How big a lathe needed for these columns?

[Brian Kent]

I am looking at a commission piece that may need some lathed columns. For the sake of this question, I'll assume the columns are about 26" long and about the thickness of a baseball bat.

Beyond the swing numbers and distance between centers, do I need more than a midi lathe to do this work?

The client will find a piece of burl for the desk top and the rest of the desk will be the same wood. Most likely will be a walnut burl (or walnut burl veneer) top, solid walnut columns, walnut ply for the case work.

I do not turn yet, but this project is not time sensitive and if I have the right equipment, I have time to practice before making the columns.

Comments appreciated, especially on what lathe is needed. Here is a picture of the desk he would like to use as a starting point and a craigslist ad for a local lathe.

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/tls/2471673820.html

[michael a nelson]

im no expert but a midi lathe would prob. work fine for these just take light shavings

[Tim Rinehart]

Brian,
Not wanting to discourage you, believe me, but if you think your client will have concerns if the profiles of the feet aren't well matched, or that the 'straightness' of the columns isn't rifle barrel straight, you may want to rethink doing this with a conventional wood lathe as a novice turner.
This is my opinion, so take it with a grain of salt. Turning repeat work is one of the more difficult things for even the experienced turners to do, and those who do it for a living will hopefully chime in. My concern peaked when I heard you say the client wishes to use a burl top...so he is investing some serious cash into process, and expects a 'piece of functional art', I think I read.
If you think you'll have more stuff like this in the future, and perhaps want to integrate fluting and spirals into the work and have excellent repeatability and straighness, etc...something like a Legacy Ornamental Mill may be a better solution, I have one and it's a very well made tool for stuff like you're showing. They don't come cheap, but routinely come up on auction sites and local craiglist ads for less than half retail price.

I think the lathe you were looking at on CL looks a bit light...and a midi would do the trick with an extension table, but there's still the issue of quality and repeatability, especially if you choose some very nice woods for the corners and feet.

You may be able to get some folks on the creek to help do parts of this that you don't have the tools for. Just a thought.

[Dennis Ford]

A midi with bed extension would be large enough for this project, I would recommend the delta. With some instruction and practice, you should be able to do the job. As a beginner, it will take you a lot longer than it would an experienced turner. Be sure to get a couple of extra leg blanks for the "oops" moment that only happens when you don't have any spare material.

[Brian Kent]

I just got an e-mail from the seller. The Craigslist lathe is a G1174 COPY WOOD LATHE.

The copy attachment would not be useable on a longer column, if I am understanding it, and the stand does not look very mighty and awesome at all.

[Roger Chandler]

A copy attachment would give you identical pieces.........once you have done some practice on some scrap pieces for the learning curve. I have one, and I have also done table legs individually......one thing.....if you get very similar, but not exact, the distance of the legs apart from one another will not allow the differences to be seen just by eye.

If a number of legs for tables, desks, etc are in you future, a copy attachment is a good investment for the furniture maker who only turns occasionally.

[Tim Rinehart]

Vega Lathe Duplicator...various sizes available. These would help with reproducing and patterning off a first piece.

[Damon Stathatos]

If you're willing to take a trip into LALA land, you'd be welcome to use mine. The hurdle on these legs is going to be the bottom 20%.

The money savings comes in the event you get hooked on turning. You'll save the cost of the midi and go right to a full size to begin with.

Disclaimer: This is in no way an attempt to slam non-full size lathes or non-full size lathe users. I started out with a mini but haven't touched it since the addition of this one.

[Brian Kent]

Damon, i would love to take you up on that offer. That looks like one heavy duty machine. Also, I would feel much safer with someone telling me I am about to remove a finger or jaw or worse. I will get in touch with you when I am closer to building, and I go to Pasadena often for work.

Brian

I just looked at your website. I wonder if my client would like a desktop of cocobolo instead of walnut burl????

[Damon Stathatos]

Brian:

That's a good idea about not wanting to loose any fingers or jaws, it's messy and it hurts. Not only that but you need to go and try to find the staple gun and clean staples to reattach that stuff, and that hurts too.

A cocobolo desktop? Unfortunately we only sell the coco to members of the Royal family. Unless your client can provide an 'HMS' card, it could get sticky.

But seriously, whenever you're ready, just let me know.