successful failure

Frank Fusco

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12,782
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Mountain Home, Arkansas
Tried something new for me. Nothing went right. One of my visiting twin grandsons, age 11, said he wanted a new Harry Potter wand. Good, steps in Grandpa offering to make one. I planned on something different. That is what we ended up with. But good? Not even close. I choose a hunk of wood labeled 'olive'. My plan was to make a nice looking wand with wiggles and squiggles from offset turning. We had an offset demo at my last turning club meeting. It looked doable. First problem. The wood is no way olive. I don't know what it is other than impossibly hard. I wasn't going to wrassle all day with it so just decided to experiment with the offset thing. First thing I learned was that speeds much faster than our club demonstrator used are necessary. At slow speeds I just got a lot of "clunk-clunks" and catches. At high speeds it is more like normal turning but with care given to watching the 'shadow' using a light touch. I definitely will do more offset turning it is no longer the mystery it was before yesterday. I didn't turn down slender, this thing is pretty clunky. And, I didn't think he would want it so it definitely isn't a braggin' piece, I figured I would keep in the shop as a bonker or something. I still don't know what kind of wood this is other than granite hard. Might be left over Bradford Pear from past projects. That wood when dried is very-very hard. Oh, did I mention, the grandson likes it and wants to keep. Go figger. :huh: I guess as big as it is it will have the power to overcome Lord Valdemort. ;)
 

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It doesn't matter what we think, grandson wanted it and will cherish/use it. Good job Gramps!!!!!!:thumb::thumb:
See, to me, the thing is, you took time, that is something most of our kids don't have in their life, an adult that will take time for them. That is why gangs work so well. As cruel as they are, each member knows they are part of the group.
 
It doesn't matter what we think, grandson wanted it and will cherish/use it. Good job Gramps!!!!!!:thumb::thumb:...

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Good to see you getting some shop time, Frank. :thumb:
 

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