FEBRUARY 2019
What’s Inside
PREZ SEYZ Page 2 GALLERY OF BOWLS Page 4 TEN HARDEST WOODS Page 12 USE OF SPACER BLOCKS WITH PENS Page 15 PEN WOOD OF MONTH Page 18
Purpleheart Tree PREZ SEYZ 2
Hey woodturners, How you doing? What can I say, just keep shoveling! So much for a mild win- ter. As most of you are aware, the February meeting was canceled because of weath- er. If you didn't get the email notice, I apologize. It may have gone out on an older mailing list. So that being a situa- tion, if you need to send info out to club members, make sure you have the latest list. You can get it from Randy. If you have bowls yet for "Feed My People " please contact me at [email protected] and I will get them from you. Each of you who are signed up to do a demo at a club meeting, please just move your demo forward one month. If that can't work, let me know. We are always looking for new ideas for demos for club meetings. If you would like a demonstration on a given area of wood turning, let me know and we will try to get in in the schedule. For those of you who like to turn natural edge bowls, now is the time to cut the trees before the sap starts to flow. The bark is less likely to loosen. Obviously because on no meeting this month our letter will be somewhat shorter. I give Tom credit for his creativity in making it informative, Thanks Tom ! Well again as Bugs Bunny sez, "That's all folks" Prez Duane.
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Because of the weather, the Febru- ary meeting was cancelled and this month’s demo and Show and Tell is missing from this issue. The scheduled demonstrations will be moved ahead a month subject to demonstrator availability. Our sincere apologies to those members who weren’t informed and showed up for the meeting. To cancel a meeting was unprece- dented and there was no set pro- cedure to deal with it. We will do better next time. 4
Bob Eberhart
Lamp and multiple Walnut bowls 5
Barry Grill Segmented Vase and multiple bowls of various woods
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Bob Hindal Multiple bowls with enhancement with burned in animal figures 7
Fred Steffens Two reverse turned Walnut bowls and an Apple bowl
Jack Corey
Several natural edged bowls and 2 other bowls 8
Mary Weider Chipped carved box Several Walnut reversed turned and natural edge
Several other bowls—type not stated
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Mary Weider Closer view of the Old World Chip Carved box 10
Joe Felling Two Butternut bowls on right side and bowls of a variety of woods
Unknown Turner A Walnut bowl and a cup of unknown wood 11 Photographer Mary Weider took these pictures at the February Coffee and Chips. These bowls do not represent all that were contributed but only those that were brought on Saturday. While I have tried to be accurate in given credit to the proper turner of these bowls I was not there at the beginning of the photographing of these bowls . Though an attempt was made to identify the turners, accuracy is not guaranteed. Verbal thrashings will be accepted for errors and restitution will be made promptly.
Feed My People Empty Bowls Event Thursday March 7, 2019 Florian Gardens 2340 Lorch Ave, Eau Claire. Wisconsin Ten Hardest Woods 12
1. Australian Buloke
An ironwood tree that is native to Australia, this wood comes from a species of tree occurring across most of Eastern and Southern Australia. Known as the hardest wood in the world, this particular type has a Janka hardness of 5,060 lbf. (Also known as Bull-Oak)
2. Schinopsis brasiliensis
A species of flowering plant in the cashew family, the schinopsis brasiliensis originates in Brazil and creates an extremely tough wood of 4,800 lbf. Due to this immense hardness and strength, this wood is often used in construction. (Also called Quebacho and Ironwood).
A hardwood tree, the schinopsis balansae is a tree which makes up large areas of forest in Argentina and Paraguay. Reaching a whop- ping 24 metres in height at times, the tree’s wood is extremely hard, at 4,570 lbf. (Variation of Schinopsis brasiliensis– willow leaf variety).
4. Lignum vitae
A trade wood, lignum vitae comes from trees of the genus Guaiacum which are indigenous to the Caribbe- an as well as the northern coast of South America. This wood has been used since the 16th century, combining strength, density and tough- ness at an impressive 4,500 lbf in the Janka hardness test. 5. Piptadenia Macrocarpa 13 This wood has a Janka hardness rating of 3,840 lbf, making it suita- ble for a variety of construction projects. It comes from a tree na- tive to areas including Argentina, Bolivia and Peru.
6. Snakewood
Snakewood has a Janka rating of 3,800 lbf, and is an exotic hardwood which is particularly prized for the highly figured grain it exhibits. Originating from South America, it is used in a variety of projects requiring tough, dense wood.
7. Brazilian Olivewood
With a Janka rating of 3,700, this wood is an exotic, attractive choice. Combining its pleasing aesthetic with properties including toughness and strength, exotic household furniture can seriously benefit from its presence.
8. Brazilian Ebony
A dense, heavy wood originating from Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil, this wood has a Janka rating of 3,692. Par- ticularly good for the construction of decking and planking, this wood is not only hard and durable, but shock- resistant, making it an attractive yet extremely practical and cost-effective choice in the long-run.
9. Brazilian Walnut
Originating in Central and South America, this wood has a grain that varies from straight to irreg- ular or interlocked. With a Janka hardness rating of 3,684, this wood can be used for a number of pro- jects, whether indoor or outdoor. Usually called Ipe Brazilian walnut).
10. African Pearwood 14 This is species of tree is found in Ango- la, Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, Gabon and Nigeria. With a natural habi- tat of tropical moist lowland forests, the wood itself has a Janka hardness rating of 3,680 lbf. (Also called Moabi). https://www.hitchcockandking.co.uk/h-k-news/top-10-hardest- woods-world/
Opinions vary as to which woods are the hardest. A list in the Wood Database differs from the one above. https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/top-ten-hardest- woods/ Lists of woods by Janka Hardness can vary whether the list is do- mestic woods vs exotic woods or whether the list is a combination of both. www.bellforestproducts.com/info/janka-hardness/https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janka_hardness_test
Interesting Product for Woodturners
In the latest AAW News there was a short article about a product called the Staybowlizer. It was made and sold for use with mixing bowls but can be used for a variety of uses in the kitchen. One AAW member tried this product out in the shop and found it can be a very good stabilizer for sanding bowls. Comes in a variety of colors. There seems to be only one size. Prices can vary from $9.99 on ebay to over $30.00 on other sites. Use of Spacer Blocks Turning Pen Blanks 15
Now and then in some phase of woodworking one needs to use a spacer block. I use one most regularly with my Pen Press. I use the Milescraft Turners Pen Press that has plastic spacer blocks at- tached to the press. Usually this works fine but occasionally there is a need for a half block which I usually supply with a 3/8” wide piece of wood.
Other types such as Woodcraft’s WoodRiver Deluxe Pen Press and Savannah’s Deluxe Pen Press provide an adjustment screw in which you can move the press cylinder so that it can be used to fit all pen sizes and a space block is never needed. I have found this type to be a little more work than the Milescraft.
Another variety of Pen Press is Penn States Disassembler which can also assemble pens. The Disassembler works great but the assembly part is a bit putsy. A space block is never needed here either.
But back to the subject which really is the use of spacer blocks on a mandrel when turning pen blanks. (Oh no! Not another pen arti- cle). Pen kit instruction sheets will show the setup for turning pen blanks with a spacer. Most will show the spacers as being extra 7mm bushings. Only Craft Supplies USA occasionally shows some spacers being made of wood.
Is there really a difference? Yes, there is a difference. The differ- ence is not the performance of the metal bushings spacers vs. the wood spacers. Both perform just as well in the turning. The prob- lem with bushings is that they are made of soft metal and under pressure of tightening the blanks on the mandrel, the bushings get pressed. To be more specific, the bushing that is next to the tapered metal part of a mandrel saver on the head stock (or screw adjustments on the regular mandrels) get pressed into these metal parts and cannot be easily removed.
I tried to get around this by putting a larger bushing made of a harder metal at the head stock end but it too became stuck along with the 7mm bushing on the pen blank. Using a wood spacer instead eliminates this pressing into and 16 sticking of one metal into another. Smaller 7mm bushings will also be pressed into the wood but can be easily snapped off. **
Tom Leonard
A large and small bushings stuck together from pres- sure from tightening of the mandrel.
Old way of using spacers with bushings. 17
New way of using spacers using wooden spacers only. Before I could use the wood spacers the stuck bushings were removed using a wrench and a screw driver.
This gives a new meaning to a log home. PEN WOOD OF THE MONTH 18 Common Name(s): Purpleheart, Amaranth Scientific Name: Peltogyne spp. Distribution: Central and South America (from Mexico down to southern Brazil) Tree Size: 100-170 ft (30-50 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diame- ter
Janka Hardness: 2,520 lbf (11,190 N)
Color/Appearance: When freshly cut the heartwood of Purple- heart is a dull grayish/purplish brown. Upon exposure the wood be- comes a deeper eggplant purple. With further age and exposure to UV light, the wood becomes a dark brown with a hint of purple. This color-shift can be slowed and minimized by using a UV inhibiting finish on the wood. For more information, see the article Preventing
Color Changes in Exotic Woods.
Grain/Texture: The grain is usually straight, but can also be wavy or irregular. Has a medium texture with good natural luster.
Endgrain: Diffuse-porous; medium to large pores, few; solitary and radial multiples; mineral deposits occasionally present; growth rings may be either distinct or indistinct depending on species and grow- ing conditions; medium rays barely visible without lens, normal spacing; parenchyma winged, lozenge, confluent, unilateral, 19 and occasionally marginal.
Rot Resistance: Purpleheart is rated as being very durable, and resists both decay and most insect attacks, though it has been re- ported to be susceptible to attack from marine borers.
Workability: Working with Purpleheart can present some unique challenges: if the wood is heated with dull tools, or if cutter speeds are too high, Purpleheart will exude a gummy resin that can clog tools and complicate the machining process. Depending on the grain orientation, can be difficult to plane without tearout. Purple- heart also has a moderate dulling effect on cutters.
Odor: Varies depending upon the species: most species have no characteristic odor, though some species can have a pungent scent.
Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncom- mon, Purpleheart has been reported as a sensitizer. Usually most common reactions simply include eye and skin irritation. Purple- heart has also been reported to cause nausea. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more infor- mation.
Pricing/Availability: Widely available as lumber in good widths and thicknesses. Prices are in the low to medium range for an im- ported hardwood.
Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appen- dices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Common Uses: Inlays/accent pieces, flooring, furniture, boatbuild- ing, heavy construction, and a variety of specialty wood items.
Comments: Sometimes called Amaranth, this colorful Latin Ameri- can hardwood is tremendously popular for furniture and other de- signs that call for a unique splash of color. In addition to its coloration, Purpleheart has excellent strength 20 properties, and can be used in applications where strength is im- portant—a wood for both form and function.
Related Species: None available.
Source: Wood Database
( https://www.wood-database.com/purpleheart/)
The pen kit is called the Artisan Patriot Pen—Antique Brass from Craft Supplies USA. Craft Supplies USA said of this pen that it has a “twist action knurled cap with a heavy duty clip.” Cost for this pen is $7.25. Bushings are $3.95 and the 3/8’ drill bit (HSS Brad Point) is $11.40. Combination of bushings and drill bit is $13.80.
Remember when snow was fun! Purpleheart Tree 21 A Few Things To Do With Purpleheart 22
Furniture Inlays
Watch Dial Face Turned Bowls
Flooring Guitar Soundboard 23 ITEMS FOR SALE
Because a new lathe was purchased for the Chippewa Valley Woodturner’s Guild, one of the older lathes need to be sold. It was decided to sell the 1024 Jet Mini Lathe to the highest bidder. Submit your bids to Duane Walker at: elk. [email protected]. In addition there are several 93 1/2 inch bandsaw blades for a 14” bandsaw without a riser. E-mail Randy Patzke with an offer at: [email protected],
Next Demonstration by Mark Palma 24 Sanding, Scraping and Surface Enhancements The Demonstration: As much as turners like to turn, many whine about sand- ing. Sometimes the bowl gouge god isn't smiling upon them and they experience dreaded tear out. Now you can have a plan short of trying to hide it under a thick coat of polyurethane!
The demonstration will start with what scrapers and abrasives can do for turned work and some tips on how to get more out of scrapers. The difference between negative rake scrapers and con- ventional scrapers will be discussed, as well as sharpening tips.
In this demonstration Mark will take us through the science of sanding, starting with how to pick abrasives, grit selection, sand- ing techniques to avoid drudgery, and when to stop sanding.
Mark will the go through a category of products he has coined "surface enhancers" such as EEE Shine, Yorkshire Grit, Dr Kirk's Abrasive system, some automotive buffing products, and ad- vanced abrasives such as MicroMesh and Abralon to help us un- derstand when to use these products, how they work and how they impact finishing options.
As always Mark will be knowledgeable, long winded and opinionat- ed. (Feel sorry for his children).
The Demonstrator:
Mark is a long time member of the Chippewa Valley Woodturners Guild and has given many demonstrations involving finishing, em- bellishments, tools and safety issues in the shop. **
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Meetings are first Wednesday of the month at 7 pm. Open house—Coffee and Chips - is the second Saturday of the month from 8 am to 12 pm Meeting Dates and Demonstrations
March 6— Mark Palma—Sanding and Scraping and Surface Enhancements April 3—April 3—Mary Weider—Segmenting May 1—Jeff Fagan—Chips and Tunes June 5—John Layde—Tenon On/Tenon Off July 3 —Tom Leonard—Pen finishing and Finishing Problems August 7—To Be Announced Open House-Coffee and Chips Dates March 9 April 13 May 11 June 8 July 13 August 10
Meetings and Coffee and Chips are held in the Eau Claire In- sulation building at 1125 Starr Ave on the northeast side of Eau Claire, Wi.
Board of Directors for 2018 26
President Duane Walker 1-715-577-2248 [email protected]
Vice President John Layde 715-834-9371 [email protected]
Treasurer/ Randy Patzke Membership 1-612-845-6185 [email protected]
Secretary John DeRyckere 715.838.9480 [email protected]
Program Director Mark Palma 1-612.991.7733 [email protected]
At Large Director Joe Nycz 1-715-937-2803 [email protected]
Non Board Positions
Librarian Dennis Ciesielski 715.233.0236 [email protected]
Newsletter Editor Tom Leonard 715.831.9597 [email protected]
Web Master Jerry Engedal 712.834.1022 [email protected]
Photos of Show and Tell / Gallery items provided by : Mary Weider