New Toy

[Robert Rozaieski]

While this is more of a foot tool than a hand tool, I think it's appropriate here seeing as it is tailless :D.
http://logancabinetshoppe.weebly.com/uploads/9/4/7/5/947508/3117056_orig.jpg

I decided to learn to turn this year and what better way than on a shop built lathe? The design is from a 2004 episode of The Woodwright Shop and is also in Roy's newest book "The Woodwright's Guide". The bulk of the lathe was built from a single 2 x 12 x 16' piece of construction lumber. I was able to find a knot free piece in the 16' length so it was fairly easy to work. The remainder of the parts, the upper lever and the treadle boards were made from a piece of 1 x 6 pine. The poles are two 1-1/4" yellow pine poles meant for closet rods. These are usually found in the molding isle of the big box store. The collar around the two poles to adjust the tension is made from a half of a length of 1/2" copper pipe hammered flat, wrapped around the poles and then riveted together. The dead centers and axle for the upper lever were cut from a piece of 1/2" round mild steel bar. The tool rest is adjustable using a 1/2" carraige bolt. I wanted the lathe so that I'd be able to turn spindles for furniture and also chair legs. It works real well, I just don't know what I'm doing so there are no action shots yet :rolleyes:.

Now I need to learn to turn! :D

[Michael Sobik]

Wow, you are an ambitious man. Great job, be sure to let us know how it works.

[Jim Koepke]

Looks great.

My ponderings often wondered to the thoughts of making a lathe to make handles for my chisels. Then an old lathe came in for $100 with tools and such and now it is doing the turning around here.

That looks like it would allow one to have a second piece of pie after dinner.

jim

[Wilbur Pan]

Really nice job, Bob!

One question: Steel turning tools + wooden tool rest = dents in tool rest = unhappy turning experience. Did Roy have a wooden tool rest on his lathe?

[Bob Glenn]

Really nice job, Bob!

One question: Steel turning tools + wooden tool rest = dents in tool rest = unhappy turning experience. Did Roy have a wooden tool rest on his lathe?

As I recall, Roy has a steel strap running the length of his tool rest between the rest and the spindle. I have built a similar spring pole lathe to the one pictured here that I used when demonstrating Windsor chair making at eighteen century festivals, and have never had a problem with dents or damage to the tool rest. I made the tool rest from Ash.

[Jim Paulson]

Robert,
It really helps to turn wood that comes right from the tree especially when you're relying on foot power. A great resource that I found over the holidays is Mike Abbott's Green Woodwork. He is quite thorough in his handling of the subject.

Actually, I turn in stages so I optimize the moisture content and the ability of the wood to give me crisp turnings.

Good Luck,
Jim

[David Keller NC]

Now I need to learn to turn! :D

Robert - I don't have the stamina to use a treadle-powered tool, so my lathe is an el cheapo Delta, but I've used one of these before - theyre really cool, though it takes some getting used to (the down/up motion is a bit funky). Nice job, but I suspect you'll decide you want an iron or steel insert in your tool rest before long - pretty easy by ordering a 1" wide, 1/4" thick piece of flat bar tool steel from the online metal dealers.

If you're new to turning, and you primarily want to turn furniture legs, I highly recommend getting Alan Lacer's DVDs, particularly "The Skew Chisel - The Dark Side and The Sweet Side". I couldn't use this tool worth a flip before getting this video, though I'd tried for years. Now it's the "go to" tool, and is worlds faster than gouges for tapers and beads.

[Robert Rozaieski]

Really nice job, Bob!

One question: Steel turning tools + wooden tool rest = dents in tool rest = unhappy turning experience. Did Roy have a wooden tool rest on his lathe?

Thanks Wilbur. In the video I have there is no steel on on Roy's tool rests (spindle rest or bowl rest) and his is made from SYP. It's easy enough to make a new one from a harder wood if need be or to add a steel strip to the edge of this one. My local Lowes carried mild steel flat stock for $3-4 so it would be an easy add on if I find I need it. I don't think the force from this is going to be as great as a motorized lathe so it may turn out to be a non-issue. Time will tell :).

Thanks for the kind comments everyone!

Bob

[willie sobat]

That's really cool. I've always thought it would be a cool project to build one. You appear to be better than I at translating thought into deed.

[Bill Houghton]

Really nice job, Bob!

One question: Steel turning tools + wooden tool rest = dents in tool rest = unhappy turning experience. Did Roy have a wooden tool rest on his lathe?

No direct knowledge here, but one of the "classic" British turning gurus from the pre- or post-war period recommended wood rests for production spindle turning, because the dents came to serve as story poles for the details (my phrasing of what was said in a rather more complex way).

Of course, you'd have to be doing several hundred identical spindles for this to make sense...

[Kevin Adams]

Bob--

Nice job. I have this on my early 2009 list as well. Did you pretty much follow Roy's dimensions from the book or alter anything? One thing I was thinking about was raising the upper cross bar above the height that Roy specs. It seems like you would be crouched over an awful lot to keep that bar from banging you on the head. How far do your through tenons project from the sides?

Thanks.
Kevin

[Robert Rozaieski]

Hi Kevin,

I pretty much built it right out of the book. My tenons are 4" long leaving 41" shoulder to shoulder on the ways. With 1-1/2" long dead centers, I end up with a maximum turning length of about 34-35" between centers.

I built it the height specified in the book. I initially had the same thought as you, i.e. it might be too short and you might hit your head with the upper lever. However, in use the lever is centered in the frame and you are forced to stand far enough back from the lathe in order to treadle that you can't hit yourself in the head. At least not unless you intentionally bend over at the waist and stand with your head directly above the work, in which case you'd never be able to turn anyway. So in short, there's no need to make it taller. You won't hit yourself.

[Kevin Adams]

Hi Bob--

Thanks for the additional info. If it's OK here, I'll post a link to the UK Bodgers' forum for an interesting thread and photos on a similiar lathe that was demo'd at a fair this past summer. This was in OH and Ernie Conover was involved (the photos are of Ernie's apprentice). I actually contacted Ernie by email (great guy btw--very helpful) and he sent me some other photos of his lathe. He did advise me to build it heavier than Roy's lathe (both in thickness and type of wood), and also make the upright taller. My full-time shop is in my basement so I do have height restrictions, but I think I will try to go taller and heavier than Roy's lathe (I have some nice beech).

Have fun with yours--I remember the first time I turned on a pole lathe--it takes just a minute or two to get the rhythm down and then it is about as much fun as you can have with hand tools. As someone mentioned, green(er) wood is your friend here, although you can certainly turn dry wood, too. Here's the link:

http://www.bodgers.org.uk/bb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=560

Take care,
Kevin

[Robert Rozaieski]

Thanks for the kind words and advice everyone! I do intend to turn mostly green wood as the lathe is mostly for things like chair legs. I'll probably try to turn some dry stock and see how it works anyway as my turning tools are older carbon steel that I'm planning to hone on stones just like my bench chisels and plane irons so they will be plenty sharp enough to cut dry wood cleanly. I don't know how often I'll need to do so though.

Thanks for the recommendation on the Alan Lancer video David. I definately intend on getting proficient with the skew as I've seen work that can be done with it and being able to go from the skew right to assembly without sanding is a skill I'd like to learn. I don't like to sand.

Bob

[David Keller NC]

"I don't like to sand." I'm definitely with you there - I despise it, if for no other reason that I have a basement shop and while shavings from planes and chips from carving tools stay put, dust from sanding (even hand sanding) goes everywhere, despite a good dust collection system.

[Kevin Adams]

Bob--

I bought a few HSS tools at Woodcraft when I had a coupon, but most of my turning tools (I only turn on a pole lathe now) are Ashley Iles carbon steel that are fantastic. I sharpen them on my oil stones just like carving tools. Mine are in the traditional "bodger" shapes including a wide flat chisel (which I highly recommend you get) for "planing" the spindle after roughing. I got them from England, but I bet Joel could order them if anyone is interested. I rarely use the HSS and only on very hard, dry wood. The fellow who bought my old power lathe wanted them, but I saw no reason to get rid of them just yet.

For those that may be interested in doing this kind of work, there are a few good books out there (Mike Abbott is one that comes to mind) and you might check some of the older Roy episodes, especially one with Don Weber making a Welsh stick chair. Robin Wood from the UK also has a great site with videos, but he is strictly bowl turning.

Have fun!
Kevin

[Robert Rozaieski]

Mine are in the traditional "bodger" shapes including a wide flat chisel (which I highly recommend you get) for "planing" the spindle after roughing.

The 2" wide chisel was actually the first one I got ;). Someone actually made it from an old cast steel square sided firmer so I'm expecting it to cut like a dream. It was actually ground and sharpened as a wide double bevel skew so I'm going to leave it that way for now. It can be used as a flat chisel for planing simply by changing the angle of attack.

[Kevin Adams]

That'll work just great. Don Weber makes his from old truck parts!

Kevin

[Alan DuBoff]

Very nice Robert!

That's a sweet tool! ;)