Sigh...crummy first day turning.
So, after finally getting the legs for our Lathe (we waited for over a month...long story), we went out and bought a drill press. It was delivered last night. We had gotten a whole bunch of pen kits a while back, so I was ready to go (I thought).
I cut a blank down to size for a Cigar Pen, and proceeded to split the first blank when I drilled it out...I guess I didn't clear the chips out well enough from the bit...but it wasn't so bad that I couldn't use the blank. Unfortunately, when I went to drill out the other half of the pen blank, I didn't have the blank lined up well enough with the bit, and I blew out the side of the bit. I probably should not have started out with a kit that requires such close tolerances. (The cigar pen kits being so wide and all).
So, I decided to try a different pen...this time a slimline. I again cut the blank down to size, and I drilled the blanks out. The brass tube was a little looser than I thought it would be, but I glued it in place anyways, using some CA. I don't have any accellerator on hand, so I figured I would just let it sit for a little while. After about five minutes, I tried to use the barrel trimmer on it, and the brass tube came loose from the wood, and glued itself to the trimmer. In the process of trying to get the brass separated from the trimmer, I completely buggered up the brass tube...it's unuseable now.
I really didn't want to have to go spend the money on a drilling vice, but I think I am going to have to. Hopefully it will prevent me from ruining any more blanks, and hopefully it will permit closer tolerances for the brass tubes. The wood blanks seem to be OK still from the second kit, so I will get some Epoxy and try that with some new tubes...hopefully it will work better.
I was all excited to finally turn something, and I still haven't gotten to use the new lathe!
:(
Boy, do I feel like a jacka$$
So, after getting frustrated earlier and deciding I should probably leave the garage, I went out to do some errands (including buying the vice). Came home, and Jill (LOML) was on her way home. Once she got home, she was anxious to put some woodchips on the floor too. I told her I was having a bad luck day...she still wanted to go see what we could do.
So, she marked up her blank, cut it to size, and used our new drilling vice to make sure it was straight. (And did a darned nice job, if I might say so). Went to glue up the blank, and I'll be darned if the brass tube wasn't still ridiculously loose. I immediately thought what Carole said...that my drill press had runout problems...especially since some reviews of my drill press had complaints about this (it's a Jet 17MF.) I went to get some CA for my wife off of the shelf, and I happened to glance at the package for the drill bit...I USED THE DARNED 8MM BIT INSTEAD OF THE 7MM!!! Talk about wanting to kick myself!!! Obviously that would not have solved the problem with me blowout on the first blank, but the second attempt on my slimline would have come out a lot better!!! Oh well. I will save the blanks and hopefully they will work for an 8MM pencil or something later on.
For those talking about stick time...Jill and I took a pen making class a while back at our local wood/tool shop. That was the first class we took. After that, we took a three part class consisting of spindle work, bowls and lidded boxes. While that in no way shape or form makes us competent, we do feel confident enough to make some pens...except for when a certain dumba$$ does stuff like use the wrong drill bit.
I do have some other projects in mind though. For those of you who live in the north Houston area, I could use some ideas for lumberyards that have nice wood...Jill and I are both somewhat new to the area.
Also, our families are from south Florida. They are in the process of cleaning up from Wilma, and one of them mentioned a fallen Gumbo Limbo tree...anyone ever turned some of this? They offered to save some for us.