| Blog series by Woodknack | updated 03-14-2014 05:18 AM | 3 parts | 4801 reads | 26 comments total |
Part 1: Glue up
The handle is 2 pieces of 4/4 maple about 2×12 inches. The head is 4 pieces of 4/4 reclaimed ipe about 2.5×7 inches. Getting the ipe flat without a jointer was trial and error. Hand planes dull after a few strokes and I didn’t want to risk my planer knives, so it was a matter of using the table saw and skimming a little at a time until the pieces were reasonably flat. “Reasonably” meant a little more clamping pressure than usual but at least with ipe you donR...
Part 2: Turning
I always forget to take pictures so it goes from mounted on the lathe to nearly done. I knocked the corners off on the tablesaw. The bandsaw would have been my first choice but mine only has a carbon steel blade and ipe can damage carbon steel. I only have 2 types of turning tools, carbon steel (cs) and carbide (note to self: really need to get some HSS tools), so it was carbide on the head and c.s. on the maple. The ipe machined nicely but carbide tends to tear out more than steel so ...
Part 3: Burning lines with Formica
There was a lot of interest in this part so I’m adding another blog entry. In the past I’ve used guitar string: burns nicely but abrades the line so it isn’t very dark; bailing wire: gets too hot and scorches the wood around the line and leaves a heavy carbon deposit that can flake off; and even copper wire: conducts heat so efficiently that it doesn’t work. Then awhile back Captain Eddie mentioned burning lines with plastic laminate (Formica). So I stopped by th...
