Turning speeds

[Rob Littleton]

any of you guys know where I can find a turning speed chart for different kind of woods?

[Jim Becker]

Speed selection is largely a function of the diameter/size/shape/balance of the project under way. In simplest terms, "Big" = "slow"...but it also comes down to feel. Most beginning turners are more comfortable with a slower lathe speed, even on smaller items, although you will find that speeding things up can make the cut easier and cleaner...within reason. Out of balance objects will also require a slower speed. Small spindles, such as pens and the like are not usually an issue and you can turn them at fairly fast speeds.

One rule of thumb is always start any project at a slow speed until you are sure it is mounted correctly and spinning cleanly, especially with larger objects. Vibration from balance problems can literally walk your machine, even if you have a big, beefy 900 lb OneWay!

My current lathe (and my previous one) is setup to top out at about 1600 rpm which is plenty fast for anything I would even turn. I just start slow and adjust the speed according to my comfort level based on things I wrote above. If your lathe has fixed speed increments, always start at the slowest speed you have available.

[Steve Inniss]

Hi Rob,

I only have a table that recommends speeds based on size/length and faceplate or between centers. Would that help?

[Rob Littleton]

Hi Rob,

I only have a table that recommends speeds based on size/length and faceplate or between centers. Would that help?

Sure.

thanks

[Richard Allen]

20 MPH is the max recomended speed in some books.

There is a rule of thumb that says the more dense a wood is the slower the speed shoudl be to get clean cuts. Of course there are lots of exceptions to this rule.

I have also read that diameter times the RPMs should not exceed 6000

For a 6" bowl that would be a top speed of 1000 rpm.

Personaly I find that a conserative top speed and I tend to limit at 30 MPH which is closer to 10000 divided by the diameter or 1000 rpm for a 10" bowl.

As a rule of thumb: If it looks like the piece is spinning to fast, IT IS SPINNING TO FAST!!!

Keep out of the line of fire and have fun.

[Steve Inniss]

Sure.

thanks

Between Centers turning

Stock Size Up to 24" Long Over 24" Long
Up to 2 1/2" square 2000 rpm 1500 rpm
2 1/2" to 4" 1500 rpm 1000 rpm
Over 4" 1000 rpm 750 rpm

Faceplate turning

Stock Size Up to 2" Thick Over 2" Thick
Up to 8" diameter 1000 rpm 750 rpm
8" to 12" dia 750 rpm 750 rpm
Over 12" dia slowest avail. slowest avail.

[Steve Inniss]

Between Centers turning

Stock Size Up to 24" Long Over 24" Long
Up to 2 1/2" square 2000 rpm 1500 rpm
2 1/2" to 4" 1500 rpm 1000 rpm
Over 4" 1000 rpm 750 rpm

Faceplate turning

Stock Size Up to 2" Thick Over 2" Thick
Up to 8" diameter 1000 rpm 750 rpm
8" to 12" dia 750 rpm 750 rpm
Over 12" dia slowest avail. slowest avail.

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[Jim Becker]

Please remember that the speeds in Steve's chart are suggested safe maximums...always start a new turning at a slower speed for safety.

[Bill Grumbine]

Well I'm doing something wrong then. I'm coring bowls with my Kel McNaughton at 750-800 rpm, and those are the 12" cores out of 14-16" bowls! :D Once they are cored, they go even faster.

But seriously, when I was teaching for Woodcraft, people always asked me at what speeds I turned. The answer was always the same - fast, really fast, and not so fast. I didn't really know the speeds of my lathe, I just turned the stuff as fast as I needed to get a good cut. Now that I have a digital readout, it is fun to watch people try to tune it in to whatever speed I tell them. If I say run it up to 700, most people will fiddle with that little dial until they get it to at least 698 - 702. I'd say anything within 30 rpm is probably close enough.

On your own machine, start out slow. If you aren't getting the quality of cut you want, speed it up. If the lathe starts shaking, back off some until the piece is trued up. Whatever you do, don't turn at speed with which you are not comfortable. And remember, the faster the thing is spinning, the faster things can go wrong, so watch what you are doing!

Bill

[Kent Cori]

Actually, you can start turning a 6" block of wood at 2400 rpm with only a few minor consequences. These being that the block may quickly achieve orbital velocity, exit the space/time continuum through the window behind your lathe and leave you needing to change your Fruit of the Looms. DAMHIKT!! :eek:

1st lesson learned - Always, always check the speed setting of the lathe before hitting the "on" button!

2nd lesson learned - Either be really, really lucky all the time or don't stand directly in front of the spinning piece of wood when you first turn on the lathe.

[Jim Becker]

1st lesson learned - Always, always check the speed setting of the lathe before hitting the "on" button!

Especially important for folks with "reeves" systems, such as the Jet 1236 and simliar machines...check the speed before you mount the blank as you can't change it with the machine turned off! And like Kent...that's from personal experience on my first lathe. (Thank goodness I don't where "whites"...)