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Woodturning Project: Beginner : Awl

Wood Turning an Awl: Page 1

Milton and Wohlers present an exercise of making an awl for the shop. This is one of the standards of spindle turning exercises. Another awl is always helpful for marking out projects and making appropriate starting holes and the like. This project uses the roughing gouge, parting tool and skew or spindle gouge. It demonstrates cutting to a diameter and forming beads and coves as well as fitting a ferrule. wood turning project: awl
For this project I have selected a piece of maple from the stash. There are cracks in this piece but I will be able to cut the appropriate blank for the handle. In addition to the usual lathe tools I have a pipe cutter along with a section of 1/2" copper pipe, and a 4 1/2" masonry nail. I have cut a short piece pipe from the length for a ferrule. A pipe cutter curls over the edges of the copper pipe as it is cut. This will later affect the ease of fitting the ferrule to the awl, so be sure to debur the inside of the pipe before cutting off 1/4" to 3/8" for the ferrule. This means that one end of the ferrule will have a burr and the other will not. wood turning project: awl materials
I have decided that the handle of the awl will be a little more comfortable for my hand if it is 1 1/4" in dameter rather than 1" so I cut a blank over at the band saw to 1 1/2" square x 4" long, and mount it between centers on the lathe. woodworking lathe project: preparing a ferrule
The blank is mounted between centers and rounded down with the roughing gouge. woodworking lathe project: design considerations
Using an inexpensive set of calipers set to 1 1/4", use a parting tool to establish the largest dameter. roughing gouge preparing blank
Having done so in a couple of places, use the roughing gouge to make the cylinder. establishing the diameter of the blank
Mark off the other sections with a ruler and pencil. Basically you need a line abut 1/2" from the left end to note the finish of the spur center, a line 5/8" from there for the high point of the turning, 1/8" farther on for decorative lines, and one 2 3/8" from the left most line to mark the end of the awl handle. preparing the maple cylinder

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