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Christmas carousel
Hello, I am asking for a little help in locating pyramid cup bearings for a christmas carousel.
The November and December issues of Woodturning (UK) magazine has a very nice plan for a German Christmas carousel. The author was inspired after visiting a small town in Germany that specializes in making these. He noted the town had a population of 2000 people and a lathe population of 900!
I am going to attempt to build a few of these (can't build just one with 3 grandkids), but can't seem to find a source for these bearings. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!
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Do you by chance have a picture? I'm not familiar with the term 'pyramid cup bearing'.
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I have been wanting to make a German Pyramid for years. The last time I examined one, it had a jewel type bearing. Simple hardened brass with a slight depression in the center and a hardened brass tip on the spindle. The town in Germany is either Seiffen or Ertzgebirge. Home of incredible lathe artistry.
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I've made number. I've used a steel rod, sharpened to a point for the axis, rotating in a slight conical depression in a segment of brass rod. Erzgebirge is the region in southern Germany -- also the original home of nutcrackers, smokers, hoop turning, and much else (all of which I've tried doing).
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I made one years ago, but I cheated, I use a steel rod through the center using a bearing that had a 1/4" center hole and 1" OD. A drill stop kept the rod in place on the bearing. I looked, but found none of the bearings so I have no number to give you.
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I find it interesting that this thread was just posted I just finished restoring a Christmas carousel I bought about 30 years ago. It was in pretty said shape when I got it and I just never got around to repairing it till now. Six grandkids I guess was enough to inspire me.
The one I have has a steel rod that is sharpened to a point and the point rest on a flat piece of metal I had to replace. I used a center punch to put a slight dimple in the new metal but it caused to much friction and would not turn so I tried just letting the point set on the surface of the metal and it now works fine.
The grandkids like it but I think grandpa enjoys it the most maybe I need to figure out how to operate it with a smart phone so the kids can relate to it more:).
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Thank you for all of your responses. Thank you John Grace for the link.
This should be quite a challenge, but I'm going to give it a try.
