Lathe tool rack.

[Yorkie]

If you look at the rack, it's the right colour for the décor - it makes the rack look less obtrusive and blends in nicely.

I've had the benefit of having seen Colin's workshop first hand, and I must say it's very swish.

[AlanBeckett]

Whatever floats your boat, as they say in California.

Alan

[Retired]

Hi,

Many thanks Colin for the ladder link. These are exactly what I'm after and I'll buy a set mid week because we will be home later in the week to receive them. I have seen these on eBay so I knew the price and was going to compare at Rufforth; buying at Rufforth would be slightly more convenient because then I wouldn't have to wait in for delivery but the ladder stall is never there at Rufforth when I need it; I think both the ladder and paint stripper stalls must know when I want to buy these items?

Thanks David; I well remember the stallholder telling you to be very careful with the Paramose paint stripper you bought at Rufforth saying it was vicious stuff. If you recall David on one stall the Paramose was £20 but on another stall it was £25? It would still be a bargain at £25 compared to buying Nitromors which costs around double? Thanks also David for the links; JC Penny are a top online store for traditional wood finishing products; I buy my hide (pearl) glue from them and this hide glue is top class stuff suited to my needs; what isn't commonly known is that hide glue is available in lots of grades each having its own characteristics as to initial tack and open time; Penny's hide glue is the tops and not expensive.

I too dislike using wire wool; I always end up with a sliver sticking in a finger giving me electric shocks and such slivers are difficult to remove. I agree David that abrasive paper doesn't lend itself to being formed inside curves and this will be why the guy is using wire wool. I've not tried it David but would the UPOL abrasive pads you introduced me to at Rufforth and which I now have a good stock of be a good replacement for wire wool? The UPOL pads I have are in two grades these being fine and super fine. These pads are absolutely brilliant for rubbing gloss paintwork down as they do it so quickly without becoming loaded with paint unlike abrasive paper which quickly loads up rendering it useless. Using wire wool on bare open grained timber like oak is just asking for trouble.

Thanks David for your kind comments regarding the rack; yes I have a nice assortment of thread chasers; these were from a school and had never been used in fact I bought them without handles. My woodturning tools were bought as funds allowed and from a number of manufacturers so I knocked all the handles off and enjoyed turning lots of new beech handles; only a small point but I think it makes them look better although it doesn't make them cut any better. I'm picky when it comes to my tooling. I've had a go at cutting threads and think I will succeed with practice?

Well said Big Al; sticking fingers inside anything revolving at speed can result in a nice "Barley twist" to two fingers?

It's incredible isn't it David just how much heat is generated during sanding with the lathe in motion; this heat very quickly makes its presence known whilst using abrasive paper and on a good day can make finger tips glow. I confess David that whilst turning on my small Record DML 24" I seldom change speed because of the reason you mention; it's a pain moving the belt over on the pulley's.

Thanks for adding the picture Joe; please show it gain when finished; I assume you turned this on your engineering lathe and if so very well done.

Pink paint Big Al; it's red. The camera reproduction of the colour leaves a lot to be desired. You couldn't pay me to move to Brighton. Bron and I visited Brighton many years ago and apologies to any member living in Brighton but we considered Brighton to be a dump compared to Eastbourne. Also once we drove into Brighton we couldn't seem to find our way out again? I went through my late life crisis Alan aged 11 when I started secondary modern school.

You are so right David in that I'm hopelessly colour blind but I know this is red because Bron told me so; it's actually a gorgeous colour and we never tire of it; it changes shade as the day progresses and at night when it's dark outside and we are watching a downloaded movie on TV without any lights on it looks wonderful in the light from the TV. I could always say I'm tight and bought a bulk lot of this colour but in this instance Bron and I love it; it gives a lovely warm feeling to our bungalow. Thank you David for your kind comment; yes the new tool rack blends in very well indeed and I've already cut more plywood panels for wall mounting with pictures to follow once they are in place. Now I'm adding racking the workshop is coming together slowly; I want to do some decent work in there so it must be comfortable and functional; the three strip lights and wall lights do a good job and as back up I now have a LED floodlight; all strip lights were switched on hence the colour looks much lighter in the pictures. MP3 is laid on via the Sony Mini Hi-Fi and a nice big central heating radiator takes care of heating. It's even got compressed air laid on courtesy of a brand new SIP compressor together with brad nailer. Eventually I'll also install double glazing.

If the workshop had been twice the size that it is I think I would have spent time designing and making solid oak cabinets and racking to house my many hand and power tools; I get as much enjoyment out of setting up the workshop as working in it. Power tools these days come in specially designed plastic cases which are excellent for keeping the tool and all its attachments together but it can be a pain having to keep opening these cases just to use the tool for a few minutes; if I had the space all my power tools would be arranged in purpose built cabinets giving instant access. I'd also like decent dust extraction but it's not Doctor Who's tardis?

I've rambled on enough so after dinner time to get cracking once again; the workshop won't sort itself out.

Kind regards, Col.

[Joe]

Here you go, Col:-

       

It's a needle case I made it as a thank-you for my neighbour for the loan of a ladder and I made her husband this pen:-

   

It's ebony with inset aluminium pie-dish.

I use U-Pol pads on the lathe and am yet to wear one out.

- Joe

[Retired]

Hi,

Nice job Joe on the needle case.

The pen is a lovely bit of lathe work; you've got this lamination technique well and truly mastered; what an excellent result and done on the engineering lathe; I'm impressed; very well done.

I like these UPOL pads and as you say Joe they sure do last in fact they simply wear away; the pads are big so I always cut my pads into smaller sizes using old scissors. Two rolls of these Upol pads at Rufforth are still available at a fiver for the two; I was looking at them on Saturday as that particular stall is always there right in the corner of the hanger. (David counted 37 pads to a roll). Have you tried rubbing gloss paint down with these pads Joe?

Keep up the good work Joe.

Kind regards, Col.

[Retired]

Hi,

Just a quick update to say many thanks once again Colin for the eBay ladder link; I've just bought a set of these telescopic ladders from the link you kindly supplied.

Kind regards, Col.

[camallison]

Part of the pay it forward ethos on here Col. Only too pleased to pass on any supplier info for a supplier who has served me well.

Happy climbing!

Colin

[Retired]

Hi,

Many thanks Colin; I'll soon be going up in the world?

I'm now off into the workshop and it's rather chilly this morning. Not enough hours in the day either.

Kind regards, Col.

[camallison]

Hi,

Many thanks Colin; I'll soon be going up in the world?

I'm now off into the workshop and it's rather chilly this morning. Not enough hours in the day either.

Kind regards, Col.

Yes, it certainly has cooled down a bit. Our dog is moping becaue her sunbathing has stopped. Nothing like a moody dog for lowering the mood. I'll take her to the beach and that should liven her up a bit.

Colin

[Retired]

Hi,

I think I'll be moping too very soon Colin because I've actually had a taste of summer this year and it now appears to be on its way out? Our cats always liked to be warm and cosy.

I feel very cheered up this morning as I've just come out of the workshop after a positive session installing two more tool racks to the wall behind the lathe and populating them with tools. I've also had a tidy up and gone round with the vac. The next job is to decide on screw storage as I've got a good stock of boxed screws and I want easy access to them.

One of the pictures below can be described as "whoops" I managed to secure the bottom tool support upside down; good job it wasn't glued as well as screwed?

I've cut a plywood backing out to finish the lathe wall off but as yet need to decide what tools are going to be attached to it also I need to sort out the VFD mounting; this needs to be mounted well away from the lathe because VFD's don't like dust; I'll add VFD remote controls to the lathe shortly but so far the workshop is feeling homely.

Kind regards, Col.