This thread gives all of you Espresso drinking woodturners a chance to show off your work. I made an earlier post from January asking for help in repairing my sister's portafilter handle (Removing the portafilter handle from my sister's old pavoni jan 26, 2009). The responses were extremely helpful and I finally got around to finishing the job. She and I are both thrilled. So let's see your best work. please post photos of your new handles.

I'm the sister who will benefit from this gorgeous new handle. It's so beautiful that I've encouraged my brother to make jewelry from the wood remainder! It feels great in the hand and I know that the espressos and lattes that I make will be even more delicious because of it.

Jewelry is a great idea for the use of the remaining wood. Too many folks are making pens!
A couple of photos to fit into this thread:Amboina burl over stainless steel cores and a Cocobolo and brass neckpiece

-Richard

First you guys convince me that I need a lever machine....

I saw this for sale:

SEARS WOODWORKING LATHE, with centers and two face plates. Lathe mounts on a benchtop, comes with a motor and drive belt, no hard wiring required. Center length 36", swing diameter 12", Ideal for hobbyist or artisan, making bowls or spindles for that antique Windsor chair.


Wood this be something that I could try turning a handle for a PF? Obviously it would be more cost effective to buy a handle, I am just thinking it might be a fun hobby.

ddr wrote:First you guys convince me that I need a lever machine....

I saw this for sale:

SEARS WOODWORKING LATHE, with centers and two face plates. Lathe mounts on a benchtop, comes with a motor and drive belt, no hard wiring required. Center length 36", swing diameter 12", Ideal for hobbyist or artisan, making bowls or spindles for that antique Windsor chair.
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Wood this be something that I could try turning a handle for a PF? Obviously it would be more cost effective to buy a handle, I am just thinking it might be a fun hobby.

Hi Dan,

That looks like the exact lathe I used to turn my handles/ knobs. It was about that age and was great. The friend who owns it makes amazing stuff on it. If it were in good working order and reasonably priced I'd want to buy it. (You can see my handles on the Barista bling thread and it has a link to more pictures of them from the original thread - the limitation was my skill not the lathe). I'll post them over here when I get some time.

Hugh

Hugh

Hi Dan,
You certainly do need to turn some wooden handles. I was browsing this site last year and noticed a few photos of wooden handles and was smitten. The lathe I used to turn the handle in the photo above is no beauty. It is a Delta Homecraft 11" purchased at an auction for $100.00 which I mounted on a very heavy OLIVER stand that I bought at a junkyard for a few dollars. The guy made me take away the nonfunctioning motor that was with it which weighs a ton. Actually the stand is the best part of the lathe. No vibration or walking when I turn the lathe on. I actually put a few sandbags and the old motor on a shelf under the lathe to make it rock solid. One piece of advice about buying an old lathe - you should check to see how well it spins. Most old lathes need new bearings. Mine was no exception. I finally got around to changing the bearings by following the instructions in Ernie Conover's excellent book "The Lathe". Ernie says even lathes which have "sealed for life bearings" need to have the bearings replaced because they only last as long as the life of the bearings which is quite finite. If you want advice on changing the bearings, send me an email and I will send you some photos. It was a job, but it was fun and my lathe spins pretty well although, besides lusting after a new espresso machine, I also would like to buy a new oneway lathe!
Alan

Dan, I do highly recommend getting the lathe and finding what may be done with them. Take a class at a Rocklers or Woodcraft store or a similar woodworking shop and learn to enjoy the possibilities. That's how I gained more knowlege and hope to continue! The stores also have a good supply of exotic woods. The problem is giving the stock enough time to dry as the pieces are sealed with wax before they have been dried. Remove the wax by scraping it off and allow the wood to normalise to your shop for a couple weeks at least months would be better. Perhaps Les or Cannonfodder could give a better idea of getting the stock conditioned.
Cheers and many happy turnings to you!
-Richard

Thanks for all the encouragement guys. I will be spending the day with Bonnie Klein tomorrow (http://www.bonnieklein.com) who is in Chicago demonstrating and teaching. I found a local guy who happened to be moving and selling his tools. He gave me a stack of books on woodturning and sold me a dozen tools for the price of one good one. Since it was only $40 I did buy that Craftsman lathe I posted above knowing that it is too big for my apartment (with no garage!). I will hide it in the hall closet for as long as I can keep it out of the way and use the motor on a Klein micro lathe. I think the tamper for my next machine is going to cost me right around $449 I better sell something else to pay for this. I wish that there was a replacement tube for that lathe so I could reduce it from a 36" to a 12".

Years ago when I was in the military we had a great wood shop on base. I used every tool in there other than the lathe. I think I was afraid of it. From the conversations I have had over the past couple of days and the videos I have seen I can't see why I was afraid, a little respect towards the tool should be sufficient.

I think my first project might be a replacement for the tamper bolted onto the side of my Super Jolly. I think the one screwed on there is a 53mm, I might make one for my Caravel.

Again, thanks guys and have a good one.

Lathe work is fun. Video's are good reference but I would highly recommend taking a class. There is no substitute for a little one on one. Start slow, keep the lathe speed low, start with simple spindle turning with a roughing gouge and fingernail gouges then move onto skew chisels and bowl gouges and bowls. Green wood turns easier but will warp and crack as it dries unless you control the drying, but if you are just practicing, it does not matter. Start with something like poplar and cherry. It is cheap and easy to turn. Then work your way into the more exotics.

Keep your tools sharp, use a bench grinder or 1 inch strip sander (which is what I use). You dont work, the tool does the work with a sharp edge, you just guide the tool. If you have to push or lean into the tool, it is not sharp. A dull tool will catch and grab. That will throw the tool handle into your face at 1800rpm or your stock tears free and hits you in the face. It happens to all of us, make sure you wear a full face shield and respirator. It prevents a broken face and respiratory infections.

cannonfodder wrote:Lathe work is fun. Video's are good reference but I would highly recommend taking a class.

Agreed. I can watch videos all day long, but having someone show me helps out a lot. I joined the Chicago WoodTurners club today and went to an eight hour demo with Bonnie Klein (who happens to be from Renton WA, where I lived until last month). I learned a lot, but will never remember it since it was information overload. I borrowed some videos from the club and will have one of the members mentor me. I do not know if other clubs are like the Chicago one, but these people are very friendly and seem to really want to help new people out.

An update on my Sears 12x36: I was in Home Depot tonight buying some 2x4's and stopped in the plumbing aisle to look at the black pipe. I think I can buy a replacement pipe there and cut it in the store. This means my 12x36 can shrink to a 12x12 which I can mount to a square of plywood and easily shove it in a closet until I want to use it, then just carry it to the back yard. This should be very cool and cut my next tamper down from $449 to $149 I could not buy a Klein lathe today as she stopped selling them.