My new Griz progress report

Learned something interesting today. Dunno if it's good or bad news. I wrote tech support because a locking handle was broken and there are some minor scratches on the unit. They asked for the serial number. I had thought the label was blank but on real close inspection I found: 002
I might have gotten only the second one of these off the assembly line. :eek:
They will be sending me a new handle and jar of touch up paint.
 
Geez, Frank,

How did *my* new lathe end up in *your* shop? ;) Especially when I just got rigged up for 220? ;)

Congrats! Looks like a sweet machine. You're going to have to forget about pens and start working on some *very* large bowls! ;)

Thanks,

Bill
 
Geez, Frank,

How did *my* new lathe end up in *your* shop? ;) Especially when I just got rigged up for 220? ;)

Congrats! Looks like a sweet machine. You're going to have to forget about pens and start working on some *very* large bowls! ;)

Thanks,

Bill

Won't forget pens, they pay me too well. But bowls are definitely on the horizon.
 
Tomorrow the Griz goes spinny. Friend Walt coming over in a.m. to do wiring. Nice guy. Came yesterday, while I was out of town. Told wife he thought it was Friday. Now...the white wire goes here....and the black wire.....:eek:
He does nice woodworking. Need to get him signed on here.
 
Learned something interesting today. Dunno if it's good or bad news. I wrote tech support because a locking handle was broken and there are some minor scratches on the unit. They asked for the serial number. I had thought the label was blank but on real close inspection I found: 002
I might have gotten only the second one of these off the assembly line. :eek:
They will be sending me a new handle and jar of touch up paint.


So you are the second person to buy one, hmmmm, doesn't that tell you something :huh:

:D:D
 
Well, it's tomorrow. Not a lot to report, I haven't had time to make shavings yet. Chauffeuring an ill friend back and forth from the hospital in Little Rock, holiday preparations, pleasing wife with 'honey do's', etc. But, friend Walt did the 220v rigging in jig time. We had to go out and buy a switch for the box that I failed to get, Wadda I know about electriks? :huh: And, while we were out he wanted to show me his shop. Couldn't turn that down. He does some nice woodwork. And, I think he is envious of my new Griz lathe. He has a full sized, new, Jet, not the EVS 16-42. It looks like a fine machine but he doesn't like it at all. I'm sure it's life in his shop will be very brief. Enneyhow, once rigged we looked at the Griz and re-read the owners manual before hitting the 'on' button. Well, confusion arrived. In back of the head/motor is a large black box, labeled as the frequency inverter. The owners manual shows it as just being a black box. But, the box on my lathe has a digital read-out, buttons and dials for doing 'stuff'. Manual doesn't explain. A call to Griz tech support cleared that up quickly. Answer, do nothing. Pre-set for life. Apparently it can be adjusted for use with European, or other, frequencies. As long as I don't sneak the lathe into my carry-on for next trip to Paris, ;) I won't have to make any changes. OK, hit the go button. Thing runs smooth. Beautiful. Builds up to max speed fairly slowly. Good feature for safety. Easy to dial back if speed gets over what is desired. Also a big red emergency button is right on front. Just hit it, everything stops right now. Another good feature. Only question I have left is whether or not to turn off main power when not in use. The digital read out remains lit at all times. I don't know if this is good, bad or inconsequential. Only caution I have, at this time, is that is an unsafe condition when the grand children are here. I'll definitely turn off main power when they are around. I'm anxious to use but calendar is full, might be a while. I'll try to sneak in a few minutes sometime in next few days.
 
So how's it running, Frank? Have you had a chance to turn on it yet?

BTW, I've seen recommendations to disconnect the power from the inverter when it's not being used. Voltage spikes and other surges can be bad for the electronics.
 
So how's it running, Frank? Have you had a chance to turn on it yet?

BTW, I've seen recommendations to disconnect the power from the inverter when it's not being used. Voltage spikes and other surges can be bad for the electronics.

OK, I've been turning it off on the theory that can't hurt. Thanks.
Sadly, I have put only a few minutes turning time on the machine. My other avocation has been ignored for months. Writing. I am now preparing two manuscripts for submission. Plus, I need to resume work on novel #3.
But, yesterday I tried doing some work on a previously started hollow form. Using a bowl gouge (no catches :eek: ) I tried shaping the exterior. The wood is really dry and granite hard dunno wood. The wood is attached to a six inch aluminum faceplate with hot glue and connected the spindle with an adapter. (1 1/4"X8 down to 1"X8) While cutting, the piece vibrated badly. I watched the adapter and spindle, they were running true and smoothly. I laid my gouge on the adapter and spindle, there was no bouncing or vibration. The vibration (apparently) is beginning either at the faceplate, glue or somewhere on the wood. I'm stumped. I'm guessing, at this point, that the hot glue is kinda rubbery and allowing the piece to flex/vibrate. I have never used the hot glue technique before but a friend in my turning club uses it all the time on his platters.
 

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Frank, you mentioned a few times that you have a few books published. I tried amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com but couldn't find anything under your name. Do you use a pen name maybe?
 
Frank, good to hear you got some turning on the new machine!

Good to hear you got the bowl gouge to cooperate :D

I'd suspect the hot glue, the HF your show is going to put a TON more stress on the glue than a plater would, as the patter is all fairly close to the face plate, but the HF you show has a LOT of leverage on the joint on the faceplate.

Don't you have a chuck that will fit that lathe?

I never trusted the hot melt glue, if I was stuck with just a faceplate, I'd screw the thing on, making sure there was lots of extra wood to cut off as waste, or I'd glue, with wood glue, a waste block on the bottom and then screw the sucker to the faceplate.

Cheers!
 
Frank, you mentioned a few times that you have a few books published. I tried amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com but couldn't find anything under your name. Do you use a pen name maybe?

The word 'published' is a confusing one in the writer's world. I have published millions of words and thousands of photographs over the years. Most as a newspaperman, others in magazines. I still sell the occasional magazine article. But, in the world of books, one is considered 'unpublished' if one does not have a book in print. I don't have a published book. I have written two novels and a third is in progress. I am trying to sell my books to a legitimate publisher. Some people who are self-published call themselves 'published'. I don't accept that. Anyone can have a book printed. To me, that isn't being 'published'. But, thanks for asking. Maybe someday. If it happens, guaranteed, I will let you know.
 
Frank, good to hear you got some turning on the new machine!

Good to hear you got the bowl gouge to cooperate :D

I'd suspect the hot glue, the HF your show is going to put a TON more stress on the glue than a plater would, as the patter is all fairly close to the face plate, but the HF you show has a LOT of leverage on the joint on the faceplate.

Don't you have a chuck that will fit that lathe?

I never trusted the hot melt glue, if I was stuck with just a faceplate, I'd screw the thing on, making sure there was lots of extra wood to cut off as waste, or I'd glue, with wood glue, a waste block on the bottom and then screw the sucker to the faceplate.

Cheers!

Stu, I suspect you are correct. The vibration happens even without putting a tool to the vase. There is no wood at the bottom to put screws in without changing the vase. But that's not a bad thing. This project is a learning exercise for my hollowing tools that are seriously wanting to be used more. I may also try another project soon. But, for now, I must work on my manuscripts.
 
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