

My bet is the wood. Try something like maple, yellow birch or a fruit
wood. Something with tight grain.

I have certainly used the wetting technique for getting dents out of
wood:) Sometimes some heat helps on the wet wood.

--
Derek Andrews, woodturner

http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com
http://chipshop.blogspot.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/toolrest/

On Fri, 10 Jun 2005 15:20:34 -0400, (Arch) wrote:

After reading M. O'Donnell's book on decorating, I tried using carver's
punches to make shallow depressions in turned wood surfaces, then I
sanded down to their level and by moistening the surface the patterns
were supposed to rise proud of the surface. It was a miserable failure.

I have read of similar feats, but using steam instead of plain water.
Put the piece in a collander over boiling water. I'm going to try it
on some hard maple.


--
Chuck *#:^)
chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply.


September 11, 2001 - Never Forget

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Arch, I have used a similar approach but I cut away the wood rather
than sanding. Then, as Chuck wrote, I used steam to raise the bumps.
Reasonably successful, but not all the indentations rose to the
occasion!

I used UK Sycamore (Maple?) but was somewhat disappointed with the
results and have not repeated the experiment.

P.S. I did round off the tip of the punch before use and it was one of
those where you can preset the pressure exerted.

Regards,
Peter Charles Fagg
Freshwater, Isle of Wight,
United Kingdom.
www.petersplatters.co.uk
Each can do but little!
But if each DID that little,
ALL would be done!

"Arch" wrote in message
...
After reading M. O'Donnell's book on decorating, I tried using carver's
punches to make shallow depressions in turned wood surfaces, then I
sanded down to their level and by moistening the surface the patterns
were supposed to rise proud of the surface. It was a miserable failure.

Maybe the punches cut instead of compressing the wood surface and maybe
I used the wrong wood; dry mahogany and wet NIP. Or as I do with Leif's
world famous LDD manifesto, I didn't follow instructions, and was irate
when I didn't succeed. Just because it works for him is certainly no
reason to follow his advice. :)
Have any of you used this method successfully to raise decorative
patterns?

(Neckties and long shirt cuffs may enhance your appearance while
turning, but the bandages, stitches and scars _if you should survive_
won't.)


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter

==== Arch! Have you got a health club membership? Perhaps if you started
some weight training, your punch might be more effective. Also, work out on
the heavy bag seems to help.*G*

Leif

Thanks to all for gently implying that I ought to take another look at
O'Donnell's book. Your suggestions might have been mean spirited, but
instead were proper and pertinent. I found my copy and I'm sure not
guilty of copyright infringement or plagiary since my attempts at
decorating were nowhere in his book.

To continue my series of bad puns; 'Like Mike Tyson, I punched out'.
Arrrgh! Ah, the well intended misinformation that would be
perpetuated, if not for all the disagreements and corrections that all
you gentlemen freely offer here.

I'm going to try steaming a maple turning in a colander after making
shallow depressions with a controlled pressure round point punch and
sanding to just below the surface. May not work for me, but I heard
that following instructions has been known to help.

(somebody turn a white cane for dear old.... he wore a mask at his
lathe, but not at his grinder)


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

In article , Arch
wrote:

Thanks to all for gently implying that I ought to take another look at
O'Donnell's book. Your suggestions might have been mean spirited, but
instead were proper and pertinent. I found my copy and I'm sure not
guilty of copyright infringement or plagiary since my attempts at
decorating were nowhere in his book.

To continue my series of bad puns; 'Like Mike Tyson, I punched out'.
Arrrgh! Ah, the well intended misinformation that would be
perpetuated, if not for all the disagreements and corrections that all
you gentlemen freely offer here.

I'm going to try steaming a maple turning in a colander after making
shallow depressions with a controlled pressure round point punch and
sanding to just below the surface. May not work for me, but I heard
that following instructions has been known to help.

(somebody turn a white cane for dear old.... he wore a mask at his
lathe, but not at his grinder)


I've seen something similar done on "THe Woodwright's Shop", but not
decorative purposes - the technique was applied to making a wooden
wash basin. The bottom was simply nailed onto the bottom of a frame.
Before this, a continuous strip was beaten all around the bottom edge.
The edge was then planed down to be level with the bottom of the
depression. When the wood was wetted, the grain swoll along that
same line, compressing against the bottom panel and creating a tight
seal. IIRC, the "bead" was beaten in using a strip of metal and a
hammer, pretty agressively!