# Staves with a Twist



## NGLJ (Jan 3, 2022)

This is the follow-up to this post https://www.penturners.org/threads/8-stave-spiral-experiment.172628/. At this point I am looking for feedback on the attached article before finalizing for the library.


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## magpens (Jan 3, 2022)

@NGLJ
Can't seem to open that file with my browser (Firefox). . May be a file format incompatibility.

Many folks would prefer a .pdf file, I think. . . I could be wrong. . . Perhaps check with Wayne (admin. for tutorials etc.)

Am very interested to read.


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## NGLJ (Jan 3, 2022)

I would normally use pdf but Wayne wanted .docx. I will add a pdf version now.


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## magpens (Jan 3, 2022)

Thanks . . . reading it fine now.

First few lines . . only . . read so far . . First comment regarding first sentence . .

"not through the center as is typical" . . . consider saying . . . "not along the cylinder axis as is typically done for staved designs"

This change would clarify the scenario for me. . I find that desirable because I spent a lot of time on your initial thread just coming to grips with what you were actually doing after having made that nicely cylindrical staved blank.

..... it is going to take me a while to read and digest the rest .....


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## NGLJ (Jan 3, 2022)

Sounds good to me. Thanks


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## magpens (Jan 4, 2022)

Have sent my thoughts via an "IAP conversation" with an attached "point form"  .txt  file

Hope that is a reasonable way to communicate in this instance.


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## mark james (Jan 4, 2022)

The article is very well done.  Not a typical design/approach, so this will be a nice addition.  

Just as a random comment, I found that turning these round, with very accurate dimensions along the blank and using a large collet chuck  (1"-1 1/4") allowed for accurate drilling of the tube hole.  The larger challenge for me was cutting the staves.


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## Wmcullen (Jan 4, 2022)

Thanks for writing this up and sharing! I'm a visual learner and really appreciate the graphics. I know they take time to create but they gave me the best overall understanding of your process. The page 2 diagram is what made it "click" for me... nicely made. And the photos of the resulting pens on the last page are a great payoff.  If you subscribe to the BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) philosophy, maybe consider putting a picture of the final pen at the very beginning to _lure_ the reader in. Again, thanks for assembling this article: it's obvious you're passionate about this process and that comes across.


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## NGLJ (Jan 4, 2022)

I like the idea of putting a picture of a final pen in the introduction. Thanks


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## NGLJ (Jan 4, 2022)

mark james said:


> The article is very well done.  Not a typical design/approach, so this will be a nice addition.
> 
> Just as a random comment, I found that turning these round, with very accurate dimensions along the blank and using a large collet chuck  (1"-1 1/4") allowed for accurate drilling of the tube hole.  The larger challenge for me was cutting the staves.


Mark, I cut the staves on the bandsaw with the table set at the desired angle (30 deg for 6 sides). I use a 3/4" carbide re-saw blade which gives a reasonably smooth cut. After a little sanding it usually goes together well. For a 6 sided blank I don't cut 6 staves. I cut 3 and glue them up carefully to get the inside surface as flat as possible (accurate cutting helps here). Then I sand that surface flat, without removing too much material, cut the piece in 2 and glue together to make a 6 sided blank. Even if you are off a little by the time it is turned you won't even notice. I also use the offcuts from the making the 3 pieces (2 from each piece) to make a 12 sided blank, which I turn round. That way I get good wood usage. See attached diagram.


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## mark james (Jan 4, 2022)

NGLJ said:


> Mark, I cut the staves on the bandsaw with the table set at the desired angle (30 deg for 6 sides). I use a 3/4" carbide re-saw blade which gives a reasonably smooth cut. After a little sanding it usually goes together well. For a 6 sided blank I don't cut 6 staves. I cut 3 and glue them up carefully to get the inside surface as flat as possible (accurate cutting helps here). Then I sand that surface flat, without removing too much material, cut the piece in 2 and glue together to make a 6 sided blank. Even if you are off a little by the time it is turned you won't even notice. I also use the offcuts from the making the 3 pieces (2 from each piece) to make a 12 sided blank, which I turn round. That way I get good wood usage. See attached diagram.


Thank you!


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## NGLJ (Jan 4, 2022)

Herewith v2 of "Staves with a Twist". My thanks to all who provided thoughtful and helpful feedback. Keep bringing the feedback. I want this to be worthy of use in IAP.


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## NGLJ (Jan 6, 2022)

Thank you!   


NGLJ said:


> Mark, I cut the staves on the bandsaw with the table set at the desired angle (30 deg for 6 sides). I use a 3/4" carbide re-saw blade which gives a reasonably smooth cut. After a little sanding it usually goes together well. For a 6 sided blank I don't cut 6 staves. I cut 3 and glue them up carefully to get the inside surface as flat as possible (accurate cutting helps here). Then I sand that surface flat, without removing too much material, cut the piece in 2 and glue together to make a 6 sided blank. Even if you are off a little by the time it is turned you won't even notice. I also use the offcuts from the making the 3 pieces (2 from each piece) to make a 12 sided blank, which I turn round. That way I get good wood usage. See attached diagram.


As a follow-up to this description here are two pens made from 3 blanks ¾" x ¾" x 6". One has 6 staves and the other has 12.


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## NGLJ (Jan 10, 2022)

More experiments with staves with a twist. I got to wondering what laminations made into staves with a twist might look like. I made a maple / jatoba veneer lamination. It was about 2" wide and about ¾" thick. I cut it into pieces ¾" x ¾" x 6" and made a 6 stave blank from the pieces. I also made a 12 stave using the offcuts from making the 6 stave. I turned the 12 stave using a Sierra tube and attached is the result. I will be doing more experiments with laminations. It might produce some interesting results.


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