Roughing it......

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Roughing it
I got some new tools, proper tools, nice tools, and boy do they work,
a P&N 13mm bowl gouge, an Ashley Iles 10mm bowl gouge, and two P&N Scrapers, one 18mm and 13mm each.

I have the great DVD by Bill Grumbine (http://www.wonderfulwood.com/dvd.html), well worth the money!

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06038.jpg
Here is the first blank, it is just over 20 cm wide and about 5 cm thick.

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06039.jpg
Starting to get the bottom shaped

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06040.jpg
Getting even more like the bottom of a bowl.

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06041.jpg
Got the tenon done and now I'm ready to put it on the chuck

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06042.jpg
OK, chucked up, got to flatten the face.

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06043.jpg
The bowl is about 20 cm across, so they say 10% for the wall thickness, thus I made them just a touch over 20 cm.

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06044.jpg
That is the nice long beefy P&N 13mm bowl gouge, man is that a nice tool!

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06045.jpg
This is some Red Keyaki

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06047.jpg
A shot from the side/back

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06049.jpg
Now I have to seal it up, and set it aside for a while.........

Continued in the next post.....

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

.............

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06050.jpg
The bottom

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06051.jpg
Sealer applied, I use a mix of 1 part white glue and 2 parts water, as I cannot get AnchorSeal here. :-[

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06052.jpg
Here is the next blank, but it has a HUGE crack in it, as I did not know what I was doing when I cut this blank. :P

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06053.jpg
That pith is the source of most cracks :(

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06055.jpg
OK, now I've cut it down to size.

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06056.jpg
Got it on the lathe, and I shaped the bottom of the bowl.

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06057.jpg
Chucked up and roughed out on the inside.

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06058.jpg
Another view (love that stack of shavings!!)

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06059.jpg
The bottom, it is not that smooth, but as it is a rough out, don't matter................

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

............

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06061.jpg
The inside, I used the scraper just for fun, and practice, and boy did it work well!

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06062.jpg
An hour or so of work

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/dsc06064.jpg
Sure does make a mess, there is a mat under there somewhere..... :D

I know that this is old hat for the vast majority of you guys and gals, but for me this was the first time I've been doing this and it felt like I knew what I was doing! ZERO catches, and not even one "gonna go" momment. I just kept going and looking at Bill's DVD when I moved on to the next step (that's what rewind is for...... ;) ) and I'd go over to the lathe and let her rip.

The tools worked SO WELL, I am so pleased with the whole thing, I had long wet shavings all over the place and boy is that neat! The inside was sure a lot easier to do with a proper bowl gouge, and the extra feel you get from them long handles just rocks!

I have a bunch more to rough out, but if I do not get some DNA some time soon, I'm going to run out of blanks, and have to wait to turn the dry ones.

I sealed them with my 1/3 glue and water mix,and then I put a handful of shavings in the bowl, and one under the bowl,then wrapped them with about three sheets of newspaper, no paper bags that big here. I made the sides thicker than the bottom, and I had a ball!

Cheers!

[Mark Cothren]

Fantastic Stu! Thanks for sharing! Looks like you got it goin' on!!!!

[Barry Stratton]

Go Stu, go.........

Looks like great fun was had! The pics are excellent and I can't wait to see the pile of shavings grow as you plow thru your stash. I'm expecting some more "Logging" threads by fall.

[Pete Jordan]

Looks good Stu!

What kind of wood is that?

[Al Navas]

I think you ARE on that slippery slope, Stu. Many a friend has stopped doing flat work and switched to round work. I enjoyed your pictorial tour - thanks for sharing!


Al

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Thanks guys, it was a blast!

I don't think I can sell my other motorbike fast enough!! :p

The wood is the Red Keyaki, which, I've read, is related to Elm.

Barry, funny you should mention that, at the temple that I take my shavings to for compost, the guy showed me an older Oak that they just cut down (well it is Japanese Oak, called "Shi") and a fair bit of it is kind of punky the tree was not in good condition, but he told me he made the workmen leave the main parts of the trunk etc for me :D

Just one tree, no slabbing, but I expect to get some blanks out of it!

This is really a blast!

Cheers!

[Pete Jordan]

Stu,
Since you have decided to sell your other bike, I have gone ahead and ordered the Oneway 2436 for you COD. I think you should start chippin concrete to make room!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Lookin mighty good Stu. Bowls look really good. Good, sharp tools do make a difference.

[Jim VanBramer]

Man Stu, you're really going to town over there!!! Once you get all those bowls roughed out and drying you should have some time to come up with that design for the Stu version of the Sandmaster!;)
Nice work!!!
Jim

[Mike Ramsey]

I'ts really nice when you spend hard earned money on tools and they
perform up to your expectations! Good looking roughouts Stu!

[Sparky Paessler]

Looks Great Stu. You are well on your way! Bill's video sure is a great help.

[Scott Donley]

Stu, after starting my first bowl last night all I can say is SHOW OFF ! I think I might go back to flat work. Great job !

[Jim Becker]

Good job on the rough-outs, Stu. These are nice forms and should be very conducive to "continuous curves" which mark the most pleasing turnings in most cases.

[John Hart]

Hey Stu....Looks like you finally had some fun!!

Nice lookin' stuff too.;)

[Steve Hayes]

Can't beat those P&N tools.

[Ernie Nyvall]

Yep, that's what it's like. Good going Stu.

Ernie

[Jim Dunn]

What is all that stuff on the floor?? Looked like somebody threw-up spagehtti:) Nice work Stu!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Go Stu!..........You are on your way!

[Corey Hallagan]

Awesome Stu, you cooking with gas now! Nice work!

Corey

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Awesome Stu, you cooking with gas now! Nice work!

Corey

"Now you are cooking with gas" :D

That's one of my Dad's favorite sayings :D:D

Yep, I'm having fun, I'm going to sneak down into the Dungeon again and make more of a mess! :D:D:D

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Two More!

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/may3rd_sakura_1.jpg
One log, two blanks, two rough outs.

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/may3rd_sakura_2.jpg
These are both Sakura, some really nice figure and stuff going on.

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/may3rd_sakura_3.jpg
The trees were bug infested and were dying from the bottom up,
In this pic, the one on the right, on the lower corner, has some punky wood,
that I'm going to have to hit with some CA glue.

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/rough_out/may3rd_sakura_4.jpg
Both of them are about 17 cm across. (6 3/4").

Cheers!

[John Hart]

You sure have nice form Mr. Ablett! Well done!:)

[Tony Sizemore]

Way to go Stu. That’s what I’ve been waiting to see. I know once you got the correct tools you feel the last blow and tumble head first over the edge. That first bowl is a great high and it keeps getting better and you do! Keep up the good work and turn ANYTHING you can get chucked up! I can’t wait you see more.
I know you said its hard to get Large wood over there so maybe you should look at doing some glue up stuff. It take a little time to get ready but you can put together what ever you want, and in some cases cheaper the solid stock. But for the time being just make shavings! :D

[Glenn Hodges]

Stu those look very good. You are right on track congratulations. I wish I could have had a video like Bill Grumbine's when I first started turning. Thanks for the update pictures.