Putting oil on some salad bowls for the first sale in a couple of weeks,
when, horrors! Down in the transition from wall to bottom, half-hidden in
the annual rings, was a heel mark. You know, the ones where the back of the
bevel burnished its way around while you were concentrating on the front.

Not a problem. Went back to the lathe, chucked the bowl in the recess and
hit the entire inside with 150/220/320. As I applied the fresh oil with my
3M synthetic wool, I noticed how the segment was now a match for its
surroundings. No low spots, either, since I was able to sand with the piece
rotating.

Sure do love the forethought....

On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 08:31:59 -0400, "George" wrote:

Putting oil on some salad bowls for the first sale in a couple of weeks,
when, horrors! Down in the transition from wall to bottom, half-hidden in
the annual rings, was a heel mark. You know, the ones where the back of the
bevel burnished its way around while you were concentrating on the front.

Not a problem. Went back to the lathe, chucked the bowl in the recess and
hit the entire inside with 150/220/320. As I applied the fresh oil with my
3M synthetic wool, I noticed how the segment was now a match for its
surroundings. No low spots, either, since I was able to sand with the piece
rotating.

Sure do love the forethought....

that sounds like a justification for a vacuum chuck system, george... remember,
you can't take it with you and there's no use leaving anything for the kids to
fight over.. *g*



mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

"mac davis" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 08:31:59 -0400, "George" wrote:

Putting oil on some salad bowls for the first sale in a couple of weeks,
when, horrors! Down in the transition from wall to bottom, half-hidden
in
the annual rings, was a heel mark. You know, the ones where the back of
the
bevel burnished its way around while you were concentrating on the front.

Not a problem. Went back to the lathe, chucked the bowl in the recess
and
hit the entire inside with 150/220/320. As I applied the fresh oil with
my
3M synthetic wool, I noticed how the segment was now a match for its
surroundings. No low spots, either, since I was able to sand with the
piece
rotating.

Sure do love the forethought....

that sounds like a justification for a vacuum chuck system, george...
remember,
you can't take it with you and there's no use leaving anything for the
kids to
fight over.. *g*


The NOVA has a built-in capability, but somehow I think a vacuum chuck on a
2" recess isn't going to instill confidence in the guy working a 12" bowl.

Hi George

Tailstock brought up with a soft pussy foot to keep the bowl in place
and ugly or no recess would make for NO problem, resurfacing inside and
also outside heel marks, and a vacuum chuck if used with a proper sized
vacuum drum chuck also would fit the bill.

Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo

George wrote:

The NOVA has a built-in capability, but somehow I think a vacuum chuck on a
2" recess isn't going to instill confidence in the guy working a 12" bowl.

On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 12:10:38 -0400, "George" wrote:


"mac davis" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 08:31:59 -0400, "George" wrote:

Putting oil on some salad bowls for the first sale in a couple of weeks,
when, horrors! Down in the transition from wall to bottom, half-hidden
in
the annual rings, was a heel mark. You know, the ones where the back of
the
bevel burnished its way around while you were concentrating on the front.

Not a problem. Went back to the lathe, chucked the bowl in the recess
and
hit the entire inside with 150/220/320. As I applied the fresh oil with
my
3M synthetic wool, I noticed how the segment was now a match for its
surroundings. No low spots, either, since I was able to sand with the
piece
rotating.

Sure do love the forethought....

that sounds like a justification for a vacuum chuck system, george...
remember,
you can't take it with you and there's no use leaving anything for the
kids to
fight over.. *g*


The NOVA has a built-in capability, but somehow I think a vacuum chuck on a
2" recess isn't going to instill confidence in the guy working a 12" bowl.

yabut....
if you had a vacuum system, you wouldn't be drilling holes in the bottoms,
right??
(I am probably wrong.. when I saw the cost of vac, I quit learning about it)


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

"mac davis" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 12:10:38 -0400, "George" wrote:

yabut....
if you had a vacuum system, you wouldn't be drilling holes in the bottoms,
right??
(I am probably wrong.. when I saw the cost of vac, I quit learning about
it)


No, the vacuum chuck is used for light work only. As Leo mentioned, if I
made a huge cup to set the rear of the bowl in, then played to get it
centered, then had enough of a pump to maintain a suitable vacuum through
that much thin end grain....

Well, you get the point.

Fortunately, I don't have to take such extraordinary measures. What Leo
thinks is ugly without ever having seen it held the bowl perfectly, and was
not damaged at all in the process. Not to mention, it was prepared and
sanded before the bowl was reversed to hollow, so no third mount was ever
necessary!

On Tue, 14 Jun 2005 06:37:51 -0400, "George" wrote:


"mac davis" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 12:10:38 -0400, "George" wrote:

yabut....
if you had a vacuum system, you wouldn't be drilling holes in the bottoms,
right??
(I am probably wrong.. when I saw the cost of vac, I quit learning about
it)


No, the vacuum chuck is used for light work only. As Leo mentioned, if I
made a huge cup to set the rear of the bowl in, then played to get it
centered, then had enough of a pump to maintain a suitable vacuum through
that much thin end grain....

Well, you get the point.

Fortunately, I don't have to take such extraordinary measures. What Leo
thinks is ugly without ever having seen it held the bowl perfectly, and was
not damaged at all in the process. Not to mention, it was prepared and
sanded before the bowl was reversed to hollow, so no third mount was ever
necessary!


hmm... maybe it's just tool envy, but vacuum chucking sounds like a PITA..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Hi George

I will insert a few words so as to not give the impression that I "find
your recess ugly without seeing it"

Beautiful- Pretty - Ugly or NO Recess it would make NO PROBLEM, to do
both inside and outside of a bowl turning where you had sanded but not
noticed the heel pressure mark or other imperfections that make us go
back and try to improve upon, be that just some scratch marks or crushed
grain.
The point of all this is that "there are more ways to skin a cat" as
they say, or yes there are many good ways to hold, turn or otherwise
change the shape of a chunk of wood, besides the way you have shown us,
and the ways others have used and are using, just be careful you don't
get hurt doing it.


http://homepage.mac.com/l.vanderloo/PhotoAlbum26.html

Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo


George wrote:/snip/

Fortunately, I don't have to take such extraordinary measures.

What Leo
thinks is ugly without ever having seen it held the bowl perfectly,

and was
not damaged at all in the process. Not to mention, it was prepared and
sanded before the bowl was reversed to hollow, so no third mount was ever
necessary!

"mac davis" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 12:10:38 -0400, "George" wrote:


"mac davis" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 08:31:59 -0400, "George" wrote:
snip

(I am probably wrong.. when I saw the cost of vac, I quit learning about
it)


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

If you do a bit of researching on the net you will see that you can make a
vac chucking system with very little cost. Use an old freezer compressor for
the vacuum and make a rotating joint with some sealed bearings - the ease of
the rotating joint manufacture depends on what kind of outboard spindle
arrangement you have.
I used an old 2 piston rather large refrigeration compressor but bought a
Oneway rotating joint. I made my own drum chucks out of ABS pipe connectors.
Billh

If you do a bit of researching on the net you will see that you can make a
vac chucking system with very little cost. Use an old freezer compressor
for
the vacuum and make a rotating joint with some sealed bearings - the ease
of
the rotating joint manufacture depends on what kind of outboard spindle
arrangement you have.
I used an old 2 piston rather large refrigeration compressor but bought a
Oneway rotating joint. I made my own drum chucks out of ABS pipe
connectors.
Billh

For vacuum, high air-flow is better than high pressure. A household vauum
cleaner is sufficient, provided it has a by-pass valve to stop the vac motor
from burning out from lack of airflow.

Depending on the lathe, a rotation joint is not necessary. A tin can can do
the job! Mine is sized to fit over the handweel and secured to the
headstock with a disk of 1/2" ply, cut in half and drilled to fit closely
around the spindle. Oiling the spindle then applying a bead of silastic
around where the ply joins the spindle seals it enough for the vacuum to
work. (It's highflow, not high-pressure, remember.) A hole cut in the
other tin-can for the hose from the vac and voila!

It generates sufficient pressure to do light touch ups to the foot of a
bowl, careful removal of the tenon, reshaping, etc.

Even a commercial vac-chuck set up won't allow more than a light touchup and
a tin can's a darn sight cheaper...

- Andy

Hi Mack

You might be living on a low budget, but a vacuum system is easily build
by anyone with very few tools or dollars,

You might have seen the one that I made, it's on my site, I happened to
have a small compressor, but you can use other setups, car ac units, big
old freezer compressors or old truck refrigeration unit compressors, etc.
A couple of sealed bearings and turned plug to go into you headstock
shaft and a hose barb or two, bleeder valve and some plastic hose and
open cell foam for filtering, and some time to stick it all together,
there are some plans on the net if you do need help visualizing it.


http://homepage.mac.com/l.vanderloo/PhotoAlbum25.html

Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo

mac davis wrote:

(I am probably wrong.. when I saw the cost of vac, I quit learning about it)


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On Tue, 14 Jun 2005 14:03:28 -0400, Leo Van Der Loo
wrote:

Hi Mack

You might be living on a low budget, but a vacuum system is easily build
by anyone with very few tools or dollars,

You might have seen the one that I made, it's on my site, I happened to
have a small compressor, but you can use other setups, car ac units, big
old freezer compressors or old truck refrigeration unit compressors, etc.
A couple of sealed bearings and turned plug to go into you headstock
shaft and a hose barb or two, bleeder valve and some plastic hose and
open cell foam for filtering, and some time to stick it all together,
there are some plans on the net if you do need help visualizing it.


http://homepage.mac.com/l.vanderloo/PhotoAlbum25.html

Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo

Well Leo.. it's tempting, BUT... *g*

Just got the new lathe, (2nd one since November), several new chisels and
scrapers, new chain saw.... and my coring system should get here tomorrow... (on
our anniversary, just for weirdness)
I think my budget and learning curve are both going to be too busy catching up
for any new stuff for a bit.. *g*


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

"mac davis" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 12:10:38 -0400, "George" wrote:
SNIP .......
if you had a vacuum system, you wouldn't be drilling holes in the bottoms,
right??
(I am probably wrong.. when I saw the cost of vac, I quit learning about
it)
====================
Mac,
Check out the older automotive wrecking yards in your area. One of the old
York style (60's-70's) auto air conditioner V-twin compressors will make a
good vacuum system. (Later ones will probably do OK, but I haven't seen one
of those) Make a bracket to mount it on a piece of plywood, along with a 1/4
HP 1750 RPM electric motor to turn it just above idle speed for the car it
came from. Some vacuum line and parts from your local auto parts place and a
some skate board bearings to make your rotary connector, and you're ready
for vacuum chucking. Doesn't have to be expensive at all.

Ken Moon
Webberville, TX.

"Ken Moon" wrote in message
ink.net...
Check out the older automotive wrecking yards in your area. One of the old
York style (60's-70's) auto air conditioner V-twin compressors will make a
good vacuum system. (Later ones will probably do OK, but I haven't seen
one
of those) Make a bracket to mount it on a piece of plywood, along with a
1/4
HP 1750 RPM electric motor to turn it just above idle speed for the car it
came from. Some vacuum line and parts from your local auto parts place and
a
some skate board bearings to make your rotary connector, and you're ready
for vacuum chucking. Doesn't have to be expensive at all.

For those contemplating salvage systems, remember that Freon was its own
lubricant, so you'll have to provide some or seize the system. Hopefully
not while you've got something hanging up there that could smack you.