OT Lathes Need a Means to Control Angle Via the Sliderest

ORNAMENTAL OBSESSIONS

Jon Magill will be a demonstrator at the 2016 AAW international symposium in Atlanta, Georgia, June 9-12, 2016. For WHAT IS OLD IS more, visit woodturner.org. NEW AGAIN A History of Contemporary Ornamental Turning

Jon Magill here seem to be two types of of the lathes used, how the workpiece people, those who look at some- is manipulated, and the cutters that T thing and say, “That’s pretty,” are employed. Those constitute the and those who ask, “How did they root of OT and the nearly infinite pat- do that?” Most woodturners, myself terns that are possible, once mastered. included, seem to fall into the latter category. That explains in a nutshell What is OT? how I became fascinated with the rela- OT is all about geometry, the enablers tively obscure realm of ornamental of that geometry being the specialized turning, or OT for short. lathes, the ingenious chucks, and the OT is a specialized subcategory of multitude of various cutters. Starting woodturning, much the way seg- with the lathes, we encounter the first mented turning can be thought of. major division of the OT realm into its Generally speaking, OT is a collection two main subcategories: index work of techniques used to add decoration, and engine turning. or “ornamentation,” to turned objects. As its name implies, index work is In some senses, it might be considered carried out when the spindle on the geometric carving that is typically lathe is indexed to a new fixed posi- accomplished with a rotating cutter of tion, using an indexing wheel and a some sort. The departure from normal pin detent. Once the spindle is posi- Turned Ivory woodturning techniques becomes tioned, a cut is made, then the lathe by Johann obvious when we look at the specifics is indexed again to another position Eisenberg, 1624, 16¼" (41cm) tall

Photo by Jon Magill, Journey into ornamental turning

JOURNAL ARCHIVE CONNECTION Antique eccentric chuck mounted on lathe spindle printed with permission, and set to about 1" of eccentricity. Ornamental Museo degli Argenti, Jon Magill has written extensively for American Rose-Engine Florence, Italy Primer on OT cutting tools Obsessions Turning Slightly Eccentric By Jon Magill Jon Magill

Woodturner on ornamental turning. His past rnamental turning—OT any woodturners, when fixed or is rotating very slowly, at Instead of admiring among its fans—is looking at ornamental usually less than 10 RPM. ornamental turning, The Cutting turning (OT) work, will Given these two variables, histori- Oadmired by many but M practiced by few. One of the it’s time you give it a ponder, “How did they do cal ornamental turners, inventors, and obstacles that holds turners back is try. Here is an easy that?” The answer often lies toolmakers went to great lengths that this intriguing work requires in the myriad of specialized to devise some of the most esoteric a rare specialty lathe. and inexpensive way equipment that has been pieces of apparatus ever conceived, At least it was rare until now. to start, including invented and perfected over simply to decorate various surfaces of articles are referenced more specifically EdgeBy Jon Magillof OT All the projects shown on the the centuries. a workpiece. There were two options following pages were turned on a details on how to When studying OT pieces, one for gadgets that preoccupied most of homemade rose-engine lathe. Not build your own rose- must be aware of the two main dif- the OT inventors: devising new cutters rnamental turning—OT full understanding of OT, we’ll leave only is it easy to build, it’s capable ferences between OT and regular to cut in a different way, and inventing engine lathe. as it’s known in some those for a future article. of doing precision OT work. woodturning. First, the cutting in OT new chucks that would allow orienting turning circles—is For now, let’s regress a step The four projects that follow O is done with a rotating cutter that is the workpiece in some specific way. a broad and interesting, and take a closer look at provide an introduction to the headstock is not stationary. generally spinning at a few thousand In the Spring 2008 issue of American but specialized, niche of the OT tool’s role and the throughout this article. AAW members can the rose-engine lathe and its Instead, the headstock is hinged, RPM. Second, the workpiece on an Woodturner (AW vol 23, no 1), I briefly woodturning. Journal broad range of OT cutting capabilities plus an overview of allowing it to pivot back and forth, ornamental lathe, depending on the explored the range of cutting frames— articles (see the Spring implements. After all, some basic techniques. called rocking. By controlling this kind of work being done, is either the rotating tools in their various 2007 issue) and subsequent this is where the whole Of course, you’ll first have to rocking motion with a rubber incarnations—that allow cutting in a symposium demos have story begins. build your lathe, described on page riding against a rosette—a similar to router speeds—and variety of orientations and patterns. aroused considerable Because the major- 52. A dozen AAW members have cam-like disk—you can cut taking light cuts on each pass. These cutting frames are presented to interest in OT. (Detail below) Theity adjusting of the workknob done already made these lathes, and you countless patterns. For more help with terminology, see the work at different angles, and often Last year’s goal of the at the top of the chuckon a hasrose a enginesmall uses can do this too! Another distinction is that, the photos opposite and on page 52. scale for fine adjustments. with profiled cutters in an assort- access these and all past journal articles online Ornamental Turners Interna- only one cutter style, Much of what is described in unlike regular turning, rose- To see a video clip of a rose engine in ment of shapes, to produce a countless tional (an AAW chapter) was the previous rose-engine these pages will be obvious the first engine turning is usually done action and for more OT history, visit number of potential patterns. simply to expose more AAW article oversimplified some time you turn the crank on your with a motor-driven fly cutter, the AAW website at woodturner.org. Any well-equipped OT setup, or members to this style of turning of the details for tooling rose engine. But until you actually known as a cutting frame. By “kit” as the British refer to it, would with a gallery of works, a project- (cutters and cutting frames). see it happen, text descriptions hand-cranking the lathe, the turner Get started consist of many different chucks. A centric article, and a hint of the range The typical tool used on a rose cannot do it justice. The magic of rotates the piece slowly past the When first becoming familiar with dizzying array of ingenious chucks of what can be accomplished with OT. engine has a tip sharpened to a 60- how a rose engine works and what cutter. The most common cutting your rose engine, you may want This ornamental turning sample shows has been invented to enable decora- Armed with information on building just two variations of the thousands degree angle and held in one orien- at woodturner.org. it does is something that has to be frame, a horizontal cutting frame, to devise some sort of a paper possible on the basket-weave pattern. tion on any surface of a workpiece. By a rose-engine lathe, many members tation. As a result, the more involved(Detail above) The eccentricity experienced. is a tool supported on some sort of chuck, as shown in Photo 1, which The left is a simple alternating pattern; using these chucks, the woodturner have now started down the path of the right a pseudo-spiral effect. The discussion of various cutters and scale is engraved on the back at A rose engine differs from slide rest, which has a fly cutter is useful for drawing the patterns face and the right end show two types the bottom of the chuck. Two holes can position the workpiece relative OT enjoyment. cutting frames was glossed over dueallow a tapered pin to be inserted, other lathes in many ways, but rotating in a horizontal plane. The and helping understand what the of circular cuts possible with the eccen- to the spindle-axis of the lathe. Most Because learning ornamental tric cutting frame (ECF). The cut on the to space limitations. locking the eccentric chuck in its the biggest difference is that cutter is spinning at high speeds— rosette, shown in Photo 2, will centered position. of these chucks appear ungainly or turning is like learning to turn from side of the cylinder has been “beaded” OT differs from regular wood- first with the ECF, then decorated on the beginning, now seems like a the resulting curved surface with turning in that most of the work is good time to cover some OT basics. additional circular patterns. done with a rotary cutter introduced 46 American Woodturner Spring 2007 60 American Woodturner Fall 2009 The majority of what is accom- to the workpiece, which is either sta- plished in OT is attributable to the Over the centuries a dizzying and tionary, indexed to a specific spindle specialized cutting implements and ingenious array of chucks have been position, or slowly revolving. ingenious chucks. The cutters (plain invented that allow the position- OT is all about: 1) precisely position- and profiled) produce endless ing, orientation, and movement of ing, orienting, and moving the cutter; patterns. The chucks move and the workpiece in ways that most 2) optionally introducing a profiled position the work in ways that many find hard to visualize. Although the cutter; and 3) positioning or moving find mystifying. range of chucks is important for a the workpiece itself. Applied in

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to repeat the process. Carried out in threading. On a rose engine, under The 18th century brought the advent repeating sequences, the indexing and control of a rosette, it allows pushing of rotating cutters, held in frames that cutting develops a pattern. Complex the spindle in and out to create an could be used with profiled cutters, pre- sequences create ever more intricate action known as “pumping.” sented to the workpiece at any desired patterns. Many contemporary lathes All OT lathes need a means to control angle via the sliderest. Combining have a rudimentary division plate that the movement and position of the index work with rotating cutters meant allows simple index work, like fluting, cutting tool. That motion is achieved that many patterns could be cut on a but is typically limited to twenty-four with a sliderest, which is characteristic of much simpler machine, the ornamen- or forty-eight positions. Traditional OT all OT lathes. Sliderest designs vary but tal turning lathe, simulating the pat- lathes have multiple concentric rings they all allow precise movement of the terns of the much more complex and of holes of various counts, allowing tool. When combined with indexing, expensive rose engine lathes. very precise positions to be located. moving the sliderest over by the width The rotating cutters were driven The number of holes in each ring is of the cutter for the next set of indexed by an “overhead” consisting of an carefully selected to provide numerous cuts enables a staggering number of pos- upright at each end of the lathe and a factors for a wide variety of desirable sible patterns. (For more on OT cutters and rotating drum between them. A light divisions—for example, hole counts of patterns, see past AW article, “The Cutting belt dropped from the overhead to 66, 72, 84, 96, 120, 144, and 192 yield a Edge of OT,” vol 23, no 1, page 32.) drive the rotating cutters. Overheads dizzying array of possibilities, given all What may not be obvious by looking became the other hallmark of OT their factors. at an OT lathe is that the lathes are lathes, especially those produced Engine turning is the over-arching used at very low speeds. Think 3 rpm. A during the heyday of OT in the term used for the other subdivision of benefit of those low speeds is that wildly Victorian era. OT, mainly to refer to the work carried out of balance chucks can be attached The Holtzapffel company, whose out using a rose engine lathe. There to the spindle without the dangers that name is synonymous with OT, are numerous ingenious machines would be associated with normal wood- produced more than 2,500 lathes used for decorating in this vein, turning speeds. The result is that the during the Victorian prime of OT. Of but for purposes of brevity we will workpiece does not necessarily need to those, though, perhaps only sixteen limit discussion to the rose engine rotate on center and can be oriented at lathe. Unique to most rose engines any angle to the tool or lathe bed. (For is a headstock mounted in the bed more on OT chucks, see past AW article, The Rose Engine using pivots, allowing the headstock “Slightly Eccentric,” vol 24, no 3, page 60.) “The practice of ornamental turning exercis- to rock freely back and forth. The For a turner armed with a capable es a fascination for many minds. It provides rocking motion of the headstock is lathe, an assortment of chucks, and an such endless opportunities for the employ- controlled by mechanical means of a array of cutting frames, the sky is the ment of ingenuity, and offers so much scope cam and follower. The cams, known limit in terms of patterns and possibilities for artistic ability, that once its elements are mastered it leads its votary forward, as “rosettes,” often produce a floral for adding decoration to turned pieces. ever urging him to attempt more and more pattern, hence the name given to the difficult operations, or to produce some lathe. Traditional lathes arranged How has OT evolved? more beautiful forms. But like every other an assortment of rosettes in a stack, OT in one form or another has been mechanical operation, it requires apparatus, called a “barrel,” onto the spindle around for centuries. Rose engines and this is by no means cheap. A lathe and of the lathe. The barrel provides the were well known and described in set of ordinary chucks can be purchased at user with a choice of patterns readily early works like Joseph Moxon’s 1680 a cost which will compare favourably with at their fingertips. Most rose engine book. Rose engine and swash turning that of any other hobby, such as a garden, lathes also incorporate the features of in that era both used fixed tools, held a greenhouse, the collection of stamps or an ornamental lathe, hence adding rigidly in place, while the workpiece rare books, and the like. But after the lathe significantly to their cost. rotated past and was cut. The turned is obtained much remains behind, if the In addition to indexing and rocking, ivory collection, known as the Coburg whole range of ornamental turning is to be traversed, and chief among the instruments many OT lathes also incorporate a Ivories, sacked from the Ehrenburg which are unattainable to the possessor of provision for the spindle to traverse, Palace during the Thirty Years War modest means, is the rose engine.” or slide axially, in the headstock. On and now housed in the Pitti Palace —Excerpted from Engineering magazine, Vol. a conventional OT lathe, this motion in Florence, represent the peak of the LIV, 19th August 1892 enables controlled operations like craft in that era (see lead Photo).

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38_OTb.indd 39 1/7/16 12:34 PM were true rose engine lathes, costing include information on the rose engine. lathes, the missing parts were often many times more than the simpler Sadly, that was never completed. made before standardized screws came ornamental lathes. Holtzapffel & Co. Recently, ornamental turner John into being. If I wanted to get into OT, were perhaps even more well known Edwards in England has produced rather than machine restoration, for producing a five-volume set titled, a compendium, titled Holtzapffel I needed to find some other option. Turning and Mechanical Manipulation. Volume VI, in an effort to fill that void. In 1985, Ray Lawler, a gear manu- Volume five, The Principles and Practice For more on that publication, visit facturer in Missouri, decided to of Ornamental or Complex Turning, is ornamentalturning.info. make some modern ornamental commonly referred to as “The Bible” of The creative whims of other turning lathes. His design inspira- OT. The sixth volume was expected to Victorian inventors gave us apparatus tion was largely based on the popular like Atkinson’s Reciprocator, Evans’ Holtzapffel configuration, to which Spiral Spherical Sliderest, Pudsey- he added some modern innovations, OT lathes Dawson’s Geometric Sliderest, Childs’ like a full-length lead-screw, motoriz- Universal Rosette, and many more. OT ing the lathe and increasing its overall was enjoying the limelight in the tech- size. Ray had produced and sold nical publications of the day, including about thirty-six lathes by the time I The English Mechanic, which featured learned about ornamental turning, regular articles and commentaries. and he was no longer making them. Opinions vary, but many suppose About the same time, James Harris, an that the arrival of the motorcar (c. 1886) accomplished ornamental turner in provided a new pastime activity for the Texas, had created a website describ- gentry, resulting in OT’s decline around ing his transformation of a Grizzly the turn of the 20th century. Subsequent 12" × 36" (30cm × 91cm) metal lathe wars, with the melting down of scrap into an ornamental turning lathe, metal, sounded the death knell for many with good results. Victorian lathes. Numerous lathes did However, Gorst’s work that I had seen survive the war and a few practitioners was produced on a rose engine lathe, Lawler ornamental turning lathe, c. 1996 kept the craft alive. In 1948, a small and I was convinced I needed to find Photo reproduced from product literature group started the Society of Ornamental a way to acquire a similar lathe. The Turners in England (the-sot.com). rose engine lathe that Gorst used was Today, they boast a membership of three a painstakingly reproduced copy of hundred worldwide. A more recently one of the few extant Holtzapffel rose formed virtual chapter of the AAW, engines. Gorst’s lathe was made by Fred Ornamental Turners International Armbruster, who was allowed access (ornamentalturners.org), has about 250 to measure every detail of Holtzapffel’s members today. rose engine #1636, originally made in 1838. Fred made only two of those lathes, now known as the Mark I’s. Cler Ornamental Lathe with Rose Recent developments Engine, 2001 and milestones in OT Paul Cler, an ingenious machinist in I was introduced to OT when I Illinois, had taken up the mantle and was lucky enough to meet Gorst was producing a modern rose engine duPlessis. The instant I saw his work lathe at the rate of one or two a year. I and how it was produced, I was cap- got on his list and had a lathe within a tivated. OT married three elements year. The Cler lathe is based on modern that have always resonated for me: linear rails, and his design does not use woodworking, geometry, and mecha- a rocking headstock, but instead uses nisms. The problem was, how does the Pudsey-Dawson approach, whereby one get started? There were not many the top slide of the sliderest, with the Holy Rose Engine, Gorst duPlessis, lathes available. The antique lathes out tool mounted on it, moves in and out. AAW Pasadena Symposium, 2003 there were rare, expensive, and usually The differences are somewhat subtle, missing parts. Given the age of the but the main advantage is that without

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More OT lathes

MDF Rose Engine with sliderest, 2007. Learn more about the MDF rose engine at rogueturner.com.

John Moe, Trinity’s Friend, 2015, Bloodwood, holly, 5½" × 4" (14cm × 10cm) Lindow Rose Engine with sliderest, 2007. Armbruster Rose Engine, Mk II, 2009 For more, visit roseengineturning.biz.

a rocking headstock, a simple tailstock their own lathe. (See past AW article, their hand at making finials inspired can still be used. As mentioned above, “Rose-Engine Turning,” vol 22, no 1, by his designs. Gorst and I thought it most rose engine lathes typically also page 46.) David Lindow has been would make sense to produce a special incorporate ornamental turning func- producing and selling his Lindow rosette to enable people to create vari- tions. Paul’s design incorporated a Rose Engine, together with numer- ants of his signature triple finials. The lead-screw to enable spirals, a curvi- ous OT accessories. Fred Armbruster GDP-3 rosette for the MDF rose engine linear apparatus, and the capability to has since produced more than twenty allows people to try their hands at produce two types of reciprocation, all Mark II lathes, which maintain the making a triple finial. Once the basics fodder for future journal articles. Holtzapffel aesthetics while incorpo- are mastered, the rosette has addi- For the AAW’s 2003 symposium rating a number of modern innova- tional phasing holes to allow making in Pasadena, California, Gorst built tions, notably rocking and pumping a twisted version of the triple finial a portable rose engine lathe. He from all rosettes and a 5C collet for as exemplified by John Moe’s twisted perforated the aluminum body of the spindle. Other lathes are on the finial box. the lathe to reduce weight and sized horizon, as OT enjoys a relative resur- it to fit in a suitcase. He wanted to gence in this century. Thanks to the demonstrate OT to the masses. He did recent availability of equipment, there three rotations for standing-room- are many new ornamental turners only crowds. People were fascinated taking up the craft. and wanted to give OT a try, but they Among his other contributions, Gorst walked out of the demos facing the was the master of innovation when same hurdle I had a few years earlier: it came to producing striking finials. there were no readily available lathes. He has also encouraged many to try Since the 2003 symposium, rose engine plans using MDF (medium density fiberboard) were published Paul Fletcher, Cricket Cage VI, 2004, for anyone who wanted to build African blackwood, 3½" × 3" (9cm × 8cm)

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38_OTb.indd 41 1/7/16 12:35 PM Long-time practitioners of the craft continue to raise the bar for the new Loss of a Legend generation. I aspire to follow in the In April 2015, the infected many would-be ornamental turners, footsteps of the late English master, woodturning and OT myself included. Paul Fletcher. Experts, like Al Collins world lost a legend I met Gorst in the summer of 1998, when in California, are exploring techniques when Gorst duPlessis learning to turn spheres at Bonnie Klein’s shop. to produce works like the masters of passed away. When we went into the house for a cup of cof- centuries past, reviving the nearly Gorst was fee, there was a wooden vase full of flowers on lost art of fixed tool work. What is perhaps the most her mantle. Nearly everything in her house has old is new again. In the words of the prolific ornamental been turned, so I said, “I know that came off a late Martin Matthews, “Perhaps I can Gorst duPlessis on his turner of the mod- lathe, but I have no idea how.” Bonnie’s reply has front porch in New ern era. His creative been the punchline for every demo I have given inspire you to participate in the craft Orleans. since then: “Oh, that’s Gorst. He’s out buying of ornamental turning.” Photo: Brad Davis flair and eye for aesthetics never tired. wood. He’ll be back in an hour.” Gorst just hap- He created more signature designs, shapes, pened to be visiting from New Orleans. When Jon Magill ([email protected]) and techniques than just about any other or- he returned and demonstrated the magic of rose is an ornamental turner who lives in namental turner. Stylistically, he brought an engine turning, my own life changed course. Shady Cove, Oregon. Jon is a member of organic panache to the traditionally rectilin- He was a patient, intelligent, and creative both the Southern Oregon Woodturners ear realm of ornamental turning. With no fear genius, probably the most enthusiastic ambas- and Ornamental Turners International of trying something new, Gorst developed sador that the craft of OT has ever had. His AAW chapters. many innovations that have become accepted quick wit paired perfectly with his expansive practice in the OT world. repertoire of jokes and quotes. Everyone who Gorst and his work inspired countless turn- knew him misses him. For Gorst’s sake, I hope ers. His zealous joy for sharing and teaching they have lathes in heaven.

(Top row, left to right) For Mary, 2010, Cocobolo, boxwood, pink ivory, 10½" × 5¼" (27cm × 13cm) Family of Man Series, 2013, Boxwood, bloodwood, mopane, tallest is 7¼" × 2" (18cm × 5cm) Seattle Series, 2002, African blackwood, pink ivory, 8¼" × 2½" (21cm × 6cm) (Bottom) OT Finials, 2010, Various exotic hardwoods, typical size 7" × 3" (18cm × 8cm)

Al Collins, Coburg Quest, 2015, Alternative ivory, 12" × 3½" (30cm × 9cm)

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