Stephen Hibbs
08-12-2006, 8:54 PM
OK guys, I said I would do this, so I did, though not as quickly as I said I would (though I did make a nice little bowl and cup in the meantime). There are several ways to make tops; I have used 2 and find this to be the most efficient way, and it makes it easier to shape the tip. You will need a drill chuck that can be inserted into the lathe. I use 2"L X 3/8"D maple dowel for the spindle, and 1 1/4"D X 1"L dowel for the body. It's important to use nice hard wood for the spindle or else it is more liable to snap. I drill into the body about 1/4", then use thick CA glue and a mallet to get the spindle into the body. I find it best to use high speeds to drill the hole with the low-quality dowel that I use.
44661
I then clamp up the dowel in my drill chuck mounted in my lathe and bring the tailstock to bear lightly while I tighten it. I then put more pressure on with the tailstock and go to work to roughly shape it and round it out. Once the rough cutting is through I take the tailstock off and do the rest of the shaping, sand through 400, decorate by making basic lines with sharpies, and varnish with thick CA glue and HUT (as a sidenote: I got HUT today and it is fantastic, I can't believe what a difference this little bar makes, and what shine!)
I then flip the top around and jam chuck it using a piece of thin folded cloth for padding. I shape the spindle, sand and varnish, and cut it off at about 1" length with a hacksaw
44666
Here's the finished product, which is also my little brother's first turning, and the beginning of the end for my quiet lathe time.
44665
44661
I then clamp up the dowel in my drill chuck mounted in my lathe and bring the tailstock to bear lightly while I tighten it. I then put more pressure on with the tailstock and go to work to roughly shape it and round it out. Once the rough cutting is through I take the tailstock off and do the rest of the shaping, sand through 400, decorate by making basic lines with sharpies, and varnish with thick CA glue and HUT (as a sidenote: I got HUT today and it is fantastic, I can't believe what a difference this little bar makes, and what shine!)
I then flip the top around and jam chuck it using a piece of thin folded cloth for padding. I shape the spindle, sand and varnish, and cut it off at about 1" length with a hacksaw
44666
Here's the finished product, which is also my little brother's first turning, and the beginning of the end for my quiet lathe time.
44665