Artistic Woodturners

Newsletter February 2008

Here is another month gone by, but where did it go? I hope you had a nice January and accomplished something you have been holding back on, if not get on with it this month.

  The steering committee met at Mikes on Thursday the 31^st and here are the results of the exercise they conducted.

  This coming month Ralph Thomas will be doing a demonstration on power sanding. Ralph has been power sanding his turnings for quite sometime and he wants to share with the club. He says that if you can see scratches in your work so can anyone else, so get rid of them.

  Coming up in March we plan on having for the club and the members that want will be able to make there own hook tool. Mike is buying the supplies that we need for you to make your own hook tool. Drill rod from Enco, abrasive disks, and Mapp gas. All you will have to buy is a piece of drill rod from the club; the price will be around $5.00.

  For the meeting in April we plan on having another hands-on type meeting.

  For the members that missed the Alan Lacer demonstration, you missed one of the best and most interesting domo in club history. The ones who came were glued to their seats both days. For you who don’t have a computer should try and get a friend to show you the Newsletter on our web site.

If you are interested in making you own hook tool here are some of the supplies you will need. A Zirconia Aluminum disk for a grinder, a torch that uses mapp gas, or something that can heat up the rod to the proper temp, Oil to quench the rod, a pair of needle nose pliers for bending the hook. If you missed the meeting and didn’t receive any handouts, you can go to Alan Lacer’s web site for the instructions.

Alan Lacer's Demonstration on the 19th and 20th days of January 2008.
The meeting started with some issues from Mike and James


Mike Carrying out the Prez duties.


Leland announced there is more Kingwood available for the membership, he needs to know who wants to buy some. 




Attendees for Saturday, looks like a full house.
Heeeers................ Alan!

Alan Lacer's demo in my opinion was one of the best presentations that we have ever had. The membership was glued to their seats as Alan fed them the info. Both sessions well attended to the very end. Thank you Alan.


Here a large aid for better clarity as he explained the features of his skew.


To start with Alan turned the worlds smallest spin top by driving a piece of wood into the spindle and using a large Skew to turn it with.


Using a roughing gouge to true up a piece of wood for his first lesson with the gouge. Alan says he likes this tool very much because it is very good to use in making a turning true, because of the large straight edge the tool has. Good advice.


After truing up the wood he shows how to turn a quick tenon with his skew.


Using his hook tool to demonstrate how well it works on the piece of cherry he just prepared. Which brings us to the tool making segment. Everyone was anxious to see how to make a hook tool.


Alan has cut a 9 inch piece of drill rod from the standard length of 36" which is good for 4 hook tools. He is using a Norton Norzon abrasive disk, order from MCS price $9.25 plus handling, on a piece of MDF. This method is very quick to dress the rod to the proper shape for the tool. For the correct dimensions go to Alan's web site and print out the instructions. The drill rod can be ordered from ENCO $4.76 for a 36 in piece plus handling if you want to purchase your own rod.


Works well Zirconia Aluminum. After this is shaped to the correct dimensions comes the Heat treatment.


The tip is heated with mapp gas to the correct temperature for bending the hook.


Before quenching the tool it must be heated to 450 deg. He used a Tempel stik 450 to know when to quench the tool in oil. Note: Do not use motor oil, you can use olive oil, mineral oil, peanut oil, cooking oil etc. Another method is use an oven set for 450 and let it get up to temp then turn off oven and let the rod cool down slowly before removing from the oven. 


Quench then sharpen. Keep the tool moving in the oil for proper treatment. You notice Alan has his handle installed as the rod gets to hot to handle. The oil can be used over and over.


Sharpen the hook like the shape of a fingernail gouge tip.



The finished product ready for hollowing a lidded box.


Alan uses a sturdy hacksaw to part his lidded box so he can make the thinnest cut between the top and bottom.


Using the tool he just made to hollow out the top of the box. Great job!!


The Top of lidded box. Alan said the lidded box was his favorite turning. 


Turning tenon on box for the bottom.


Fitting the lid of his box. Done very carefully and precise.


Parting off the bottom of his finished lidded box. This box may be raffled off during our next meeting. You have to be present to win this treasure.


Alan showed the club how to polish a skew to make it really sharp with a MDF wheel imbedded with a polishing compound, the white stick for stainless steel, Note: he is standing on the other side of the lathe so the wheel is turning away from the operator. Alan wants the wheel turning away from the tool, other wise you are in real danger if you have a catch the tool may become airbourn at you, at this point the edge of the tool is sharp enough to shave with. That is why you have the wheel turning away from yourself.


Hone with a diamond hone to finish the edge.


Alan showed how to size the turning with his skew. Notice how the skew is resting on the tool rest for this cut.


He showed how to set up the safe spur so it would slip, to learn how a catch is caused with the short and long point. Alan says to use this method so you can get the feel of a catch and what causes them. With this set up you can learn to use the Skew with little effort and the slipping spur just about puts the learning in slow motion for you.




Sunday had fewer members, but it was very intense.


Alan showed up this way, I think he had a session at Mikes Saturday night, but he seemed normal enough to continue.


Alan said to create the shape of the skew before you try to sharpen it, says it works much better that way.


He showed how to sharpen a parting tool and honed it.


Here Alan sharpens a members skew with his own grind. Notice he has a dust mask to protect his lungs from silicon coming off the wheel and, safety glasses to protect his eyes. Everyone needs to practice safety.


If you want to become better with a skew, Alan says to learn how to turn eggs using only a skew.


Practice, practice, and more practice.


Notice where the short point touches the wood and the angle of the skew on the tool rest.


Better view of the angles, see the right edge of the skew is raised off the tool rest cutting edge is just above the short point.


If you want to learn the skew you must get the feel of the cutting edge.


Alan's door stop and pummels three different styles.




Three different styles of Pummels, notice which point he uses to cut with.


Thank you Alan for the outstanding presentation. Come see us again some time.


Here are some pictures of the hook tool that Alan made at the meeting.