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Woods (bowls), Lignum Vitae, what next?

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Woods (bowls), Lignum Vitae, what next?

Postby Andyp » 31 Dec 2015, 15:07

I have been after some of these for some time but have always known that re-processing them could be a challenge.

Image

Image

What I would really like to do is cut them in half and use the already very neat hole where the identity discs are to hold each half on the lathe and then hollow out the inside leaving the outside as original as possible. Leaving me with two matching bowls which I would like to give back to the donor.

Will I be on a hiding to nothing trying to accurately cut these in half without a bandsaw? Even with a bandsaw are there any special blades, speeds etc recommended for such a hard wood?

Plenty of projects on Google to turn these into mallets but not a lot else.

Any thoughts welcome.

Andy
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Re: Woods (bowls), Lignum Vitae, what next?

Postby Deejay » 31 Dec 2015, 15:43

Afternoon Andy

Here's my two penn'orth ...

Mount the bowls by expanding the jaws into the 'neat hole'

Support them at the tailstock end and cut another recess there. (Leaves you with options for mounting.)

Cut the ball into two with a parting tool leaving two hemispheres, each with a mounting socket.

After that I'd probably put them on a face plate. I don't know if the oil in the wood would affect hot glue, so screws would probably be safer.

If you want the original finish on the outside, you can mount them by expanding the jaws, hollow out the centres and tidy up the edges. You could turn a separate foot and glue it into the recess when you're finished.

I don't know about speeds, but I would expect to need really sharp tools.

I look forward to seeing what you do.

Cheers

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Re: Woods (bowls), Lignum Vitae, what next?

Postby Rod » 31 Dec 2015, 16:11

I suppose using Lignum to make mallets is a pretty sensible thing to do as the wood is very hard, dense and durable - making hollow things out of them is a bit of a waste? Though I appreciate what you are trying to do.

A bandsaw with a fine blade will cut ok but the problem will be keeping the round ball stationary to prevent rotation. It will need to be clamped/screwed to something.

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Re: Woods (bowls), Lignum Vitae, what next?

Postby Andyp » 31 Dec 2015, 16:29

Dave,
I had thought of that but am concerned about the amount of heat at the tip of the parting tool. I have already managed to turn mine blue while parting much softer woods.

Although I have 8 to play with I would rather not mess too many up while practising.
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Andy
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Re: Woods (bowls), Lignum Vitae, what next?

Postby Andyp » 31 Dec 2015, 16:30

Rod wrote:I suppose using Lignum to make mallets is a pretty sensible thing to do as the wood is very hard, dense and durable - making hollow things out of them is a bit of a waste? Though I appreciate what you are trying to do.

A bandsaw with a fine blade will cut ok but the problem will be keeping the round ball stationary to prevent rotation. It will need to be clamped/screwed to something.

Rid


Thanks Rid :D
Still sans bandsaw at the moment so it is either cut my hand or on the lathe. I
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Re: Woods (bowls), Lignum Vitae, what next?

Postby Rod » 31 Dec 2015, 16:49

Stupid predictive text or my stupid finger?!

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Re: Woods (bowls), Lignum Vitae, what next?

Postby DaveL » 31 Dec 2015, 21:30

If you are unsure that your parting tool will be up to the full cut, how about using it to cut a 1/4" groove that would then act as a guide for a hand saw?
8, I think that is a little greedy!
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Re: Woods (bowls), Lignum Vitae, what next?

Postby Dalboy » 31 Dec 2015, 23:12

OK just to clarify are you trying to end up with two boxes that look like the original ball or just a hollow form that looks like a bowl
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Re: Woods (bowls), Lignum Vitae, what next?

Postby Andyp » 01 Jan 2016, 09:48

Derek, to start with I would like to end up with 2 hollow forms from each (two bowls from each wood), reasonably matching with as much of the original carvings and patina on the outside as possible.
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Re: Woods (bowls), Lignum Vitae, what next?

Postby Deejay » 01 Jan 2016, 10:29

Andyp wrote:Dave,
I had thought of that but am concerned about the amount of heat at the tip of the parting tool. I have already managed to turn mine blue while parting much softer woods.

Although I have 8 to play with I would rather not mess too many up while practising.


Morning Andy

That happened to my (Record) parting tool. I ground the tip off at 90 degrees to the angled edge, kept it sharp and went a bit slower.

If I need to part off big things now, I make two cuts side by side. That leaves a clearance between the tool and the sides of the cut and keeps the friction down.

I like Davel's idea, but It would make my arm ache :)

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Re: Woods (bowls), Lignum Vitae, what next?

Postby Dalboy » 01 Jan 2016, 13:47

Cut the ball in half using a couple of cup shaped chucks held between centres. Us a thin parting tool and take it down to about 1" diameter then cut off with a saw. When parting off I tend to swing the parting tool from left to right during the cut does not need to be much, and clear out the cut by removing the tool, this makes a slightly wider cut that the tool thickness.

Once cut in half make a jam chuck to fit one of the halves and hold it in with the tail stock clean up the rim and start the hollowing. Once you have started make some clips to screw into the jam chuck that hold the rim of the bowl remove the tailstock and complete the hollowing.

Hope that makes some sense.
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Re: Woods (bowls), Lignum Vitae, what next?

Postby Dalboy » 01 Jan 2016, 13:48

If you want to make a hollow form through a small hole then make a doughnut chuck to hold the complete ball. Then hollow as normal
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