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A book pedestal

masonsailor2

The next project here is a book pedestal for my wife’s family bible. This piece has no drawings so I am winging it as far as design, which is not my usual procedure but it should be fun. For starters I am making the central pedestal which will be a turning and as long as the SS will allow. It will again be in the ArtDeco theme. It will be two long alder cones with the points dying into a mahogany sphere at the center. The sphere will have a ring at the center of paduak and Maple with a thin layer of ebony on the top and bottom of the ring. My plan is to glue it all up as a post and then turn the whole thing. The base and the top part the book sits on I will make once I have an idea how the pedestal looks. To start with it will be two long blocks of alder and the central block of mahogany sandwiched in the middle. The question is how small of a point I can bring the cones down to where they intersect the sphere in the middle without losing the integrity of the piece. My plan at this point is to run a dowel (1/2” ?) down the center of the mahogany block and into the upper and lower pieces of alder to keep it from flying apart.I started on the central ring today.

Paul

Hobbyman2

what sort of clamp did you use to get started ? I made a picture frame clam from a old ratchet strap and some small pieces of wood years ago hat works good on square glue ups .

BuckeyeDennis

How small do you want the cone points to be? If you’re really pushing it, something like a 3/8” high-strength steel rod, epoxied into a center bore, should give adequate strength. I’d bore all three pedestal components through. Then the rod itself would be serve as an alignment pin for glueup. Depending on how you plan to attach the top, you could either turn between centers, or leave the steel rod proud and chuck directly onto it.

I’d also turn the down the small ends of the cones last, and do it at very low speed — that pedestal geometry is going to want to whip like crazy. Come think of it, turning the components individually and then assembling them onto the steel rod might be more practical. You could even use threaded rod, and simply bolt the assembly together.

masonsailor2

Thanks Dennis. I had not thought of individual components and then bolting it together. That might work much better. It will also solve the height problem. I wanted the center pedestal to be a little longer than I was going to get out of the SS lathe. I don’t think running rod completely down the center will work due the length of the hole. I can probably get away with drilling as far as I can and then epoxing in some allthread in the ends of the cones and coupling nuts ito the sphere. This will also cure the whipping problem which has been nagging me. The sphere will be easier to turn as a separate item also.

Paul

BuckeyeDennis

This 3/8x18" bit should make it easy enough to bore through-holes in the individual segments -- you just cut off the square part of the shank to use it in a regular chuck. I'd be curious to see how straight it cuts in end grain.

https://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-drill-bits/=1a2ydzc

masonsailor2

It occurred to me that if I turn it in three parts I will have more than enough horizontal room on the lathe to be able to turn a tenon on both ends of the cones which will allow me to drill a hole in the sphere and the bases and glue them together. It will also solve another problem by allowing me to use the router jig I have for the lathe which will allow me to produce perfect cones.

Paul

BuckeyeDennis

masonsailor2 wroteIt occurred to me that if I turn it in three parts I will have more than enough horizontal room on the lathe to be able to turn a tenon on both ends of the cones which will allow me to drill a hole in the sphere and the bases and glue them together. It will also solve another problem by allowing me to use the router jig I have for the lathe which will allow me to produce perfect cones.

Paul

That sounds good -- the only reason to put steel in it is if you need to reinforce very slender cone ends. And I'm sure you're a better judge of that than I.

masonsailor2

Well this has been so far the most complicated glue up and project I have tried. I have attempted to think it through from one step to the end and let’s hope it works !

Paul

JPG

About a 5" sphere?

What are the blocks outside of the mahogany for? Mounting blocks?

Now tell us about the plywood on the face plates.

masonsailor2

The blocks on the ends will give me some clearance between the faceplate/ live center and the sphere in the initial turning. After the shere is roughed out I will cut off the ends left between it and the faceplate and live center. At that point I will sandwich it between two cup centers ( the plywood mounted on the faceplates) so I can turn the axis of the sphere at will and complete the turning. I still have to turn the cups.

Paul

masonsailor2

I got an early start in the shop today and worked on finishing the turning. I turned it to a fairly accurate sphere without resorting to using cup centers. I still may use them but it is fairly close and stopping here gives me the two points on the vertical axis to attach it to the cones. The other issue is I am not sure the three rings will tolerate turning at 90 degrees to their grain. Especially the ebony which chips out so easy. Now it’s time for the cones which should be fairly straightforward.

Paul

algale

Looking amazing!

masonsailor2

I managed to get the blanks roughed out and one cone completed. I decided not to use the lathe/router jig and just do them free hand. I am toying with the idea of either faceting or fluting the cones at this point. We will see

Paul

masonsailor2

Today’s move forward was to shape the second cone and match it to the first one. Since I am in turning mode I decided to turn a blank I glued up for a new mallet. After 35 years my old one is looking pretty tired. It’s made up of maple and Jatoba scraps.

Paul

masonsailor2

Very productive day. Decided to facet the cones so I had to build a quick jig to guide them through the drum sander and then bore them for the all thread. You really have to love these machines !

Paul

algale

Love watching how you go about this!

JPG

If you had decided to facet earlier you would have eliminated the 'perfect' cone sanding step! :D

Curious re the counter bore in the narrow end.

masonsailor2

I could have gone straight to faceted but I thought at first I might like just the turned conical shape. As far as the counterbore that will just make it easier to flair them into the sphere.

Paul

masonsailor2

I am waiting on the 12” brad point bit to get here to drill out the sphere and faceted columns so I started on the base. My plan is to have a piece of black granite cut to fit on top of the base to add some weight. If it gets too expensive I will just add a piece of plate steel underneath. The plan is to attach a beveled or wedge shaped piece of stone or wood on top of the base so the columns will die into the base/wedge at the same angle as the piece on top to hold the book. I am not sure of the cost of having a stone wedge cut that also has the trapezoidal shape of the base will be.

Paul

JPG

Every time you post pix, I learn something! :cool: