The Gizmo--Day 3

[Terry Gerros]

OK so here is the story of the Gizmo adventure so far.....on day 1 I learned my lathe wasn't level, probably 3/8" off, as the Gizmo kept drifting away from the lathe. So, now my lathe is level. With the 5/8" bar I could go over the tool rest about 7" without much chatter, raise the tool rest up a scoosh and that cut the chatter a bit at that distance. The first practice piece I consistently got the wall thickness to between 1/16 - 1/32", that was the goal, nothing more nothing less.

On day 2, I learned how to hog wood with the Gizmo. I was really concerned about being too aggressive and getting a catch, but finally realized the regardless of where you set the cutter, you were always in a negative rake. The only catch which occasionally occurred was when I wasn't watching as closely and I would catch the back end of the cutter, kinda going backwards, uphill...if that makes any sense. Easily resolved though, just pay attention to what you are doing.

Lining the cutter up on center is a breeze. Put a drive center in the headstock spindle, bring the cutter up and set it to center height. Sooooo simple.

On day 3, working with the Gizmo is becoming a breeze. Went to a little smaller opening with a bit of a shoulder, nothing too dramatic, I will save that for day 5/6.

So far all, this is one sweetheart of a tool. I don't believe I could have made a better purchase.

I am telling you all, the tool is a real sweetheart. Any vague tinge of buyers worry on day 1 was pretty much abolished by day 2 and at the end of day3.....This is a dream tool. You are going to love it.

Now if I can post some pics....... Scott and Dave.....note the SWAT hat! :)

So the pics are 1) Walnut vessel for wall consistency, 2) Maple hollow form, day3, 3) The Gizmo, Steady Rest, 4) inside the maple vessel, 5) The Gizmo, Steady Rest, and Tailstock Manager or otherwise known as the JT Turning Tool Collection.

Terry

[Alan Trout]

Terry,

Very nice report on the tool. Pretty much my summation when I got to play with it at SWAT.

Alan

[Chris Burgess]

That is a great looking set up. I dont have a Gizmo but I just got in a Jamieson Hollower that I am excited to try but I am waiting on the back rest. Looks like the Gizmo may be the way to go when I outgrow that.

[Scott Hackler]

Thats cool terry. One thing that I forgot to ask Tom that you might know: Can you fit a standard cutter in the end piece of the boring bar? I liked the feel and cutting surface of the hunter style cutter they have, but am concerned about the cost of replacement of those cutters when the time comes.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Good looking tool. Looks like it works well.

[Bill Bolen]

A great report on a sweet looking tool! Is that some sort of bracing I see in the second link arm? I really like the Oneway style steady too. Is he also selling those now? Congrat's and keep having fun with the new hollower.

[John Beaver]

Thats cool terry. One thing that I forgot to ask Tom that you might know: Can you fit a standard cutter in the end piece of the boring bar? I liked the feel and cutting surface of the hunter style cutter they have, but am concerned about the cost of replacement of those cutters when the time comes.

Scott,
I asked Tom and he says you can put a 1/4" Round HSS in place or the carbide cutter.
I also confirmed that the Gizmo takes a 3/4" bar and comes with a 5/8 adapter.
I also ordered one (stealth gloat). He is checking if he has the parts to ship one now, otherwise it will be a few weeks.

[Keith E Byrd]

Can someone point me to a web site to find out more about The Gizmo?

[Terry Gerros]

Keith,

Tom doesn't have the Gizmo up on his website yet. JTTurningtools.com I expect he will soon.

Terry

[Terry Gerros]

Scott,

Any 5/8" or 3/4" boring bar will fit in the Gizmo. I put a straight boring bar in the Gizmo this morning with a teardrop cutter to finish the bottom. Worked perfectly.

Terry

[Scott Hackler]

Thanks for the info Terry and John. I am leaning towards this setup pretty heavily.

[Terry Gerros]

Come on in Scott.......the waters fine. Oh, what is that.....a whirlpool?

[Rick Markham]

Looks like a well designed hollowing rig, Would you take a pic of the cutter head, and tooling? I'd like to take a gander at it's design. You will have to keep us well updated on how it performs for you.

[John Beaver]

Looks like a well designed hollowing rig, Would you take a pic of the cutter head, and tooling? I'd like to take a gander at it's design. You will have to keep us well updated on how it performs for you.

Rick,
The cutter head is a JTTurning Tools "Trans-Former"
You can go to their website and see that tool. It has an articulated head with a selection of carbide cutters.

[Tim Rinehart]

That is a nice looking design...but pretty much all of them look nicer than the homemade rig I use. Mine is just ugly...but it has a great personality.
I'd like to try one of the articulated hollowers sometime. I've got some materials to put one together, but would rather turn than make tools right now.

[Rick Markham]

Rick,
The cutter head is a JTTurning Tools "Trans-Former"
You can go to their website and see that tool. It has an articulated head with a selection of carbide cutters.

Thanks John, I've seen the trans-former before, so now I have to ask what the shank size is on the end of it :)

[Terry Gerros]

Hey Rick,

The Gizmo bars come in 5/8, 3/4, and 1" square stock. The Transformer has a 5/8" bar. Not sure if this is the answer to your question. The Gizmo is drilled 3/4" and supplied with a 3/4 to 5/8" adapter. Any 3/4" or 5/8" boring bar will fit into the Gizmo. Hope this helps.

Terry

[Terry Gerros]

Bill,

The center link is like a mini I-beam. It is bolted together because there are bearings at each end, which makes any move smooth as silk.

Terry

[David E Keller]

Looks like a great setup, Terry! Is that your shop, or is that a retail store for lathes and turning equipment? I see Mustard, Mayo, and Vicmarc plus a couple of CBN wheels not to mention the rack of delicious looking wood in the background! I officially have shop envy!

[Terry Gerros]

Hey David,

Sadly enough, it is my shop. What you don't see is behind door number 3. If you look closely next to that wood rack is door number 3. Inside door number 3 there are.......1,2,3,4,5,6.....yes, 6 other racks chock full of wood...ambrosia maple, big leaf maple, myrtlewood, claro walnut, english walnut, madrone, cherry, sycamore, holly, pecan, mimosa, apple, oak, bloodwood, cocobolo, ebony, cottonwood (the really good stuff....did I tell you I had to cherry pick before SWAT....oh wait, that was the tree I told Mike about.....buckeye, camphor, koa, Toon, poplar (mineral stained), lama, mango, macadamia, red mallee, Tasmanian myrtle wood, stringy messmate (some Australian burl), desert ironwood, curly redwood, oh and a mesquite burl....probably a couple more species, but it escapes me....was this a wood gloat?????? What you didn't see are the three Jet mini lathes, Delta mini and Jet 1642 to the right of the Mustard beast.

I have it set up so we can do workshops and sawdust sessions for the club. Yes, the gear is mine. What is really great is that my wife likes to turn between centers, me I am more a faceplate kinda guy. I found that Oneway mini up near Seattle for a song and got it for her...well at least that was my excuse to buy it. I think she saw right through that one. It came with a ton of tools, bed extension, 3 chucks....Don Derry hollowing system...one of these days I am going to have a sale, but not right now. The Vicmarc I got off an ad posted here..that was a sweet deal and the lathe was pretty much pristine. I see there is another Vicmarc for sale in California and a VB36 for sale in Georgia. Good thing I don't live in Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina or North Florida..... God forbid if one comes available within 500 miles.....

We'll have a ball if you ever make it out this way.

Regards,
Terry

[David E Keller]

I think that kind of teasing and taunting requires a little photo evidence to back it up!:D

Let's see the photo tour of the shop! I can't be the only one who wants to drool over that wood list!

[Terry Gerros]

OK David....I will get some pics this afternoon. I will have to clean up a bit though. Can't have everyone thinking I am messy.

Terry

[Terry Gerros]

Hey Dave,

So you want some pics of the wood pile.....there is a lot of wood there, more than I ever will be able to turn, but then there is always one more piece you just can't live without.....oh, wait, I must be talking about tools..........now where are those shop pictures.

Regards,
Terry

[Dan Hintz]

I think I just wet myself, Terry...

[John Beaver]

Jeeezzz...
Can I come shopping ?

[Scott Hackler]

Looks like half of the wood for Waco got kidnapped before the trip! I couldn't help but let out a Holy !@##@#!@ at the size of that BLM NE burl blank sitting on the shelf!

hmmm ...... 3 days drive to Oregon......a couple days to visit, turn, sight see and load up the truck (trailer!) .....3 days back.....$600.00 in gas! :(

[Jim Underwood]

Someone is a SERIOUS wood junkie...

I'm more envious of that hollowing system though...

[Terry Gerros]

Scott,

What that little ole thing? Shucks, it almost went in the burn pile. :)

Picture 1 is mostly 8 x 8 x 8 burl blocks, a few taller. Then there is the boneyard......yes, the smaller logs are about 2' across at the burl. Hmmmm, $600.00 in gas and a trailer load of wood........not a bad deal. Plus you get free room and board at our place.

Terry

[Terry Gerros]

Hey Jim,

Wood junkie? Well perhaps now. More along the lines of hoarder, that is until Mike Smith did an intervention. We literally go rid of at least 6 pickup truck loads of wood. Finally down to something manageable until last summer when Mike came back for 6 weeks. We cut up something along the lines of 6 maple burl logs, 2 myrtle wood logs, one huge clarowalnut root, which had some amazing stuff. Oh, and not to mention the 10' solid cottonwood burl log, with eyes clear to the heart. I do live in the land of burl.

If you ever visit Salem, OR you would think you went to heaven. I honestly can say 50% of the trees around here have burls on them. Go downtown the the courthouse, every single sycamore, and we are talking HUGE tree, are covered with burls. Just amazing.

Terry

[Terry Gerros]

Hey John,

Come on up. If you ever find yourself in Salem, you've a place to say, a lathe to turn on, and pretty good food to eat.

Terry

[David E Keller]

Good grief! My heart is racing like a teenager before his first kiss just from looking at that wood! I couldn't help but notice a small bare area on the left of the bottom shelf in the sixth photo... No self respecting wood hoarder would leave an area of shelf so naked and vulnerable!

[Terry Gerros]

Well, that small bare area is so because I just finished turning those blocks. Did you happen to notice the maple burl blocks by the table saw? That bare spot is now full of maple burl. I still have all the boneyard with loads of burl log sections just waiting to be processed. Oh I also forgot to mention behind the dumpster and cardboard recycling container is more wood to be processed. Dang if work just doesn't get in the way of woodturning. ..............One day..................this work is going to end...............I love the smell of walnut in the morning.........