Experiment with laminated paper

[Paul Disdle]

I am a novice turner who is experimenting with what can be produced on a lathe. This dish which started as a bowl until the blank broke in two due to a area of poor glueing, was made from a laminated catalogue. Its time consuming to produce the blank and does take a long time to dry, but it turns easily. This was done mainly with a scraper as a gouge seemed to tare (possible down to not enough glue). The sides turn better than the flat internal bottom which I could not get totally smooth. The piece was then waxed on the inside.

Please feel free to give me as much advice as possible

Paul

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Hello Paul,
             I applaud your experimental turning using laminated paper, as we lose more trees we may all be doing this soon. I'm afraid this does not rock my boat, perhaps if it were made from blocks of different coloured paper it might be different but on this occasion it is not for me. I do wonder though if it was turned a bit thinner and laquered if it would look like the Chinese(?) papier mache' work.
Regards
John BHT

[woodndesign]

If I recall correctly woodturning mag. reported on and tested laminated color paper blanks for turning made by a green company recycling waste paper and cardboard.

It would take some trawling to find as to who they were and if they're still in business ... then there's money in waste, so could still be trying to market the blanks.

Cheers     David

[john taylor]

It was in issue 170 page 58, thanks to Paul for his index http://www.pens-pens.com/wtindex226.html

I seem to remember a 6" x 2" blank was about £60.

john

[Bryan Milham]

It could make interesting reading!

Just how much glue does it take to make a blank like that please?

[Paul Disdle]

I used less than 100ml of pva diluted a little to make brushing it easier. I brushed glue onto each page and then stuck them together and clamped it between to piece of wood. I believe another method is to dip the paper in the pva/water solution to ensure better coverage. I will try this next time and hopefully it will be a bit more stable.

Thanks for all your comments

Paul

[Andy Coates]

Hello,

I'm afraid the shape does nothing for me, but form will come with practice and you did say you are a novice.

Using paper blanks isn't pointless, it can add a new dimension to turning, and is used by a number of successful turners here and there to produce something different. There is also, as has been mentioned, a "green" element to it that will appeal to a certain type of person.

You can also use laminated paper as an addition to wood. I've attached a couple of pictures of pieces I made last year which included paper.

Carry on experimenting and enjoy it. At worst you'll waste a little glue!

[Bryan Milham]

The strange thing is, just before this post I was watching a YouTube video of a guy laminating cloth material (something called Micarta) to make Knife scales (the handle bit).

Glued together with polyester resin, he then shapes with a bandsaw and sander working it just like wood. I wondered then if it might have any applications for turning.

If your interested follow the link, not sure it's the same one but I imagine it's the same process.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDxiH4eWcJc

[Andy Coates]

would I do that, George!?