Convincing the wife

[Kindas]

So i have decided that i want to start turning my own shaving brushes. I am going to buy the harbor freight lathe. It is 80 dollars and than 20% off so it is a really good deal. They are discontinuing this model. I am even going to try to pour my own acrylic. Hopefully all works out!!!
Now i just have to convince the wife!!!

 

[BSAGuy]

Good luck. Just don't tell her!

 

[AnotherChef]

That's my next purchase. I'd love to be able to turn handles, can koozies and similar items out of Mesquite.

 

[maybe smith]

Do like everyone else, buy it and when she see's it tell her oh that old thing, I've had that for ever......

 

[Kindas]

Lol if that only worked... she knows better

 

[maybe smith]

Yes they usually do.

 

[CigarSmoka]

If you manage to convince the smart one to let you buy it, feel free to ask with any questions you have. I've got a small write up that will get you started that I've shared with a few other members, and I'm not doing too bad making my own acrylic blanks either. Of course, if you start casting you need to convince her you need more equipment. Easy enough when you show her how much cheaper it is to make your own blanks. When see sees the equipment will pay for itself she'll thank you for being so thrifty and encourage you to buy everything you need, right?

 

[Kindas]

If you manage to convince the smart one to let you buy it, feel free to ask with any questions you have. I've got a small write up that will get you started that I've shared with a few other members, and I'm not doing too bad making my own acrylic blanks either. Of course, if you start casting you need to convince her you need more equipment. Easy enough when you show her how much cheaper it is to make your own blanks. When see sees the equipment will pay for itself she'll thank you for being so thrifty and encourage you to buy everything you need, right?

I wish that logic worked. She knows i will never make money with it but if it keeps me busy.... that is not a bad thing either lol

 

[k3usr]

You must know that buying the lathe is just the start. You are going to need/want lots of stuff to go with it (some over time, some right away) Even if it does come with a few tools they won't be that great, you will want/need a few better ones. You need a way to sharpen them, usually a jig to go on your grinder. You will need a chuck or two. Drill chuck w/morse taper etc.... It is a great hobby, I love it.

 

[CigarSmoka]

It's not about making money, it's about saving it. Blanks can get expensive, typically $8-$10 for a brush handle, and "artisan" made Alumilite blanks are as much as $16 (actually $32 for a double call blank but you cut it in half for two handles). You can make one for about $3 using Silmar 41, and about twice that for Alumilite if you buy 1-2 gallons at a time. And trust me, soon enough you will! I have as much fun making blanks as I do turning them, it's a hobby and an art in and of itself.

And yes, k3usr nailed it. The lathe will be the cheap part. But it's a hobby, and hobbies are more or less a way for us to spend our money to keep boredom from setting in.

 

[Kindas]

Yes i do realize there is alot more to buy. I was able to convince the better half to let me buy the lathe and the cheap set of tools. I do want to start making blanks right away. I am going to use 1 1/2 and 2" pvc as molds. Is there a good source for acrylic that i can get locally or an i best off ordering from some where online? I know that i need a drill chuck as well as a 3 jaw. Is there a good source for that stuff. Money is a bit tight so i need to keep things in expensive.

 

[k3usr]

Penn State Industries should have a lot of what you need
Penn State Industries | Pen Turning | Pen Kits | Dust Collector

for casting supplies check "https://www.exoticblanks.com"

 

[CigarSmoka]

Get a Nova precision chuck, it's a 4 jaw scroll chuck and runs about $85 on Amazon. It's smaller, cheaper, & lighter than the others so it won't beat your small lathe to death. You might be able to find a cheaper one if you look around. The HF tools will work but frequent sharpening is a must, and they overheat very easily when sharpening so take it easy. Make sure you get a chuck that matches the threads on your spindle or buy an adaptor. You can cast brush handles in 1.5" pvc but you'll need another set of jaws. 2" pvc will waste a lot of resin so the jaws will pay for themselves, but not necessary at the start if you're using 2", that blank will fit the jaws that come with the chuck. You'll need an IX collet & collet chuck to hold the brush by the hole, but if you're careful you can make a jam chuck from a 2" dowel that will fit in the scroll chuck. Keep the tailstock up until it's time to turn & sand the bottom for safety. I don't like jam chucks at all, but they work in a pinch. You can buy Castin' Craft polyester resin at Michael's but it's much cheaper buying by the gallon from a place like U.S.Composites, shipping costs a ton though because it's HazMat and heavy. You can get Alumilite direct from their website and not pay HazMat, but it's more expensive. Get the Clear (not water clear) for turning, or you can use the regular stuff that dries white. $20 +shipping for 16oz (8oz each of parts A&B), Castin'Craft is around $30-35 for 32oz. I get 2gal at a time for around $75 delivered, give or take $10, sorry I can't remember the exact price. I think that about covers it for now. Feel free to ask any other questions you have.

 

[Graydog]

Yes i do realize there is alot more to buy. I was able to convince the better half to let me buy the lathe and the cheap set of tools. I do want to start making blanks right away. I am going to use 1 1/2 and 2" pvc as molds. Is there a good source for acrylic that i can get locally or an i best off ordering from some where online? I know that i need a drill chuck as well as a 3 jaw. Is there a good source for that stuff. Money is a bit tight so i need to keep things in expensive.

Have You ever Turned on a lathe before ?
Get yourself some 2x4s first and practice your cuts it will be a lot cheaper in the long run.
you don't want to waste your hard earned money learning on resin that is not cheep
also many fine youtube videos .
You are also going to need a pressure pot and a air compressor to get all the air bubbles out of your blanks
That is more $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[DCRIII]

Get a Nova precision chuck, it's a 4 jaw scroll chuck and runs about $85 on Amazon. It's smaller, cheaper, & lighter than the others so it won't beat your small lathe to death. You might be able to find a cheaper one if you look around. The HF tools will work but frequent sharpening is a must, and they overheat very easily when sharpening so take it easy. Make sure you get a chuck that matches the threads on your spindle or buy an adaptor. You can cast brush handles in 1.5" pvc but you'll need another set of jaws. 2" pvc will waste a lot of resin so the jaws will pay for themselves, but not necessary at the start if you're using 2", that blank will fit the jaws that come with the chuck. You'll need an IX collet & collet chuck to hold the brush by the hole, but if you're careful you can make a jam chuck from a 2" dowel that will fit in the scroll chuck. Keep the tailstock up until it's time to turn & sand the bottom for safety. I don't like jam chucks at all, but they work in a pinch. You can buy Castin' Craft polyester resin at Michael's but it's much cheaper buying by the gallon from a place like U.S.Composites, shipping costs a ton though because it's HazMat and heavy. You can get Alumilite direct from their website and not pay HazMat, but it's more expensive. Get the Clear (not water clear) for turning, or you can use the regular stuff that dries white. $20 +shipping for 16oz (8oz each of parts A&B), Castin'Craft is around $30-35 for 32oz. I get 2gal at a time for around $75 delivered, give or take $10, sorry I can't remember the exact price. I think that about covers it for now. Feel free to ask any other questions you have.

@CigarSmoka Jay, where do you order the 2 gallons of Castin'Craft resin for $75 give or take $10 shipped? That's a good deal!

 

[CigarSmoka]

Sorry, it was Silmar 41 from Composite Envisions, but after checking I was way off. It was $108 with shipping when I bought it from them on ebay but is now $120 shipped. It's the best price I've found and still works out to be considerably cheaper than Alumilite ($160/2 gallons + shipping) and finishes better imo, but the stuff is getting expensivev.

 

[DCRIII]

Sorry, it was Silmar 41 from Composite Envisions, but after checking I was way off. It was $108 with shipping when I bought it from them on ebay but is now $120 shipped. It's the best price I've found and still works out to be considerably cheaper than Alumilite ($160/2 gallons + shipping) and finishes better imo, but the stuff is getting expensivev.

Thanks Jay!

 

[Kindas]

I already own a compressor and think i may just build a pressure pot. I think im going to get the psi csc500k chuck. It comes with 3 diff sets of jaws. I have started to turn some stuff out of wood already and am enjoying that. I will stick with the 1 1/2 pvc for molds. I havent decided where to get silmar from yet. The shipping will kill you lol

 

[CigarSmoka]

Have You ever Turned on a lathe before ?
Get yourself some 2x4s first and practice your cuts it will be a lot cheaper in the long run.
you don't want to waste your hard earned money learning on resin that is not cheep
also many fine youtube videos .
You are also going to need a pressure pot and a air compressor to get all the air bubbles out of your blanks
That is more $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

+1000. As Steve said, you need to know how to use your tools. 2x4s and 2" dowel rods are great fodder for learning the various types of cuts you can make with each tool and far cheaper than wasting resin. Basic cutting techniques are the foundation that all your wood/acrylic turning will be built upon, you can learn them right in the beginning, or you can waste a lot of wood & resin and learn them later.

 

[Kindas]

I have been watching alot of vids and also bought a 2" dowel to practice on. Only one way to learn