Glue blocks?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

The next step in my turning of Martha's candle stand is to turn the 20" table top.

I want to turn the bottom first and I don't want to damage the top. Is a glue block on the top may only option and if so what glue and how?


Or could I turn a recess to fit my SN2 and turn the bottom and then turn the recess out?

Help please!

[David Christopher]

Ken, could you cut a piece of plywood and put it on a faceplate and then use double stick tape for the top to stick to....that might give you more support ( just a thought )

[Jim Becker]

I use CA for smaller pieces that are turned with a glue block, but for a table top, I'd probably use the same Titebond I use for assembly and let it cure fully overnight for a table top. There is a lot of torque involved and with your PM, unless it's a small table, you'll not be able to put it between centers.

[Thomas Canfield]

The double stick tape to plywood on a faceplate suggestion by David is a good one. Someone brought a 16" platter turned with double stick tape a couple years ago to our local turning club meeting. I had to try it and turned a 11" plate out cypress and was impressed. You will need to use a fairly large plywood disk (say 10" diameter) and space the tape out mostly to the outside of the disk. I always have a problem knowing how much double stick tape to use, and usually go way on the safe side and it is a problem separating later. A hint also is to cut a notch or taper on outside of disk to help insert a wedge to separate later. It then goes without saying that sharp tools and light touch is needed. Good Luck.

[Curt Fuller]

Ken, I've turned large platters by using a glue block screwed to a face plate. I turn the bottom first and make a recess to hold it with. Then I flip it over, mount in the recess with jaws expanded, and turn the top. I keep the tailstock up against the waste block while turning the top and just leave it until it's almost all finish sanded. Then cut off the nub left from the waste block. The shallow recess probably won't show if the candlestand is how I have it pictured. This process allows you to sand to a nice finish on the lathe also.

[David Drickhamer]

I've never had much luck with double sticky back tape and don't trust it. I'd do what Jim says and use titebond or elmers. Put a small bevel on the bottom of your glue block and put a piece of brown paper bag between the glue block and your piece. The glue block will then be easy to remove when your done.
Dave

[Richard Madison]

Ditto what they (mostly) all said. All 2-stick tape is not created equal. Some is about useless. Have some "Duck" brand from big box store that is pretty good. Used close to O.D. of 10" or 12" aux. faceplate as Thomas suggested would probably work well, assuming faceplate and workpiece are both flat and smooth. Press hard and thoroughly when sticking the two pieces together.

Titebond I or II also good, and maybe a 6" aux. faceplate would be sufficient, again with both surfaces flat and smooth. Really no need to use paper in the joint, as that surface will be turned and sanded later, as Curt wrote.

Hope you will show us the finished piece.

[Chris Stolicky]

I haven't turned anything large yet. However when I have glued up pieces into a larger block, my preferred glue it one of the titebonds (I or II - what ever I happen to have around), and then let it site for at least a day.

With that said, many people (seasoned turners) at my turning group swear by the use of hot melt glue. Some love and others are scared of it. I lean a bit towards the latter.

[Thom Sturgill]

Ken, If I'm not mistaken, the table has a raised rim. If so, I would turn a small recess and use your jaws inside that to turn the bottom and then turn that out leaving the rim.
I'm making a similar small table, but with a fixed top. My Jet 1220 will not turn the top, but I turned the spindle about a year ago (that's what I bought the lathe for) and got sucked into this vortex and haven't finished the table. Luckily the LOML r-e-a-l-l-y likes my turnings and hasn't fussed at the lack of my finishing the table.:rolleyes:
Now I wonder if I can convince her I need a bigger lathe to turn the top I glued up...

[Wally Dickerman]

Ken, my choice would be double faced tape. I have turned dozens of platters using double faced tape and it works very well. My largest so far is 22 inches in dia. I use DF tape when doing small things also. Preparing a piece for a HF collar, turning the base for a pedestal or a finial, etc.

There are several things that you should know about double faced tape to be successful with it. Carpet tape just doesn't do the job. I have found only one tape that does, and that is Permacel, a cloth tape. It is sold by Craft Supplies, Woodcraft and others, for woodworkers. For a 20 inch table top a 6 inch faceplate attached directly to the wood will work just fine.

Even though the tape joint is very secure, don't leave a heavy piece on the lathe overnight. Constant pressure may result in finding the piece on the floor the next day. I speak from experience.

Just as in a glue joint, the wood surface must be true and flat. The tape is applied to the faceplate, around the edge and just a little in the middle portion. It must be clamped securely to the wood for a minute or two. Pressure from the tailstock isn't enough pressure.

One of the things that steers people away from using DF tape is the difficulty of removing the faceplate from the wood. I have a very simple solution. Turn a 1/2 inch deep plug that will fit inside the threaded portion of the faceplate. Insert it into the faceplate, then slowly thread the faceplate on to the spindle. The plug just pushes the turned piece off the faceplate. No fuss, no mess, just very simple. That idea got me $75 from Wood magazine for their Tips section. It was also in the Tips section in American Woodturner.

Wally

[Kim Ford]

Ken;

Last Christmas I did several 17" platters out of a stack of 2" rough sawn native ash. I did the last few a little different but it worked well and was the easiest.

I actually put a 1/2" thick solid glue block on both sides of the rough sawn board. I then mounted the blank between centers (the glue blocks were to eliminate the damage caused by centers) and turned both sides of the platter. Between centers you have much less flex and are able to detail the outer edge without much trouble.

I have a 5" PVC vacuum chuck which I used then to finish cleaning up each side and do the final sanding. It worked very well, and with that much surface area on the vacuum chuck I had no problems.

A 5 or 6 inch vacuum chuck is very easy to make with a PVC coupling and on something a simple as a platter it has tremendous holding power.

Just another thought to consider.

[Jeff Riddle]

David Drickhamer has the best idea. I used this same method years ago when I first starting turning. Using a glue block, Elmers glue and a brown paper bag I turned a black walnut Goblet that won 2nd place at the county fair. My shop teacher was not happy but that's a different story. Bottom line, brown bag it and you'll do just fine. Great tip Dave.

[Don Eddard]

Jeff, although it'd work great on a goblt-sized piece, I'm not sure I'd trust the brown bag method on something as big as a 20" table top. I'd vote for Curt's or Wally's suggestions.

[Jeff Riddle]

Well, To be honest Don, I've never tried the double stick tape method and I have never turned anything that large either. That is one of the reasons I joined this website. To get good honest advise from true woodworkers. I'll have to try it sometime. Cup of hot coffee in one hand and a written stick in the utter, I'll be scratchin out some drawins for now. Off work and out of the shop till I get done with back surgery. :eek:

See ya later,
Jeff