Wood turning tips to add to your joy in wood turning

Along the way as we turn we pick up wood turning tips that may be too short for an article but too good not to share. I will add to and change these pages as I have time. Hope these help. Be sure to check the contents page for other tips as some are hidden in other pages of the site.

Make a bowl depth gauge
In response to some questions raised about using a metal tap in wood, here is a simple tip that is handy to most turners. A bowl gauge is used to identify how far you have gone in a bowl or vase. Cut a piece of wood as long as you plan on turning a bowl diameter plus a couple of inches. I.e. a guage for ten inch maximum bowls will use a twelve inch long piece of wood. Drill a 7/32" hole at center, rotate the wood 90 degrees and drill a 1/4" hole. Use a 1/4" x 20 tap to thread the 7/32" hole. Insert a piece of 1/4" dowel through the unthreaded hole and a 1/4" bolt or thumbscrew through the threaded hole. The dowel is set to desired depth and the wood piece serves as a stop at the bowl's edges. A hint I learned from Jacques Vessery is to replace the dowel with an antenna from a portable radio when doing long vases. It is light and easily retractable for storage. If you can not find an antenna, I find a magnetic pickup from the dollar store to work well.
A simple marking gauge I like to use a pencil in a marking gauge but this is as easily made by driving a nail through the end of the dowel and sharpening the tip with a file. Cut a piece of wood to desired shape and drill a hole for a 1/2" dowel. Drill a 7/32" hole at right angles into the first hole through the edge of the wood piece. Tap the 7/32" hole 1/4" x 20 for a standard 1/4"bolt. Drill a hole in the end of the dowel large enough for a pencil to fit comfortably and a 7/32" hole at right angles. Tap the 7/32" hole 1/4" x 20 for a set screw or short bolt. Insert the bolts, dowels and pencil.
Make a Burning Wire A simple decorative line can be made on a piece by holding a wire to it while it turns. Holding both ends of the wire in your bare hands can be hot and cutting. A quick solution is to go to the sports store or the sports section of the hardware and buy a few wire leaders from the fishing section. One is sufficient but they are usually carded so make a few for friends. Take or make a couple of dowels and insert screw eyes in the centers. Clip one end of the leader to one eye and open the other eye with pliers. Inert the loop on the leader and close the eye. To try it out first cut a small groove in a spindle. Holding one handle of the wire in each hand, press the wire into the spinning wood until the smoke comes up. Done. Hint: I find the leaders come with a wire braid that quickly heats off but the core lasts for ages.
Make a Sawbuck I find a saw buck has to be simple or it is not used. Here is one for the shop or wood pile, while below is one for the woods. This one can be made from 1 1/2 economy studs. Cut 4 lengths each 21 inches long with a leg angle of 20 degrees, three pieces each 14 to 16" long, and two trapezoids from 3/4" ply about 6 to seven inches deep and 10 inches across the top by 12 inches along the bottom. Nothing is crucial here. I basically laid a 2x4 over a 2x4 unitl the angle looked right and then drew it onto the plywood. The plywood is fastened to the 2x4 with yellow glue and nails. The trough is considered throw away after the saw chews it up over the next year or so. It is three pieces of 2x4 glued and nailed together. The trough holds the whole thing together. I screwed it to the legs with countersunk 2 3/4" long decking screws. The holes drilled on the top serve to hold a couple of peices of 3/8" dowelling to serve as bench dogs as necessary.
Portable Sawbuck for the Woods The idea for this is simple. You plan on going to the woods or to a neighbors or some other place where a tree is downed. You want to carry home as much product as possible without carrying home waste. You need a safe way to hole the wood while cutting out blanks. This can be made from 2x4, 4x4 or soame combination thereof. I just cut 1/2 a stud into 12" lengths and nail them to the form shown. The channel holds a log for cutting. It is light and easy to carry.
Pivot Point for Deep Hollowing As I was clearing the inside of a 10" diameter by 7" deep flower pot I found that I was wrestling a bit with a hook to clear the wood. Not surprising when reaching that far over the rest and cutting at 90 degrees to the angle of the shaft. I needed a pivot support to work against so I took a galvanized nipple and tee fitting I had and made one. I drilled a hole in the tee, tapped it for a 1/4x20 bolt, inserted the bolt so it bottomed out in the tee and fitted the nipple into the tee and into the banjo. Works great.

A Lesson in Lathes

Monte Burch

The “extreme” power tool for many serious woodworkers is a wood lathe. A lathe is also one of the oldest woodworking tools. A bow-powered lathe was thought to have originated in ancient Egypt. I have a chest made by an ancestor, well before the advent of powered tools, and it features beautifully turned posts, evidence of the skills of early craftsmen. Luckily, I also inherited a full set of “antique” turning tools many years ago. A lathe can be used to create many different objects ranging from furniture legs, to candlesticks, and other decorative turnings. A lathe can also be used to turn large objects such as posts, tiny, fancy writing pens or it can be used to turn wooden bowls and other items. Lathe turning takes a bit of skill and practice, but it's easily learned and one of the most enjoyable woodworking techniques.

Understanding Lathes

All lathes are of the same basic design, although size and quality vary. A lathe turns a piece of wood stock while a tool held against the spinning stock removes wood, creating a symmetrical shape. The size of the lathe is based on the length and diameter of stock that can be turned over the lathe bed. You will need a lathe with 36 inches between the centers to turn most table legs. Sizes can range from “mini” 10-inch models to models with up to 40 inches between centers. Most lathes are denoted by the “swing,” or largest-diameter of stock that can be turned over the bed. This means a 15-inch lathe will turn a 15-inch diameter item, with 7 1/2 inches of clearance between the bed and the spur center. Lathes are commonly available with a swing ranging from 10 to 17 inches. The size of the swing is most important in bowl and other large diameter turnings.

Some older lathes had outboard spindles allowing for turning on the outer end of the head. Many quality lathes today feature a swiveling headstock. This allows you to turn the headstock outward and turn large diameter bowls. Some more economical lathe models feature tubes to hold the headstock and tailstock. Lathes can generate a lot of vibration, especially during the roughing out step. Lathes with a cast-iron bed provide more support than tube models. Different speeds are needed for different operations. The more economical models feature step pulleys and belts. To change speeds you move the belts on the pulleys. Higher quality models are variable speed, allowing you to dial in the speed you desire.

Different turning speeds are needed for different operations. A variable speed lathe allows instant changing of speeds.

Basic Turning Steps

Basic turning consists of two operations; spindle turning and faceplate turning. Spindle turning is done between the centers for furniture legs, candlesticks and other items. Faceplate turning is done with the stock mounted on a faceplate, which is inserted into the main spindle. Two specific types of techniques are used for both of these operations; cutting and scraping.

An indexing head on the Craftsman lathe allows for indexing turnings for such chores as fluting columns.

Woodworking chisels are available in six common configurations — gouge, skew, parting tool, spear point, flat nose and round nose. The chisels used for cutting include the gouge, skew and parting tool. The chisels used for scraping include the flat nose, round nose and spear point. Sharp, quality chisels are a must for productive, easy and safe wood turning.

Quality turning tools are also a must. Shown are both the latest modern tools as well as some I inherited. Lathe tools haven't really changed over the years.

Basic Spindle Turning

Make sure you read and understand the operator's manual that comes with your lathe and follow all safety rules. If you're inexperienced, the basics of lathe work should be learned turning a small spindle. Choose a piece of stock 2-by-2-by-12 inches in length. Using a straight edge and pencil, mark diagonal lines from corner to corner on both ends of the stock. Make a saw cut about 1/8 inch deep on each diagonal line of one end. This is to allow the spur center to hold the stock.

First step in spindle turning is to mark diagonally across the corners on each end. Make a saw cut on the marks on one end for the spur center.

Position the point of the bearing center directly over the intersection of the two lines on the opposite end and tap it with a wooden or plastic mallet. A piece of wood can also be held over the end of the center to protect it as you tap it in place. Remove the bearing center and drive the spur center in place on the opposite end, making sure the spurs align with the saw cuts. Then remove the spur center.

Tap both the spur center and live bearing centers in place to create a “seat” for the centers.

Place the centers in place, the spur into the headstock and the bearing center into the tailstock. Use a piece of wood to lightly seat them in place. Do not drive them tightly in place. (Some lathes have fixed centers instead of bearing centers. In this case, place a bit of wax or oil in the center hole of the stock to lubricate it.) Position the stock between the centers and lock the tailstock in place. Then move the bearing center into the wood by turning the tailstock hand wheel. Make sure both centers are properly seated in the holes previously made. Turn the stock by hand to make sure it is centered properly.

Insert the centers in the headstock and tailstock, and then position the spindle blank between them. Turn the wheel on the tailstock to tighten the blank between the two centers.

Adjust the tool rest so its outer edge is about 1/8-inch distance from the outer corners of the stock. The rest should also be about 1/8-inch above the center line of the stock. Turn the stock by hand to make sure it doesn't contact the tool rest. It's important to turn at the proper speed. Roughing requires a slow speed. For example roughing a 2-inch square turning of about 18 inches in length should be done at 1,100 rpm. Finishing can be done at higher speeds of 2,000 rpm for that size. The Craftsman lathe shown has the speeds stamped on the front at the speed dial and a size and speed chart on top.

It's important to have the tool rest properly positioned for safe and easy operation.

The different tools can be held in one of two methods, depending on whether cutting or scraping techniques are used for cutting. One hand, depending on whether left- or right-handed, is used to hold the tool down on the tool rest, guiding the end of the tool along the shelf of the rest with the heel of the hand. The opposite end of the chisel is held with the hand palm down. Make sure you hold the chisel firmly in place with both hands. Chisels can be “wrenched” out of your hands, damaging the work piece or creating a danger to the operator.

Proper position of the tool rest and angle of the chisel are important. The bevel at the end of the chisel should always be positioned against the work piece. If the rest is too low, and the angle of the chisel is held more horizontal, it causes the point of the chisel to dig in, creating chattering. If the rest is too low and the chisel is held too high, there is the danger of the chisel being kicked back out of your hands.

In most instances the gouge is used for roughing the stock to round. Position the gouge with the cup upward and facing slightly toward the other end of the rest. Carefully and slowly feed the end of the gouge into the stock until it just begins to touch the stock and remove a bit of material. Then move the gouge steadily along the rest. At the end of the stroke, turn the gouge slightly back toward the opposite end, but with the cup still up, and draw it back in the opposite direction. Repeat these steps until the stock is round. Move the tool rest as needed to rough different portions of the stock and to maintain the 1/8-inch distance between the tool rest edge and the stock edge.

The first step is to rough the blank into a round, cutting off the corners. Use a gouge tool for this step and position the hands as shown.

Once the stock is in the round it is sized at the various diameters. The tool is held somewhat differently for these scraping techniques because more control is required. In this case the tool is held with the palm of the tool-rest hand facing up. The wrist is still held down and the side of the index finger slides along the tool rest as a guide. This allows you to use the fingers of the tool-rest hand to assist in positioning the tool.

Mark the locations of the beads, coves and turns. Use a parting tool held in cutting position to cut grooves in the stock at the locations desired. Use a pair of outside calipers at each location to make sure the measurements are correct. The speed can be increased for smoother cuts once the stock has been roughed out.

Once the blank is in the round, mark the location of the various beads, coves, tapers and other design factors with a sturdy pencil.

Once you have the stock sized at each diameter, use scraping tools to shape the stock between cut diameters. A skew chisel can be used to round off the sides of the beads, while a round nose is used to cut coves. To shape concave and convex shapes use the skew and round-nose as needed.

Use the various shaped turning tools to cut the spinning blank into the desired shape. Change the tool rest frequently to maintain the proper position.

Small-diameter and long pieces should be backed with a steady rest to prevent them from whipping. You can make up your own, or purchase manufactured rests. Woodcraft Supply has an excellent spindle steady rest.

Once the piece has been shaped, it can be sanded quicker and easier while on the lathe. Be careful as the sandpaper can become quite hot, and sanding on a lathe creates a lot of dust, so make sure you wear a dust mask.

Once the shape desired has been created, sand and polish it while spinning it on the lathe.

Duplicate Turnings

If you have to turn several pieces in the same shape, make a template of stiff cardboard, thin plywood or a thin piece of wood. You can then hold it against the turning (with the lathe off) and check for proper shape. A quicker and more precise way is to use a lathe duplicator. The Craftsman Wood Lathe Copy Crafter duplicates spindle or shallow bowl turnings and can duplicate from either a prototype or a template. It can also be used for taper work up to 38 inches in length.

Split Turning

One unusual turning technique is split turnings. Stock is glued-up to create a square blank with paper glued between the pieces. Once the stock is turned the pieces are split apart along the paper line using a sharp chisel. Half or quarter turnings are created in this manner. One common use is in period furniture where one quarter turned and fluted columns are used in pieces such as Philadelphia highboys. Again, an indexing head on the lathe can make it easy to lay out the flutes.

Face Plate

Face plate turning is done by first mounting the stock on a face plate that has a taper to fit into the headstock. Wood plaques, plates and small bowls or even rounded, ball-style furniture feet can be turned using this technique. While the stock is still in the square, mark diagonally from corner to corner to locate the center of the back of the stock. Then use a compass to mark the outside circumference of the piece to be turned. Using a bandsaw, rough cut the stock to this shape and size. A large, square stock is dangerous and hard to rough to the round. Using a bandsaw first makes this step easier, safer and quicker. Use screws to fasten the stock to the face plate (from the back of the face plate). Allow extra depth at the back to cut off the screw-hole area. Another method is to glue the stock to a waste stock with paper between, turn to shape, then split off the waste stock. Begin the turning by roughing the bandsawn outside to perfect round. Then you can use a scraping tool to make the various cuts, such as cutting the inside, rounding the lip, creating beads or coves around the outside or other shapes.

Bowls, boxes and other shapes are turned with the blank fastened to a faceplate that is fastened in the lathe.

It's extremely important to continue moving the tool rest to provide proper support for each tool position. A rounded bowl-turning rest is best for turning deep bowls and other shapes, especially for the inside area. These have a rounded tool rest that allows for getting closer to the stock with the tool. The Woodcraft Supply Lathe Tool Rest System has a small and large bowl rest with different size posts to fit different lathe tool rests. Craftsman also has a bowl-turning rest for their lathes.

Outboard Turning

Larger items that can't be turned over the lathe bed can be turned on a lathe with an outboard feature. The headstock is turned 90 degrees to the bed. The stock is mounted on a face plate, and the techniques are the same as for over-the-bed face-plate turning. Bowl-turning rests are required for this technique. They swing out from the tool rest mounted on the lathe bed, and over to the front of the stock. Due to the work size often used in this technique, use caution, proceed slowly and keep speed to a minimum. Experiment with soft woods of a smaller size before attempting larger, hardwood projects. If you are really interested in turning bowls, vases, boxes and other similar projects, check out the special tools available from Woodcraft Supply. Lee Valley LTD also carries a full line of inside hollowers as well as a full line of quality turning tools and equipment.

Some lathes can be turned 90 degree for outboard turnings. Woodcraft Supply Bowl Turning Rest makes it easier to follow the rounded shapes of bowls with the tools.

Specialty Turning Tricks

One fun tactic is to glue-up spindles or flat-work for plates or bowls of contrasting wood colors. When turned, the different segments produce unusual patterns. Small items such as chess pieces or furniture knobs can be turned on a screw plate. A number of lathe chucks are also available that allow you to grip smaller items for turning. The stock first has a tenon sized to fit inside the chuck. You can also make up your own wooden chuck for these types of turnings. Again, create a tenon on the work piece and drive it into the wood chuck, which is screwed to a face plate. Turn the piece, and then drive the tenon out of the chuck.

Wood blanks can be glued up with a piece of paper between them, turned and then split apart to create decorative split turnings for furniture and cabinet decoration.

A lathe can also be fitted with flap sanders, drill chucks, polishing wheels and other accessories to expand the use of the tool and make it more versatile.

I do, however, have a warning — wood turning is addictive. Once you get the feel for it, you'll be looking for excuses to make more projects.

Safety Rules

1. Do not wear loose clothing.

2. Wear protective hair covering to contain long hair.

3. Wear safety glasses complying with U.S. ANSI Z81.7.

4. Wear a face mask or dust mask.

5. Keep your hands away from chuck, centers and other moving parts.

6. Disconnect tool when changing attachments.

7. Do not force cutting tools.

8. Never leave lathe running unattended.

9. Make sure work piece is firmly mounted, turn lathe off if work piece splits or

SIDE NOTE

Craftsman Variable-Speed Lathe

The lathe featured in this column is a Craftsman 15-inch variable-speed model. This heavy-duty model has a single-piece cast-iron base, and cast-iron headstock and tailstock housing a 2-horsepower maximum developed induction-run motor. The hand wheel on the headstock yields variable speeds from 400 to 2,000 rpm. The headstock swivels from 0 to 90 degrees for outboard turnings up to 20 inches in diameter. One of the features I especially like is the indexing head. Twenty-four indexing stops at 15-degree intervals lock the head for groove cutting with a router. The unit comes with 6- and 12-inch tool rest, 4-inch faceplate, spur and bearing centers. The lathe is shown mounted on a Craftsman lathe stand

How to make a Turned Ball Bearing Yo-Yo

Featured Turning Project

How to make a Turned Ball Bearing Yo-Yo
by Matthew Owen

We're starting to see some summer temperatures and like the extra time outside each day.

As we near Father's Day and the need for some outdoor gifts, this new wonderful project really looks like a winner.

It also reminds me of days past practicing "looping", "walking the dog" and "sleeping".

Matt starts this photo tutorial explaining how he learned about yo-yo's and how he eventually got into making them. Matt's yo-yo design is based a ball bearing spindle. He explains why the ball bearing is superior for yo-yo quality and the ability to do tricks with them.

Matt explains what parts are necessary, and then shows us how he holds the pieces to be turned on the lathe. He then provides a wonderful diagram of his design to help explain the necessary dimensions in order for the ball bearing to work.

If you've ever had an interest in yo-yo's, this project will help you realize your dream of making your own!!

How to Use a Mini Copse Lathe

Designing Handcrafted Custom Autograph Pens

Read added at Suite101: How to Use a Mini Copse Lathe: Designing Handcrafted Custom Autograph Pens

Designing and axis handcrafted copse autograph pens on a lathe has become a admired accomplished time for copse enthusiast aback the average of the 20th-century. The final adorableness of the autograph pens are an accomplished chat allotment and are bound acceptable ancestors heirlooms, which will be anesthetized from bearing to generation.

Tools and Equipment Required For Pen Turning

Designing autograph pens requires some basal woodworking tools, such as a mini lathe, assignment press, and a Pen Assembly Press. It additionally takes an Oval Skew Chisel, a Spindle Gouge, and a Parting Tool. Although the pen maker can, duke carve the pens and assignment the centers on a assignment press, it is far easier to use a multi-speed mini lathe, giving the pen maker abounding ascendancy over the conception of axis the pen.

Preparing the Pen Blanks

Mark and analyze the top and basal of the pen blank. The copse turner should additionally attending for any absorbing atom designs, or defects in the pen bare that could account the pen banal to able or aberration aback turning. Once the pen bare has been marked, cut it in two on a bandage saw.

The additional footfall in authoritative a pen is conduct the pen blank. Align the pen bare with the assignment bit, in the assignment press. The bore of the assignment bit is bent by the admeasurement of the automated belly of the pen actuality created.

Use an awl to announce the centermost of the pen blank. Assignment appear the end of the cap or basal of the pen blank. The assignment acceleration should circle at 500rpm. The pen maker should go boring as they abreast the end of the pen blank, so not to assignment all the way through.

Read added at Suite101: How to Use a Mini Copse Lathe: Designing Handcrafted Custom Autograph Pens

Gluing the assumption pen tube, and account the assumption tubes with a 120 or 150-grit sandpaper. Administer some cement to the arch bend of the assumption tube; a 5-minute adhesive will assignment best. Set abreast for about 20 account to assure the cement or adhesive is absolutely cured.

Turning the Copse Pen on the Lathe

Place the pen on the lathe with the top of the pen at the arch of the lathe. First, annular the ends of the bare to abreast the bushing bore with a ½-inch Skew. Once the bore is reduced, the pen turner will alpha alive from the centermost to the edges of the pen in continued connected distinct passes.

Shaping the pen bare is done with a 3/8-inch Spindle Gouge. The pen turner will cut from the edges into the centermost of the pen bare to accord it a asperous shape. If the pen bare has blemishes or chips, the pen maker should accomplish aliment with a admixture of adhesive and pen balance of the aforementioned blank.

Using average emery sandpaper, the pen maker will wet beach the apparent of the pen. Affective from a average dust to a accomplished dust paper, and charwoman the apparent amid anniversary pass, to ensure there is no body up of sanding dust. To abstain sanding scuffs on the surface, accumulate the sanding cardboard affective and accumulate the edges of the sanding cardboard abroad from the surface.

Finishing the Copse Pen Set

To abolish any apparent scratches, the pen maker will administer micro cutting adhesive to the pen bare with a apple-pie cloth. With the lathe running, accumulate the bolt affective aback and alternating beyond the pen blank. Backlighting the activity will acquiesce the pen maker to see area on the apparent needs added polishing.

Assembling The Handcrafted Board Pen

The final footfall is accumulating the accomplished pen. The pen brand will abode the top and basal sections of the pen assimilate the Pen Assembly Press. Starting with the top area columnist the automated pieces of the pen into the top and basal accomplished pen blanks. Once the automated belly accept been inserted, the pen is accumulated and accessible for use.

Wooden pen sets booty on the personality of the copse turner, and anniversary pen set will appearance the adulation the copse adept acclimated to actualize them. They are best stored in custom board boxes, with the date of the conception and the name of the copse enthusiast’s name engraved on the basal of the pen box. If the copse enthusiast does not accept a copse lathe, again apprehend this commodity on application a assignment columnist to accomplish copse pens.

Read added at Suite101: How to Use a Mini Copse Lathe: Designing Handcrafted Custom Autograph Pens

Turning a Baby Cradle

cradle is a traditional baby holder. It's designed to hold the baby while you have your hands full. Often it has rockers so that you can get a little motion going to help keep the baby occupied and maybe even convince them to sleep.

Creating a cradle from wood turning components is a very satisfying project. If you've got a child or a grand-child coming, this might be the project for you!

In this project, JoHannes Michelsen shows us how he made a baby cradle for his new grandson.

He takes us through all the steps needed to create the legs, the base, the spindles and the rails. Then he assembles the crib using these components to make one of the most stunning cradles we've ever seen!

You may never made a cradle yourself but following this project will give you a great appreciation of the work and dedication that were involved in making this baby cradle.

Make a Donut Chuck

I needed to make a donut chuck so that I could mount a 12″ bowl on my lathe and finish off the bottom of the bowl. I have a set of cole jaws for my jaw chuck, but they will only expand 10″.

You can click on any of the images to see a larger version.

The first step was to take a 16″ x 16″ x 3/4″ piece of plywood and find the center. I marked out three circles of 9″, 15″ and 15 3/4″ diameter. I laid out eight points on the 15″ diameter circle and drilled 5/16″ holes and inserted 1/4-20 tee nuts at each of these points.

I took another piece of 16″ x 16″ x 3/4″ plywood and placed it below the first piece. Using a transfer punch, I transferred the centers of the eight tee nuts to the second piece of plywood and then drilled 1/4″ holes at each of these points. I bolted the two pieces together using 1 1/2″ 1/4-20 bolts and cut the two pieces of plywood round, just outside of the 15 3/4″ circle. I used my jigsaw to do this as the workpiece would not have sat flush on my band saw table and I did not want the heads of the bolts to scratch my band saw table. As an aside, I used the new Xtra-Clean (T308B) blades from Bosch and was impressed at how easily they cut and how clean the cut was on both the top and bottom of the plywood.

Using my center finder I located a face plate I have dedicated to this donut chuck and attached it securely to the first piece of plywood.

I mounted the face plate and plywood pieces on the lathe and turned both pieces perfectly round. I marked a 9″ diameter circle on the front piece and drilled a 1/.4″ hole through both pieces using a drill chuck in the tail stock. I took the piece of the lathe and drilled a 5/16″ hole 3/8″ deep in the back piece of plywood and inserted a 1/4″ tee nut in that hole. Then I bolted both pieces together suing another 1 1/2″ 1/4-20 bolt.

I remounted the piece on the lathe and made a mark on the sides of the plywood pieces to help align the two pieces. Using a parting tool, I cut the 9″ diameter circle out of the front piece of plywood. I cut at an angle from the center out and took care to make sure I did not cut too deeply into the back piece of plywood. Because of the tapered cut and the center bolt the internal circle did not come loose. I had to remove all 9 bolts to take it out.

Lastly I cut a piece of high friction router pad cloth and using spray adhesive attached it to the inside face of the front section. This will help to both hold and protect the surface of the bowl.

The tee nut inserted in the center of the back piece can be used to mount a scrap piece of plywood to. A tenon that matches the internal diameter of a bowl can then be turned onto that scrap piece enabling you to mount the bowl in the donut chuck directly on center.

In my excitement at how easily the bowl mounted and how smooth and true it ran, I forgot to take a picture of the mounted bowl before I finished off the bottom. Here is a shot of the bowl mounted in the donut chuck, with the bottom finished and sanded.

Make Your Own Buffing Wheel Mandrel

Instead of buying an expensive mandrel for buffing and grinding wheels, I decided to make one for very little cost, or time involved, for use on my Wilton mini-lathe. In about 45 minutes had it completed and mounted on the lathe.

Materials include two 1 1/2 inch thick blocks (turned from scrap pieces), 1/2 inch dowel, and the 1/2 inch bushing that came with the buffing and grinding wheels. Note the 1/2 inch holes drilled in each block to receive the 1/2 dowel (arbor). The holes are 1 inch deep.

Dowel with bushing ready to insert through the buffing wheel.

Dowel inserted with bushing in the arbor hole of the wheel. Note the dowel length is cut 1/2 inch shorter than the combined 1 inch deep holes in the turning (compression) blocks, plus the thickness of the wheel.

Assembly is complete with turning blocks over the dowel and ready to mount on the lathe. When chucked up between centers on the lathe the buffing wheel will be in compression and will not slip between the blocks with the proper amount of pressure applied.

wood lathe part and Accessories

Unless a workpiece has a taper machined onto it which perfectly matches the internal taper in the spindle, or has threads which perfectly match the external threads on the spindle (two things which almost never happen), an accessory must be used to mount a workpiece to the spindle.

A workpiece may be bolted or screwed to a faceplate, a large flat disk that mounts to the spindle. Alternatively faceplate dogs may be used to secure the work to the faceplate.

A workpiece may be clamped in a three- or four-jaw chuck, which mounts directly to the spindle or mounted on a mandrel.

In precision work (and in some classes of repetition work), cylindrical workpieces are invariably held in a collet inserted into the spindle and secured either by a drawbar, or by a collet closing cap on the spindle. Suitable collets may also be used to mount square or hexagonal workpieces. In precision toolmaking work such collets are usually of the draw in variety, where, as the collet is tightened, the workpiece moves slightly back into the headstock, whereas for most repetition work the dead length variety is preferered as this ensures that the position of the workpiece does not move as the collet is tightened, so the workpiece can be set in the lathe to a fixed position and it will not move on tightening the collet.

A soft workpiece (wooden) may be pinched between centers by using a spur drive at the headstock, which bites into the wood and imparts torque to it.

A soft dead center is used in the headstock spindle as the work rotates with the centre. Because the centre is soft it can be trued in place before use. The included angle is 60 degrees. Traditionally a hard dead center is used together with suitable lubricant in the tailstock to support the workpiece. In modern practice the dead center is frequently replaced by a live center or (revolving center) as it turns freely with the workpiece usually on ball bearings, reducing the frictional heat, which is especially important at high RPM. When clear facing work that must be supported on both ends but cannot be accommodated with a steady rest, a half dead center, also known as a notch center, can be used. A lathe carrier or lathe dog may also be employed when turning between two centers.

In woodturning, one subtype of a live center is a cup center, which is a cone of metal surrounded by an annular ring of metal that decreases the chances of the workpiece splitting.

A circular metal plate with even spaced holes around the periphery, mounted to the spindle, is called an "index plate". It can be used to rotate the spindle a precise number of degrees, then lock it in place, facilitating repeated auxiliary operations done to the workpiece.

Modes of use

When a workpiece is fixed between the headstock and the tailstock, it is said to be "between centers". When a workpiece is supported at both ends, it is more stable, and more force may be applied to the workpiece, via tools, at a right angle to the axis of rotation, without fear that the workpiece may break loose.

When a workpiece is fixed only to the spindle at the headstock end, the work is said to be "face work". When a workpiece is supported in this manner, less force may be applied to the workpiece, via tools, at a right angle to the axis of rotation, lest the workpiece rip free. Thus, most work must be done axially, towards the headstock, or at right angles, but gently.

When a workpiece is mounted with a certain axis of rotation, worked, then remounted with a new axis of rotation, this is referred to as "eccentric turning" or "multi axis turning". The result is that various cross sections of the workpiece are rotationally symmetric, but the workpiece as a whole is not rotationally symmetric. This technique is used for camshafts, various types of chair legs.

[edit] Varieties

The smallest lathes are "jewelers lathes" or "watchmaker lathes", which are small enough that they may be held in one hand. The workpieces machined on a jeweler's lathes are metal, jeweler's lathes can be used with hand-held "graver" tools or with compound rests that attach to the lathe bed. Graver tools are generally supported by a T-rest, not fixed to a cross slide or compound rest. The work is usually held in a collet. Common spindle bore sizes are 6 mm, 8 mm and 10 mm. The term W/W refers to the Webster/Whitcomb collet and lathe, invented by the American Watch Tool Company of Waltham, Massachussetts. Most lathes commonly referred to as watchmakers lathes are of this design. In 1909, the American Watch Tool company introduced the Magnus type collet (a 10-mm body size collet) using a lathe of the same basic design, the Webster/Whitcomb Magnus. (F.W.Derbyshire, Inc. retains the trade names Webster/Whitcomb and Magnus and still produces these collets.) Two bed patterns are common: the WW (Webster Whitcomb) bed, a truncated triangular prism (found only on 8 and 10 mm watchmakers' lathes); and the continental D-style bar bed (used on both 6 mm and 8 mm lathes by firms such as Lorch and Star). Other bed designs have been used, such a triangular prism on some Boley 6.5 mm lathes, and a V-edged bed on IME's 8 mm lathes.

Smaller metalworking lathes that are larger than jewelers' lathes and can sit on a bench or table, but offer such features as tool holders and a screw-cutting gear train are called hobby lathes, and larger versions, "bench lathes". Even larger lathes offering similar features for producing or modifying individual parts are called "engine lathes". Lathes of these types do not have additional integral features for repetitive production, but rather are used for individual part production or modification as the primary role.

Lathes of this size that are designed for mass manufacture, but not offering the versatile screw-cutting capabilities of the engine or bench lathe, are referred to as "second operation" lathes.

Lathes with a very large spindle bore and a chuck on both ends of the spindle are called "oil field lathes".

Fully automatic mechanical lathes, employing cams and gear trains for controlled movement, are called screw machines.

Lathes that are controlled by a computer are CNC lathes.

Lathes with the spindle mounted in a vertical configuration, instead of horizontal configuration, are called vertical lathes or vertical boring machines. They are used where very large diameters must be turned, and the workpiece (comparatively) is not very long.

A lathe with a cylindrical tailstock that can rotate around a vertical axis, so as to present different tools towards the headstock (and the workpiece) are turret lathes.

A lathe equipped with indexing plates, profile cutters, spiral or helical guides, etc., so as to enable ornamental turning is an ornamental lathe.

Various combinations are possible: for example, a vertical lathe have CNC as well (such as a CNC VTL).

Lathes can be combined with other machine tools, such as a drill press or vertical milling machine. These are usually referred to as combination lathes.

wood lathe part and Accessories

A lathe may or may not have a stand (or legs), which sits on the floor and elevates the lathe bed to a working height. Some lathes are small and sit on a workbench or table, and do not have a stand.

Almost all lathes have a bed, which is (almost always) a horizontal beam (although some CNC lathes have a vertical beam for a bed to ensure that swarf, or chips, falls free of the bed). A notable exception is the Hegner VB36 Master Bowlturner, a woodturning lathe designed for turning large bowls, which in its basic configuration is little more than a very large floor-standing headstock.

At one end of the bed (almost always the left, as the operator faces the lathe) is a headstock. The headstock contains high-precision spinning bearings. Rotating within the bearings is a horizontal axle, with an axis parallel to the bed, called the spindle. Spindles are often hollow, and have exterior threads and/or an interior Morse taper on the "inboard" (i.e., facing to the right / towards the bed) by which workholding accessories may be mounted to the spindle. Spindles may also have exterior threads and/or an interior taper at their "outboard" (i.e., facing away from the bed) end, and/or may have a handwheel or other accessory mechanism on their outboard end. Spindles are powered, and impart motion to the workpiece.

The spindle is driven, either by foot power from a treadle and flywheel or by a belt drive to a power source. In some modern lathes this power source is an integral electric motor, often either in the headstock, to the left of the headstock, or beneath the headstock, concealed in the stand.

In addition to the spindle and its bearings, the headstock often contains parts to convert the motor speed into various spindle speeds. Various types of speed-changing mechanism achieve this, from a cone pulley or step pulley, to a cone pulley with back gear (which is essentially a low range, similar in net effect to the two-speed rear of a truck), to an entire gear train similar to that of a manual-shift auto transmission. Some motors have electronic rheostat-type speed controls, which obviates cone pulleys or gears.

The counterpoint to the headstock is the tailstock, sometimes referred to as the loose head, as it can be positioned at any convenient point on the bed, by undoing a locking nut, sliding it to the required area, and then relocking it. The tailstock contains a barrel which does not rotate, but can slide in and out parallel to the axis of the bed, and directly in line with the headstock spindle. The barrel is hollow, and usually contains a taper to facilitate the gripping of various type of tooling. Its most common uses are to hold a hardened steel centre, which is used to support long thin shafts while turning, or to hold drill bits for drilling axial holes in the work piece. Many other uses are possible.^[2]

Metalworking lathes have a carriage (comprising a saddle and apron) topped with a cross-slide, which is a flat piece that sits crosswise on the bed, and can be cranked at right angles to the bed. Sitting atop the cross slide is a toolpost, which holds a cutting tool which removes material from the workpiece. There may or may not be a leadscrew, which moves the cross-slide along the bed.

Woodturning and metal spinning lathes do not have cross-slides, but rather have banjos, which are flat pieces that sit crosswise on the bed. The position of a banjo can be adjusted by hand; no gearing is involved. Ascending vertically from the banjo is a toolpost, at the top of which is a horizontal toolrest. In woodturning, hand tools are braced against the tool rest and levered into the workpiece. In metal spinning, the further pin ascends vertically from the tool rest, and serves as a fulcrum against which tools may be levered into the workpiece.

Using a Wood Lathe part 4

Tool Process in Spindle Turning
Exercise A-I-l-a. Straight Cuts


1. THE ROUGHING CUT (LARGE GOUGE).
Place the gouge on the rest so that the bevel is above the wood and the cutting edge is tangent to the circle or surface of the cylinder. The handle should be held well down.
Roll the gouge over slightly to the right so that it will make a shearing cut instead of a scraping cut. This rolling of the tool will also throw the chips from the operator.
Then lift the handle slowly, forcing the cutting edge deep enough into the wood to remove all or nearly all of the corners, at the end of the work which is being turned. This cut is begun about ¾" from the dead center end. Work back another ¾", moving toward the live center and make a second cut, and so on until the entire length of the cylinder is gone over. This method of removing corners should always be followed to- avoid any possibility of breaking a large sliver from the stock, with consequent danger to the worker.
The tool may then be worked from one end to the other, getting a fairly-smooth, regular surface, slightly above the diameter required. However, do not begin on the very edge of the cylinder end. It is better to begin about 2" from one end and work to the other, and then reverse and work back.
The tool should also be held at a slight angle to the axis of the cylinder, with the cutting point always in advance of the handle.
2. THE SIZING CUT (SMALL GOUGE).
Set the calipers to the required diameter of the cylinder.
With a small gouge held in the right hand scrape groves about 1" apart, holding the calipers in the left hand perpendicular to the cylinder and measuring the cuts as they are made. The scraping should continue unitil the calipers will pass easily over the cylinder. It will be well while scraping to work the handle of the gouge a little from side to side so that the nose has more clearance. This will prevent the piece which is being turned from chattering or vibrating.
The calipers will be slightly sprung by coming in contact with the revolving stock but this error in diameter will be removed by the finishing cut which removes these marks from the finished cylinder.
3. THE SMOOTHING CUT (LARGE SKEW).
FIG. 6. Lay the skew chisel on the rest with the cutting edge above the cylinder and at an angle of about 60 to the surface.
Slowly draw the chisel back and at the same time raise the handle until the chisel begins to cut about ¼" to 3/8' from the heel. The first cut is begun from 1"' to 2" from either end and is pushed toward the near end. Then begin at the first starting point and cut toward the other end. One should never start at the end to make a cut as there is danger that the chisel will catch and cause the wood to split or that the chisel will be torn from the hands.
The first cut takes off the bumps and rings left by the gouge, and takes the stock down so one can just see where teh scraping to size was done. Then take the last cut and remove all traces of these, leavinf the cylinder perfectly smooth and of the required diameter at each end. Test the cylinder for accuracy with a straight edge

Using a Wood Lathe part 3

Turning Spindles

In this area and is close to love. Most of my experience serves to open the table. The first round, only 2 ½ way between center and "GAP was (bed). This is really just in a small cup with me and my ideas for turning you for a very limited selection is available Nice bowl was like. Since then,, 7" with the permission of, more got a big round center techniques such as turning on and off, without limitation may provide insight found. However, the pin was shooting always my greatest passion of the old walls of shops and stores my walls have been proud. This course begins into the world's tables.

National of a tower, where labor camp firmly between live and dead centers, all studies to apply the concept of the rotary switch. Two methods commonly used on wood: the first and the second method or model, scraping, cutting method. There are advantages and disadvantages of each, but is defined for the development of one or two exaggerated gymnast is required. Instead of each method used should be provided. First player for a specific task, hard on the cutting edge tools, few have slowly and the second is faster and easier cutting edge tools, and the result was precisely depends on the capacity. As a professional what the most desirable back, all full rotation and a few national exceptions, panel, and Chuck Turning for advice with the help of the method is cutting.

Share Center

If the wood to have square or rectangular, wedge angle until the end to find the best way to center a diagonal up to a point x. To find the middle of the intersection is considered. If you start to fix the tower as soon after you set, you can "free hand" best guess round.
If you own any shares in the first place as many rectangular band saw will be easier (if a bit far to do) the central acres.
O other, square cutting edges of the square stock in a corporation instead of an octagonal interesting. They have completed much easier. Mark to center before.

Tower block SHARE

The center of the forehead and a hammer with the axis line drive deep into the forest drive. Timber line was never seriously in the middle axis of May because of injury, through the application machine. If the wood is very hard to use, in accordance with these cross-cutting exercise and a good intersection for drilling a hole, so I saw it more comfortable to wood. Forest, where the other end of Wax o (even) this bed dead will return.
Now, central location and runs the operations center and shaft them by forcing a sudden increase in hand. After ½ tail about "the" game from the end of the tail shaft will be moved after 1 shot behind the tail. Queue then to bed. Turn the equipment used wood is held firmly on the tail wheel. At the same time so that the cup dead center WorkTurn hand, or deep timber zorlanıyorlar.AGİT Center live, so deeply that the live center is not open. , Dead wrong pin and pin spindles turn freely starts to live up to clamp fast death.

Tools for REST SET

Vehicles should be set to rest horizontally about 1 / 8 "wood corner away from the size of projections and the stock market declines should be adapted. Quantity some" varies depending on the size of the operator. 1 for one person or even a short distance is the center of PIN / 8 "on the average person and a ¼" long for a person above. As long as the vehicle because the corner store where the rest of the receiving machine to take a risk and can be set in motion when the machine is never. everything is tightened securely before you start to see the tour.
A company's position

Operator firmly back into place, with enough tools in the correct order from the tower body stands in front of the permit without a left foot position. May be a bit, so a small tower near the left side of the body to rotate is recommended. In any case, but the body parts in contact with vehicles and a movement from right to left arms should be placed only be achieved through the body sway. () See Photos

Holding Tools

All the tools, but the change is not tight. Right for two reasons must be the last to grasp: first, as a possible leverage, so this tool out of hand will not be thrown to the forest where the hand lightly fluttering hand caught in the second year if other less variance in the best cuts for the road is not. Left hand and guides must be kept on the cutting edge tools. Small fingers and hands resting palm-back so that without touching the smooth movement of supplies. Tools are not always left to grasp. () See Photos

Using a Wood Lathe part 2

A good wood turning kit should consist of at least one each of the following tools. Fig. 2 shows the general shape of these tools:

1¼" Gouge	1¼" Skew	½" Round Nose
¾" Gouge	¾" Skew	¼" Round Nose
½" Gouge	½" Skew	½" Square Nose
¼" Gouge	¼" Skew	¼" Square Nose
½" Right Skew	½" Left Skew	½" Spear Point
1/8" Parting Tool	12" Rule	½ pt. Oil Can
6" Outside Calipers	6" Inside Calipers	8" Dividers
Slip Stone with round edges		Bench Brush

GRINDING AND WHETTING YOUR TURNING TOOLS

The Skew Chisel

The skew chisel is sharpened equally on both sides. On this tool, the cutting edge should form an angle of about 20° with one of the edges. Since the skew is used in cutting both to the right and to the left, it must be beveled on both sides. The length of the bevel should equal about twice the thickness of the chisel at the point where it is sharpened. In grinding the bevel, the chisel must be held so that the cutting edge will be parallel to the axis of the emery wheel. The wheel should be about 6" in diameter as this will leave the bevel slightly hollow ground. Cool the chisel in water occasionally when using a dry emery. Otherwise the wheel will burn the chisel, taking out the temper; the metal will be soft and the edge will not stand up and stay sharp. Care should be exercised that the same bevel is kept so that it will be uniformly hollow ground. The rough edge left by the emery wheel should be whetted off with a slip stone by holding the chisel on the flat side of the stone so that the toe and heel of the bevel are equally in contact with it. Rub it first on one side and then on the other. The wire edge is thus worn off quickly as there is no metal to be worn away in the middle of the bevels. The chisel is sharp when the edge, which may be tested by drawing it over the thumb nail, is smooth and will take hold evenly along its entire length. If any wire edge remains it should be whetted again.

Gouge

The gouge is beveled on the outside and ground so that the nose is approximately semi-circular in shape. The tool is a combination of the round nose chisel and the ordinary gouge. The bevel should extend well around to the ends so that the cutting edge extends to each side. This is necessary to avoid the abrupt corners which would be present if the nose were left straight across as in the ordinary wood-working gouge. In making shearing cuts the round nose permits the tool to be rolled to the side to avoid scraping the work. The length of the bevel should be about twice the thickness of the blade at the point where the sharpening begins.
The sharpening of a gouge for turning is rather difficult for the average turner. The ordinary gouge which has a square nose may be beveled by merely turning it half way around and back again. In working out the round nose of a gouge for wood turning, it is necessary that the handle be swung from one side to the other while, at the same time, the chisel is revolved to cut the bevel evenly. It is sometimes necessary to allow some people to use the side of the emery wheel in sharpening the gouge. This kind of grinding, however, does not leave the tool hollow ground as when the face of the wheel is used.
To complete the sharpening, the rough edge is worked smooth on a slip stone, the cross section of which is wedge-shaped and the edges of which are rounded. The toe and heel of the beveled side of the gouge are brought into contact with the flat side of the stone. As the sharpening proceeds the wire edge is worked to the inside of the gouge. The rounded edge of the stone is then placed inside the gouge and is worked back and forth until the rough edge disappears. Great care must be taken not to bevel the inside of the gouge when whetting with the round edges of the stone, as the result will be the same as with an ordinary chisel or plane bit.

Parting Tool

The parting tool is sharpened on both sides. This tool differs from the ordinary chisel in that it is between 5/8" and ¾" thick and only about 1/8" wide at the widest point, which is in the center of its entire length. The bevels must meet exactly at the center, or the widest point, and should make an angle of about 50' with each other. If the bevels do not meet at the widest point the tool will not clear, and the sides will rub against the revolving stock; the tool will be burned and will thus lose its temper. The bevel should be hollow ground slightly as then comparatively little metal need be removed when whetting.

Scraping Tools

The round point, square point, spear point, right skew and left skew are scraping tools, used chiefly in pattern work and sometimes in face-plate work. They are sharpened on one side only, and the bevel is about twice the thickness of the chisel at the point where sharpened. These tools should be slightly hollow ground to facilitate the whetting. Scraping tools become dull quite easily as their edges are in contact with the wood almost at right angles. After sharpening, the edges of these tools may be turned with a burnisher or the broad side of a skew chisel in the same manner that the edge of a cabinet scraper is turned though not nearly to so great a degree. This will help to keep the tool sharp for, as the edge wears off, the tool sharpens -itself to a certain extent. The chisel is of harder material than a cabinet scraper so that it will not stand a great amount of turning over on the edge. Small pieces will be broken out, unless a flat surface is rubbed against the edge at a more acute angle than was used in the whetting. If a narrow burnisher is used, pieces are more likely to be broken out from the sharp edge making the tool useless.

Using a Wood Lathe part 1

Size, 10 ", 12", etc. These figures diameter or size, their work can be considered part of the show as the biggest transformation of towers. Measuring center center bearing live in the tower (usually 5 or 6 ") and as a whole radius of the circle is taken. Each time round part of which can be rotated by the length to be determined. This living and the dead center of the point in time deposits at the back of the tower carries punta. Fig. 1 on the six major parties are listed in a tree, turning the show. you should know the names of these parts and special functions will be met by the individual.

CARE Tour
Before the tower every day, fat is required. , Then in bed, or a waste piece of cloth to remove excess fat and the time required would have laid all the chips at the end of the tower was working. All vehicles will be wiped clean and replace them. All vehicles must be kept sharp at all times.

SPEED Tour
Signal to the 2400-3000 revolutions per minute, will change, when conical pulley and small stage band. If this stock speeds up to around 3 "can be activated with any certainty. Stock" diameter 3 "must have been hit for 6 from the second or third, all the shares of more than 6" the last step. To speed depends entirely on the type of work and material usage, run with a rotation. As full-centric and rough edges can not be stuck with all work slowly, and inventories should be taken off the corners should be made. This piece is very high centrifugal forces, high speeds, cause the tower to vibrate, and part at casting is possible, and by return of risks to workers in these environments. Then you can run stock speeds should increase.

Lathe Speed

A general rule is the larger the piece (diameter or length) the slower RPM. In addition, a slower speed will be safer when working with unbalanced pieces until you have turned the piece basically round.

These tables provide a starting point or comparison between size and speed.

Spindle work Speeds

Lengths Diameters 6" (150mm) 12" (305mm) 18" (460mm) 24" (610mm) 36" (915mm) 48" (1220mm) ½" (13mm) 3000 2500 1250 900 700 700 2" (50mm) 2500 2500 1750 1250 700 700 3" (75mm) 1750 1250 1250 700 700 700 4" (100mm) 1250 900 700 700 700 700 5" (125mm) 1250 900 700 700 700 700 6" (150mm) 900 700 700 700 700 700

Units : RPM

Facework Speeds

	Depth
Diameters	2" (50mm)	3" (75mm)	4" (100mm)
8" (205mm)	1250	1250	1000
10" (255mm)	1250	1000	900
12" (305mm)	1250	1000	900
14" (355mm)	1000	900	850
16" (405mm)	750	650	600
18" (460mm)	650	500	400

Units : RPM

For older lathes:

TO FIGURE THE DIAMETER OF PULLEYS
Suppose a motor runs at 1500 RPM. and is fitted with a 4” pulley. Suppose also, a main shaft should run 300 R. P. M.
Then, 1500 : 300 :: x : 4; (that is : 1500RPM is to 300RPM as x is to 4)
You can write this as 1500/300 = x/4
or, rearrange to 300 * x = 4 * 1500 and then 300x = 6000. Divide both sides by 300 which gives x = 20; the diameter of the large pulley on the main shaft.
Suppose again that a line shaft runs 300 RPM, and a counter shaft 600 RPM. The counter shaft has a pulley 4" in diameter. The pulley on the line shaft must then have a diameter of 8”.
300 : 600 :: 4 : x;
Or, 300x = 2400, x =8”
Suppose the cone pulley on the counter shaft runs 600 RPM; a lathe spindle runs 2200 RPM, when connected with the small cone pulley which has a diameter of 3". The large cone pulley has then a diameter of 11”.
600 : 2200 :: 3 : x
Or, 600x = 6600; x = 11”

RULES FOR FINDING THE SPEEDS AND SIZES OF PULLEYS
1. To find the diameter of the driving pulley:
Multiply the diameter of the driven by the number of revolutions it should make and divide the product by the number of revolutions of the driver. (20 x 300 = 6000; 6000 / 1500 = 4+ - diameter of motor pulley.)

2. To find the diameter of the driven pulley:
Multiply the diameter of the driver by its number of revolutions and divide the product by the number of revolutions of the driven. (4 x 1500 = 6000; 6000 / 300 = 20”-diameter of the driven pulley.)

3. To find the number of revolutions of the driven pulley:
Multiply the diameter of the driver by its number of revolutions and divide by the diameter of the driven. (4 x 1500 = 6000; 6000 / 20 = 300 - revolutions of driven pulley.)