Category Archives: Great Ideas

Carl's For Students, Great Ideas, Tools Machines

Bowl Gouge Cleaning Wheel

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Meta Description: Carl cleans his bowl gouges with a 3" nylon wheel attached to the side if his grinder when turning green wood. It is quick and easy!

https://carlford.us/blog/2022/10/bowl-gouge-cleaning-wheel/
Bowl Gouge Cleaning Wheel

I like to clean my bowl gouges with a 3″ nylon wheel attached to the side of my grinder when turning green wood.

I clean my gouges BEFORE I sharpen them. When I go to the grinder to sharpen a gouge. It is quick and easy. Continue reading Bowl Gouge Cleaning Wheel →

Carl's Tools, Great Ideas, Tools Machines, Turning Tools

More Bosch Stabilizer Holes

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Meta Description: Carl added 10 more fulcrum pin holes to his Trent Bosch Hollowing Tool Stabilizer. Now there is always a hole in the right location! This really saves time and makes hollowing a lot more fun!

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https://carlford.us/blog/2021/05/more-stabilizer-holes/

Photo: More Bosch Stabilizer Holes (stabilizer_holes_00)

I added 10 more fulcrum pin holes to my Trent Bosch Hollowing Tool Stabilizer. Now there is always a hole in the right location! This really saves time and makes hollowing a lot more fun! Continue reading More Bosch Stabilizer Holes →

Carl's Articles, Carl's For Students, Great Ideas, Tools Chucks

Mounting Plates and Shallow Bowls

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Meta Description: Link to Carl's "Drilled Chucking Recess" AAW magazine "tips section" PDF. A 2-1/2″ diameter hole is an easy and secure way to mount blanks for plates and shallow bowls on the lathe.

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https://carlford.us/blog/2019/11/mounting-plates-and-shallow-bowls/

I have found that using a 2-1/2″ diameter hole that is 1/4″ deep is a good way to mount blanks for plates and shallow bowls on the lathe. It is easy and very secure.
Continue reading Mounting Plates and Shallow Bowls →

Carl's For Students, Carl's Tools, Great Ideas, Popular, Turning Tools

Carl’s Travel Woodturning Tool Set

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Meta Description: Carl's Travel Woodturning Tool Set. A set that can be EASILY take to demos, club meetings and symposiums. Carl also recommends this set for new turners.

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https://carlford.us/blog/2018/12/travel-tool-set/


Carl's Travel Tool Set 1

Updated: 12/31/2019: I now use a red tool tray rather than a Tool Roll. See new section at the end of this blog entry.

I recently created a new Travel Tool Set that I can EASILY take to demos, club meetings and symposiums. I have been using it full time in my studio recently to test it out. I am real happy with it. See photo below.

The heart of the system is a new 5/8″ Quick Release Tool Handle from Jimmy Clewes. It works really good. I saw Jimmy use it on the 2018 Norway Woodturning Cruise. I was real impressed with the Quick Release mechanism that Jimmy has come up with. Just a simple 1/4 turn of the handle with your hand (no tools) locks a tool in place or releases it. You can change tools real fast. So, swapping tools does not interfere with the flow of a demo.
Continue reading Carl’s Travel Woodturning Tool Set →

Dust Collection, Great Ideas, Tools Machines

Workshop Blower for Cleanup

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Meta Description: Quick Tip: A little blower is great for quick clean up. I just blow all the saw dust and shavings off of my lathes onto the floor and then sweep or vacuum them up.

https://carlford.us/blog/2018/10/workshop-blower-for-cleanup/

Photo: Workshop Blower for Cleanup 1

One of my students showed up one day with a little battery powered workshop blower. I tried it and I was sold. I had to have one.

I put it on my Christmas list last year and it is the best Christmas present ever!
Continue reading Workshop Blower for Cleanup →

Carl's For Students, Dust Collection, Great Ideas, Popular, Tools Studio

Lathe Shower Curtains

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Meta Description: Tip: CLOTH Shower Curtains are great for quick clean up. Make your own hooks and track (EMT pipe) to minimize the cost. Cloth! No plastic!

https://carlford.us/blog/2015/03/lathe-shower-curtains/
Lathe Shower Curtains

A “Lathe Curtains” tip in the December 2014 issue of the AAW Journal magazine inspired me. I decided to replace the dirty old painters tarps I used in my studio to control wood shavings with some nice new shower curtains. The new curtains work great and look great.

People say I have never seen an idea, I can’t improve. They may be right. I liked the “use cloth shower curtains” idea but the track, hooks and string shown in the article were to wimpy and expensive for me. I decided to make my own long and cheap hooks and hang them from cheap EMT pipe. Continue reading Lathe Shower Curtains →