how do you finish spindle work?

[curtis rosche]

how do you finish off the ends of spindle work? just part it off and sand it, or take it to the chop saw and cut it? or something else?

[Paul Atkins]

Yes, all of the above. Depends on the piece. Stair parts are cut to length and turned. Porch posts usually are left long so the installer can cut them. Chair parts usually left long also. Sometimes I turn between centers and part almost off, then use fine saw and sand. Stuff that is in the collets I finish the outboard end and then part off while 'holding' lightly with my fingers.

[curtis rosche]

im making for lack of a better word "rattles" spindles with 3 rings on them.

[David Walser]

Curtis,

Given what you say you're doing, I'd use a skew (so I get a clean cut with no torn grain) to cut almost all the way through on both ends of the rattle. By "almost all the way through" I mean I'd leave about 1/4" of solid wood. Then, I'd use a small saw to cut the rest of the way through off the lathe. The reason for cutting with a saw is to avoid the possibility that the last few wood fibers would twist out, leaving a hole in the end of your rattle. A quick touch on the disk/belt sander is all it takes to clean up the little nubbin left by the saw.

Note: Traditional turned rattles are made with three or more captured rings. The concern is these rings are apt to break leaving a small piece a baby could choke on. So, unless you KNOW an infant/toddler will never play with the rattle, I'd make a different type rattle. Here's a link to an article by Nick Cook on turning baby rattles that meet all the modern safety standards: http://www.nickcookwoodturner.com/articles-babyrattle.pdf

[curtis rosche]

they arent baby rattles, they are just 3 captured rings. people seem to be willing to buy anything that doesnt have a use around, just cause it was hand made in lancaster county. i will warn people though just incase they get that idea

[Bernie Weishapl]

I agree with David. The few I have made I parted off with a skew. Rounded the end slightly with no torn wood and no need to sand if done right.

[curtis rosche]

how do you part it off with a skew and not hit the drive center?

[curtis rosche]

? wouldnt the 4 prongs of the drive mess up the skew?

[David Walser]

Curtis,

I can't answer how Bernie would part of the spindle without hitting the drive center. I suppose it would be a combination of his superior talent and skill. In my case, I use a blank that's about an inch or two longer than the final product will be. Then, I part off the spindle about half an inch or so from each end. Even a klutz such as myself can part off such an item without hitting the drive center. (Well, okay, I don't hit the drive center 9 times out of 10. But, I'm improving.)

If you don't have a blank that's longer than what you want your finished product to be, then I wouldn't recommend parting it off the lathe. Instead, just stop the lathe and remove the spindle and try to sand out the dimple at each end.

HTH.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I agree with David. I always make sure my blanks are a inch longer than needed. Otherwise if it is the length you where you can't part it like David said use a belt sander and sand the ends.

[curtis rosche]

ok, i had just never heard of using a skew to do it. i think i will just cut it with the chop saw. i seem to get really clean edges with it

[Jim Underwood]

When parting off spindles there's a variety of ways to do it. Most have been mentioned.

It depends on what kind of end you want. If it's a tenon ended spindle, then you can do it any old way. Usually, I make the blank longer than it needs to be, cut the tenon a little long, almost to the drive or tailstock center, and then part it off at the desired point. Since it won't be visible it doesn't matter what the end looks like.

If it's a square end, like for a table leg, then you can just leave the drive marks on the square end (or cut the leg off shorter in a chop saw), and then the cylindrical end will still have the tailstock center marks.

For something like what you want, where the end needs to have a good finish, then I'd use a spindle gouge or a skew. If a rounded end, I use a gouge, if a flat end, I use a skew. Either way it needs a good slicing cut almost through. (then part off farther away, saving the final cutting through for a sharp knife or saw, and a bit of sandpaper.)

Sometimes if you're very good, you can hold the spindle with the left hand, and while it continues spinning, you can slice it right off, and almost no need to sand at all. I've even seen some guys continue to hold it and part the drive end off. Production turners find all kinds of tricks to get their numbers up.

If you've got the drive end chucked up, then you can cut almost through on the tailstock end, then remove the tailstock to finish that last cut.

For really small spindle work, I've taken to using a cup center on the tailstock and the small jawed chuck on the drive end. The spindle is then much more rigid and flexes a whole lot less. But I still use a gouge or skew to almost cut through each end, and then cut through with a utility knife off the lathe.