Rubber Feet (10/05)

It holds a bowl in a jam chuck while I true up the bottom. It holds the drill chuck with a Morse taper in the headstock while it holds a buffing wheel. Use it anytime you want to use the live center and not leave a mark or to prevent metal to metal contact.

While you are looking for a rubber foot don’t throw away that old tennis ball! Once you have turned the cup of a goblet, egg cup, or any vessel that will have a thin stem you will need to steady the piece to reduce vibration while you continue. Simply put the tennis ball on the mouth of the cup and bring up the cup live center. Be careful that it is not too tight....just enough to steady the piece or the pressure will cause the thin stem to distort and the vibration will be even greater.

Remember! ”It’s the little things that make the biggest difference”

Shaving your Yak (9/05)

This will take a considerable volume of shaving cream and a plenty of razor blades (safety blades, of course).  I have always found it is best to involve a friend or two in this procedure since Yaks are not particularly inclined to be shaved in the first place.
 

Rough Subject (9/05)

Sanding is always a rough job, pun intended.  As difficult and boring as it can be it is an essential part of producing a quality project. Simply put, Sandpaper is varying sizes of grit adhered to a cloth or paper backing. The basic thing to remember is that ALL sandpaper leaves scratches. The coarser the grit, the larger the scratches. The process involves reducing the grit size until the scratches are too small to see.
If your tool skills allow you to start the sanding process with 150 grit paper, your finish will have 150 grit scratches. If the next grit you use is 320, you will have to use 3 times as much paper and effort to reduce the 150 grit scratches to 320 grit scratches. If the next grit you use is 180 followed by  220, 320, 400, etc. the results your sanding process will go more quickly and you will actually use less paper. There are many variations on the sanding process. Wet sanding and power sanding are just two. But remember, the rule of progressively smaller grits still applies.

One more trick. When you think you are finished sanding, wipe the wood with a damp cloth. Then be prepared to sand through at least two more grits. The water will raise the grain and make the surface “fuzzy”. Once you sand away the fuzz you will be surprised at the better finish you have.

Remember “You are not ready to start applying a finish until you are finished sanding”