I went to the Mount and met with the Master...

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DaveO

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DaveO
Today I had the privilege of going to Big Mike's shop and learning a few things from him about woodturning. Big Mike is truly a talented artist despite his most modest attitude. I am sure that many of you have seen his turnings in pictures but until you actually see them in person and feel the fit and finish you can't fully appreciate the masterful artistry.
I was only allowed a few hours to play, but during that time Mike taught me more than I've learned on my own in the last year of woodturning. I learned how to work with different grind on my gouges, a few new bowl turning methods, and best of all Mike's methods for turning his signature end grain boxes.
I don't have any pictures to show right now nor any competed turnings, Mike sent me home with homework so stay tuned for the fruits of my learnings.
I want to thank Mike for taking the time to teach me a little of his expertise, it was a great honor/privilege and learning experience.

Dave:)
 

Big Mike

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Mike
Dave is far too modest. The truth is he came with nice long tools and after I sharpened them he went home with short tools. It was so bad I had to throw in a few extra tools so he would not notice how much steel he left on the floor under the grinder.

Dave, I had a good time. I think one of the best ways to spend a day is to have a bunch of turners together demonstrating different ways of doing things, swapping tall tales and teaching each other. And, oh yeah, eating and drinking completes the day. I hope sometime we can have a woodturning picnic all day somewhere but as Dave learned my little shop is not the place and I don't have very much wood.....:-?

The honor and pleasure was all mine. I hope we can do it again sometime.
 

DaveO

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DaveO
Yea right Mike, not too much wood nor turning tools :roll::roll::roll: Oh, yea I forgot to mention that Mike knows of a great Mexican place down the road, that will fill you up cheap and fast. His shop is so small (read: filled with wood and stuff)that I had to go outside to turn around :lol::lol::lol::lol:.
Thanks again Mike for the day, I really enjoyed it.
Dave:)
 

Travis Porter

Travis
Corporate Member
No pics, it didn't happen.

Mike does some beautiful work and I am sure you got a lot out of it. What did you turn while there, anything special?

Always good to see NCWW'ers getting together.
 

DaveO

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DaveO
Well, I forgot to take pictures of the turning lesson because well...I was turning :lol::lol:
But I did finish a part of my homework tonight -

Copy_of_Big_Mike_Bowl_002.jpg



This is a Maple bowl that we started turning and then I took home and finished using all the new skills that I learned. Wall thickness about 3/16" and pretty uniform throughout, 9" in diameter and 2¾" tall. No finish just Micro-meshed.
I will say that with Mike's teachings, this is about as flawless as I have ever turned a bowl :eusa_danc:eusa_danc:eusa_danc. The only flaw that I can find is that it is a little out of round, and the outer rim is thinner in some areas. But that can be expected as it was turned on two different lathes, with different chucks in different counties over an hour apart.

Dave:)
 

Canuck

Wayne
Corporate Member
Wow Dave. That is really a nice lookin' bowl!!!:eusa_clap:eusa_danc:eusa_clap:eusa_danc

You have succeeded in making a lot of us envious of that little HF lathe!!!! (Saw that it was on sale again for $199 through October 15th.)

You really did well with the homework! No procrastination there, that's for sure!

Well done!

Wayne
 

MikeL

Michael
Corporate Member
Great job on the bowl Dave! Let me know when you feel like sharing, although I know I don't have the hours of practice in that you have dedicated on the lathe. Congrats. :eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap
 

Big Mike

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Mike
Dave, that is a fine looking bowl. That wood is a lot prettier than I thought it would be when we were looking at in the rough. I am not surprised that it turned out a little out of round. Different chucks and rechucking is almost guaranteed to result in a loss of concentricity but it is not noticeable unless you are really looking for it. You did a nice job of finishing too. Now just keep practicing.

I am assuming that the new grind on your bowl gouge met your approval?

And did you go to the store and procure any special sanding tools?:rolf:
 

cskipper

Moderator
Cathy
Sounds like you guys had a great day - I'm envious of the lessons! You really have to look for the variation in shape - great looking bowl!
 

woodArtz

New User
Bob
Very nice work Dave! Big Mike is quite the teacher, but I'm sure you had it in you all the time :). BTW, what kind of a foot did you put on it? The sanding work you've done will make for a spectacular finish. Great job :icon_thum.

I'd love to get together with other turners to get a chance to learn something new. One of these days we'll have to put something together.
 

DaveO

New User
DaveO
You did a nice job of finishing too. There isn't anything on the bowl, but a good polish from Micro-mesh

I am assuming that the new grind on your bowl gouge met your approval? Yes, I love it!!, I didn't have a single catch, and almost no end grain tear out. I have a giand pile of streamers under my lathe, it was cutting like I have never seen before :eusa_danc

And did you go to the store and procure any special sanding tools?:rolf:

Not yet, but I do believe that I will making a trip to Klingspors and HF today. I feel the need for a square scraper or three, and a right angle drill with some sanding pads. You're a bad influence :eusa_doh:

Dave:)
 

DaveO

New User
DaveO
BTW, what kind of a foot did you put on it?

It still has the little foot we cut around the recess that it was chucked in. I recently bought some Cole jaws for my chuck, but this bowl was just a little to big to be chucked in it and reversed turned to clean up the foot. It doesn't look too bad as is, but I would have liked to finish it off also. I am going to have to try the padded face plate technique that Mike told me about, for larger bowls like this.
Dave:)
 
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DaveO

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DaveO
Bob, the jamb chuck is the basic principal of what Mike was telling me about. But instead of being created for a specific sized bowl it can be used for many. It is basically a face plate with a trued up disc of plywood or two mounted on it and then covered in carpet padding foam. The tail stock helps to center the bowl, adding some concerntic rings with a compass and marker probably would help also. The carpet pad protects the bowl edge, and provides enough friction to drive it. Probably adding a bit of "magic blue tape" would allow you to make that final parting cut without the tail stock in place.
It sounds like a re-usable solution to bowls that are a little larger than my Cole jaws.
Dave:)
 

FredP

Fred
Corporate Member
Bob, the jamb chuck is the basic principal of what Mike was telling me about. But instead of being created for a specific sized bowl it can be used for many. It is basically a face plate with a trued up disc of plywood or two mounted on it and then covered in carpet padding foam. The tail stock helps to center the bowl, adding some concerntic rings with a compass and marker probably would help also. The carpet pad protects the bowl edge, and provides enough friction to drive it. Probably adding a bit of "magic blue tape" would allow you to make that final parting cut without the tail stock in place.
It sounds like a re-usable solution to bowls that are a little larger than my Cole jaws.
Dave:)



hey dave i have a home made vacume chuch if you would like to come out and finish the bottom.

fred
 

FredP

Fred
Corporate Member
BTW dave the offer of the vacume chuck was not entirely selfless!:-D it would be a great opertoooonity to learn sumpin..:roll: i aint too turnworthy myself and i am too froooogle [ spelled CHEEP! ] to pay for lessons!:rolf:and the grinding angle would be good to learn also. my tools are mostly like they came from the maker and i have been hesitant to change them for fear of loosing some metal.8-O yes froooogle!:rolf:

fred
 

JackLeg

New User
Reggie
That's a beauty, Dave! Bring it to the BBQ so Ivey will have something to shoot for! I do hope some of you "Lathe Lizards" will bring some stuff and demo at the BBQ!
 

Eaglesc

New User
Eagle
I don't know much about turning bowls but for that I think it would be worth building the Longworth chuck.
That looks neat!
Oh yeah, NBGJ!:eusa_clap
 
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