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Resin

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John Peachey:
Hi Niall,

Also have a look at the AWGB website, under read /educational videos. There are some basic projects there to help you. All the videos have been vetted for safe practice. I would also recommend the Keith Rowley Book and video.

As an aside if anyone else knows of good videos to link to please email me at the datamanager@awgb.co.uk and we'll add them to the page.

John

Twisted Trees:
It may be an AWGB thing, but yes the Keith Rowley "WOODTURNING a foundation Course" was the first book I bought, and it is still in my workshop as a resource. Highly recommended.

Bill21:

--- Quote from: Twisted Trees on October 13, 2021, 03:00:01 AM ---As t happens i have a borrowed set of carbides this week, not impressed at all! BUT I am a novice with the tools and they are not great carbides so the jury is still out but I am using traditional and happy.

--- End quote ---

I’m not surprised if you’re used to traditional tools. Most of the standard flat square and round carbide tools are of limited use to a traditionalist, no offence intended.  ;) The small round cup shaped carbide inserts most often found on hollowing tools however are a different matter. For someone used to HSS tools I recommend you look at Simon Hope’s tools and Hunter Tools. You will see the difference just by looking at them. I use traditional HSS but I’ve made my own carbide tools for some jobs and they work very well.

The cheap flat carbide tools do have their place, particularly those that maybe can’t afford a grinding setup straight away?

BrianH:
Nill, you really need the kind of help only available face to face.
Everything..... BUT EVERYTHING.... you read here, in books or magazines but especially on tinternet is only one person's opinion. There are loads of such opinions which are generally accepted as correct but that doesn't make them into facts. Collect as many differing opinions as you can, try any that you feel happy with before forming your own collection of opinions.
Free wood really does fall off trees so keep your eyes peeled for neighbours cutting garden trees, in your local woods or verges or even floating in rivers. Try turning anything that isn't too rotten to hang together, starting at your lowest speed, and gradually build up experience. Don't concern yourself with what you are turning so long as you are practicing. Keep your eye on the shavings coming off the tool, they will tell you at least as much as the piece being turned. If you are producing dust you are doing something wrong. If you produce proper pretty shavings you are cutting nicely.
Last, but not least, find a willing mentor or pay for a few lessons...... or, better still.... do both and compare the opinions. If they differ that doesn't mean either is wrong.
Brian

Blake:
Hi Nial - I embarked on similar journey starting a couple of years ago after an impulse buy of a micro lathe at a car booty, sadly there are no Wood Turning Clubs in my neck of the woods (South Ayreshire) so I'm self taught from experimentation and hours of watching many many video's  - I'm sure there would be gasps and shudders from many on these forums if they saw my techniques and it's on my ever growing 'to do' list to get myself on a course to improve or in some case relearn those techniques!

Like yourself I was tempted by resin early doors and can share the following tips that I've found having experimented over the last 18 months:
There are 2 types of resin commonly used Epoxy & Polyurethane - as noted above Polyurethane smells but allows for deeper pours apparently - I've only used Expoxy so far which also has 2 varients - quick set & deep pour (a bit missleading as deep pour is typically about an 1")
Using epoxy it's critical to get the following 3 elements correct, failing to do so can see the epoxy either boil (thermic reaction) or fail to set:
- Mixing ratio must be accurate - some do by weight, other by volume
- Ambient temperature - to hot and the resin will likely set or boil before your ready, to cold and it doesn't fully set at all
- Mixing - failure to mix the component parts thorougly will result in the resin not setting properly
I'd also note that all resin suppliers are not equal so you may need to shop around to find one that works for you - I've been using Depoxy Germany lately with good results.

Turning resin is also 'easier' with Carbide Tools, it can be done with traditional but you'll probably find your cursing a lot of the time as large chips of resin fracture off and ping around your workshop!!

A vacuum pot can be used for extracting the air out of the mixed resin prior to pouring (or as noted above used to stabilise wood) but your likely to get air bubbles again when you pour the resin, a pressure pot is the ideal as it reduces the bubbles to a size you can't see; also to note you'll likley see air emerge from the wood your bonding to so it's good to seal the wood first - I've found Sanding Sealer works a treat but you could use PVA or even brush on resin and allow to dry first. Don't be tempted to leave the bark on either as this will come away from the underlying wood over time.

Pressure pots don't come cheap over here in the UK, you can buy a paint spray pot & convert yourself (plenty of how to video's on YouTube - seems spray pots are cheap as chip in the US from all the video's of conversion) or buy ready converted as I did from sprayequipment.co.uk - there's a few other sellers if you search the Interwebs for resin casting pots - your also going to need a compressor if you don't have one already. I've found with the expoxy I use currently I need to keep under pressure for at least 12 hours (preferably 24) but if your using a deep pour your likley looking at 72 hours - and keep in mind upsetting the neighbours by having a compressor running through the night.

Finally - you'll learn Zen like Patience from all the sanding you need to do to get a glass like finish, Wet & Dry upto 3000 grit works although I've started using some polishing compounds and buffing wheels which are speeding up the process hugely.

Hopefully the above won't put you off - trial & error goes a long way in the learning & satisfaction process (and in my case a tolerant wife who puts up with my "I just need this one more piece of equipment, honest it's the very last bit I'll ever need...."); if your interested you can see some of my creation attempts by searching for "Ignopti Craftworks" on YouTube.

Feel free to ping me with any other questions.
Blake

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