chair spindle

Forum for people who are new to woodworking. Feel free to ask questions or contribute.

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JPG
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Post by JPG »

markap wrote:Personally, I think that the only "cure" will be a steady rest. Chatter can be caused by things as small as density variances in the cross section of the wood. I need to make one for myself in the next couple weeks. Looking around for old rollerblade wheels right now.
The lathe duplicator 'steady rest' uses bare steel ball bearings.
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╟JPG ╢
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Goldie(Bought New SN 377425)/4" jointer/6" beltsander/12" planer/stripsander/bandsaw/powerstation /Scroll saw/Jig saw /Craftsman 10" ras/Craftsman 6" thicknessplaner/ Dayton10"tablesaw(restoredfromneighborstrashpile)/ Mark VII restoration in 'progress'/ 10
E[/size](SN E3779) restoration in progress, a 510 on the back burner and a growing pile of items to be eventually returned to useful life. - aka Red Grange
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JPG
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Post by JPG »

anmius wrote:Since by your own admission you are fairly new to turning (especially on a Shopsmith), I'll just bet that the following link to the Lathe Turning section of the electronic version of Power Tool Woodworking for Everyone will be of some assistance. Give it a quick read and I think it will help.

http://www.shopsmith.com/academy/latheturning/index.htm

Looks familiar.:rolleyes: Librarians only do 'BOOKS'!:D Maybe the second time is the charm!:)
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╟JPG ╢
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Goldie(Bought New SN 377425)/4" jointer/6" beltsander/12" planer/stripsander/bandsaw/powerstation /Scroll saw/Jig saw /Craftsman 10" ras/Craftsman 6" thicknessplaner/ Dayton10"tablesaw(restoredfromneighborstrashpile)/ Mark VII restoration in 'progress'/ 10
E[/size](SN E3779) restoration in progress, a 510 on the back burner and a growing pile of items to be eventually returned to useful life. - aka Red Grange
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garyspens
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Post by garyspens »

JPG,
Some time ago, a guy told me if you were going to change careers do it after you turn 60. So I did. A year ago I would never have given this job a thought. But it's kinda nice. I get to go back to school and there's lots of stuff to learn in my old age.
To keep on topic, I have that book you guys are linking to.
It is interesting. All this information I've had in the shop and never read it. What is it they say, "If all else fails, read the instructions!!"
P.S. can't tuck the beard in, took to long to grow it.
g'spens
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JPG
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Post by JPG »

garyspens wrote:JPG,
Some time ago, a guy told me if you were going to change careers do it after you turn 60. So I did. A year ago I would never have given this job a thought. But it's kinda nice. I get to go back to school and there's lots of stuff to learn in my old age.
To keep on topic, I have that book you guys are linking to.
It is interesting. All this information I've had in the shop and never read it. What is it they say, "If all else fails, read the instructions!!"
P.S. can't tuck the beard in, took to long to grow it.
g'spens

Most cautions refer to hair emanating from another area of one's head. I was trying to make you aware of potential 'danger'. By tucking it in, I meant inside your shirt. In any event be careful!

Your book may be a different(later) version of the online one. 'Check them both out'!
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╟JPG ╢
╚═══╝

Goldie(Bought New SN 377425)/4" jointer/6" beltsander/12" planer/stripsander/bandsaw/powerstation /Scroll saw/Jig saw /Craftsman 10" ras/Craftsman 6" thicknessplaner/ Dayton10"tablesaw(restoredfromneighborstrashpile)/ Mark VII restoration in 'progress'/ 10
E[/size](SN E3779) restoration in progress, a 510 on the back burner and a growing pile of items to be eventually returned to useful life. - aka Red Grange
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garyspens
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Post by garyspens »

JPG,
It's hard to tell when someone is teasing or not on a forum but I was just teasing you a little bit about the beard.:) A few years ago I got my beard caught in a hand drill. When I got it all out about half of one side of my face hair was still wrapped around the chuck. I've been extra cautious ever since then.
An occasional reminder about safety never hurts anyone. Maybe some else will also read your post and be reminded.
garyspens
charlese
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Post by charlese »

Hi Gary! I can appreciate your worry about your oak spindle(s). Been there done that!

Having turned mostly only red oak, I appreciate your quandary as being new to this longer stuff. First of all - from your description of rough parts of the turning, you need to re-sharpen your gouge and increase the turning speed. Try a sharper angle on the bevel and be sure to strop with leather and rouge. Also increase your speed D or E, I think! The proper speed should be printed on a decal on your headstock. Anyway "Slow" is too slow!

Having turned longer pieces with no mid support, I know it can be done. Most of mine has been making dowells or a number of pegs out of a longer piece. These got down to 1/4". A center rest certainly would have helped.

Scraping will work as you get smaller diameters, but only with really sharp tools and light scrapes. Yes, this may require more time, but you didn't say you were in a hurry! Still, the time should go by rapidly.

If you now have a cylinder, make sure your parting tool is sharp in order to penetrate to the smallest diameters. One way to get a smooth cylinder is to use the skew laying flat on the tool rest and scraping with the full edge along the piece. My scraping using this method is at the same height as the axis, or the middle (widest part) of the turning.

You will most likely be turning some beads. I suggest you remove your spindle and turn a few beads on a practice piece prior to proceeding on the spindle.

Like Bob (beeg) asked - You should keep the tool rest as close to your turning as you can.
Octogenarian's have an earned right to be a curmudgeon.
Chuck in Lancaster, CA
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garyspens
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Post by garyspens »

Charlese,
What an excellent answer.
One time during this project I turned the speed up only a llittle and got more chatter than I was getting so I turned the speed back down. Then it dawned on me that I probably needed to sharpen the tool. After that I forgot all about turning the speed back up.
This is actually quite fun. I'm learning something new and as everyone else here knows, I'm making something usable out of a stick of wood. It's just a much larger stick of wood than I normally use.
I'll have to try your skew method. I've only used the skew on the upper half of plastic pieces, at an angle so as to curl off the outside.
This has been a good day. Thanks to everyone.
garyspens
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