Alternative in-use lathe tool storage

I have seen this style of tool rack around here and there. It can be handy for people who don't have much storage space near their lathe, and can't reach the lathe tool storage easily. There is a block under the ways with a tee-nut in it, and the black knob has a threaded stud in it such that when you tighten the knob it pinches everything together to secure it to the ways.
I see two drawbacks to this style of rack, which is why I haven't, personally, made one. The first drawback is that the tools are stored blade-down so you can't easily see what you are grabbing. The second drawback is that it precludes you from easily sliding the tail-stock all the way back to get it out of your way when you're hollowing or working on a face.
Still and all, it's a far better solution than many, so I thought I'd show it.
The example above is owned by Mack, the same guy who made the other rack that I based my rack on.

Lathe tool storage - finished for now

So here is the current state of affairs. It stores both chucks, the jumbo jaws, the various live and dead centers, tool rests, and calipers. The tool rack above has been modified for storage of a knockout bar and extra-thin cutoff tool. I have more tools on the way, so the storage will need to be expanded soon. I'm adding a special place for the drill chuck and a few bits. I also want to make a proper depth drill.

More Storage for Lathe Stuff

Those who have been reading this languid journey for a while will know that one of my favourite solutions to tool storage problems involves a sheet of wood on the wall, and a bijillion shaker pegs all over it. It's the old-timey peg-board.
I've got the sheet of wood set up, and now I'm trying to arrange upon it the things that I want to store. No doubt I will change my mind a bijillion times during this process, but I'll get there eventually.
I haven't had much time to work on this recently, having had many call-ins of late, but I'll get it done soon enough, and then my workshop can be tidied properly and all will be well again.

Experimental Rack is finished. For now.

Yes, this rack is done. Sort of. I mean, I finished cobbling it together, and it works, but it needs some tweaking. The bottom rail needs to be moved up a bit to give the chisels a bit more force inwards, for one thing.

Additionally, the 5/8" bowl gouge (second from the right) actually touches the wall when it's in the rack. This is sub-optimal. Another obvious issue is the little 1/4" spindle gouge, which looks ready to fall right out of the rack, though in actuality it's probably more solidly placed than any of the others. I think I'll make a couple of 'bushings' to adapt individual pockets for the two tools that don't fit right, then it should be golden.

This, of course, is only the first of a series of storage devices that will be required for the lathe. I need to store tool rests, chucks, centers, and all manner of goodies. Can't wait. :)

Turning Tool Rack

It is time to make some racking/storage for my turning tools. My shop is becoming a nightmare with stuff piled everywhere. The general concept of this rack comes from American Woodworking, March 2008 edition, and more particularly I found out about it from a fellow turner on the Canadian Woodworking forum. This is a picture of the rack that he made, based on the aforementioned plans:
This is a very simple rack and yet it appeals to me for several reasons. Firstly, it doesn't really matter how long the tools are, and turning tools can vary a fair bit in length. Secondly, the bottom board being angled is very clever because it not only sheds shavings but it 'pushes' the tool handle into the recesses to hold the chisel in place. I think it's very clever, so I'm trying the idea out.

First, to make the 'corrugated' cross-pieces. I take a board and lay out the hole centers and drill about half way through with a hole saw in a brace and bit.
Now I flip the board over and finish the holes from the other side. By drilling them part way from each side they won't splinter out on the back. After drilling I planed each side to get the worst of the whiskers off, then I re-drew the line through the hole centers and ripped the holes in half. Now with another rip cut I will have two corrugated boards.

All I need now are the sides and the bottom piece. Easy peasey. I'll probably finish making it in the morning and post it then.

It's been a while

Yes, it's been a while, gentle readers.

Several circumstances conspired to keep me from my appointed blogging. The first circumstance was that I totally butchered one of the dovetails on my chest of drawers. I chopped a tail when I should have chopped a pin. I didn't have enough material to re-make the piece. Disgusted with myself, I haven't looked at the project since. Every now and then I thought to myself that I really should get back to it, and get back to the blog. Needless to say, I didn't.
Then I had a bit of a focus change and the shop didn't see much action for a couple of months. My interests can be cyclical.
Now we find ourselves in a deeply wood-ish phase, but not with flat things. No, I find myself draw to the dark side: wood turning.
Oh, I had a wood lathe. Two, actually, but one hardly counts as it is a nasty off-shore piece of garbage. The other wood lathe that I had is the one that I blogged about back in late October / early November 2008. It's a very solid bit of kit with a great deal of character, but that character comes with a price - the headstock spindle thread is a rare one, and every other aspect of it tended to be non-standard, making purchasing accessories an exercise in irritation. I played with it for a while, then I bought another one. A made-in-Canada classic General 160-1
Above we see my lathe, ready for action with a partially-turned bowl in the chuck. Yes, the chuck. I was able to effortlessly buy a proper chuck for it because it has a bog-standard 1"x8tpi spindle thread. Nice.
For the first week I didn't have the chuck yet so I was doing spindle turning, but once I had the chuck I was able to start on bowls, as well as boxes and other cup-chucked items. The world is my burrito. :)


Above we see a few items I have turned so far. There are two beech bowls, one box of an unknown wood, one maple froe-club at the back, a maple carver's mallet at the right, and in the left-front is a spinning top which I made as an experiment.

So turning seems to be my new thing. I'll try to be a dutiful blogger and keep you abreast of developments, gentle readers, as I embark on this new and unusually addictive aspect of woodworking.

Mike

Lathe Tool Sharpening

I have a dirty little secret that woodworking videos put me to sleep. I have to watch them a few times to get all of the information in between naps. I love them, and keep buying them, but they put me out.
My all-time favourite cure for insomnia had been Rob Cosman's "Rough to Ready" wherein we get to spend an hour watching him plane one board. Little did I know that I hadn't seen anything yet.

I bought the video "Sharpening Woodturning Tools" by Mike Darlow. Oh boy.

First let me say that there is excellent information in there. His is the very first woodworking-oriented sharpening... thing... that mentions that you should never quench high-speed steel. This is something that machinists and metallurgists have known for almost 100 years, but woodworkers who use a bench grinder seem to be addicted to dunking their tools in water every 10 seconds as they're grinding them. You should never do this to high-speed steel as it will develop micro-cracks and you'll be just begging for a future fracture. Feel free to quench your regular carbon steel, but never quench HSS. Anyway, lots of info. TONS of info. Almost THREE HOURS of info. It's going to take me a week to see it all, between naps, but I'm glad I bought it. It covers every jig I've ever heard of, and sharpening every common lathe tool, though not hook tools or other esoterics... at least, not that I've been awake for so far. :)
The production quality is not professional, but it gets the point across.

Resurrecting a Lathe

I've had this lathe for years. It's been sitting in the shed at my folks' farm for all of that time, but I've finally brought it home. I'm going to put a fresh coat of paint on the old girl, and this will be the story of that process. I think the lathe was made in Toronto quite a while back. Some time near the turn of the 20th century. It's also possible that it was merely sold by a Toronto company, and may have been made elsewhere some time previously. If it was, indeed, made in Toronto then it would have had to have been made after about 1910.
The first decision to be made is whether to treat this as a restoration or a re-creation. Do I try to maintain the ancient patina, and keep the aged look, or do I try to make it look the way it would have when it left the show room all those years ago? I'm leaning towards the latter. I think it would look dead sexy with a fresh coat of bondo, a new skin of gloss black paint, and gold pin-striping. Below is a shot of the maker's plate. Actually, maybe green... deep green... with gold highlights.... hmmm...