Lathe speed question

[Toney Robertson]

I was watching some videos on YouTube and came across a Jet video showing the turner making a garden tool (dibble).

He started out with about a 2" square piece of popular. He started the lathe at 3000 rpm. That seemed quite fast to me. Obviously it worked for him.

What rpm do you turn at?

Is there a difference if you are turning a bowl/platter or a spindle?

Is there a basic guide to speeds for different projects?

Do tools cut better at faster speeds?

Or do you just turn as fast as you feel comfortable?

Thanks,

Toney

[Bill Bolen]

I turn as fast as I am comfortable with. Just so long as the lathe doesn't start moving around. Seems to cut smoother on out of round because the "air" isn't there to not be cut as often as when the speed is real slow...Hope that made sense?..Bill..

[David Walser]

Safe turning speed is a number that would produce a result of between 6,000 and 9,000 when plugged into the following formula:

RPM x diameter (in inches) = 6,000 to 9,000
For example, assume you are turning a 10" bowl blank that is sound and balanced. Dale's formula suggests that the speed should be 600 rpm on the low end and 1,000 rpm. For a 3" spindle, the formula suggests the speed should be between 2,000 rpm and 3,000 rpm. When rounding out an out of balance blank, you should start at a lower speed.

The proper speed is a balance between safety and turning quality. The faster the lathe is turning, the cleaner (in general) the cut. As the diameter of the blank increases, so too does the surface speed of the wood as it passes underneath your tool. As the diameter of the blank increases (where size is a proxy for mass), so do the forces trying throw the blank off the lathe. Dale's formula is not 100% accurate, but it does a good job of balancing the issues of safety and quality. It's a good starting point, but it's not intended to produce an inviolable answer.

You can find an article by Dale Nish on safe turning speed here:

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/util/resource_center?Args=

Hope this helps.

*For those of you who may not recognize the name, Dale Nish taught industrial arts at BYU for over 30 years, founded the annual Utah Woodturning Symposium, founded Craft Supplies USA, and has authored several books on turning. In short, he knows his stuff.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Most times I turn pens and spindles at 2000 to 3000. Bowls unbalanced I start about 350 to 400 for 12" or larger. If it is balanced I generally start at 600 or more. Now that I have turned a while I turn most time at where I am comfortable.

[Brian Poor]

Most times I turn pens and spindles at 2000 to 3000. Bowls unbalanced I start about 350 to 400 for 12" or larger. If it is balanced I generally start at 600 or more. Now that I have turned a while I turn most time at where I am comfortable.

One of the key elements here is comfort (your comfort).

Woodturning is a relaxing dance with the wood. If the speed you have your machine set at is causing your lathe to hump across the floor, she is probably a bit fast for the piece you have mounted.
Spindles can generally be turned at a higher rim speed than bowls.

Dales' formula above is right on.
If you are not comfortable with formulas, borrow a calculator and work backwards instead:

Divide 6000 by the diameter of your piece in inches (6000 / 3)
That will give you your suggested RPM setting (2000 rpm)

Again, this is only a suggested setting, you may be more comfortable working at a slightly slower RPM.

As you gain experience, you'll eventually be able to just eyeball a piece and know where you want to be for a speed setting.

[Toney Robertson]

Safe turning speed is a number that would produce a result of between 6,000 and 9,000 when plugged into the following formula:
RPM x diameter (in inches) = 6,000 to 9,000
For example, assume you are turning a 10" bowl blank that is sound and balanced. Dale's formula suggests that the speed should be 600 rpm on the low end and 1,000 rpm. For a 3" spindle, the formula suggests the speed should be between 2,000 rpm and 3,000 rpm. When rounding out an out of balance blank, you should start at a lower speed.

The proper speed is a balance between safety and turning quality. The faster the lathe is turning, the cleaner (in general) the cut. As the diameter of the blank increases, so too does the surface speed of the wood as it passes underneath your tool. As the diameter of the blank increases (where size is a proxy for mass), so do the forces trying throw the blank off the lathe. Dale's formula is not 100% accurate, but it does a good job of balancing the issues of safety and quality. It's a good starting point, but it's not intended to produce an inviolable answer.

You can find an article by Dale Nish on safe turning speed here:

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/util/resource_center?Args=

Hope this helps.

*For those of you who may not recognize the name, Dale Nish taught industrial arts at BYU for over 30 years, founded the annual Utah Woodturning Symposium, founded Craft Supplies USA, and has authored several books on turning. In short, he knows his stuff.


Thanks for the formula and the link.

Exactly the information I was looking for. It gives me a guide to go along with my "comfortable feeling" gauge.

Toney

[curtis rosche]

i depends on what you are turning if you are turning a really big bowl 12in+ it should be slower but if your doing a spindle it should eb going faster.....it also depends on the wood osage aka hedge apple turns better at a slow speed because at a igh speed it just makes dust. where as some wood can tear out easier at slow speeds .....once you have a peice roughed turn it up faster to balance it its easier but when your done turn it back down...... once you have it roughed and balanced you should start you lathe out slow and work your way up through the speeds to find what speed cuts best you want shavings not fine dust
i hope this helps .......no oone told me so i learned the hard way