1. Home
  2. Woodturning Crafts
  3. 0.1-> 00.1-> 000.1-> 0.00. Are micrometers turning tools?

0.1-> 00.1-> 000.1-> 0.00. Are micrometers turning tools?

Numbers are important in woodturning, no doubt about it. Exs.: accurate and repeatable grinding angles, heights of finials and depths of feet, rules of thirds, and carets of the golden rule. No less necessary to determine accurately are composition of finishings, length, width and depth of flutes, percentage of cobalt, on and on. That said with an abundance of caution, agreed with and disclaimed:

As I see it, woodturning for pleasure is mostly an intuitive endeavor. Many of us in our working lives deal with numbers used in measuring something, whether in sales, computers, carpentry, machining, teaching or preaching. The freedom to turn a blank without weighing it or marking it off or knowing its exact rpm or worrying about a classical form, not to mention concern about a superior's opinion is a satisfying change of pace; truly recreational without adding another problem away from work.

There is a world of difference beween a bit held rigidly in a cross slide driven precisely by a longitudinal screw and a gouge held in a hand and freely squeezed and waved around, in and out, up and down along a tool rest. Likewise there's a difference in information programmed into a CNC and the free association of mind to gouge. Who said proprioception? Laser guides, copying devices, form tools or a felt need to sell our work are each a bit iffy, but since they don't detract from our satisfaction too much, they are allowed.

As I said, precise and accurate measurements are important, but I suggested that's not always so. BTW, exactly what percentage of one standard deviation of you guys agree with me? Come on now, 0.001% can't be right. :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

formatting link

Reply to
Arch
Loading thread data ...

My eldest called Sunday in the second quarter. He was setting up his new planer, and asked what kind of magnetic dial indicator gage I had. He's a great woodworker, but he's also an engineer, so I reminded him that touch gages as in the manual were what I had been using on that planer's great-grandfather for as long as he could remember. "Because you can measure it is no reason to feel obliged to report in .001 units. The rule you're using, likely as not, is calibrated in .0625."

Bit of silence, then the reply. "Guess I can use the block setup method after all, eh?"

"If you're curious you can use the dial, or even feeler gages to find out how far you need to tweak the microadjusters."

"There are no microadjusters." Silence. " I get your point."

Second half featured a call as to why there were only three wires on the motor.

Steel City planer, and he says the fit and finish, while rougher than on the old Rockwell Invicta, were better than the Powermatic he was looking at.

Reply to
George

I guess it depends on which end you use, Arch...

I DO use a micrometer when doing pens, but other than that I enjoy the creative side of turning and tolerate the measurement/structured side..

I'm on the first of 3 goblets commissioned by a friend and hating it... I love turning goblets, but want them to be whatever size/shape/style that appeals to me at the time.. The idea of trying to make 3 identical wine glasses out of cocobolo 4x4's is NOT fun or creative, just kind of stressful.. He knows that the only guarantee I made was that they'd be the same height and wood, but he's really hoping that they'll look like a "set".. I should have known better.. I never take commission work and would rather give things to friends than do business with them...

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Reply to
mac davis

In addition to Mac's point, consider segmented turning -with-out- an accurate measurement. I also use one for lace bobbins

Reply to
Ralph E Lindberg

Good points and counterpoints, George, Mac and Ralph. I'll use the lame old poor excuse. Pens and Segments are "The exceptions that prove the rule". Actually, I do use my micrometers and I can work to a ten thousandth.... of a yard! :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

formatting link

Reply to
Arch

That's the only time I have ever used them. I bought them so I could custom fit the barrels of the pens to the pieces in the kits. The bushings get the barrels close, but the work can be done to near perfection with a piece of sandpaper fitting down to that last tiny, little bit around the trim rings on some of the larger pens.

Robert

Reply to
nailshooter41

Me too... and I think that I bought mine after you suggested it in a reply to one of my pen questions a couple of years ago..

Bushings are close enough for a $2 kit and cheap wood, but when your doing a more expensive kit and using exotic wood, close isn't enough and I was turning out too many pens that went in the "gift" box because I didn't feel that they were up to selling standards..

OTOH, I do use calipers often, especially to see if my "by eye" balance between bowl and stem of goblets, etc. is ok..

I use to use them for measuring tenons for the chucks, until I used someone's suggestion here and made "go-no go" templates..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Reply to
mac davis

InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.