Blank Canvas Arts and Crafts

Blank Lathe

Woodturning is the art and craft of taking wood and making it round in decorative and utilitarian ways. In order to do this it is necessary to mount the wood onto the wood lathe. Preparation for doing so, particularly in faceplate work, can be greatly aided by the band saw.

Faceplate work generally consists of turning rounds and disks into various forms. Consider the challenge of getting a ten inch bowl blank onto a twelve inch lathe. While it sounds like a great fit, consider yourself looking down at the top of the blank as it is cut from the log. Most likely it started as a ten inch round and ten inch long section. Once cut lengthwise in two it now has semicircular ends and a flat top. That top measures roughly ten inches on a side which sounds good for the lathe until one looks at the diagonals. They will be roughly fourteen inches long and are going to hit the lathe bed preventing it form turning. The corners need to be removed.

While it can be done with a chain saw, many turners find it easier to do so with a band saw. One method is to flip the blank over so the flat side is down and able to sit on the band saw table. A cardboard or thin wood disk of appropriate size, ten inches in our example, is tacked to the rounded center of the section. This serves as a template to cut around. With the flat side on the table, this is now a supported cut.

Green wood cutting such as this requires a blade with coarse teeth, good gullets and a wide set. Three eighths inch blades with three hook teeth fer inch tend to work well. Care is needed as for part of the cut as the wood curves down there is a lot of blade exposed, but it is easy to keep ones fingers away from the blade with reasonable caution. Sometimes a spray of cooking oil on the balde will help to relieve binding as green wood can swell with the friction of a cut. Once the blank is round it can then be mounted on the wood lathe with plenty of clearance.

Band saws can also be used for straight cuts. Again, if cutting boards and squares for spindle projects and small items, it is important to establish a flat to move on the table. Unsupported cuts can cause the blade to bind pulling the work at high speed and power to the table. This can cause a broken blade or, worse, pull hands and fingers into the moving blade. If round work is to be cut it needs to be stabilized so it can not be caught or rotated by the blade.

The band saw is often considered one of the safest of all the cutting tools in the power woodworking shop as it does not cause kickback as might a table saw or radial arm saw. It also provides for the curved cuts so often needed by woodturners. With simple caution and good set up it is an excellent addition to the craft.

Darrell Feltmate is a juried wood turner whose web site, Around the Woods, contains detailed information about wood turning for the novice or experienced turner as well as a collection of turnings for your viewing pleasure. You too can learn to turn wood, here is the place to start. Wondering what it looks like? There are many free videos on the site dealing with everything from sharpening to making a bowl.

There are several wood turning projects fully explained on the web site. In particular, a selection of beginner’s projects may be found on the Beginner’s Projects page complete with explanation and step by step photos.

Where can I buy Lathe Tool Blanks? I’m looking for non carbide tipped HSS bits that i want to sharpen myself.

I need these for metal shop class in school. I don’t know the exact size that fits in the holder, but i don’t think they are bigger than 1/4 inch

Grizzly and Enco, I hate making my own profiles, but it’s something that has to be done. Chances are they would be 1/4″. Another source(s). Check your yellow pages for industrial supply companies, they generally carry blanks for local industries. Good luck, and more importantly have fun. I own a 6″ lathe, and a mini-mill, and one thing I can tell you from experience, working with these machines somehow affects the laws of time, time goes by so fast that you end up working way longer than you should. At least that happens in my shop.

TBL-X1 Thread Blank Lathe

Spalted Black Walnut wood edge pen blanks wood turning lathe $1.99

Apple pen blanks wood turning lathe $1.99

Apple pen blanks wood turning lathe $1.99

Apple pen blanks wood turning lathe $1.99

Red Oak pen blanks wood turning lathe (25) $4.99

Chestnut pen blanks wood turning lathe (25) $4.99

Lot Rare Black Locust Wood Turning Lathe Spindles Bottlestopper Reel Seat Blanks $11.86

Black Walnut pen blanks wood turning lathe (25) $4.99

Beech pen blanks wood turning lathe (25) $4.99

Persimmon pen blanks wood turning lathe Jumbo (16) $4.99

White Oak pen blanks wood turning lathe (25) $4.99

Maple pen blanks wood turning lathe (25) $4.99

Maple pen blanks wood turning lathe (25) $4.99

10 acrylic dye stabilized spalted Alder pen blanks turning lathe craft wood #816 $35.00

Burl Figured Poplar block turning bowl platter blank lathe craft wood #824 $15.50

Teardrop Chrome Bottle Stopper Kit $5.29 Turn your own unique handles for these solid chrome stoppers and quickly create a great gift that all wine lovers will appreciate. This new teardrop shape sits lower in the bottles mouth and features a fluted black silicone seal. Heavy chrome plating resists corrosion. Great gifts for your wine connoisseur friends. Simply drill a 6mm hole in your wood blank, screw the blank onto the mandrel and …

3” x 38” Baseball Bat Turning Blank, Ash $34.99 Turn your own custom baseball bat! Put one of these cylindrical blanks on your lathe and fashion a bat with the length, weight, and shape of your choosing. Rough blank made of solid Ash. Turning stock sizes are approximate. The baseball bat blank is 3″ round and 38″ long. Sold per piece….

Amazon Pen Making Starter Pack 1 $188.21 …

Union Butterfield 707 Tool Bit Blank, High-Speed Steel, 2-1/2 O’all Length, 1/4 Size $6.04 …

Trout Laser-Cut Inlay Pen Blank $21.99 Challenge yourself with this fun 11-part, laser-cut Trout Inlay Pen Blank and turn it to size for an incredibly colorful pen! The kit is composed of 11 pieces of dyed and stabilized black ash burl, American Holly, dyed pink curly maple, and curly maple and are inlaid into position to become a seamless part of the finished pen. Designed for Cartridge, Manhattan, or Sierra style pen kits only. Pen c…

Techniks 3CT 90.300 No. 3 Cartridge – 90 degree $126.35 No. 3 cartridge – 90?…

Turning Custom Duck and Game Calls: The Complete Guide for Craftsmen, Collectors, and Outdoorsmen $12.45 This unique book demonstrates how to turn a handsome duck call, and includes comprehensive insights, revealing the secrets of this American folk art. A complete guide to turning duck and game calls, including: understanding duck and game calls; tools, materials, and preparation; embellishment ideas; toneboards and reeds; finishing; and a gallery and resource directory. 128 pages. Softcover….

The Master Gunmaker’s Guide To Building Bolt-action Rifles $16.07 If you are looking to build a bolt-action rifle, buy this book first! It will teach you step-by-step how to make a rifle from scratch in a small, inexpensive shop. The simple instructions and drawings guide you through selecting materials; manufacturing the bolt, trigger, safety and sights; chambering the barrel; finishing the stock; and everything else you need to know….