The internet is a wonderful place – all of life is there if you look hard enough. In the Eighties I used it for keeping in touch with the local chapter of the motorcycle club to which I belonged. These days, as a responsible grown-up (though the wife might argue that point), I use it for research, for keeping in contact with like-minded people (there are a few, honest!) and for finding inspiration: a wealth of ideas and information is…
It’s a bit obvious, but the fi rst thing a woodturner needs is a lathe. It’s actually the world’s oldest ‘power tool’ – see the panel (left) for a bit of history. As you begin to investigate what’s available, you’ll soon discover that there’s a bewildering choice of models, with very different specifi cations and prices, and it’s very easy to become confused about exactly what…
If you’re a confused newcomer to woodturning, the sheer variety and cost of the necessary tools may all seem a little off-putting, particularly if you’ve shelled out most of your budget on the lathe itself. However, don’t let this dishearten you. As with a lot of hobbies, woodturning can be as simple or complicated as you want to make it, and you can actually turn quite advanced work with no more than a basic toolkit
Five or…
In its simplest form, woodworking involves taking a large piece of wood, cutting and shaping it into smaller pieces and reassembling them in a different order to make something useful or decorative. The cutting and shaping is relatively straightforward bit. It’s when you come to join all the pieces back together again that the fun begins
The Joint Genie System is the one I've used here
Joining options
Making a beautifully…
Once you’ve bought your lathe and some basic tools, the next consideration is how you are going to grip the work securely enough to allow it to be turned safely. In fact, holding the work is more than half the battle in woodturning, and with experience you’ll soon develop a range of different strategies to suit the item being made and your particular way of working
Holding spindles is relatively easy, as these are just held…
Stockport, Cheshire March 03 2008 – Amateur and professional guitar makers (luthiers) need access to special timbers and products which hitherto meant either importing them from the USA or travelling the breadth of the country to find what they need. Tonetech Ltd has launched an online store supplying the specialist timber, paint and other general luthier supplies.
The Joint-Genie system makes jointing easy, quick and above all accurate. It is the simplicity of this tool that is the root of its success. Joint-Genie almost completely removes the need for lengthy marking out yet will produce accurate joints over and over again. Made from hardened steel with stainless steel fittings all Joint-Genie products carry an unconditional lifetime guarantee.
Following the success and wide general acclaim of…
In response to the recent trend for very dark wooden flooring, Osmo UK have developed a high quality, solid wood flooring range that also follows the principles of sustainable forestry. Thermo-Wood plankwood flooring is an environmentally friendly alternative to rare, tropical wood. The thermo treatment is an innovative technological process that involves heating domestic timbers 200 degrees centigrade, which naturally darkens the wood without…
The Leigh Super Jig turns out perfectly consistent joints every time, with the added bonus of differing pin and tail patterns, and a very easy set-up procedure once you understand the principle. And this is where the Leigh has the upper hand on its main rival the Woodrat, as well as most other dovetailing jigs on the market.
The new Leigh Super Jig is one of three different sizes available, with 12, 18 and 24in capacities allowing you to buy…