Rob Price
01-30-2012, 10:02 AM
So this is the reason I ended up buying a lathe. I had played with the idea for about a year but kept putting it off. When I decided to make and end table to match an entertainment center I just finished, I decided I wanted round legs. It will have a 1" granite top, so I wanted a big, heavy table to support it, and 3" square legs just didn't look right. Of course now that I have the lathe I started working on pens, and pepper mills, and trying a few bowls before I finished these. I know you guys/gals are primarily bowl and HF people, so I apologize for posting spindle work ;)
I made a prototype out of poplar to practice turning, and to practice my M&T joints, also a first for me.
Poplar prototype. The poplar I had was a few inches short, so the practice mortise goes through the top, but otherwise it's a full size leg, 3" square, 22" long:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2dV_3OK9nsk/Tyaf4Ew0hiI/AAAAAAAABlQ/xcYOlGVlDBA/s640/photo.JPG
Here's my duplicating setup. The prototype sits on a shelf behind the lathe. The full scale drawing from Sketchup sits above it. I mounted it to some hardboard so I could carry it around the shop. It was helpful setting up jigs/etc for the joinery as well. It has the dimensions on it, but since it's to scale I usually just set my calipers on the drawing.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7BcUt737pfc/TyagI3L3VCI/AAAAAAAABlY/zov76iF85ng/s640/photo.JPG
4 legs. The second from the left real leg was my first, and the bead above the bottom pummel ended up more pointy than I like, but not enough to scrap the piece. You can't tell as much when looking down at it like you would when it's put together. I also blew out the corner on the top pummel. Got interrupted while setting up the lathe and didn't realize the tool rest wasn't secure (Doh!) Of course it was the outside edge that blew out. fortunately I found the piece and glued it back on. After final sanding you can't tell it happened. I learned not to grab the piece by the pummel when slowing it down to take a look. Between the pummel and the tool rest, my thumb lost the battle (nothing but a bruise fortunately). I also now refer to the pummels as knuckle busters, esp when sanding around them:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-cDolmbnl_uw/TyagYcZWm-I/AAAAAAAABlg/CC5sAPz4igY/s640/photo.JPG
Full project pics to follow (hopefully this week) in the projects forum. Comments/criticism welcome.
On to bowls...
I made a prototype out of poplar to practice turning, and to practice my M&T joints, also a first for me.
Poplar prototype. The poplar I had was a few inches short, so the practice mortise goes through the top, but otherwise it's a full size leg, 3" square, 22" long:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2dV_3OK9nsk/Tyaf4Ew0hiI/AAAAAAAABlQ/xcYOlGVlDBA/s640/photo.JPG
Here's my duplicating setup. The prototype sits on a shelf behind the lathe. The full scale drawing from Sketchup sits above it. I mounted it to some hardboard so I could carry it around the shop. It was helpful setting up jigs/etc for the joinery as well. It has the dimensions on it, but since it's to scale I usually just set my calipers on the drawing.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7BcUt737pfc/TyagI3L3VCI/AAAAAAAABlY/zov76iF85ng/s640/photo.JPG
4 legs. The second from the left real leg was my first, and the bead above the bottom pummel ended up more pointy than I like, but not enough to scrap the piece. You can't tell as much when looking down at it like you would when it's put together. I also blew out the corner on the top pummel. Got interrupted while setting up the lathe and didn't realize the tool rest wasn't secure (Doh!) Of course it was the outside edge that blew out. fortunately I found the piece and glued it back on. After final sanding you can't tell it happened. I learned not to grab the piece by the pummel when slowing it down to take a look. Between the pummel and the tool rest, my thumb lost the battle (nothing but a bruise fortunately). I also now refer to the pummels as knuckle busters, esp when sanding around them:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-cDolmbnl_uw/TyagYcZWm-I/AAAAAAAABlg/CC5sAPz4igY/s640/photo.JPG
Full project pics to follow (hopefully this week) in the projects forum. Comments/criticism welcome.
On to bowls...