george wilson
10-23-2010, 7:52 PM
I finally found these pictures in my wife's files. There are a bunch more,too. She probably took the photos. I managed to email them to myself,but don't know how to edit them and change the lighting etc.
Anyway,some of you have asked to see this ellipsograph several times,and I couldn't find the pictures.
When I first got my new journeyman,he had not used a metal lathe(being a silversmith),and I used this project to teach him how to use the Hardinge,with a little side trip into knurl making. We used the knurls made to make this device.
This device was used by Marcus and Ed on the Roy Underhill show. It was used to draw the ellipses in the inside of the lid of the tool chest they were reproducing.
It is about 6" square. Not seen are 2 tiny,sharp,flat points underneath the device to bite and hold it still while drawing the ellipses. REMEMBER THESE little sharp points should you try making one. You could make a working device out of wood,with hardware store thumbscrews. You may have seen one of the little joke novelties called an "air grinder","bs" grinder,etc. they are the same principle. Just get a good sliding fit on the sliding parts,with no extra play so you don't draw a shaky ellipse.
The device Jay Gaynor gave us a picture to follow was very plain. No decoration at all. Flat top knobs with flat,just functional straight line knurling on it. I made it more 18th.C. looking by making the knobs nicer, and also designing a knife attachment for cutting out paper patterns with it.
The knife is made of 1/8" drill rod,hardened and tempered,and sharpened very sharp. It swivels freely to follow the curves.
I think I used real Cuban mahogany of my own for this.It didn't take much:The arms are about 1 1/2" X 3/4" x 6". Unfortunately,I did not make a photo of the somewhat complex joint where the arms cross after I made it.
The brass tracks were silver soldered together at 45º angles to make the 90º angles needed. Screws were soft soldered to their undersides,and let into holes with glue in them so as to avoid seeing traces of screw heads as the wood moved over the years,and to avoid color differences in the brasses.
We got this device done about 1/2 hour before the cabinet makers were going to rehearse their presentation to a forum that was going on.
The mahogany is not stained. It is the natural color of the very dark Cuban mahogany. I may have oiled it,but I do not recall putting any other finish on it.
Enjoy,and ask questions. If one of you more computer savvy guys wants to edit these pictures,and lighten them up a bit,please feel free.
Anyway,some of you have asked to see this ellipsograph several times,and I couldn't find the pictures.
When I first got my new journeyman,he had not used a metal lathe(being a silversmith),and I used this project to teach him how to use the Hardinge,with a little side trip into knurl making. We used the knurls made to make this device.
This device was used by Marcus and Ed on the Roy Underhill show. It was used to draw the ellipses in the inside of the lid of the tool chest they were reproducing.
It is about 6" square. Not seen are 2 tiny,sharp,flat points underneath the device to bite and hold it still while drawing the ellipses. REMEMBER THESE little sharp points should you try making one. You could make a working device out of wood,with hardware store thumbscrews. You may have seen one of the little joke novelties called an "air grinder","bs" grinder,etc. they are the same principle. Just get a good sliding fit on the sliding parts,with no extra play so you don't draw a shaky ellipse.
The device Jay Gaynor gave us a picture to follow was very plain. No decoration at all. Flat top knobs with flat,just functional straight line knurling on it. I made it more 18th.C. looking by making the knobs nicer, and also designing a knife attachment for cutting out paper patterns with it.
The knife is made of 1/8" drill rod,hardened and tempered,and sharpened very sharp. It swivels freely to follow the curves.
I think I used real Cuban mahogany of my own for this.It didn't take much:The arms are about 1 1/2" X 3/4" x 6". Unfortunately,I did not make a photo of the somewhat complex joint where the arms cross after I made it.
The brass tracks were silver soldered together at 45º angles to make the 90º angles needed. Screws were soft soldered to their undersides,and let into holes with glue in them so as to avoid seeing traces of screw heads as the wood moved over the years,and to avoid color differences in the brasses.
We got this device done about 1/2 hour before the cabinet makers were going to rehearse their presentation to a forum that was going on.
The mahogany is not stained. It is the natural color of the very dark Cuban mahogany. I may have oiled it,but I do not recall putting any other finish on it.
Enjoy,and ask questions. If one of you more computer savvy guys wants to edit these pictures,and lighten them up a bit,please feel free.