Turning a Snowman 

Thanks. Glad you liked it!

woodstoney or music or voice, please.

Thanks!

Thanks!

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Thanks!

The Easy Wood Tools are the bomb! Being new to wood turning, I was having a lot of difficulty getting decent results, and had decided to sell the lathe. That is until a trip to the local woodworking store. An older employee suggested trying one of the EWTools before selling it. BIG difference! Within a week, I had three of their tools and a grin on my face!

Thanks for the feedback!

Thanks! It is really strange that some people can hear everything fine and others not. Appreciate your comments and if I do more of these I will take all these comments seriously and improve.

By the way, I would like to try something like this, can you tell me what you measurements are when you use your calipers to divide the 3 pieces? Depth and width?

The neck depth is 1 3/8" width is about 3/8". The waist area depth is 1 7/8" and width is about 1/2".

Thanks. I make these things at a couple different levels of ‘quality’. For the ‘fancy’ ones I actually inlay eyes and buttons with Milliput, and add a few other more elaborate decorations. The pieces in the video I mass produce for my craft shows where I sell them cheap. The customers I have at these shows won’t pay a penny more if the eyes are Sharpie or ‘fancy’, so I just keep these units simple.

Thank you! I am truly amazed this vid ended up in the ‘wild’. I really just put it together because a few Facebook friends wanted to know how I did my turning.

Adorable snowmen. Different then most. Great video.

If I could change the audio without having to completely repost the video, I would. This was my first attempt at making a ‘serious’ video. It was intended for a few close friends.only. I never expected it to get out into the ‘wild’. Good idea on sanding the dowels.

Thanks!

Thanks much! Yup, I tend to go with the flow and critics don’t really bother me. Nobody was really out of line. I agree that next time I have to mix for the lowest possible device which, as you said, is probably my phone. I can’t be sure, but from the comments it seems like the folks with issues were phone people, and the others were either on headphones, a PC, or had better bluetooth speakers. I probably made a mistake mixing and listening using headphones only before publishing, but I was driving my wife nuts and headphones were the only option to preserve a tranquil home environment. Had the same issue years ago when I mixed audio for bands. I had to mix it so it sounded good on a crappy car stereo. If it sounded good there, it was good anywhere. If I did it in reverse, it sounded good on a quality stereo but lousy in the car. Thanks again for the positive encouragement!

In the video I use a custom jig on my bandsaw to cut different angles on the top. I used to do it freehand, but find the jig I made safer and more accurate.

Thanks!

Buying a lathe is really subjective and there is really nobody who can tell you what to buy. Best thing is to decide what you want to do now, what you may want to do in the future, and just research everything that is out there.

Thanks! The abrasive paste I use is called Yorkshire Grit. If you aren’t in the UK it is available many places on-line.

Thanks. I use a Barracuda chuck with pin jaws to grab the tenon on the hats. Any chuck that has a set of pin jaws would work.

Thanks!

This was NEVER intended to be an 'instructional video'. I created it strictly for my own personal entertainment. If you weren't entertained .. oh well!

@@CDRowe1 be that as it may.. your narration is far more interesting and note worthy than the completely superfluous music. Great video and enjoyable other than that..

Thanks. The audio ‘issue’ seems to be related to whatever device you listen on. I have had about an equal number of folks say the sound was bad or good. This was one of the first videos I actually tried to create so I just chalked it up as a learning experience.

Thanks!

Thanks. The rough sizes are in the description area of the video. These are just guidelines. I have made much smaller and much larger pieces just by scaling up or down these dimensions. There are no rules or ‘real’ size. Make them any size you want.

The hat tenon is straight, and quite short, just a stub really. The head mortise is cut deeper than required initially assuming it will be a bit shorter on one side after angle cutting. As long as there is at least 1/8” - 1/4” mortise left after angle cutting the CA glue will have plenty to grab onto and the head will be ‘fused’ just fine to the head.

Thanks. It is a no-win situation. If there was no music people would whine, if it was polkas people would whine. I put music on it that I enjoyed, and if someone didn’t like it, oh well!

@@CDRowe1 You're right! I'm glad you answered. Your video really helped me when I was making snowmen. Thanks a lot.

Thanks! Here is a link to the fabric I used ,, www.joann.com/red-heart-boutique-sashay-yarn/zprd_11329448a.html#q=Red%2Bheart%2Bboutique&start=1

Thanks! I bought them from Kettle Moraine Hardwoods in Hartford, Wisconsin.. Not sure if they have a web site, I live in Wisconsin and just drive there every now and again.

I use a jig on my bandsaw (it is shown in the video) to cut the top of the head at different angles, The hat tenon is really more like an index pin and it sits in the angled mortise.

Thanks! Here is a link to the fabric I used .. www.joann.com/red-heart-boutique-sashay-yarn/zprd_11329448a.html#q=Red%2Bheart%2Bboutique&start=1

It's an Easy Wood Tools rougher. Regular size.

Thanks! I haven’t figured it out myself. Audio was fine on my phone, tablet, and laptop. Not sure why some people had issues.

@@CDRowe1 no issues that i saw, heard him just fine, must be more their setup

It might work!

No. I always use well seasoned, dry wood. Green wood would move around and could crack as it dried out.

@@CDRowe1, how long does it take to be considered well seasoned?

In my area I usually consider 8%-10% moisture content dry. I use a relatively inexpensive moisture meter to check my wood periodically.

I was charging $25

I really didn’t have plans, just built a sled for my bandsaw that allow me to set any angle for cutting.

Yes, it is just mounted between centers like any standard spindle turning. I use the little dimple created by the forstner bit during drilling to center the spur drive at the head.

Thanks. If I make these for gifts I will spend a bunch more time on the eyes and other details. The video shows how I basically mass-produce these things for sale at the only craft show I do every year. The honest truth is I can't get a nickle more for them in my area if I make them more elaborate, so I just stick with simple. I sell them out every year ... so I guess my particular 'market niche' is telling me that painted eyes are fine.

@@CDRowe1 I'm sure it's been asked before (like my earlier question). What is your asking price at a craft fair?

Kerchal Mier $20-$25 USD

Thanks. No, I don't sell them on-line. I attend one local craft show every year (next week actually) and I sell them and other holiday related turnings there.

Same here , can't hear. Good video otherwise.

On the walnut hats I use 2-3 coats of Antique Oil from MinWax. On the maple bodies I spray PolyCrylic from a rattle-can, also a MinWax product.

Thanks for answering

I do drill the hole deeper than needed knowing I will lose some when I cut the top at an angle. I use a real shallow tenon on the hat, You don’t really need more than 1/8” tenon and the CA glue will work just fine. I never had a hat come off a body using this method.

I used Thompson, D-Way and Sorby conventional tools and Easy Wood Tools carbide stuff.

@@CDRowe1 Many thanks, will investigate those tools

I only make them this time of year, usually 20-25 and yes I sell them at the one and only craft show I do every year at the end of November.

Dick Rowe Thats incredible, they look like a masterpiece Id like to have in my home at christmas. Maybe one day ill travel and track you down in November to buy one 😂🤔

Thanks. If you look through the comments some people can hear it fine and others (like you) had difficulties. The only thing I can assume is that it is device specific, and will always sound best with either headphones or good quality speakers. I suspect people listening through built-in phone speakers may be having difficulties.

I drill a mortise on my drill press and make it deeper than required. That way, when I cut the angle on the head the mortice is still deep enough that the hat doesn’t bottom out.

@@CDRowe1 Thanks

I usually use a Robust cup center.

The measurements are completely arbitrary. I have made really big and really small snowmen using the same techniques. For this video I started with a block of maple about 3"x3"x6.5" for the body. The waist is 3" from the bottom and is 2 7/8" dia. The neck is 5" from the bottom and is 2 1/4" dia. All sizes and dimensions are really up to you. There are no rules!

Thanks! No, not me .. but I thought about it. The thing is, by the time I got to adding the voice and music stuff, I just wanted to be done!

Several other folks said that also, and others said it was fine? It appears to be bad on a phone but ok on a PC. Not sure why, this was my second try at making a more 'quality' video and I still have a lot to learn. I tested it on all my devices before I posted, and it was fine ... but then again, I KNOW what I am saying. If I do any more videos it will be better.

The measurements are completely arbitrary. I have made really big and really small snowmen using the same techniques. For this video I started with a block of maple about 3"x3"x6.5" for the body. The waist is 3" from the bottom and is 2 7/8" dia. The neck is 5" from the bottom and is 2 1/4" dia. All sizes and dimensions are really up to you. There are no rules!

Thanks much, but I only sell them at a couple local craft shows.

@@CDRowe1 Oh no! I'm so bummed. There is always Etsy or Ebay if you decide to sell online. Thank you for the quick reply.

Lisa, your comment got me thinking. I do have an Etsy site, but haven’t used it much in recent years. I could try to revive it and put some of the snowmen and other small items out there if you would be interested. It will probably take me a week or so to get everything together and when it is done I could at the site link to this thread.