Creative Woodworks & crafts-125-2007-Holiday, страница 76

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Mandrel on lathe with tall stock in place and roughout gouge being used for shaping.

Bring (he tail stock up to the mandrel and securely position the point into the end of the mandrel. Tighten the tail stock. Starting at low speed, use a roughout gouge to remove the corners of the block. This is a large block of wood and it will require a little more time to round off than some other mini-lathe projects, so be patient. Stop the lafhe frequently to chcck the progress and to readjust the tool rest. Also chcck that the tail stock and the knurled nut remain tight and properly aligned.

5haplng with the skew chisel.

Once the shape is roughed out, it is time to refine the shape. There is no right or wrong .shape for the kaleidoscope as long as it is comfortable to hold and the ends transition smoothly to the bushings. Try some creative turning such as beading or grooves. Use the skew chisel for this shaping, increasing lathe speed as you go. Be sure to check that Ihe tail stock is secure. As the blank tiears completion, the lathe should be at full speed and the touch on the chisel should be very light, as the focus is to smooth the tool marks.

Sanding the shaped blank.

Move the tool rest out of the way to prepare for sanding. Turn the lathe speed to low and take the time to look over the blank Tot any areas which may require some additional attention. If the blank is a bit ragged and you are hesitant to use the skew to clean up the surface, start sanding at low speed using 80-grit cloth-backed sandpaper. As the blank begins to smooth out increase the speed, being sure to stop frequently to check the blank surface. When the surface is uniformly abraded move onto the 150-grit sandpaper and work through lo the 400-grit, increasing lathe speed and lessening any linger pressure as the surface is refined. Be sure to keep the sandpaper strips moving, exposing new areas of grit to the wood. Try lo refrain from creasing the sandpaper bccausc it can heat up enough to char the surface, though some turners will use this for decorative effects.

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Finish sanding using Abralon sanding pads.

The wood is now ready to finish sand using Abralon sanding pads. With the lathe at high speed and using gentle finger pressure against the pad, start with the 500-grit pad and progress through the 1000-, 2000-, and 4000-grit pads. The pressure applied should not burn through the sanding pads, and be sure to keep the pads moving across the wood surface.

Apply Shellawax cream finish. BuTf at high speed, using a piece of cotton fabric. Repeat this process several times until the desired depth of finish is attained. Move the tail stock, and remove the blank from the mandrel.

Buff with a piece of cotton fabric.