Celtic knot

[pop-pop]

Needed a handle extension for my lathe tailstock and wanted to try turning a Celtic Knot.

The little piece of walnut is a stop for the lock lever.

Of the many methods to prepare the blank, I chose to saw through the square blank all but about 1/8" like this:

a

Then inserting the contrasting wood with glue and clamping.

 

[Matt Furjanic]

I love it.. I don’t turn, but that’s cool....

 

[jcz]

I have made many Celtic knots in the past and this is the most accurate method I know. Yours looks great.

 

[DickF]

Very nice! One of my favorite designs for sure. I did a similar design on rolling pins for gifts a while back.

 

[pop-pop]

I have made many Celtic knots in the past and this is the most accurate method I know. Yours looks great.

Seems to me that the downside is that the blank has to be 3/8” or so wider than if one used through cuts. The ease of clamping during the glue-ups is a huge plus.

 

[Gotcha6]

The problem I always had with them when using on pens was getting the exact center of the bore to align with the blank. Otherwise, the knot came out lopsided.

 

[sawman101]

The problem I always had with them when using on pens was getting the exact center of the bore to align with the blank. Otherwise, the knot came out lopsided.

I bought a chuck for drilling blanks from Barry Gross at Arizona Silhouette. It accurately drills through the center and I don't crank the tailstock, I just push it through the blank. It works slicker than snot on a brass doorknob.

 

[Michael Mathews]

Thanks for sharing Bruce! Especially the part about just how slick one can get a brass doorknob...doh! Seriously, I hadn't seen the technique of sawing almost all the way through before. But that would help with alignment when glueing up! Plus, that part is waste when turning anyway! Brilliant!

 

[Berta]

I bought a chuck for drilling blanks from Barry Gross at Arizona Silhouette. It accurately drills through the center and I don't crank the tailstock, I just push it through the blank. It works slicker than snot on a brass doorknob.

You drill your blanks on the lathe?

 

[sawman101]

You drill your blanks on the lathe?

This is the chuck I use. Barry also has a less expensive version. Chucking up the blank on the lathe, allows you to drill exactly through the center. As I mentioned in my original comment, I just slide the tailstock instead of cranking it to drill the hole. I've come to like this setup so much, I no longer drill blanks on the drill press. This is really the best way to drill antler. Because it's so difficult to drill antler and not have it blowout, by flattening an area on the outside curve edge, then chucking up the antler blank, it can be drilled for a perfect blank--no blowout. I think my success rate before the blank drilling chuck was less than 50%, the chuck has more than earned it's keep. I highly recommend this chuck. Sorry about the input on this thread, not wanting to highjack it.

Large Pen Blank Drilling Chuck: Arizona Silhouette

www.arizonasilhouette.com

 

[Gotcha6]

This is the chuck I use. Barry also has a less expensive version. Chucking up the blank on the lathe, allows you to drill exactly through the center. As I mentioned in my original comment, I just slide the tailstock instead of cranking it to drill the hole. I've come to like this setup so much, I no longer drill blanks on the drill press. This is really the best way to drill antler. Because it's so difficult to drill antler and not have it blowout, by flattening an area on the outside curve edge, then chucking up the antler blank, it can be drilled for a perfect blank--no blowout. I think my success rate before the blank drilling chuck was less than 50%, the chuck has more than earned it's keep. I highly recommend this chuck. Sorry about the input on this thread, not wanting to highjack it.

Large Pen Blank Drilling Chuck: Arizona Silhouette

www.arizonasilhouette.com

I guess it goes to show there's more'n one way to skin a cat without getting hair in your mouth........

 

[Gotcha6]

Back to the Celtic knot issue, would it be a true Celtic knot if there were only 3 rings? I've been toying with an idea of how to put them equidistantly on a 4 sided blank.

 

[pop-pop]

Back to the Celtic knot issue, would it be a true Celtic knot if there were only 3 rings? I've been toying with an idea of how to put them equidistantly on a 4 sided blank.

Try a round blank with triangular scraps screwed to the ends. I saw this method described on You Tube somewhere.

 

[RickR]

I think this is the video mentioned...

 

[walnutjerry]

This is the chuck I use. Barry also has a less expensive version. Chucking up the blank on the lathe, allows you to drill exactly through the center. As I mentioned in my original comment, I just slide the tailstock instead of cranking it to drill the hole. I've come to like this setup so much, I no longer drill blanks on the drill press. This is really the best way to drill antler. Because it's so difficult to drill antler and not have it blowout, by flattening an area on the outside curve edge, then chucking up the antler blank, it can be drilled for a perfect blank--no blowout. I think my success rate before the blank drilling chuck was less than 50%, the chuck has more than earned it's keep. I highly recommend this chuck. Sorry about the input on this thread, not wanting to highjack it.

Large Pen Blank Drilling Chuck: Arizona Silhouette

www.arizonasilhouette.com

wish I had known about that chuck when I made kaleidoscope tubes for a lady a few years back. Drilling on the lathe was the only way I could drill a 1 1/2" hole 9 inches deep. I was using a regular 4 jaw chuck and had to be extremely careful aligning the blank.

 

[pop-pop]

wish I had known about that chuck when I made kaleidoscope tubes for a lady a few years back. Drilling on the lathe was the only way I could drill a 1 1/2" hole 9 inches deep. I was using a regular 4 jaw chuck and had to be extremely careful aligning the blank.

If you have a Nova chuck, they offer pen jaws for 40-odd$. Probably my most used jaws and I don't do pens.