Turning crosses on the lathe

[Rick Smith]

is HARD! I am an extreme beginner (just finished my 10th ink pen, and several feeble attempts at lidded boxes) - new enough to not know the correct nomenclature on some lathe attachments... My wife asked if I could turn a cross on the lathe, and I said "sure"! Well, due to lack of experience AND expertise, it isn't so sure. Culd someone who has done these offer some tips?
These I tried are (l to r) leopard wood and bloodwood from pen blanks, then cedar, then basswood.

[Andy Hoyt]

Those are cool, rick. Are they one solid piece or three-piece crosses? The picture is just fuzzy enough so I can't tell.

[Rick Smith]

The pen blanks are two piece, and joined with a filed overlapping mortise. The cedar is the same, but I left the overlap square, and it joined nicer (thus the twine on the small ones...). The Basswood upright was drilled with the pen 7mm, and small dowels turned on the end of the "arms". Just trying to figure out the best construction methods, as I continue to develope my skill.

Thanks!

[Andy Hoyt]

Rick, I'll assume that by "filed overlapping mortises" you mean that you're using a "Half Lap" joint. Suppose that's okay, but I can think an easier way to achieve one of these.

Do what you did for the one on the right, but you don't need to bother with the pen tube portion. Just drill a through hole in the face of the vertical piece and then turn a tenon on the horizontal pieces to match.

Hope this helps. Andy

PS: And I forgot to mention in my first reply, "Welcome to SMC!"

[Gary DeWitt]

Looks like you're headed in the right direction already, Rick.
So far, so good! It is POSSIBLE to turn these out of one piece of wood, no assembly required, but it seems to me a lot easier to turn 3 pieces and glue them up afterward.
Turning in one piece means having the longest "arm" revolving around the axis of your lathe while you try to turn the short arms without getting whopped on the fingers. Not fun. Potentially dangerous.
Keep developing your design, this is a great little project to get started with.
Have fun!

[Rick Smith]

is going to be a lot easier with your suggestions! Andy, I meant a lapped mortise joint because of the hole in the pieces from the pen mandrel. I filed a small square tenon on the cross arm to fit into the mortise of the main piece. But, now that you mention it, a half lap would be easier if I am careful enough to make them exact. Maybe the design should be a thin cross arm that just slides into the upright, with a larger diameter hole all the way through(?). Thanks, for the tips, guys! Gary... I've already "whopped my finger! I did find that the bandaid helps keep my finger from burning when I apply the finish... I'll keep you posted!

[Ernie Nyvall]

Looks like a great start Rick. Never tried any myself but a good idea.

Ernie