Musing about problems that may not exist

My daughter tells me that there is a saying in the prospecting and exploration business: "The best drill hole is the one you haven't drilled yet!" -- or words to that effect.

Perhaps it is because at that stage we can see the potential -- what might be. Later we see what is -- and the mystery is gone.

The best lamp (bowl etc.) is the one you haven't made yet.

Perhaps the burl is best uncut -- there it has the most potential -- and our work devalues it. :-)

Here we are concentrated -- there we are few.

If we had consistency of methodology, need, customer requirements and desire, then it would be like manufacturing. Without consensus on at least methodology we have craft and art. What do _you_ want?

Without consensus, and if that does mean we have art, then there will be no agreement on the "best" way to do something. Hence there will be less standardization of tools and methods than there could be otherwise.

If we have art then we have the freedom to express ourselves.

It is the inaccuracies of the standard woodworking lathe that give us freedom while it robs us of our ability to repeat operations accurately and precisely =- a fair trade in my mind. (You pays your money and yah takes your choice.)

(I see no right answer(s) BTW.)

A self guided skew?

The guys in NZ giving free tools to (un)deserving newbies? (Just to evaluate for a few years...)

Lots of other things -- mostly unobtainable and not worth mentioning. (e.g. A trophy wife/mistress? --Providing SWMBO gives permission... both probably unobtainable singly or in conjunction.)

You make my head hurt. LOL

WillR wrote: Perhaps the burl is best uncut -- there it has the most potential -- and our work devalues it. :-)

Interesting. IIRC, the Tau speaks of "The Uncarved Block" as approaching perfection, if not actually *being* perfect, because therin lies *all* the potential. :)

Note: It wasn't my intention to turn this into a religious thread! ;)

Hal

I have talked to a few professionals about why they use the tools they do. My impression is that not too many go fo the "new" tools on the block, but stick with tried and true. Their innovations are generally (but not always) modifications on existing tools.

When I have had a chance to talk to tool vendors, they have often seemed frustrated that they can't get the big names to try and/or adopt their tools. Consequently, these tools often do not get the endorsements that tool vendors would like.

I had a lengthy conversion once with Mike Mahoney about hollowing tools. Mike still uses Stewart or Stewart-like armbrace tools to hollow his vessels. When I asked about cutting tools like Exocet (I'm an Exocet fan), Mikes response was that for his production environment, speed is everything and nothing he has found beats what he uses.

This leads to the dilemma of how a tool manufacturer gets to the masses with their tools. One solution is the "every man" turner, Lyn Mangiameli. Lyn is a prolific writer and is constantly evaluating tools, accessories, etc. What does mean? Tool makers listen to him and seek out his counsel. So, Lyn, representing "every turner", does make a difference on our behalf.

Can the rest of us make a difference collectively or as individuals? I think the answer is YES. This group spawned the very popular "World of Woodturners" website as a method for us to post photos of our work. It has become a turning force of its own renown and now boasts a logo shirt (which many of us will wear to the KC AAW symposium as an identifier). Lyn found his voice here first. Many new, "name" turners found their early fame here too, such as Art Liestman and Andi Wolfe. Did we make them the great turners they are? Maybe not, but I'll bet they would give some attribution to the friendships and information they have found here as part of their development.

Every time we write a book review or comment on a tool, we influence buying decisions. We encourage and guide the new turners who seek our advice on tools, lathes, wood and finishes. We promote good and bad experiences with demonstrators.

Impotence, Arch? No way. Nice candlestick.

Joe Fleming - San Diego

IMO, producing a good looking wood turning is much easier than producing a good looking flat wood project, but folks seem to love the turned stuff.. (lucky for me, as my flat wood work is piss poor)

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

If some of my musings are considered to be (benign) trolls, as well they may be, I am glad to have pried up three thought provoking responses, thanks to Will, Hal and Joe.

I wish that all turning tools would come with smooth shank edges or all lathes would come with hardened tool rests. Or should I be careful in what I wish for? :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

Thanks for two more good posts.

Mac, even worse for 'flatties' than the unfair advantages 'rounders' enjoy are the joints high priced surgeons make. Their sloppy joints grow together, but furniture joints must be 'precise' from the start. ;)

Dereck, Maybe woodturners should melt down all their useless Whimdings and recast them as the mother of all furniture maker's tools, but they will just return the favor. I'll refrain from crossposting. :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

On Sun, 20 Mar 2005 14:33:21 -0800, Arch wrote (in message ):

yes! hardened tool rests, thats a good one. how bout chromed bed ways?

Messy when they get dinged.

When thanks are sincere, one ought to get the name right. Thanks Derek.

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

You can smooth the edges of your parting tools, skews, etc. easily enough on a grinding wheel and they won't hurt the way the tools work. Then a file does what needs to be done on the tool rest. And it might be worthwhile to consider a tool rest an easily replaceable item.

I've been thinking about using 2 12" rests, one for rough work and one for finish work. It doesn't take a second to swap them out.

Bill

rockhound wrote:

============================ Arch, I attached a length of 1/4 inch M4 HSS to the top of my toolrest. Brazed at end points, then filleted the area in center with steel reenforced epoxy. Slick and durable. Some loss of hardness was probably incurred at the ends, but not noticeable in use ... so far.

Ken Moon Webberville, TX

Assuming there is only possibility that would be worth achieving -- if only we could see it. But what if there were many? How are we to know which one we have seen? That's the trouble with (advantage of) being a philosopher -- you can see the tree of possibilities... But then you need the skill to realize the possibilities (possibility) seen -- troubling in some ways.

I have seen the work of at least one turner who understands this instinctively I am sure -- judging by the work I viewed... And judging by the web sites viewed, many turners in their group have surely achieved this perfection in some or much of their work.

Had to think about this one... :-)

Hadn't really thought about the Tau -- just a couple of off the cuff comments. Next time I will quote Sun Tzu -- as surely we all feel it is a battle at one time or another. :-)

Anyone who carves or turns must have these very thoughts at times.... Not sure that you could avoid it.

If you are not sure that this could be so... Then think about this...

What if you could have all the time and money you wanted -- but you could only have Poplar (or Basswood) blanks to turn -- no knots -- only clear grain. Would you be happy? Would it limit your artistic abilities? Could you deal with the subtleties and still find satisfaction? Minimalists need not answer...

What type of turner or carver are you? Do you "reveal the hidden form"? Do you imagine a possibility and find the wood with the right character to achieve your goal? Or do you "switch-hit" and flow with what confronts you of the two previous possibilities? I won't even ask if you impose your will on a piece of wood --as only us newbies would make that error in judgment -- usually through inexperience. :-)

If a tree trunk with burled sections fell in the forest and there existed no one to turn it -- would it be a burl? (Solipsists only to comment please!)

Were I a solipsist, No one else could exist to turn a burl which you can't imagine. :)

This is getting out of hand and I've gotten way over my head, so back to less topical queries: why with what they cost, do _we_ have to grind tool shank edges and put hard steel on tool rests?

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

electromagnets on the tail stock & tool rest ways? *g* Slide in place and activate... sucker doesn't move until you deactivate..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

or a slide on cover for the "dingable" surfaces?

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Reminds me of those infinite mirror painting.... SMOKE ALERT while brain fizzes...

I doubt it! (But if so I can send you a book on "swimming in deep water".)

To save a few hundred bucks I will happily take the two minutes per tool to round the skew edges etc... So my tool rest won't get marked.

Saw the tip here (or on one of the good sites by one of the locals here)

-- re-read my turning books. Said Duh! -- then fixed the tools. LOL

Would of course rather just buy high end tools -- but can't do that all the time.

Soon though...

Is that more practical?

Fortiter

I'm just slow, I guess.

Why would you whack your toolrest with a tool? I thought you were supposed to rest them on it before you touched the work.

Dont you mean accurate?