24 Hour Classes
INSTRUCTOR: Rob Tukham, Fellow
COURSE: Free Hand Lathe Turning
PROJECT: This is Nuts
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Well what else would you call a class that is all about learning to turn a variety of palm tree nuts? Palm nuts are quite hard, yet turn easily on the lathe and finish well. Some species are referred to as vegetable ivory and have been used for shirt buttons since the 1940’s. The challenges are dealing with the uneven outer shape and the voids that exist in the middle of them. Students will start by practicing on wood to get a feel for the tools and then move on to the nuts. The instructor will provide the basics needed to complete the project and coach individuals in the class. There will be a variety of supplied abrasives to use for sanding the pieces. Students will have the opportunity to choose from a variety of finishes.
This course is designed to let students learn how to mount a nut and rough turn it using the cross-slide on the lathe. They will then learn how to hollow and finish the outside using the supplied hand tools. Students will also learn how to laminate a wooden accent piece on the base and rim. For those that have the time, the instructor will demonstrate an easy way to make a fitted lid.
As all of the nuts are unique in size and shape, students should expect to leave with pieces that are their own creation and not a duplicate of the instructor’s examples. This course is suitable for all levels. A confident beginner will learn basic turning techniques and finish a few pieces. The seasoned turner will have the opportunity to complete more pieces.
TIME: 24 hours. Completion is likely.
POWER TOOLS: lathe
SKILL LEVEL: All levels if students are comfortable with power tools. Basic techniques will be useful for beginner students while those with more skills will be able to learn new techniques and refine their skills. The lathe is a very safe power tool as the sharp part that does the cutting is in the hand of the student not in the machine. Students should come to Castine respectful of power tools and not afraid of them.
MATERIALS FEE: $60 to will be collected at school. The fee includes all wood and palm nuts for the project, micromesh finishing abrasive, and finishing compounds. Optional costs will be a handmade tool set supplied by the instructor for $220 and/or a lathe face plate for $15.