Shopsmith Forums

The twins are 6 1/2 months and are beginning to play with toys. So I have decided to attempt the iconic SS Heirloom Toy Train noted in Rick's videos. Started the locomotive today, and had a most enjoyable afternoon. I have only used the lathe once, and that was in the Traveling Academy years ago. So today I turned a few scrap pieces of 4x4 into rather small dowels. Here's my question. The plan calls for the Boiler to be turned to 3 3/4 inch diameter. The 4x4 pieces I have are trimmed to 3 1/4. Length is 7 1/2 inches.
Can I safely glue up 1 inch stock to make a true 4x4 piece for turning???
I'm hoping to make the train completely from reclaimed wood. This will make it just a little more challenging, as I will be using different woods to give color to the project.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
Gary

Shouldn't be a problem as long as you use enough glue and clamp real tight
I use titebond II and the wood breaks before the glue does.
The other day I glued 5 1x6's together and it turned just fine.

Hope this helps

thanks, tomorrow I glue, then I'll get back to making big pieces into little pieces.

just a reminder of something you already know:

if you are gluing up scrap before turning a cylinder, you don't have to glue it up into a rectangular solid. try to keep it balanced, but you can use smaller (even trapezoidal) scrap as you get away from the middle.

Every one of my turnings have been from glued up 3/4" stock. The only exception was the first walnut/maple blocks I got for my very first pepper/salt mill set.

On most turnings I can't find the glue joints. After planing, the face to face glue jobs fit real tight. In gluing with yellow glue, I only glue two pieces to start, then add a piece at a time (using plenty of clamps), until the needed diameter is reached.

BTW, I always wait 24 hrs after the last gluing before turning. Don't know if this is necessary, but it works for me.

When you glue up blocks for turning, make sure both mating surfaces are flat and true to each other, if there are gaps, or places where there is no contact, the wood will come apart when turning, sometimes rather harshly.

Again, thanks all. Glue is drying as I type, and will turn this weekend.