What would happen if turners gave heed to the adage to not cut corners? Then you would get a square bowl and a square lid.

Square Bowl and Lid

When I turned this bowl and lid some years ago, I didn’t do it with any feelings of virtue or smugness about leaving corners. I was just wondering what would happen if I did so.

A few people have looked at it at various shows. I couldn’t tell that it ever caused anyone to have a second look. So it has spent most of its life being ignored. It has been packed away, waiting its time.

This bowl and lid has surfaced again because someone just bought it. “I have always admired that bowl…” or something similar was the comment the buyer gave. And all along I thought I was its only admirer. I have occasionally pulled this bowl out of its box to look at it again.

Well, I don’t know how I feel about selling it. I am sending away a part of myself. I guess that is what art is about.

Ellis Hein, author of The Woodturner’s Project Book

Ok, the music has stopped. I have to get going. I have several woodturning articles to finish writing, and they won’t do it without me holding the pencil.

Ellis Hein, author of The Woodturner’s Project Book

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,900 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 32 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

• http://heinfamilyenterprises.com Where I write about my journey to good health, the foods and supplements that brought me there, and why those foods help the human organism function properly. On this blog, I give some recipes for making lacto-fermented vegetables and grains.
• http://musicofwriting.wordpress.com My wife’s perspective on the craft of writing. Definitely not the usual how-to-write stuff one might expect.
• http://caseofbrilliance.wordpress.com My wife’s blog about our experience of raising two profoundly gifted children, what we have learned along the way, and how it can apply to problems and situations other families may be facing. See also her book, A Case of Brilliance
• http://nffquaker.org A website, sponsored by the New Foundation Fellowship, dedicated to proclaiming the message of the early Quakers. This site contains some of my writing.

And so we bring another year to its close and wait to see what tomorrow brings.

Ellis Hein, author of The Woodturner’s Project Book

Oak Four-Cornered Trivet

Ellis Hein, author of The Woodturner’s Project Book

I need to glue some beveled boards together to make a 60° angle. I need to make some kind of jig that will do the job, but I have not yet devised the setup.

One possibility might be something like a fletching tool used for putting feathers on the shaft of an arrow. Another idea is to have something similar to the Bessey Right Angle clamp. Only this would form a 60° corner instead of 90°.

Now, as I write this, it occurs to me that I can set my jointer fence to form a 60° angle with the bed. This could be a possible solution. If I get a chance in the next few days, I will give this a try. Meanwhile, if you have ideas, feel free to leave me a comment.

Ellis Hein, author of The Woodturner’s Project Book

Yes it is, but for me some of my best discoveries have come about in this way. Something other than my cognitive ability seems to be dictating in those instances. But I am not getting into that debate here.

The Unfinished Vessel

Because of the construction of the turning blank, I created the likelihood I would pull grain while turning the exterior shape. I used some coarse sandpaper to abrade away those problem spots. This left scratches running across the grain. After trying everything I knew to do (except never start sanding with grit coarser than 180), I still had cross grain scratches. I had gotten rid of the spots of pulled grain only to create another problem.

After considering my options, I was hit with an idea. It may not have been rational. It may not have been intelligent. But it was an idea. “Polish the vessel using rottenstone and mineral oil,” I thought.

The Rottenstone Vessel

Then I noticed two things. First, the end grain of my vessel was now in the spotlight. Second, the black in the soft grain hid the scratches. That was when I realized this had been my “intent” ever since I had been grabbed by the idea to use rottenstone.

Ellis Hein, author of The Woodturner’s Project Book

Clamping Jig

The jig consists of a top composed of two layers of 3/4 inch plywood with 3/4 inch plywood sides. The sides are flush with the top of the lower piece of plywood and the upper piece of plywood lays over the top of all. Thus the sides are glued and nailed horizontally to the lower portion of the top. The upper piece of plywood is glued and nailed vertically to the sides. This makes for a more rigid construction. Were I to do it again, I would add another layer of 3/4 plywood in a rabbet one or two inches below the top to help hold the torque put on the 3/4 inch rods in the holes.

Clamping Jig at Work

The bench stops and the dogs are made by Veritas, but this is something that you could easily make for yourself. Clamping pressure could be applied by using wedges instead of threaded bench dogs.

Do you have improvements to my idea? I would love to hear about them.

Ellis Hein, author of The Woodturner’s Project Book

First, I have sold an article, or am in the process, on incorporating pyrography in turning. This is a direct result of being inspired by Yaakov’s Tiki 1 and of reading about Andy Coates’ combinations of turning and pyrography. My thanks, Andy and Yaakov. (If thanks aren’t enough, you will have to come to Wyoming to collect.) Look for my article to appear in Woodworker’s Journal in the near future.

The second interference I will mention has been the preparations surrounding a six hour round trip to Cheyenne, WY, for Annette and Lewis, our children (18 and 16) to play a 45 minute program of cello music during a book signing by James Wolfensohn, former president of the World Bank. Mr. Wolfensohn was the keynote speaker at the Governor’s Business Forum sponsored by the Heritage Foundation and the Wyoming Business Alliance. As is typical, musicians providing background music are largely ignored by the foreground. The program offered a chance to take a trip with the Arkansas Traveler, go down Muddy Roads, visit with Cotton Eyed Joe, wear Golden Slippers, dance with Blackberry Blossom, go Waltzing With Matilda, and a selection of other fiddle tunes and Celtic music.

Annette Hein, James Wolfensohn, and Lewis Hein at the Governor's Business Forum, Cheyenne, WY

Mr. Wolfensohn left this event having purchased two of Lewis’ “Pocket Pens.” So all in all a profitable trip for Lewis and a fine chance to perform for at least one prominent appreciator of cello music. If ever you have the chance to meet Mr. Wolfensohn, he is a delightful person.

Pocket Pen by Lewis Hein

So here is a mix of turning talk and observations on how the world works, or doesn’t work.

Ellis Hein, author of The Woodturner’s Project Book