Help! the vortex has stopped spinning...

[Primvs Aebvtivs]

A bit alarmist perhaps, but I've had to enforce a self-imposed ban on the lathe for a week (or possibly longer!)... I've realised that during my weekend turnings, when I can spend up to 6 or 7 hours in one straight session, I ALWAYS come away with a headache...

It wasn't until I re-thought my turning processes, that I spotted the one thing that I should have set up on the first day - the lathe centre height. My Clarke manual says something along the lines of "chek the spindle turning position, against the hollowing position". There is a difference of approximately 6" in my case (I may adjust this down to 4", depending on how the spindle turning pose adapts itself).
So, instead of lifting the whole lathe and bed off the floor, wasting some very nice sleepers, I decided to separate the lathe from the purpose made bench that came with it. Having started by undoing the bolts, and separating it last night, then laying out a template, last night was finished by cutting one, and checking it against the casting / pressed metal cover section - by turning the lathe on its side... (MAN, they're heavy!).
That done, I retired to the warm - we had up to 5" of snow hanging around. Today, I've been out again, with the promise from work of some 5 x 3" at 6' long, to help reduce the number of 3/8" plywood sheet profiles I need to cut (I'm not holding my breath, this is about the fifth thing the guys promised to bring in for me...) So I cut 4 out tonight, and 5 total a stack almost 2" tall. IF the 5 x 3" turns up tomorrow, I've got spares, if not, I'll cut some blockboard up to bulk them a bit!

Sorry for the ramble, there's no blood, and I'll be turning again VERY soon (In the middle of a roughout - still in the 4 jaw chuck).

[charlie knighton]

uh...remember we need some pictures....finished work project fine.....enjoy

[Ed Morgano]

Primvs,
I'm not sure what you/they meant by "Check the Spindle turning position vs. the hollowing position." What does that mean? In another thread, many suggested setting the tool rest height so your right arm made a right angle to your body when holding a tool on the tool rest. That made it most comfortable to work on the lathe.

[Primvs Aebvtivs]

Ed, For the positions mentioned, I find that I'm standing quite upright when spindle turning, and crouched over for hollowing out pots and things. It means I'm craning my neck trying to see into the bottom of the vessels, causing a "swan-neck" shape. I'm thinking if I raise the lathe, then I should be able to see straight into the vessel from a more upright position, and put a 'duck board' down to stand on when spindle turning (thus raising my arms to the 90 degrees position you mention).

Hope that explains it! Oh, and photo's of work in progress to be taken in a bit when I brave the cold again! (Please don't let John K see the pics though, the shop's a mess!)

[Roger Chandler]

you have to bend over to see inside hollow turnings..........otherwise your spindle turning height would have to be at shoulder height...................seems like there is not a problem here to me....:confused:........of course, making your standing height adjustable with a "duck board" or using some type of adjustable height stand seems like overkill to me.....of course if one is having physical issues, then maybe a rethink is in order on the way you do things while at the lathe. Of course pictures of your setup would greatly help our understanding and assist us in trying to help you..............

Good luck Primvs.........hope you get it figured out! :)

[Primvs Aebvtivs]

Thanks Roger - will go now (only waited to see if my previous comment made any sense to more experienced turners), if the camera plays, I'll post pics on my return.

[Will Winder]

I put my lathe on stilts about 3 months ago to raise it 6". The stilts are just pine laminated together and attached with 3" lag bolts, my original plan was to add a cross piece between the two sides but it was more than sturdy enough without it. My spindle is now slightly above elbow height which is much more comfortable than it was before.

223133

[Primvs Aebvtivs]

Cheers for the pic Will. My bench, for those interested, was just at 32" tall, with a bench to centre of 10 1/4" = 42 1/4" total. It is now 48", which looks better to me - don't worry, the lathe was well balanced in the pics, and they're just to get the height right! The guy didn't bring the wood, just like I thought...

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The lathe on the original height.
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Hollowing position of arm on rest.
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Spindle position of arm on rest.


Both later pics show my forearm parallel to the floor, as I said before I'll try it, and see if the position becomes uncomfortable.

[Ed Morgano]

That looks good Primvs. That looks like exactly where your arm needs to be in both situations. Let us know how it works out for you.

[Harry Robinette]

I have my General bed lathe setting about 2" above my elbow (nice for spindle work and small turnings. My Vega 2600 bowl lathe in about 2" below my elbow for better tool control on the bigger bowls.Works for me.

[Bill Wyko]

I've never taken these ratios into consideration. I'll have to check and see where I line up with the lathe. Thanks for bringing this up. Now I have something to do while I wait for the glue to dry tonight. (Segmenters are always waiting for glue to dry.)

[Primvs Aebvtivs]

Thanks guys!
Ed - hope it works!
Harry - that sounds like a good set-up (having two lathes for different projects).
Bill - it was something mentioned in the manual, I thought all turners knew it, and I was missing out... I'll definitely let you know how it goes, but it's just started hailing / turning to snow, so maybe not tonight...

[Primvs Aebvtivs]

Rught, I've been on the lathe for a couple of days, and the new set up really works wonders - no more stiff neck / awkward position while turning. Better view of the spindle and bowl work.

Bad news is, after going to that auction, and buying WAY too much wood (too much? NEVER!)... I've been banned from the lathe until all the flatwork projects have been completed. Bummer. Anyway, I thought I'd ask a question about a stool I'm making for my mum:-

I plan on turning the legs, but cutting a square into quarters, temporarily gluing them up and turning them. Then splitting on the glue lines, cutting the rebates for the seat pad and bottom of a storage box built into the stool base. Any suggestions on best practice for the glue procedure? I'm thinking wood glue and paper, separate with a sharp fine knife, clean up with a scraper?

[Thomas Canfield]

Primus - One of the famous Hiwaiian turners (initiials KD) has his lathe up almost to shoulder level. He says that it helps with his shoulder problems. I know that I am I have raised mine some now that it is not the infeed table for my router in my new shop and limited in height, but it is just slightly over elbow height.

I had to make some 1/2 section pieces(needed 11) last year and split a 4x4 fir on band saw and then glued the 2 sections back together using the original surface and craft paper (brown paper bag equivalent). the turning was 36" long and necked down to about 1 1/2" at smallest diameter. I was concerned about splitting the piece later, but a sharp 1" wood chisel did the job and split right on the paper that could be scraped, or sanded.

[Scott Conners]

There was an article in a recent National Geographic about an old production turner who still came in and turned in the shop every morning in the wee hours, leaving before the shop opened. In the photo, his lathe's center appears to be at mid chest or slightly below. I really need to find a way to reinstall my lift blocks on my current stand, mine is too low right now and it hurts.

[Primvs Aebvtivs]

Thankyou for that Thomas! I'll give it a try on some scrap first, have plenty of pva / white glue, craft paper and blocks to test it on.

Scott - mine's about mid chest, definitely above elbow height. You have my sympathy, I know how much it pains not being comfortable with a piece spinning away in front of you.

[Terry Beadle]

Now that you are at a better height...consider keeping a water jug and cookies near by. Using a shop stool, take a break every hour to hour and a half or so. Cookies in right hand, jug in left, butt on the stool....this will cure your head aches ! It will probably give you more prospective to the work piece too as frequent back-off-and-look snap shots always help the final product don't you think?

Shop looks good to me...!

Enjoy the process.

[Primvs Aebvtivs]

Thanks Terry, as a smoker I tend to start turning and lose track of the time, and when I do, I sit on a piece of railway sleeper (nearest stools are covered in tools and 'stuff'), just to have a second look as you say. Cookies and a jug of water - hmmm, have a thermal mug for coffee - must pinch biscuits! Cheers, and thanks - it's a bit more cluttered these days...