New toys.

[Retired]

Hi,

I've taken delivery of a new toy; it arrived yesterday it's an Hyundai 20" petrol chainsaw. I took it down to the workshop in order to do the easy assembly adding the bar and chain; I've just carried it to the top garden hut and fuelled it to check it runs OK; welcome to my collection of toys.

Kind regards, Colin W.

I like Hyundai gardening kit this now being my fourth.

I managed to break my old faithful Timberwolf 20" petrol chainsaw whilst working on a huge stump/root ball last week; here it is on the bench receiving well deserved TLC. It's now fully repaired and put away but considering the large amount of work it's done I decided to buy the Hyundai so now I'm well covered for chainsaws. Having a chainsaw has saved a great deal of money over the years with all the tree felling I've done; during really bad weather we've had trees come down so it's not a problem with owning the chainsaw.

Two more of my new Hyundai gardening machines; large strimmer/brush cutter on left; small strimmer for light duties on right.

Hyundai petrol rotavator.

These four machines are gardening kit but I've also bought workshop kit too. We struggled for many years earning an honest living having few luxuries so now we're able to afford spending on our hobbies. Over the last 3 years I've been working flat out in the gardens often working myself to a standstill; I'm now on top of all the heavy jobs so I can eagerly look forward to enjoying pottering around in the gardens next year. 33 years living here and at last I'm caught up; it feels strange not having big jobs hanging over me.

 

[Ian]

Looks like a nice bit of kit! I bet you'll be having a lot of fun with that .

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Ian; I love my toys.

Here's another new toy but I'm making this at the moment; it's a wooden center steady for my Graduate woodturning lathe. I turned my first goblet a short while ago and a steady such as this would have been useful in hollowing out. Not yet finished still needing the mounting sorting out and a third machine knob but it's coming along nicely.

Kind regards, Colin.

Goblet turning this in locally grown holly.

Steady roughed out using bandsaw; section with two wood screws is the bottom where a lathe mounting will be added shortly to complete the job.

I bought 8 skateboard wheels through eBay these being cheap enough to have a few spare. Slots added on a home made router table.

A third 8mm machine knob still to be sourced; the joint is the bandsaw entry and will be strengthened and covered by the mounting which is next job. I might make a second steady out of steel if the weather ever warms up. I like excuses to play with my welding kit. It's nice to finally potter in the workshop.

 

[Ian]

Another neat result @Retired! I've got a whole box of skate bearings, as they're often so handy - I bought ~50 of them a few years ago and have used them for all sorts (castors, door slides, runners, etc.).

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Ian; wheels of all kinds come in handy as you say for many things; even with 50 it's amazing how they eventually get used. Machine knobs too are always handy items to have; I have a selection of knobs but not three of the same type so I've ordered four of these;

https://www.axminstertools.com/ujk-technology-star-knobs-threaded-through-hole-m8-pkt-2-106124

The weather is terrible again; raining dark and miserable but I wandered down to the workshop this morning to press on a bit with the lathe steady.

I can't face getting wet again so am having a lazy afternoon catching up on mail.

Kind regards, Colin.

A while ago I thought it's time I sorted out cutting metal so bought this metal cutting horizontal bandsaw which saves no end of work; here I'm cutting a short piece of 4" x 3/8" thick steel; much easier than using my trusty hacksaw. This is the base for the steady.

I made these "third hands" when I started TIG welding at the beginning of the year; they prove useful for holding many jobs even here on the steady whilst I ran a couple of welds.

The new metal base drilled first then welded; cutting done on the bandsaw then all sharp edges removed.

The new base is a perfect sliding fit between the lathe ways ensuring exact steady alignment at right angles to the bed; a clamping plate still to make with a method of tightening it; I'll post details once I can get into the workshop without receiving a soaking.

The steady in position on the lathe; the through mounting holes are drilled to accept 8mm bolts and nuts. Knobs are mounted at the back otherwise they would severely limit the diameter of the item being turned. I'm sure once completed this steady will be a nice friend to the lathe. If I find I need a bigger steady at a later date I think I'll make it from steel welding it. It pays to be as accurate as possible making anything; taking the bit extra time always pays off long term. If only it would stop raining.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

A quick update. The lathe steady is now completed ready for action; it's been a nice interesting project.

Kind regards, Colin.

12mm cup/square set screw welded from above it being extra long to allow cutting to finished length.

Tapping at 12mm the new clamping handle.

In all its glory the finished steady ready to use costing very little monetary wise; the only things I needed to buy were the skate board wheels.

The clamping handle in position.

The cup head welded to prevent it rotating as the handle is tightened. Any excuse to play with my welders.

Mounted on the lathe; a useful accessory.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Having got ready for a bit of serious woodturning I browsed Pinterest for wooden goblet/wassail designs and inspiration. I bought a Peter Child pyrography kit a couple of years ago intending to add decoration onto items I'd turned but more pressing jobs got in the way; now I'm clear to get into the workshop and have turned my first goblet.

Here's the kind of turning I hope to aspire to; this one is 400 years old and I marvel at its creation; I won't have problems doing the actual turning but colouring and wood burning will be the real challenges; my wife has really taken to pyrography having a very delicate touch; I'm clumsy and heavy by comparison so I need lots of practice. The Wassail shown was sold by auction in 2010 for £27,500.

There are thousands of turned goblets on the web but many are just clones of each other; I don't want to go for quantity I want to go for quality and take a lot of time with each piece otherwise I'd soon become bored.

I've been browsing the web for 4" square sycamore woodturning spindle blanks and found just the thing adding a length to the basket; at the checkout I found the basic price of £13 which was fair to have escalated to £25.10 so I emptied the basket. This included £9.50 carriage? I have lots of turning blanks to hand so I'm not stuck.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[He who knows]

If only it would stop raining.

A covered walkway as another project for you, come the spring?

 

[He who knows]

I have lots of turning blanks to hand so I'm not stuck.

Did you keep any of your laurel wood?

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Many thanks for your replies He who knows. I'd already considered your excellent suggestion of a covered walkway but it would cost a fortune and be prone to wind damage here on the mountain. I'd also like a car port but would need planning permission due to it being adjacent to the pavement and again keeping its roof on would be a problem.

No I was just glad to see the back of all the laurels; the thick trunks would have made excellent turning blanks but these laurels have tormented me for the last 33 years so it was pay back time; we still have lots of laurels but these are now so low I can talk to them without using a ladder; one thing's for sure; you'll never see me planting a laurel.

A local company sells exterior timber for gardening projects etc. they have their own sawmill on the East coast and they convert lots of local trees; I'm considering emailing them to ask if they can supply me with 4" square untreated sycamore also a local tree surgeon might be able to supply freshly felled logs; I'm not in a hurry but already thoughts like these are popping into my head.

At the moment I'm enjoying a rare couple of days rest from grafting; my enthusiasm for a soaking as I wander down to the workshop is quite low.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[He who knows]

I'd already considered your excellent suggestion of a covered walkway but it would cost a fortune and be prone to wind damage here on the mountain.

Sounds like an engineering challenge to me....

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Not exactly a new toy but a new use for an old toy. I'm always very wary whilst holding in material being fed through my saw bench and bandsaw especially the thin stuff where I always use push sticks. Recently whilst cutting glazing wooden beading it suddently occurred to me why not try using the magnetic base from my DTI (dial test indicator). The saw bench has a steel plate top and the bandsaw a cast iron top. This base is a good quality and it worked a treat; Ideally the sharp edges need removing but I'm going to buy a second magnetic base to experiment with perhaps adding a wooden guide face or even a spring loaded face; it's opened up a lot of interesting posiblilities.

This was only an experiment but it worked very well indeed; the leading edge of the magnetic base is sharp but I can add a new wooden face without difficulty.

This magnetic base has a tremendous grip and is just so easy to adjust; please note the permanent riving knife; I never ever run this home made 4hp saw bench without riving knife installed; I made the riving knife allowing rebates to be cut safely and quickly.

Hope this is of interest.

Kind regards, ColinW.