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bigbob

Graduate Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2014
Posts
557
Location
Inverness
First Name
Bob
Thank you everyone I did not expect such a big response and from all over the globe!!! Well I am on tea-break at work at the moment and work night shift but am off as of Monday morning and will get the camera out and take a few shots. I think I need to post a few times here before I can upload but I would not hold your breath to see my creations as I have just made normal pens and experimented with different finishes mainly either using sand sealer and paste wax or hut polish plus canuba wax, or coats of thin ca glue then medium then tried finishing with a micromesh kit that starts with 1500 grit and goes up in quite a few stages to 12000 which I got from Axminster and produces a very shiny finish. I have through experimentation found a quicker and cheaper way to do this last week after turning the pen I turn the lathe to low speed and sand with 400 abernet then use 4 coats of thin ca and 4 coats of medium sand with 400 abernet again then as an experiment put some autosol chrome polish to finish as I figured its just paste with fine grit and indeed it produced the same finish as with the micromesh so I finished with one coat of canuba wax.
The biggest problem I have is using the skew as I understand that if I can master this I can save myself a lot of sanding, I am using from the half to lower third of the cutting edge and the skew is as sharp as my plane irons and chisels i.e with a light stroke it takes the hair of my arm I guess I need to go to lesson at the local club but due to my working hours can not get there.

Sorry bit of a long reply.

Bob
 
T

turnaround360

Caracktycus Pots
Fellow
Joined
Mar 6, 2013
Posts
2,427
Location
Essex
First Name
Frank
Not at all it nice that you have made the effort to tell
us your thoughts just mess with the skew on some scrap
And ride the bevel good luck.
 
Buckeye

Buckeye

ペンメーカー
Executive Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2013
Posts
9,697
Location
UK
First Name
Peter
Just put a piece of wood on the lathe and reduce it to nothing using the skew, keep doing doing it and you will become proficient with the skew.

Peter
 
Grump

Grump

Grand Master
Joined
Aug 17, 2013
Posts
10,504
Location
Stevenage
First Name
Brian
bigbob said:
Hi all,

My name is Bob and I am big hence the user name and I live up in the highlands. I got hold of an old Record RML 300 lathe about 6 months ago complete with a set of 4 chisels and purchased a chuck and a mandrel for making pens and a lot of pocket emptying bits and bobs for sharpening finishing man cave to put it all in etc. I have made some pens and really enjoy doing so but am just a beginner so looking forward to reading this forum and hope you all don't mind me asking numpty questions now and again.

Cheers Bob
Click to expand...

Welcome to the forum Bob, ask away, there are plenty of numpty's here to answer them init?
 
paulm

paulm

grave manibus faciendum
Registered
Joined
Oct 7, 2013
Posts
12,046
Location
Sandford
First Name
Paul
Its just practice practice practice Bob and you'll get there. The skew is a good one to master and if you persevere you will save a lot of effort, time and grief but you're saying the right things about using it. With regards to finishing, if you ask what you should use then you'll get a variety of answers, the best thing to do is play with a few and see what you like best but remember that ca fumes are not that healthy and normal filters in a dust mask to not protect you from it.
 
donwatson

donwatson

Fellow
Joined
May 27, 2014
Posts
2,714
Location
Glenrothes, Fife
First Name
Donald
Bob,
Alex Mutch, round at Ullapool is probably your best bet for tuition although there are Woodworking clubs in your area that could also help out.
And don't forget the pictures :whistling:
 
B

bigbob

Graduate Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2014
Posts
557
Location
Inverness
First Name
Bob
Thanks Donald,

I was up at the woodturners near Ullapool about 6 months ago one of my colleagues at work had bought stuff for her fathers xmas present and let me know about the shop when I first started to get interested. The owners of this shop have now retired and passed the business and stock on to Andrew Walters Black Isle Woodturning | Home how gives lessons. There is a local club but because of my hours I would find it difficult to attend. Next year I will be 65 and able to draw OAP but will still have to work but might get a chance to alter my hours a bit and be able to join in with the rest of human kind instead of being a creature of the night:devil:
 
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