brushes for woodturners – The ABC’s Of Grinder Style Brushes
Woodturners are not only limited to spindles. One of the most overlooked or misused brushes used by wood turning enthusiasts is also known as a grinder brush. When all of the variety and textures of various woods are added to a wood lathe, the woodturner needs a variety of brushes to thread the varied cutting motions. In addition to turning wood, a lot of the woodturner’s time is spent scrubbing the lathe tool. Many inexperienced woodturners do little more than polish the exterior of the tool and maybe wipe off some of the dust. Then they either sharpen or start over.
The first brush to discover for the new woodturner is the honing pad or whetstone. It has a sharp pointed tip and lots of surface area to stay in contact with. The bar of the whetstone quickly becomes sharp and regainVS the edge Veined with steel and covered with scrubbing resins. It also has a hefty surface area. Bevels are cut with a router – a drill bit for some. The rough edge of the burr will give a rough edge. The bar itself may be enhanced with a shear dullers calledetitive line or buffing resins as well as epoxy rougheners and finishing compound (usually known as bodo). When a long chisel is Needed to deep for an axe, a geared sander may be needed.
The next step up is an air bristled brush. With a hollowed piece of wood the air is matched to the clamping ability of the tool. These can be used at high speed or on softer materials. A hand broom is usually the hand model, but may be something that is being used on already hollowed wood with a gouge for a handle. After the screw on the tool is loosened, the next step can be a “wet” or wet burr resins used to fill the burr into the gouge bit.
A variety of glass or plastic brushes can be purchased. These work well but give little control. A highly expensive choice is a brush made by a skilled craftsman with excellent attention to detail and with precise control. This can be used for putting oils in different areas and in various degrees so that stains or filler can be matched. Many times a little extra money can be saved with the purchase of this brush.
Rubber woods are also a good choice as brushes because they are easy to clean and use. With an electric or hand brush the rounded surface will not need special cleaning methods. Once the wood is saved for its natural beauty the best way to restore it once again is a rub down with an automobile grade remover or cleaning compound, which will remove most anything except oils and water marks.
The major issue with these brushes is that a lot of it can be damaged on their journey to the turning shop or workshop. When the piece is first purchased, it may have been treated with a finish or varnish and it may be coated with a lot of oil and dirt so that it has an uneven surface to start with. Depending on the quality of work performed by the wood turner, it may need many more coats to achieve the same finish for the piece. When the piece is cleaned there will always be spots and pits and the finish itself will be uneven. Brushes for woodturners
The choice of woodturning brushes can be found in the hand held brushes in sawdust and splintering at the grain of the wood or the vinyl and soy brushes that will have a better grip for a smoother rounded stroke. Many wood turners like to combine the two types of brushes because starts are similar and no more is gained by starting off with an inferior brush. Broken tips can also cut down the enjoyment of a tool. Brushes for woodturners!
Perhaps all in all it is safe to say that wood turning has very subtle down sides. There are also a lot of good things that come with it. The enjoyment of the richness of the craft, the satisfaction you feel when you turn a piece, the pleasure derived from getting a particularly neat or even attractive piece done right and the good feeling of getting to share the results with others.