13-11-2015, 02:17 PM
Just a bit of trivia!
In a recent thread on sundry diversions which cause me to go off on a frolic and distract me from single-mindedly focusing on one project at a time, seeing each project through to completion, given that woodworking and woodturning are parallel hobbies for me, recently Gary sent me the link below, which shows how to get 1" diameter steel ball through a 7/8" diameter hole into the centre of a small block of wood. (2.25" cube). It isn't nearly as challenging or skilled as it sounds. Firstly, though the ball is 1/8" larger is diameter, that's only 1/16 either side of the hole (not that a hole or a ball have 'sides as such, but you'll get my drift). Secondly, the cellular structure of wood is that if a series of 'straws' with varying degrees of moisture in them. Thus, the wetter the straws, the easier it is to push them apart to allow an object to enter.
The challenge isn't so much to get the ball into the block, but how to prevent the block drying out so fast that it cracks due to shrinkage and stress, depending on the grain structure.
No woodturning involved - just a 7/8" Forstner bit to drill the holes. Just a bit of fun really:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO7aFRO5WMw
The other diversion - far more demanding and time consuming - is that of turning a cub in a cube in a cube. Again, 2.25" diameter. Calls for a measure of accuracy in turning that's more akin to engineering than woodturning, so it's a bit outside my comfort zone. After each side has been hollowed out, a snug fitting plug has to be turned to push into the hole to support the wood while the opposite end is turned, until all six sides have been turned. If accurately done, the inner cubes come free of their own accord. Two tools are required to turn inside the outer cube, then the first inner cube. The tools have to be made from old chisels. There are two below - one is in London plane, the other is Iroko. Each completed cube takes about 6 - 8 hours. Of course, they fall far short of what the Chinese did for centuries, turning spheres within spheres, within spheres in ivory.
I made them for my granddaughters to take to school to annoy their 'Design and Technology' teachers. I say 'tell the teacher I made them on a 3D printer that prints in wood'
Still no excuse for not pressing on with my Ekco A77 restoration - probably just a symptom of as yet undiagnosed ADHD.
In a recent thread on sundry diversions which cause me to go off on a frolic and distract me from single-mindedly focusing on one project at a time, seeing each project through to completion, given that woodworking and woodturning are parallel hobbies for me, recently Gary sent me the link below, which shows how to get 1" diameter steel ball through a 7/8" diameter hole into the centre of a small block of wood. (2.25" cube). It isn't nearly as challenging or skilled as it sounds. Firstly, though the ball is 1/8" larger is diameter, that's only 1/16 either side of the hole (not that a hole or a ball have 'sides as such, but you'll get my drift). Secondly, the cellular structure of wood is that if a series of 'straws' with varying degrees of moisture in them. Thus, the wetter the straws, the easier it is to push them apart to allow an object to enter.
The challenge isn't so much to get the ball into the block, but how to prevent the block drying out so fast that it cracks due to shrinkage and stress, depending on the grain structure.
No woodturning involved - just a 7/8" Forstner bit to drill the holes. Just a bit of fun really:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO7aFRO5WMw
The other diversion - far more demanding and time consuming - is that of turning a cub in a cube in a cube. Again, 2.25" diameter. Calls for a measure of accuracy in turning that's more akin to engineering than woodturning, so it's a bit outside my comfort zone. After each side has been hollowed out, a snug fitting plug has to be turned to push into the hole to support the wood while the opposite end is turned, until all six sides have been turned. If accurately done, the inner cubes come free of their own accord. Two tools are required to turn inside the outer cube, then the first inner cube. The tools have to be made from old chisels. There are two below - one is in London plane, the other is Iroko. Each completed cube takes about 6 - 8 hours. Of course, they fall far short of what the Chinese did for centuries, turning spheres within spheres, within spheres in ivory.
I made them for my granddaughters to take to school to annoy their 'Design and Technology' teachers. I say 'tell the teacher I made them on a 3D printer that prints in wood'
Still no excuse for not pressing on with my Ekco A77 restoration - probably just a symptom of as yet undiagnosed ADHD.
