My new catalogs have arrived and it's Memorial Day, so it's time for my
annual memorial to the tools, gadgets and perpetrations that died hidden
away in the back of bottom drawers in our shops, never to be used or
seen again. They weren't the "greatest generation", but they weren't
all bad. Some were merely misguided hopefuls, some just badly behaved
miscreants, but some committed misdemeanors, even felonies. Many of you
are too busy to DIY, others are tool junkies so YMMV, but here's my
list: R.I.P.
***********************************************
Spring loaded safe driver, $38 a dead center with a spring tip. If you
can remove or install a blank onto a spinning spindle, why would you
need a 'safe driver'?

Versa Center, $75- replacement tip $25, a live center with a plastic
tip. Wow!

Scraper burnisher, $35 Works ok, but is it any better than a throw away
valve stem?

Depth drill, $30 Lost your electrician's drill bits and your vise
grips, did you?

Waste blocks, five for $7, shabby chic or an embarrassment if seen in
some shops

Tool handles, $4 to $7 by length, Avoid the misery of turning wood, just
drill a centered hole for the tang if you can.

Wire burner set, $12 A miniature bola for the turner that needs one
thing more than everything.

Taper Mate, $14 A plastic spindle taper
cleaner that substitutes for a rag on a stick.

Plastic anti lock spindle washers, $2 No decent turner would stamp out
washers from ugly milk cartons. Plus think of the risk from residual
cholesterol.

A sharp edged metal pipe masquerading as a combination gouge and dust
collector: A dive mask pretending to be a 'Respirator'; An uppity
drill press add on calling itselt a 'Vertilathe' $ vary, I can love
the inventor of each, but hate the device.

Several handled round and flat tools with missing flutes, $ vary, but
there are no bargains. Most turners own a grinder and some could shape
points, bevels and curves on less expensive steel blanks of the same
quality.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



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

"Arch" wrote in message
...
My new catalogs have arrived and it's Memorial Day, so it's time for my
annual memorial to the tools, gadgets and perpetrations that died hidden
away in the back of bottom drawers in our shops, never to be used or
seen again. They weren't the "greatest generation", but they weren't
all bad. Some were merely misguided hopefuls, some just badly behaved
miscreants, but some committed misdemeanors, even felonies. Many of you
are too busy to DIY, others are tool junkies so YMMV, but here's my
list: R.I.P.
SNIP List


Ol' Blue entered semi-retirement in the garage this morning. His stand is
dismantled, and a replacement under construction. I actually still have the
metal one that came with, in the shed.

He goes to the big kid when he Leaves Iraq in October. Seems fitting, as
we used to make his first tuition payment every year with stuff made on
Blue.

On Sun, 28 May 2006 12:57:11 -0400, (Arch) wrote:

My new catalogs have arrived and it's Memorial Day, so it's time for my
annual memorial to the tools, gadgets and perpetrations that died hidden
away in the back of bottom drawers in our shops, never to be used or
seen again. They weren't the "greatest generation", but they weren't
all bad. Some were merely misguided hopefuls, some just badly behaved
miscreants, but some committed misdemeanors, even felonies. Many of you
are too busy to DIY, others are tool junkies so YMMV, but here's my
list: R.I.P.

_____________________________

I'll add these to the memorial, even though they're not strictly for
turning.

The sure-form ummm.... "plane" (AKA the cheese grater) Thought it'd
save some sharpening, but turns out it's useless for anything but
smoothing a rough edge on drywall.

The Duracraft plunge router. It served me well for a little while,
but a router with a plastic button for a spindle lock just can't do
the job it needs to.

A dead center that came with the big Delta lathe.

Other than that, I've been lucky so far.

(Arch) wrote:

Many of you
are too busy to DIY, others are tool junkies so YMMV, but here's my
list: R.I.P.


I have a personal fondness for stuff packaged in 'hang up' packaging,
because I can hang that stuff directly on the peg board and then just
blow the dust off when it comes time to put it in the garage sale. The
latest is a thing called 'Quick Angle' that I bought at a woodworking
show. Problem with it is I can't remember one of the dozens of uses I
thought of when I saw it demonstrated.

My Spouse has a solution for this problem: if something doesn't get used
within a year after entering the house (or just within a year), it is
fair game and she will sell it, give it to one of the kids, or use it
herself. Oldest son and his wife are over for dinner one Sunday and I'm
standing in the kitchen talking to him when I notice his shoes: "Say,
I've got a pair of shoes just like that." Spouse: "No you don't."

Think I'll go use my biscuit joiner on something ...

At our next club meeting, we are having a swap meet for all the things
we don't need or use. Of course, there will be lots of bargains there
because, as they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure.

VacuGouge - I have one and use it!!

Stewart chatter tool - I just don't like making tops

Axminster eccentric chuck - I'll use it some day

Several scrapers - for the boxes I rarely make

Wood blanks - accummulated to make eggs, pens, Christmas ornaments,
boxes, vases, natural edge bowls

Banjo-mounted carving mandrels - I have three and have used them a
combined twice!!

Hi Joe, I may have disrespected the vacugouge. Could you write a little
about how you use yours? I kinda hoped that others would defend their
favorites that I insulted. Keep me in mind when your eccentric
chuck becomes a 'bargain'.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



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

"Arch" wrote: (clip) Keep me in mind when your eccentric chuck becomes a
'bargain'.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Eccentric turners don't need eccentric chucks.

Leo, I'm not eccentric, I just turn on a different axis and post to a
different thread.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



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

Leo Lichtman wrote:
"Arch" wrote: (clip) Keep me in mind when your eccentric chuck becomes a
'bargain'.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Eccentric turners don't need eccentric chucks.


But it helps!

In article ,
(Arch) wrote:

An uppity
drill press add on calling itselt a 'Vertilathe'

Ahh, the invention of George Devine - may he rest in peace.

He was reliable in his lurking on the newsgroups and anytime the topic
of turning on the cheap reared its head, George would make an appearance
to introduce the Vertilathe to one and all. After a while, if I spotted
the topic before he posted a reply, I'd type out my best impression of a
'50s Hollywood bellhop with a "George Devine. Calling George Devine."

He passed away a couple years ago - every time I see a mention of the
Vertilathe I just can't help mentally calling out, "George Devine.
Calling George Devine."

--
Owen Lowe

Northwest Woodturners
Pacific Northwest Woodturning Guild
___
Tips fer Turnin': Place a sign, easily seen as you switch on your lathe, warning you to remove any and all rings from your fingers. Called degloving, extended hardware can grab your ring and rip it off your finger. A pic for the strong of stomach: www.itim.nsw.gov.au/go/objectid/2A3AC703-1321-1C29-70B067DC88E16BFC/index.cfm

Besides, rings can easily mar the surface of a turning as you check for finished smoothness.