Here is an old trick. I don’t remember who I learned it from. If you use Acoustic Guitar Wire Burners to friction burn lines with the lathe running they work better than Piano Wire.
The Piano Wire burners sold by “KC Wire Burners” and others are a single strand of piano wire. Acoustic Guitar Wire is a single strand of wire wrapped by a second strand of wire. See close up photo of acoustic guitar wire. The wound wire creates a lot more friction. Thus you can burn a line faster and easier.
I have never seen Guitar String Wire Burners for sale. You have to make your own.
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Meta Description: Quick Tip: If you use Acoustic Guitar Wire Burners to friction burn lines with the lathe running they work better than Piano Wire. What size wire? How to make your own.
Link to Carl's "Custom Centering Cones" AAW magazine article PDF. What they are. Why live center cones are useful. How to make your own out of UHMW.
Link to Carl's "Custom Tool Handles" AAW magazine article PDF. How to make your own Custom Tool Handles from PVC Pipe and Heat Shrinkable Fabric or Elastic Mesh Sleeve.
Link to Carl's "Members' Gallery" section of AAW magazine PDF. Carl's artwork was featured in the August 2014 issue of "American Woodturner" the Journal of the American Association of Woodturners.
Link to Carl's "Foam Cole Jaws" AAW magazine "tips section" PDF. Sticky-back craft foam on my Jumbo Jaws helps protect a bowl’s rim when reverse-chucked to finish the bottom.
Link to Carl's "Get A Grip" AAW magazine "tips section" PDF. Adding a layer of elastic mesh sleeve to a tool handle is a cheap and easy way to get a better grip.
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.
Link to Carl's "Shopmade Collet Chuck" AAW magazine article PDF. How to make your own custom collet chucks out of UHMW plastic.
Link to Carl's PDF handout for Nutmeg “Airbushed Wood Dyes and Web-FxPaint Demo” on 9/9/2019
Link to Carl's PDF handout for "Antique Candlesticks" demo. Turning new Antique Candlesticks is a great way to improve your spindle turning skills and use up scraps of wood.
Link to Carl's PDF handout for his "Big, Bold & Fast Surface Decoration" demo. The surface decoration techniques that Carl learned from Clay Foster in a June 2018 class with John Jordan and Clay Foster.
Link to Carl's PDF handout for his "Candle Dish" project demo. Turning a dish style candle stick holder is a great little project.
Link to Carl's PDF handout for his "Great Polyurethane Finishes" demo. Do you want to learn how to get a great tough “Baby Bottom Smooth” finish with only 2 coats of Polyurethane?
Link to Carl's PDF handout for his "Intro to Woodturning" demo. What is Woodturing? Why is it fun? What do I need to known to get into woodturning?
Link to Carl's PDF handout for his "Munro Hollower" demo. The Munro Hollower2 is a great tool for making vases and hollow forms. Tips and tricks that will allow you to hit the ground running.
Link to Carl's PDF handout for "Natural Edge Bowls" demo. How to turn natural edge bowls using the versatile David Ellsworth Signature Gouge. And Carl's step by step Bowl Turning Process (Cut Edge and Natural Edge).
Link to Carl's PDF handout for his "Owl Plaque" demo or class. How to turn a cute Owl Plaque just in time for Christmas.
Link to Carl's PDF handout for "Painting On the Lathe" demo. Painting with the lathe running is easy! It is a great way to spice up and make beautiful artwork out of boring cheap wood.
Link to Carl's PDF handout for "Small Vases & Hollow Forms" demo. Turning small vases is a great low stress way to learn how to create hollow forms and to experiment with shapes and surface decorations.
Link to Carl's PDF handout for "Detail Gouge" demo. A detail gouge is the only tool you need for spindle turning. It is an easy to use. Easy to learn. It produces clean cuts like a spindle gouge or skew without the nasty catches.
Link to Carl's PDF handout for his "Sharpening Templates". For Ellsworth, Stirt, Jordan, and Hosaluk gouge grinds. Use with Wolverine and Ellsworth jigs.
Carl's chainsaw bench is built like a tank. For woodturners. It was designed to make things safer. Photos & plan PDF.
Carl's downdraft paint booth has eliminated most paint fumes in his studio They all go outside! Paint is sucked down onto Carl's work.
Carl prefers, woodturning tools rests with a 1/2" wide, almost flat area on top of the tool rest. Like his VB36 tool rests. Photos and plan PDF.
Link to Carl's PDF handout for his "TV Hollowing" demo. Carl uses a Trent Bosch Hollowing Stabilizer rig with a Rolly Munro cutter head.
Quick Tip: If you use Acoustic Guitar Wire Burners to friction burn lines with the lathe running they work better than Piano Wire. What size wire? How to make your own.
Carl's suggestions for a MODERN set of woodturning tools for new turners. A set for mostly bowls, hollow forms, and whimsy. With a little spindle turning here and there.
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.
Link to Carl's PDF handout for his "Vacuum Chucks" demo. What are they? What are they good for? What do I need to set up my own Vacuum Chuck System? How can I keep the cost down?