Starting large pieces of green wood

[Olaf Vogel]

After a few months of playing with my new lathe, I've finally got everything working properly. So now I'd like to start using up the bid wood pile under my deck. Most of this is cedar and poplar.

Its all green wood, fairly fresh. Diameters between 8 - 14", lengths up to 24".
the machine will handle it (lots of swing and length), but I've had a couple of issues.

1 - If I orient the grain along the bed, and the pieces don't have very square ends, then I start them with a drive spur and try to flatten the ends until I can get a face place or chuck on it. However, the wood if often so soft that the drive spur digs a hole in deep.

I've looked at the Oneway Big Bite, but if the piece is heavy, will it actually hold the weight?

I've tried a large screw chuck but it just spins when the pieces are heavy.

2 - If orient grain perpendicular to the bed, using the spur chuck is pretty dicey. Had a few come loose while I'm trying to cut a flat spot. I was considering using a big forstner bit then screwing on a small faceplate.

Olaf

[Steve Schlumpf]

Olaf - check out Jerry's article on building your own chuck plate (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/content.php?129-Building-a-Chuck-Plate). I have it and use it now instead of the worm-screw. Neat thing is you can change wood orientations and you don't have to worry about some big hole in the blank!

[Olaf Vogel]

Perfect solution! Thanks Steve, much appreciated.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Olaf,
Use the "Big Bite". It really holds well.I drill a pilot hole. Mount it between centers and give the blank a few whacks with your "thumper" to set the Big Bite firmly in the wood. Make sure you remove all the bark and the soft layer below if you are using the Big Bite on the bark side. Round it out and throw it in your favorite chuck or, better yet, flatten the end and mount it on a six inch face plate for real security.
faust

[Gary Max]

75% of the blanks I start are with the 3 1/2 inch faceplate that came with my lathe. The other 25% I start with a spur, also the one that came with the lathe. Are you removing the bark from the under your drive??

[Bernie Weishapl]

I built one of those also and works slick on softer wood.

[Scott Hackler]

I use a face plate ring that I bought to fit my 50mm jaws on the SuperNova2 chuck. The ring can't be more than 4" but with 4 machine screws and the tailstock as a support, it holds everything well. In fact I only use the faceplate until I can get a tenon cut (and the blank roughed to semi round or better). Then it gets removed and the blank remounted in the chuck.

[Olaf Vogel]

I've used face plates many times, but needed to create a flat, true spot to start.
The version suggested by Steve worked perfectly. I used some scrap birch ply and screws, 30 min I was ready.

The first piece I did with it became a nice little poplar bowl, where I found some really nice patterns inside. I'm not happy with the design of the foot though.

193152

I also used it on a 80 lb piece of apple which worked very well, even though it was pretty badly out of balance.

Yesterday my buddy showed up with a 200 lb block of maple - kind of intimidating, but I'm sure I'll try it once I figure out how to lift the sucker. :)

Olaf

[Harry Robinette]

Olaf
I know most guys don't like them but if I need to flatten a large piece I use a drill press Safety Planer. My Drill Press is a 17" Jet and it takes some pretty big pieces.
If that ain't big enough I get the electric chain saw out,I use a 26 tooth 16" chain and if it's not smooth enough I use a 1 1/2" chisel and smooth it by hand.
I been doing it this way for about 10 years so it does work.

[Roger Chandler]

Olaf, there is a couple more ways to get the flat spot to be able to put on a faceplate. One is that if you have a jointer, take the fence off and lay your log blank on it and trim down 1/16th at a time....just keep your hands away from that rotating blade, and keep a firm grip .........use a large push stick to move across the bed, and the other hand just to guide it along.

Second, and this is better.......if you have a portable power planer.......handheld like you would use to plane a door.......take several passes until you get the flat spot wide enough to put on the face plate.........I have used both methods and they work.

[Jerry Marcantel]

[QUOTE=Olaf Vogel;1694279]I .
The version suggested by Steve worked perfectly. I used some scrap birch ply and screws, 30 min I was ready.



Olaf, I'm glad to hear you made a chuck plate. Word of caution. Use #10's or # 12 screws. I've really been pushing the evelope on the chuck plates I have, and have been breaking screws..... If you were going to use a CP for 200 lb block of wood, I think it should at least 8-10" od and have another ring of screws. Play safe, now....... Jerry (in Tucson)

[robert baccus]

Using the between center method has real advantages in that you can easily rotate the blank to maximise the figure, defects ect. when satisfied flatten with parting tool, chainsaw, ect. try using 1-2.5" blue concrete screws on large pieces especially. these are heat treated and epoxy coated and will last at least 10 years safely. they are far better steel than most screws and have bolt heads for removal. i usually screw into the top on a 3" ring or face plate. rough out and prepare the bottom for mounting. i normally glue on a "good " glueblock and screw to that. reverse your piece, hollow the inside and coat the outside and lip with anchorseal. leave the inside bare and the glueblock attached and put it on the shelf for several months. this is very good way to remount the piece acurately and the glueblocks actually give you an infinite number of "faceplates ------------old forester