# to the bowl turners a question



## curlymaplefan (Jan 16, 2008)

I have started to turn bowls...can you ca a blank to a waste block? and it hold up...

I have been using titebond lol but I want to do things quicker 

Thanks
 Jim


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## Dario (Jan 16, 2008)

CA is brittle and it is not recommended.  You also cannot guarantee that you will get good coverage/contact area with CA.

My advise, do not use it.


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## vick (Jan 16, 2008)

I agree with Dario.  I usually use a chuck but have used titebond a couple times with great results.

Some people use hot melt glue though I have never tried it.  Do a little digging if you are interested in this since it is not recomended to use the glue/glue guns most craft stores offer.


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## Larry Gottlieb (Jan 16, 2008)

I saw a demonstrator at one of the AAW meetings use CA to fix a fairly large bowl blank to the glue block and he recommended it.
I haven't tried it because I use a chuck.

Larry


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## mwenman (Jan 16, 2008)

It can be done but advise against it.

What kind of bowls are you turning.  stuff from solid stock or doing segmented?

If turning solid stock, I would suggest sticking it between centers,  rounding the blank out and then turn a tenon on the tailstock end so you can then flip it around and hold it in your 4 jaw chuck then go from there.

If doing segmented work,  recommend using titebond II to glue your base disk to a waste block that has been screwed to your faceplate.


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## MarkHix (Jan 16, 2008)

Titebond.  With special wood, I glue on a waste block and chuck it.


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## Monty (Jan 16, 2008)

I trick I picked up is if you use Tightbond or similar, coat the blank bottom with glue, then a piece of brown paper bag then more glue followed by the waste block. Clamp and let dry. When you're ready to remove the waste block, use a chisel to separate the two pieces.
They readily separate at the paper line.


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## low_48 (Jan 16, 2008)

I think we forgot to ask, what size bowl? I would feel okay with anything less than 6" diameter. I would use thick CA applied on one side, accel on the other, stick together and be patient. Of course I would have the tail stock up during as much of the turning as possible. Especially till it gets round. 

The one qualifier though, how many catches are you getting while you are learning to turn? If you're getting catches, better not. 

Also consider the moisture content of the wood. CA holds better on wet wood than Titebond.


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## curlymaplefan (Jan 16, 2008)

I appreciate all replies  I am using dry wood,and I do get a few catches..

My bowls are 6 nches...I have a midi lathe from grizzly,not to much zip to it..

I will stick to glue!! Monty I love that tip I will try it on the next bowl...


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## Ron in Drums PA (Jan 17, 2008)

I do it all the time - No Problem!

I just finished coring a 18" blank into three bowls. Each blank has a CA glued on wasted block. Believe me, coring puts more stress on a waste block than any other turning. Once these dry, I will turn them with that same block that is already glued on.

I started doing this three years ago and No Failures. 

There are some things you need to do to be successful.

1) Use either medium or thick CA glue.
2)  DO NOT use accelerator. Accelerator will weaken CA glue
3) The two mating surfaces need to be perfectly flat. This also goes if you are using yellow glue.
4) You can't use too much CA glue but you can use too little.
5) Apply some pressure on the waste block for about one minute.
6) Go sharpen some tools.
7) After about 10 or so minutes you are ready to turn.


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## jwoodwright (Jan 17, 2008)

THe Brown Bag/Newspaper Glue Method is as old as woodturning itself.  Wasteblocks could be reused hundreds of times.[:I]

I did see a "departure" in Junior High.  The lathe was started at too high a speed and the tailstock was not engaged.  The paper joint failed...

To remember to always reset lathes to their slowest speed, we spent a week of shop time cleaning and polishing all the shop equipment...

On a plus, I know more than I need to about maintaining shop equipment...


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## Rifleman1776 (Jan 18, 2008)

> _Originally posted by jwoodwright_
> 
> THe Brown Bag/Newspaper Glue Method is as old as woodturning itself.  Wasteblocks could be reused hundreds of times.[:I]
> 
> ...



You caught my attention. I have never heard of this technique. Could you explain, please? Either on forum, or privately. Thanks.


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## jwoodwright (Jan 18, 2008)

Frank, just like Monty said glue and paper joint.

Hope this helps...

Back in the day, 12 inch lathes were standard.  Bandsaw a 5 inch waste block (2 inch Fir, Spruce).   
Screw block to a 4 inch face plate.  
Take blank and make x to find center, draw several circles, 4, 4 1/2, 4 3/4 and 5 inches.  
Bandsaw 12 inch blank.  
Check lathe speed setting...  Mount and true face and side of block.  Cut out circle from brown bag. Remove faceplate/block and spread yellow glue on block.  
Glue paper to block, then spread glue on paper and blank.  
Messy, but don't want to "starve" this joint.  Wipe up excess, put in press and barely wait for next shop class...    (Glue needs 24 hr cure)
Check lathe speed setting, mount assembly and true blank...  Voila'.

When done turning, very sharp bench chisel, tap around glue joint, just pops and peels off, little sanding and no one would know that your project ever had a sacrificial glue block...

Funny, how a lifetime later, still checking the speed setting...[:I]


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## Ron in Drums PA (Jan 18, 2008)

Personally I wouldn't use a glue and paper joint for a tenon. The reason for paper is so it splits easy, we don't want that to happen on a bowl, do we?

Split turning works well with spindles. Lets say you want to decorate two sides of a mirror or a chest of drawers. You would glue up to pieces of wood with the paper and glue running long ways, turn the spindle to the profile needed, split the along the paper/glue joint and glue the half spindles to each side of your project.


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## jwoodwright (Jan 18, 2008)

Ron, we're talking about a face plate turning.  

No Tenon, No Chuck.

This is total Old School, when Chucks were only on Metal Working Lathes.

You used a sacrificial wood block to mount your blank... Of course this now round could be used for other blanks...

Your discussion of splilt turning is right on.  Now the secret is out.  I bet most folks thought they were resawed...


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## Ron in Drums PA (Jan 18, 2008)

You are most likely right John, 

In the original post by Jim, he never mentioned if he was using a faceplate or a chuck. Many turners use a waste block for their tenon when using a chuck.

But the problem with the paper/glue joint breaking easily still applies whether you are turning a bowl with a faceplate or a chuck.


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## LandfillLumber (Jan 18, 2008)

Titebond red cap is all I use indoors unless its an oily wood, I don't use the waste block though.. The wood fibers will fail before the glue its self. Good Luck, Victor


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## Kalai (Jan 19, 2008)

I make thousands of bowls and as long as the diameter is not to big and the depth of the bowl is not too deep the CA is great, I use it on all my small bowls except endgrain turning, the CA will not hold the endgrain to the waste block.
I make sure I sand the surface of eack piece before I glue and I mostly use the thick CA for this, if you do use the thick CA make sure you let it dry for a good 20 -30 min, I have had some CA fly out of the edge when you turn the lathe on.
All of the bowls you see in the picture of this post are glued with CA and the bowls are 4x6 and a few 2x6
http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=30902
Aloha

Kalai


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## jwoodwright (Jan 19, 2008)

That is true Ron.  That Departure in Junior High, I kept saying, Thank god it wasm't mine and we all survived.  Also saw a skew firmly planted in a cinderblock wall from a previous class...


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## Ron in Drums PA (Jan 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by jwoodwright_
> 
> Also saw a skew firmly planted in a cinderblock wall from a previous class...



Ouch! That had to hurt!


Hey Kalai, when I turn boxes, I CA glue a face grain waste block to a end grain blank. 

I know what you are thinking, after 20 year of flat work it was ingrained in my brain never to glue end grain to anything. But it works with CA and small boxes. I think it has something to do with a rift in the space time continuum.


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## fritz64 (Jan 19, 2008)

i have had waste blocks blow but never at the paper.  fritz64


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## Ron in Drums PA (Jan 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by fritz64_
> 
> i have had waste blocks blow but never at the paper.  fritz64




There might be something else going on if that is the case.


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## curlymaplefan (Jan 19, 2008)

Thanks to all!!!! I did the ca and it worked out great...
 I appreciate the info from everyone....I do have a chuck,however
I like the face plate because I do not want to have a tennon on the base or lose that wood if I cut it off...I can only turn a 6 inch blank

Thanks
 Jim


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## MikeInMo (Jan 22, 2008)

Ron - This conversation sounds familiar.


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