Grrrrrrrrrr!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I AM GOING TO SUCCESSFULLY MAKE A TURNED SPINDLE SOMEWHAT SHAKER STYLE TABLE FOR MY WIFE! Maybe if I chant that a hundred million times I'll come closer to believing it after last night. (I may need some chicken bones to throw on the floor and I 'll have to remember to face the East while chanting!)

I decided to go to the Borg about 7:30 last night to see if I could get some poplar to glue and make a full sized model of the spindle. Voila! 3"x3" poplar, 24" long, already glued up.

Drove home...into the shop..........find the centers...........mount it onto the lathe.......As this is the longest thing I've tried turning on my diving board mounted lathe...........set the belt to the lowest range........turn the VS all the way CCW...........step to the side and turn it on!

I'd taken a photograph of the table SWMBO liked and imported it into a cheap CAD program I have and scaled it and gotten all the important measurements.

Started out roughing it into a cylinder. No problem!

Took my parting tool and dial calipers and cut in the lowest points on the spindle. No problem!

Started out by turning the one cove. No problem!

Began turning the spindles..........got the rough shapes using the roughing gouge.......oops........overlooked one basic long radius curve.......AWW!

Then the blasted skew caught..........AWW!:mad:

Then the blasted spindle gouge caught! AWW!:mad:

It's time to go inside and go to bed!...........Got inside......looked at the clock........10:30:confused: ............I'll bet the neighbors were glad I quit for the night!:)


This morning back to the Borg! I hope they've ordered some more poplar!:D

(I wonder if the wife's got any chicken bones?)

[Rich Stewart]

Sometimes when everything starts going wrong it is best to step away. Go do something else. I have had days when nothing would go right but because of limited turning time I would press on and usually completely destroy whatever I was working on. Come back the next day and everything went right. Nothing would go wrong. Wonderful day of turning. There's good days and bad days.

[Glenn Clabo]

Ken...
My mantra is - You must overcome resistance with persistence.

Then...if that doesn't work...I also throw chicken bones.

[Gary Max]

Ah yes the joys of turning----after 35 years I still blow up bowls.
It's kinda just part of it.
keep on working at it and smile a lot---folks will think you are nuts and leave you alone

[Andy Hoyt]

Yup. Good days and bad days. But they're all forward progress in that elusive thing called experience.

[Jim Becker]

Skew? You are a better man than me, Ken. I use the roughing gouge for this kind of project nearly all the way and then pull out my Ellsworth gouge and do a shear cut (skew-like without the evil skew) to finish the surface. Skews are wonderful tools but require a LOT, a LOT, a LOT of practice to use. In fact, I'll suggest you use the roughing gouge all the way and then start with the 60 grit gouge and work your way to finer gouges up to about 220 grit... ;)

[Chris Barton]

One of my first posts on SMC was about a paduk federal period table which has fluted and turned legs. That was my first effort at real spindle making and I can remember the adventure well. Good luck and stick with it...

[Bernie Weishapl]

Ken my granddad always told me, "sometimes ya got it and sometimes ya don't." When I don't I quit and go for the ice cream.

[Karl Laustrup]

Hang in there Ken. If you're anything like me, this minor set back will only increase your determination to get the job done. Even if it takes the whole poplar forest. ;) :D

Karl

[John Hart]

Bet yer glad you decided on the Poplar Model eh? Keep at it....It's coming...you just can't feel it yet!!:)

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ken my granddad always told me, "sometimes ya got it and sometimes ya don't." When I don't I quit and go for the ice cream.

Bernie.....Just my luck! About 3 years ago I became lactose intolerant! I sure miss my breakfast cereals! Tried other alternatives and it just isn't the same. Every once in a while when SWMBO is out of town and I don't have to be around another human being.....I buy a 1/2 gallon of milk and enjoy my cereal! But I make sure I can spend the day alone, outside, by myself!:D

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Keep the faith, Ken. There are days like that;...................when the tools seem to be "Against" you.

Deep breath, look at presentation angle..................."Have I got the bevel rubbing?" (You'll see shine following your tool, if you are) Then try again.

Bruce

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Folks...........I got another cup of coffee.........went outside to see in the morning light how bad the damage was..................While it doesn't accurately represent the photo...........it wasn't that bad so..........I made an attempt to recover it........again.....cheap poplar so not an expensive piece of wood......that was part of my plan....practice on the cheap stuff!........I'll post photos later of the recovery.........While it doesn't accurately resemble the photo it still isn't too bad for my first large spindle..........Photos later....right now I'm off to order some more tools........I groveled .....She caved in..........:D

[Mark Cothren]

Hey Ken, that looks first class to me! And you ordered some new tools? What a bonus!

[Glenn Clabo]

Well done! Groveled happens.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Lookin' good to me.

Bruce

[Ernie Nyvall]

Oh man Ken, that looks good... but next time hold the camera still so we can get a good look at it.:D :D

Ernie

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ernie..........that's the one big dig I have about that camera. It's got the longest shutter time in the world of digital cameras. I guess I'll just have to start using my tripod with it until I replace it.My next one won't be an Olympus.

[John Hart]

Ken...Try this until you get your tripod...Use your 10 second timer to take all your pictures. It takes the vibration of pushing the button out of the equation. You have to stand there for 10 seconds but it helps a lot.

[Don Orr]

Sometimes it's best to walk away for a little while to collect your thoughts. Obviously it worked for you. Nothing will pay off more in this pursuit than practice. And practicing on poplar is better than on those beautiful pieces of Cherry you got.

Looking forward to progress pix!

Don

More tools-Goooood:D (Think Homer Simson here)