kevin gilmore Posted February 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 (edited) Kevin are you able to do silver? I have no clue about the properties of the metal and whether or not it's feasible. Absolutely i an do silver. The regular stuff is kind of soft, so i would have to be careful. There is some german silver that is drop forged, weighs about 30% more per unit volume and that stuff is really hard. I have some of that, but the form factor is wrong. If you don't coat the silver with something, then it is going to oxidize very fast, possibly with a rainbow. Might look cool that way. Denatured alcohol around these parts is sold in the drug stores, and is absolutely clear. Edited February 18, 2012 by kevin gilmore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swt61 Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 Shellac isn't used all that much over here anymore Craig. Polyurethanes and water based finishes have taken hold. I still like shellac as a sealer, and of coarse french polishing is an appreciated art form IMO. The Catalyzed Lacquer is very durable, non yellowing, has a beautiful depth, pretty good water resistance and is easy to use. Not to mention on a clear, warm day you can apply multiple coats in very little time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Sawyers Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 Denatured alcohol around these parts is sold in the drug stores, and is absolutely clear. That was stopped in the UK absolutely ages ago, because winos and alcoholics used to buy the stuff and die. So the only commonly available sort has a blue dye added to act as a kind of deterrent. Of course you can buy pure colourless methanol, usually from woodworking suppliers, but you can't just go into a high street store and get it. I've used the water based finish before, and it is pretty impressive how this milky stuff goes clear and hard as it dries. I tend to use oil or wax finish on furniture. I'm a wannabe french polisher, and can make a fairly decent stab at smaller areas - but I wouldn't like to tackle a large area like a dining table and expect to get a mirror finish. The great stuff with shellac is if you make a mess of it, you just wipe it off with meths and start again. If a polyurethane or catalysed coat goes wonky it is a much bigger deal to get back to the wood and try again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxvla Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 Swt61 you might be right. I'm not used to seeing it in such a large cross section and without varnish/French polish which darkens it to look more like the one I indicated. I see it as bows which are pencil thickness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swt61 Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 (edited) The grain structure of that Purple Heart knob is the dead giveaway. Craig I like to use the catalyzed lacquer for small to medium projects that won't be subjected to really harsh conditions. For larger projects that may get more abuse (my tower of power stack) I like a modified tung oil. The one I use has added urethanes for durability... http://www.generalfi...rethane-topcoat It's still not as forgiving as shellac, but it is a wipe on finish, and quite durable and beautiful. Edited February 18, 2012 by swt61 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Sawyers Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 The grain structure of that Purple Heart knob is the dead giveaway. Craig I like to use the catalyzed lacquer for small to medium projects that won't be subjected to really harsh conditions. For larger projects that may get more abuse (my tower of power stack) I like a modified tung oil. The one I use has added urethanes for durability... http://www.generalfi...rethane-topcoat It's still not as forgiving as shellac, but it is a wipe on finish, and quite durable and beautiful. Heh! I use this stuff regularly. Luckily General Finishes is commonly available here in the UK. I've been through several tins of their Danish Oil and Oil and Urethane Satin. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wink Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 (edited) You can get 100% pure Isopropyl Alcohol, but I don't know how it would go as a thinner. The methylated spirits we get is 95% ethyl alcohol, 4.5% methyl alcohol (supposedly to make it undrinkeable) and 0.5% bitter agent to give it that bad taste to stop you from drinking it. Edited February 19, 2012 by wink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin gilmore Posted March 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 (edited) http://gilmore.chem....du/woodies3.jpg so i took some lacquer, dilluted it 5:1 then applied it with the lathe running. Came out like glass. And now the mounting thing for doing BHSE knobs (not cleaned up yet) Justin is getting a cocobolo knob. The smaller diameter goes inside the knob so everything is flush. http://gilmore.chem....u/bhsemount.jpg Edited March 1, 2012 by kevin gilmore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swt61 Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 Cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pars Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 Thanks for the info on finishes Kevin, Steve, and Craig! I've often wondered what the differences between shellac, varnish, neither of which I see much, and the polyurethanes etc. that I am most familiar with were. Craig, I had run across the denatured alcohol terminology before (can't remember for what), from a UK bike decals supplier advising me to use "meths" to clean the area before application. Having been watching "Breaking Bad" on TV (about a chemistry teacher turned methamphetamine producer), I wasn't quite sure what he was asking me to get Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Sawyers Posted March 2, 2012 Report Share Posted March 2, 2012 You have to crystallise the meth before it becomes dope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin gilmore Posted March 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2012 justin's knob and the tool i'm going to use to turn it to the final dimension http://gilmore.chem.northwestern.edu/justinknob.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morphsci Posted March 2, 2012 Report Share Posted March 2, 2012 That is going to look outstanding on the BHSE! Excellent job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepak Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 I think they would look even better on the Aristaeus with the mini wood panels on either side of the faceplate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morphsci Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 I think they would look even better on the Aristaeus with the mini wood panels on either side of the faceplate. True. I was thinking it would provide a nice contrast to all of the sharp edges and metal of the BHSE though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swt61 Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 The Aristaeus has mini wood panels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 i have 3 unmilled pieces of the Aristaeus wood left. Could they be milled flat, glued together, and machined into a knob? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvdunhill Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 The Aristaeus has mini wood panels? Yeah, remember you volunteered to make them for the next run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swt61 Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 (edited) Yeah, remember you volunteered to make them for the next run I was being sarcastic. I've touched them personally. Well not in an Ari way, but I've had my mitts on them. i have 3 unmilled pieces of the Aristaeus wood left. Could they be milled flat, glued together, and machined into a knob? Yes, but if they're the same thickness as the trim pieces, the knob won't be very thick. Say 9/16" or so. Would be cool to alternate similarly thick pieces of Gabon Ebony with the burl. So the face of the knob would be the Aristeus Burl, but the side would be striped. Edited March 3, 2012 by swt61 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 just checked, stacked up the 3 pieces i have are almost exactly the same as the metal knob thickness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swt61 Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Justin wood glue won't work well with the stabilized wood. You'll need something really strong though, maybe a good epoxy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin gilmore Posted March 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 I was thinking of doing something similar. Find some real good epoxy, and glue it together and put it in a press overnight at say 1000 lbs. Then drill and attach the metal mount with flat bottom wood screws and more epoxy. It will definitely hold together so that i can machine it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swt61 Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 That will work great Kevin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milosz Posted March 11, 2012 Report Share Posted March 11, 2012 (edited) Now have a finished knob for my (under construction) DIY-T2 Material: tigers-eye Edited January 20, 2016 by Milosz Picture vanished! Re-added it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swt61 Posted March 11, 2012 Report Share Posted March 11, 2012 Wow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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