new to the list. hi all.

[theblindwoodturner]

Hi all.

I'm new to the list and thought I'd say hi. My name's Lew, I'm a blind professional woodturner from North Wales and thought I'd find a nice home to join, give some ideas, tuition and above all create plenty of gerbil friendly shavings etc.

have a great day / evening, etc.

lew

[Martin Lawrence]

Hi Lew,

 Welcome to the forum, look forward to your future postings.

Cheers Martin.

[woodndesign]

Hi Lew, Welcome to the forum, woodturning and equally, well done in taking on a challenging hobby, which as sighted we can find difficult, if not hazardous with all our scences, a lot is always down to touch, sizing, how smooth a finish, but to think as to closing one eyes or not seeing..
 May I ask as to what degree are you blind, have you gone blind or have you never had a understanding as to shape or colour, it's a thing I could not contemplate even.
 Is there any kind of shaving a Gerbil/Hamster likes best or not at all, other than dry and dust free ?    DON'T mistake Hamsters or Shaving on Toast, don't like the sound of cheese on shaving..      .....

Take care and happy turning.

David

[theblindwoodturner]

Thanks david and martin.

david, you've just made my day lol I've never laughed my socks off so much lol.

I've been blind for over 11 years since I was 15. I won't go into the details of what happened. I don't want to upset anyone or tread on any toes.. I've no memory of colour, pattern, etc but do appreciate shape, form, etc and use a lot of strange and unusual ideas in my work.

Turning is a purely sensual artform. From feeling what your gouge wants to do, to the shape imparted to the spinning piece, to the fine finish work and final finishing methods. For me, I'm fussy about tools. I have to test a product fully before I take it on as my own rig. so say as an example hollowing gear. I avoid Robert sorby tools for two reasons. design and type of cutters used and also the RS2000 system.

So my preferred tools for hollowing are the woodcut proforme setup, etc. I'm in that stage of expanding to a master lathe and fully stocking to the entire sorby range of turning tools with exception of the hollowing gear and a few other bits.

Feel is a very interesting perspective to a project. OK I don't get  the pleasure others get when they see a product finished ready for sale, etc. Colour finishes and the likes of just go out of my head lol but my trusty assistant has some input.

anyway yes I do also have reservations on shavings on toast. Apparently if you find a gang of gerbils, you could design a gerbil / hamster powered lathe..... interesting idea.

lew

[woodndesign]

Lew,   Glad to make your day..   with the Hamster powered lathe, you could only work at night, as I recall it's the only time they run in the wheel..   

Thank you for being understanding in our interest as your degree of blindness, for we have only the slightest of understanding as to how it maybe for you.

Interesting in what you say of Sorby, I've wondered as to their hollowers, the end cost, if you add up all you'll need to make a system.. they'll tell you the handles fits any tool bar, but then you need them if, like me, all your tools are handles, it's a waste or just added cost..   The Rolly Munro, on price, has all you'll need included, as I'm given to understand.   Crown has come up with the Revolution system, which has run some good reports, as any tool will, the end is like you've said, it's what works for you, I've been to the shows, seen the demo on that must have new tool... got it and can you at times make it work the same..    ....  the RS 200 KT is one...  but then I've discovered the pick is missing...  so, but that's the square end on..

Look forward to seeing your work, enjoy the change to the Master lathe, all the best to yourself and trusted assistant.

David

[theblindwoodturner]

I used to have an RS2000 system and to be honest this was the only system or tool I have ever been completely frightened of. Here's why... When you take out an RS2000 and assemble it, there's no spindle flats for safety, no grub screw locks, not even shocks inside the spindles.  I started work with one of these and had a very close call. I'd tightened upp all locking fittings and made the tool comfortable for my needs. went to hollow out a vase and within 2 minutes the head was loose in the handle. I immediately stopped, withdrew the tool to retighten, adjust the cutter and start again. this then resulted in loosening the head on it's own and spinning the shaft in the piece. slammed on the emergency brake. then said "Why did I buy this?" repackaged it, phoned my dealer and asked for a refund. then phoned robert sorby expressing my concerns and explaining that this is an incredibly dangerous piece of equipment.

I love the handles and balance on sorby tools for most of the gouges, scrapers, etc.

I just can't seem to find a big enough roughing gouge for some big jobs. I might make a visit to ashley isles tooling and have a chat with the MD and design a custom gouge for my needs. with a LONG handle.

I appreciate your curiosity on my sight loss. Just to be honest, all I see is black. so everything I do is sound based.

cheers and hamster turning is a strange art. lock up your gouges, your tools and your chucks....

lew

[woodndesign]

Interest to hear that of the RS2000, it was at one time on the wish list, for the slicer for coning, glad I'd not got it, looking at the kits, you never got the arm brace, it was extra.

I have the sorby Fingernail bowl gouge in 3/8 & 1/2" and both are larger diameter bar than my Henry Taylor square ground ones in the same sizes, I'd won just the Texturing tool, then added all the bits for Spiralling and the extra large cutter, must use it sometime, as the Club had a Sorby demo recently.  I've the Multi Tip Hollowing Tool RS200 kt, finally the 1/16" Slim Parting Tool.

My roughting gouge is the 1 1/2" by Henry Taylor which will and has tackled both big and small form 6" sq to Lace bobbins..  Oh sisters...   I saw which may have been the same  gouge used in a Simon Hope handle which gave a long handle, it is just a tool for spindle work, how big do you go, after all in the end it's all down to the tang and that's it weakness point, will follow what you do with your design idea, keep us all posted.

My curiousity, sorry if it is, is to have some idea as to just how much of a challenge you have and what you face with turning to achieve your work, we have heard of others the same to some degree, with asking it was not with the wish to have upset you at all, we look forward to your active part in the forum.

Regards.      David

[theblindwoodturner]

Hey David it's no worry friend. it's no bother people asking about my sight loss. I see it as a different way of life and not a disability. The key thing is having fun. After all... we're all on this earth to do something..... just can't think what  lol

Ideally I'd like a roughing gouge with a 2-1/2" or 3" head and a 2-1/2' to 3' handle strong enough and with a reasonable weight.

There was a guy on youtube promoting his own turning tools. what were they? I currently have a gerbil next to the laptop moving a hobnob around while reading the axminster catalogue.

The tool had a triangular moulded rubber handle with a lead weight inside, the shaft collar, collet and cutter. something like that. I know they exist in the USA but can't find a UK importer so I could review and road test one. I'm not comfortable ordering from the US or outside of the UK. it's one of those worrying things.

lew

[woodndesign]

Ideally I'd like a roughing gouge with a 2-1/2" or 3" head and a 2-1/2' to 3' handle strong enough and with a reasonable weight.

There was a guy on youtube promoting his own turning tools. what were they? I currently have a gerbil next to the laptop moving a hobnob around while reading the axminster catalogue.

The tool had a triangular moulded rubber handle with a lead weight inside, the shaft collar, collet and cutter. something like that. I know they exist in the USA but can't find a UK importer so I could review and road test one. I'm not comfortable ordering from the US or outside of the UK. it's one of those worrying things.

lew

Lew, That's some big roughing gouge, the weight of it, how long would you be able to hold on to it.

As for the tool the guy was showing, it's always the case as to finding it again, twice now I've lost bookmarked links to the things you may need to know some time..    ...    hope you or the Gerbil find him.

The US always have a larger selection of excellent and well thought out tools, some make it over here, but a lot we may have to buy for ourseleves, it's not so much the case as to not getting the tool/tools, but are UK duty and the VAT !!! an in some cases handling too, as I've found before.

I'm waiting that we may get over there this year, so some shopping is on the last, the visit in 2006 I got taken one day round the stores, the Lathes and tools..    ...   Powermatic, Oneway, Robust..    ..........   so maybe this time, something hard to get.  Maybe get to Craft Supplies..    ...   till then.

David

[theblindwoodturner]

do you know that jet and powermatic are the same company? basically the thing of jet is. jet are a european company and powermatic are US so comply with slightly different safety and trading laws. check out their 3520 and 4224 lathes. just the same. most of the equipment is the same except paint jobs and some designs for the industrial planers, etc.

the gerbil's having an argument with a CD of all things