Simply Woodworking

Woodworking & things of interest!

21st January 2018
by Roger Phebey
Comments Off on Where was that picture taken

Where was that picture taken

I took this picture a few years ago at Snape Maltings. My wife and I both love Suffolk although we are not from this part of the country, my wife is from Lancashire and I am from Hampshire. We started our married life in Suffolk and would move back there tomorrow, there is just something special about the area.

Snape Maltings https://snapemaltings.co.uk/ is an arts complex on the banks of the River Alde at Snape, Suffolk, England. It is best known for its concert hall, which is one of the main sites of the annual Aldeburgh Festival.
It is slightly off the beaten track but worth the diversion. The shops, galleries and eateries are certainly worth a visit plus you have the stunning Suffolk countryside and the sea.

11th January 2018
by Roger Phebey
Comments Off on Configuring the Remote Control for NOVA DVR-XP

Configuring the Remote Control for NOVA DVR-XP

Before undertaking this task please ensure you have both the NOVA DVR XP Control Panel Upgrade and NOVA DVR Wireless Remote II Manuals to hand to make installation straight forward. 

 

 

 

Stage 1.

  • First, locate the 2 screws on each side of your control panel and loosen all of them, the screws do not need to be removed completely.
  • The panel can be removed with a gentle forward pulling motion.
  • When you pull the Control Panel completely away from the lathe body you will find it connected to the lathe via a grey ribbon cable with a RED Edge.
  • This picture shows the interior of the display/control panel where you plug in the little board supplied in the box with your Remote Control.
  • The small board can be seen in the bottom right-hand corner of the photograph. The board is covered in black plastic tape and has a RED edge that is just showing. Simply plug it in.
  • Check that all your cable connectors are all correctly seated on the blue printed circuit board.
  • Place the complete assembly on to the side of your lathe and secure the 4 screws that were undone at the start of this procedure.
  • Apply the electric supply and switch on. The screen will scroll through its various messages and then show your normal preset startup speed, normally 500 RPM.

Stage 2.

Well, this should have been a simple task but due to a number of small factors, it was not but it was not a disaster.

  • Take the Remote Control Unit and undo the two small screws, then split the case in two using your fingernail.
  • The first problem I came across was fitting the battery into the Remote.  No indication of Battery Polarity was provided and so you could insert the Button Battery in the wrong side up and that might have disastrous results. Luckily I guessed correctly, the battery should have the + Sign facing upwards when inserting it into its holder, see the photograph alongside.
  • I guessed correctly and the indicator light came on, OK so far.
  • Re-assemble the case.

 

Stage 3.

  • Read and follow the instructions on Page 17 of the DVR-XP Upgrade Manual, ignore the manual that came with the Remote Control package as it HAS NO CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS.
  • I will hold my hand up and say I tried using the Remote Manual and by using the “engineers time honoured approach of pushing buttons after reading the Remote manual” got it working.
  • Then I had Archimedean or Eureka Moment and thought why not look in the DVR Upgrade manual and guess what that is where I found the answer.
  • Powered up the DVR, pressed the Programme P Button to select  Wireless Remote followed by pressing E Selector Button to configure the Pairing Process between Remote & Lathe. No problem.
  • Found that I could Switch Lathe Off, Increase & Decrease the Speed but I could not SWITCH THE LATHE ON USING REMOTE.
  • Again the answer was in the manual on Page 20. YOU HAVE TO HOLD THE “ON” BUTTON ON FOR 2 SECONDS, not as the instructions read “To start the lathe with the remote, press and hold the Start/Stop button for 2 seconds.”
  • Yes, it worked!  They need to sort out the misleading instruction and someone should have checked this typo and the even bigger errors in the Remote Manual.

Stage 4.

  • As I said it works as I would expect.
  • My major complaint is the size of the Remote Control, the photograph alongside shows it compared to my car key remote fob.
  • Very easy to lose in amongst the shaving of a woodturning workshop.
  • Would have been better if it was at least twice the size and also if it had a magnet on the back so it could be left on the lathe.

 

 

10th January 2018
by Roger Phebey
Comments Off on How to do the NOVA DVR XP Control Panel Upgrade

How to do the NOVA DVR XP Control Panel Upgrade

The NOVA DVR XP CONTROL PANEL UPGRADE (SKU: 55523) is a very easy upgrade to undertake and a worthwhile option.

  • First, check that your present system software level is Version 6.06 or a higher level. The version number is shown briefly, on the display, at time of applying power to the lathe.
  • THEN DISCONNECT THE POWER CORD before starting any work on your machine and wait 2 minutes for the electronic circuits within lathe to discharge.
  • Now, all you require is the correct screwdriver, a Philips Head #2 or a Pozidrive #2 will also suffice.

Stage 1.

This is a picture of the ORIGINAL PANEL on your DVR-XP which is to be upgraded. This assembly has to be removed, see Stage 2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Stage 2.

  • First, locate the 2 screws on each side of your current control panel and loosen all of them, the screws do not need to be removed completely.
  • The panel can be removed with a gentle forward pulling motion.
  • If you pull the old Control Panel completely away from the lathe body you will find it connected via a grey ribbon cable with a RED Edge.
  • This picture shows the interior of the display/control panel that you are about to replace.
  • The cable that is to be disconnected is the one shown from the Lathe, Headstock end, with a RED Edge on one side.
  • Unplug the cable without removing the Board Header Shroud.
  • Put old assembly to one side or store it away.

 

Stage 3.

  • Now connect the new assembly to the Red Edged cable discussed in Stage 2, it comes from your Lathe Headstock.
  • Now go to Stage 4 unless you have the same problem that I encountered, see below.
  • WARNING my new assembly came with a ribbon cable already mounted on the display/control board. That “ribbon cable has been HOT GLUED to the Board Header.”  Now, this can be a problem for those who are not electronic technicians. It is however simple to fix, see Stage 4.

 

 

 

Stage 4.

  • The problem of “the ribbon cable being HOT GLUED to the Board Header.”  
  • The solution is to gently pull the NEW Cable & Boarder Header away from the blue printed circuit board of your new assembly. BUT MAKE SURE YOU REMEMBER WHERE Pin 1 on the Ribbon Cable is located. The Red Edge of Cable is Pin 1 from your lathe.
  • The Board Header has a NOTCH or KEYWAY in the centre of the body on one of the long sides. This NOTCH defines where Pin 1 will be located as there is a matching KEY on the plug body.
  • Then remove the Hot Melt Glue by peeling it off with a knife from around the Ribbon Cable Header and the Boarder Header. Separate them, putting that cable aside as you do not need it.
  • Now place JUST the Board Header back on the blue printed circuit board ensuring it is correctly shrouding all the pins and that Pin 1 is aligned per the photograph in Stage 3.
  • Now connect the new assembly to the Red Edged cable discussed in Stage 2 that comes from the lathe Headstock.

Stage 4.

  • Check your cable is correctly seated on the blue printed circuit board.
  • Place the complete new assembly on to the side of your lathe and secure the 4 screws that were undone in Stage 1.
  • Apply the electric supply and switch on. The screen will scroll through its various messages and then show your startup speed, normally 500 RPM, not 5,000 RPM as in the photograph.
  • I discovered my lathe would now do 5,000 RPM whereas before the upgrade the top speed 3,500 RPM.
  • Now enjoy the benefits of being able to adjust your speeds by twiddling a knob.
  • You can now also add a Remote Control, this will be covered in a future post.

If you want to know where to buy the upgrade contact Teknatool website

thttps://www.teknatool.com/product/nova-dvr-xp-control-panel-upgrade/

31st December 2017
by Roger Phebey
Comments Off on Shake the can, then spray, and yes this is the better way!

Shake the can, then spray, and yes this is the better way!

Recently I was in a discussion with an American friend where the subject was an American woodturning reseller’s product lines. So I had the company’s website up on my computer screen and during this session, I noted the Can Gun 1 Spray Can Tool and decided to investigate as I use Chestnut wood turning products which often come in spray cans.

Well, after a bit of research I found the product in my local branch of Halfords. It was hidden in a box under a display cabinet, apparently, they did not have enough room to display it so I would never have found it unless I had known about it. Cost £5.50 and it fits a treat on Chestnut aerosol cans and certainly makes spraying easier. I might buy another one or two to save moving the handle from can to can even though that is a simple operation.

Take a look at the video and see if you can benefit from owning one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

29th December 2017
by Roger Phebey
Comments Off on Two books, about the Afghan war, that illustrates the UK’s Army & Navy support for one another.

Two books, about the Afghan war, that illustrates the UK’s Army & Navy support for one another.

I started out reading “An Ordinary Soldier by Doug Beattie MC”, on loan from the local library.  I found it an interesting account of the war in Afghanistan. You get a very realistic idea of the conditions that our frontline troops serve in and their camaraderie.

Then I took out the “Joint Force Harrier by Commander Ade Orchard” whilst I still had Doug Beattie’s book.  Yes, I often have two or more books that I am actively reading, basically switching between them. That was the case here and then I realised that they were talking about exactly the same war and time.  The Army on the ground with the Royal Navy providing air cover/support.

Then whilst reading the books I found a video by  Sean Langan on Youtube “Fighting the Taliban (Modern Military Documentary) Real Stories.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtC1hVA7pXE  which covered the events in both books. This enabled me to at least see the people fighting the ground war.

Recommended Read!

29th December 2017
by Roger Phebey
Comments Off on Tolstoy’s War & Peace – an excellent synopsis of the plot

Tolstoy’s War & Peace – an excellent synopsis of the plot

There are a number of books that are “suggested reading” and one of those would I suggest be Tolstoy’s “War and Peace”. However if one listens to this synopsis of “War and Peace in less than 5 minutes” that was crafted by John Crace, of the Guardian newspaper London, you can then make an educated guess as to whether it should be on your list.

It is read by the well-known actor Simon Callow and first broadcast on the BBC Radio 4 programme “Today” on 1st of January 2015 synopsis of “War and Peace in less than 5 minutes”

If you decide, after having heard this excellent synopsis that you would like to read it on your tablet or computer screen. Click here to read “War & Peace” or you could go along to your public library and borrow a copy.

Whilst I enjoy some of the “classics” I think I will stay with Sir Winston Churchill’s “History of an English Speaking People” where he presents my nation’s history with a light and very readable touch. If only I had been taught history by the likes of him I might well have stayed on at school.

29th December 2017
by Roger Phebey
Comments Off on Breath easier!

Breath easier!

Health & Safety, do we pay it enough attention in our workshops? I believe that we do, however, most of us call it “Common Sense” along with its well-known travelling companion “Experience”.

Over the years I have tried various solutions of Health & Safety.  First, it was Safety Glasses combined with breathing in the local air.  I was comparatively young and lacked experience about breathing in fine dust.

Then I progressed by adding a Face Mask along with the Safety Glasses. I would say that would be my minimum protection and for added safety, I do try and stand out of the line of flight of the piece being turned on the lathe.

This Christmas I was given the Trend Air Stealth P3 Safety Respirator. Now I find this to be a massive improvement over the  Face Mask. Yes, it cost around £25.00 /$33.00 but it is a big step up from the Face Mask and you can breath easier and the Safety Glasses do not steam up.

 

 

An excellent addition to my working environment!

However, when I am turning very dusty wood or sanding on the lathe then I do turn on the overhead electric Ambient Air Filter. Mine was made by Microclene but that company I believe no longer trades but Thor Filtration products available from Toolpost offer very similar products https://www.toolpost.co.uk//pages/Health___Safety/Dust_Extraction/Microclene/microclene.html 

I do also use a Face Shield, very reasonably priced normally well under £15.00/$18.00 but personally the downside to them, well at least the one I have, is that the shield collects static electricity and hence very fine dust. You will find them at Toolpost or any good woodturning oriented tool shop.

27th December 2017
by Roger Phebey
Comments Off on The time is turning away!

The time is turning away!

Well over time, please excuse the pun, I intent to produce a number of clock designs. They will highlight the different UK timbers available to turners. Plus I will explore adding colour and different effects.

Making a clock is a fairly straightforward project. Things to consider are the overall size and style of clock. The timber to be used and the clock mechanism you are going to fit. Then you need to think through the process of producing it.

Planning the project is something we fail to do when we start out in woodturning. We just want to get turning and to be making shavings.  I admit it took me a long time to realise the importance of planning the sequence of operations to produce a clock.  Just a few notes or a sketch will suffice. But do think it through and save yourself possible problems later on when at the lathe turning.

Another of my shortcomings was in the area of finishing or more precisely sanding. Having had items critiqued by two of the professional woodturners, at the AWGB affiliated turning club that I belong to, where they pointed out that I had missed a couple of small bits of cross grain. So I decided to research a better way.  I finally settled on the process outlined by Peter Hemsley of Toolpost  https://www.toolpost.co.uk//pages/Abrasives/Turning_Abrasives/turning_abrasives.html

All I can do is sing its praises as the process works, the theory behind it is easy to understand and it is very cost effective.

26th December 2017
by Roger Phebey
Comments Off on A 9″ English Ash Bowl

A 9″ English Ash Bowl

This was an enjoyable project in that the end result was going to be a Christmas present for a family member yet I got the pleasure of making it plus it involved an experimental finish.


Whilst I have had a lathe along with more than enough turning tools and wood for 18 or so years the one thing I never seemed to have was time.
Now retired I have started to turn more regularly and have tried out various types of turning tools. When in business I introduced the Easy Wood Tools carbide tipped tools to the UK market and they are available from www.woodworkersworkshop.co.uk. Now certain turners, they consider them no better than scrappers, other and I feel more enlighten turners take the approach that if a tool works for you great. During 2017 I received two sets of BlackLine Tools Diamond or Carbide Tipped Tools. I have been using them along with my standard Henry Taylor Tool gouges. To me, a Carbide or Diamond tipped tool is not a scrapper but a Shaper.
This was a lovely piece of English Ash and the grain pattern was excellent so I set too with my BlackLine tools, followed up with the “Peter Hemsley of Toolpost UK” sanding process https://www.toolpost.co.uk//pages/Abrasives/abrasives.html. Then it was on with the Chestnut Acrylic Sanding Sealer, followed by a quick denib with 0000 steel wool then a couple of coats of Chestnut Ebonising Lacquer followed by brushing the grain or areas where the Chestnut Gilt Cream is to be applied. Beware when using Gilt Creams, apply very sparingly as it will come up in large patches or blotches. Then left the Gold Gild Cream to dry and then buffed it, after buffing I applied two coats of Rennaissance Wax about 24 hours apart. Job done and I achieved the very fine Gold Gilt Cream speckles I required.