More questions,,,,,,,,,,,

[Jack Gaskins]

1 What type of wire do you guys use for burning rings on your spindels and bowl work. Does anyone have the KC burning rings from Rockler?

2. What type of finish for a gloss finish on small turnings like little cups, tops, mushrooms. I have some minwax wipe on poly but it is cold in the garage and poly takes for ever to dry anyway. Does anyone use DEFT high gloss laqure and how does it hold up, I have read that it dries really fast compared to poly?

3. Does anyone have a benchtop planer (like a Dewalt 735) and have you made your own bed extensions for it or did you just order them?

4. For making then boards to use in lamination, do you resaw on the bandsaw then run through the planer or use a different process?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jack,

For frictioning lines in my turnings...I bought 2 $1 guitar strings at a music shop. I cut them to about 18" in length and tied each end around a piece of wood for a handle. Works well. One guitar sting is a D string...one is a high E string. The D string is wire wound for larger grooves. The E string is a single strand wire for smaller grooves.

[Dennis Ford]

I use the Deft gloss lacquer sometimes, it drys very fast. It is a pretty finish but not as tough as poly. It will work in cold conditions if the rattle can is warm. If the can is cold, the spray will not be as even.

[Steve Vaughan]

For me:

1. I use guitar wire I've got laying around. It's disposable cause we've got a few of 'em.

2. I use deft spray laquer cause it dries fast and rubs out with #0000 steel wool beautifully...or if gloss, it does a great job for that with no rub out.

4. Yes, if I'm understanding the question correctly. You need that flat, smooth surface on the wood to join the pieces. Don't forget your clamping too.

[Steve Mawson]

1.I have the KC Burners and they work fine-got as a gift. I believe Ken has a very good idea and the cost is right. I have also used some wire I had on a spool and electrical wire. They all work-make sure your hands are away from the heat!!:eek: High speed helps with wire burning.
2. Wipe on poly will dry quickly in the cold-been using it all winter in the garage. Lacquer will work well also.
3. Have a woodmaster planer-extensions were included
4. I never plane less than 1/4"-grain needs to be pretty straight. Anything thinner or wild grain I sand.

Hope that helps,

[Matt Ranum]

I use rattle can lacquer too, I've been using Minwax gloss lacquer. Been using it on pens and walking canes and its very easy to get very nice results just takes a lot of coats.

[Bob Bergstrom]

I just straighten out some light coiled springs. Pull it straight and wrap it around a couple of dowels. Lacquer is fast and can be built up in multiple coats, sanded back flat. Follow that with a final coat for a glossy finish. Another thing that will help lacquer flow better is to put the can in warm water before spraying it. It will flow better. Don't get too hot with a can that is under pressure.

[Jack Gaskins]

Jack,

For frictioning lines in my turnings...I bought 2 $1 guitar strings at a music shop. I cut them to about 18" in length and tied each end around a piece of wood for a handle. Works well. One guitar sting is a D string...one is a high E string. The D string is wire wound for larger grooves. The E string is a single strand wire for smaller grooves.


Thanks, I will head over to the guitar center tomorrow and pick some up.

[Thom Sturgill]

1) I have the KC wires, they work fine, but I find that more often I grab a cut-off that has a sharp edge and use it, I save the pieces that I get when I cut a square block round on the bandsaw.

2) I use rattle can lacquer, Deft if I can find it. Some times wipe on poly.

I can't answer the other two.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I have the KC burners. They not that expensive, and yes, there are cheap/free alternatives. I like them mainly because they have those cool ends and therefore hard to lose. I got tired of trying to find that short piece of wire. Besides, when they cost you 20 bucks, you tend to watch where they go....

The infeed/outfeed tables for the DW 735 are available from Amazon for less than 50 bucks shipped to your door. IMO that's cheaper than trying to build you own. They work well.....

Laminations/segmented stuff, I run through the table saw. I get glue ready rips right off the saw. No need to run through the planer.

[John Keeton]

I use a guitar string - G string - not to be confused with another topic!;) It is the smallest wound string.

And, I have been using the Deft brush on lacquer - both satin and gloss. It is quick, and gives a very nice finish. Have also used Minwax wipe on poly, but it does take overnite before you can do much with it, and humidity is an issue with drying.

Don't do segmented work, but when I laminate, I always try to get a good planed surface. You can plane to less than 1/4" if you use a sled in your planer.

[Allen Neighbors]

I use Bicycle brake and shifter cables for larger burns, and small picture wire (the kind that comes on a spool like thread) for thin burns. I also use a scrap of Formica for burning the rings in my bowl bottoms.
I use Pre-Catalyzed Lacquer with a spray gun for high gloss finishes...

[Ray Bell]

Allen, please expound. How do you apply the "piece of formica" ?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ray,

You just use the edge of a piece of formica.....put the edge into the groove while the turning is spinning.

I will caution anyone using this method....

I use sharp pieces of wood.....a piece that had a sharp enough point to go into the groove I'd made with my skew.

I was turning a bowl from a piece of pear given to me by a turner in Houston. I was using a sharp edge/point on another piece of wood when it broke....driving my hand into the spinning bowl. My hand broke the rim on the bowl driving a piece into the joint on the forefinger on my left hand. I tried to removed it but it kept breaking into pieces. It was my birthday and Eric Burdon and the Animals were playing at an outdoor concert and we had tickets...the ER or the concert. The next day in the ER they took it out the splinter....3/8" by 1/8". The next day with a red stripe running up that finger....my left hand swollen showing only 2 knuckles...back to the ER...they inserted a needle and gave me IV antibiotics. For the next 3 days I returned for more IV antibiotics.

Be careful using sharp points to friction/burn grooves in turnings.

I still use the method but apply a lot less pressure and allow the speed and the wood do the frictioning/burning.:o

[Tim Hughes37]

I've used the wire leader from fishing tackle quite a bit. You have eyes already attached to the ends and all you have to do is get a dowel, put some small hook holders on them and then attach the leader to them. Once on, bend the hook ends over and you're good to go.

[Ray Bell]

Thanks Allen, I like the idea of putting the type of wood on the bottom. Some are easily recognizable, but others, I really don't remember what they were after a couple of months. I have a canary wood bowl started on the lathe right now. I am going to try the wire burning technique on a couple of grooves.

[Jack Gaskins]

I use a guitar string - G string - not to be confused with another topic!;) It is the smallest wound string.

And, I have been using the Deft brush on lacquer - both satin and gloss. It is quick, and gives a very nice finish. Have also used Minwax wipe on poly, but it does take overnite before you can do much with it, and humidity is an issue with drying.

Don't do segmented work, but when I laminate, I always try to get a good planed surface. You can plane to less than 1/4" if you use a sled in your planer.

Well I am about to buy a 735 DeWalt planer. The main reason for purchasing the planer was so that I could resaw a 4-6" board on the bandsaw then run through the planer to take off the kerf marks. Some say buy a drum sander some saw run through the planer on a sled, I didnt know which to get so I just ordered a planer,,,,,,,,,,:confused:

[Allen Neighbors]

Allen, please expound. How do you apply the "piece of formica" ?
Ray, I make a very small groove with a v-point or skew point, then turn up the speed. I put a point of a scrap of formica into the groove, and apply pressure. Keep pushing, and the smoke will come. Make the groove as dark or as deep as you want it, and then sand it to take the burn off the edges of the groove.
I burn three grooves on the bottoms of most of my pieces. Then I write the type of wood, the date, and my brand.

[Mike Peace]

I do not like to spray lacquer in my shop any more than I have to so use a friction finish like Mylands or Hut for small items that can be finished on the lathe.

Copper wire has worked well for me for larger wire burning. I have some old guitar strings my son gave me but have not used them yet. Drop your rear hand, the one that is on the other side of the lathe, to get a sharper angle and more friction.

[Jack Gaskins]

I do not like to spray lacquer in my shop any more than I have to so use a friction finish like Mylands or Hut for small items that can be finished on the lathe.

Copper wire has worked well for me for larger wire burning. I have some old guitar strings my son gave me but have not used them yet. Drop your rear hand, the one that is on the other side of the lathe, to get a sharper angle and more friction.

Thanks for the tip. I was wondering what the best way to hold the wire was. I just got back this afternoon from picking up some cheap guitar wire.