20 ways to master Spindle
By Nick Cook In theTurning hands of an expert, turning a spindle looks effortless. But there are plenty of pitfalls to avoid on the journey to expertise. Here are 20 tips to help you become a spindle master.
pindle turning may seem Let’s start with mounting the available. For projects requiring easy for production turners blank. Should we use a safety detail, maple is my favorite light- Sand others who have center or a spur-drive center? A colored hardwood; walnut and stood in front of a lathe for a two- or four-prong spur center? cherry are ideal when dark woods few decades. Many of us simply Should I use a mini-spur? Should it are preferred. turn on the machine, mount the be spring-loaded or not? blank between centers, and start See what I mean? This may be cutting. Those who watch—either too much for the average student. in demos or as students and even Most beginners don’t really have clients—are amazed at the speed to think about all that much. The and accuracy with which we lathe they just purchased came perform what we consider the with a drive center and a four- mundane task of turning spindles. prong spur center without a spring But for the beginner, there are so loaded center, and is large enough many things to think about! to drive most anything that will fit on it. Here are some do’s and don’ts to Always use a Editor’s note: Earlier this year, we improve your spindle work. 2 centerfinder or a published Nick Cook’s article “Twenty straightedge across the Ways Not to Turn a Bowl.” Nick Mount your stock corners of the blank to find received so many compliments about the center. This is especially true this article that he volunteered to Choose your turning if you are going to leave squares write a follow-up article with spindle- 1stock carefully. Avoid on the final turning. It is also turning tips. knots, checks, and other defects. necessary to make sure the blank Straight-grain blanks produce is truly square when preparing the Reprinted with permission. the best results. Poplar is inex- material. On fully rounded work, American Association of Woodturners pensive, easy to turn, and readily this is not as critical.
46 American Woodturner Winter 2006 Never mount the blank Never apply excessive 20 ways to master 3with the lathe running. 6pressure on the blank It is dangerous and can cause with the tailstock. Slide the you harm. Don’t do that! tailstock forward, lock it in place, and run the live center into the end of the blank. Be sure to lock the quill in place once you’ve snugged up the tail center. At the tailstock, use a Spindle good-quality live or ball bearing center; one with interchangeable Position the tool rest tips to accommodate different 8 parallel to the blank and applications is worth the extra as close as possible— 1/4" is expense. A cup-shaped tip on the adequate clearance. Be sure to lock live center will be less likely to the tool rest to the support and the Don’t do that! split smaller blanks. support to the lathe bed. Always Turning rotate the workpiece by hand Never drive the blank Tool-rest tips before turning on the machine. No 4 onto the spur center matter how many times you have while it is mounted in the seen it done in demos, never move spindle. This can damage the the tool rest with the machine Morse taper and stress the lathe running. Always move the tool bearings. rest closer after removing the corners from the blank—excessive overhang of the tool will cause chatter.
Popular tailstock centers Maintain your tool rest. 7All turning tools are harder steel than the tool rest. Nicks cup-shaped live center and dings in the tool rest will (Delta) be reflected in the workpiece. Use a mill file to keep the tool rest smooth. Some turners even wax the tool rest with paraffin cone (sometimes called canning wax). center cup-shaped live center Popular drive centers (Oneway) Don’t do that!
½" mini- Never drive the spur drive center two-prong 5center into the blank with a steel-faced hammer. This will damage the Morse taper, preventing it from fitting properly. Always drive the spur with a Four-prong wooden mallet, dead blow, or other standard soft-faced hammer. spring center
woodturner.org 47 lathes are equipped with digital readouts so you can see the RPM as you make adjustments. Here are speed guidelines (wood species and experience are key variables): For 1"- to 3"-diameter stock, I recommend roughing out at 1,200 rpm and moving up to 2,000 rpm for finishing cuts. For stock 5" in diameter or larger, Adjust the height of the Never work with rough out at 800; finish at 1,500. 9tool rest to match the tool 11 dull turning tools. If you are using. You should cut in doubt, sharpen the tool. The Use your body—not above center for most lathe tools. If skew in particular needs to be 13 just your hands—as you switch from a thick tool (like razor sharp. Honing is required you move the tool along the tool a spindle roughing gouge) to a to maintain the edge of the skew; rest. This will provide more thinner tool (like a skew) you will other tools may be used straight support and better control. need to raise the tool rest. off the grinding wheel. Sharpening jigs or fixtures will ensure that you Turning tips get a consistent bevel angle on your tools. (See page 32 for details.)
Uphill—No!
Downhill—Yes! Never turn on the 12lathe without first Always cut downhill, checking the speed. Step 10from large diameter pulleys are easy to check visually. to small diameter on spindles. Variable-speed lathes that utilize When turning Attempting to cut uphill on some an adjustable pulley system do 14furniture parts or woods will produce disastrous not allow you to change the speed architectural elements with results—expect a lot of catches. without the machine running. square ends or pommels, make Turn on the lathe before mounting sure your blanks start out perfectly the blank, adjust the speed, square. It is also critical that you then turn it off and mount the accurately locate the centers on this workpiece. Some of the electronic type of work.
48 American Woodturner Winter 2006 Master skills
Take your time; 15rushing through a project will probably create less than satisfactory results.
For additional support 18and better control of your spindle turning, wrap your index finger around the tool rest.
If duplicating two or 16more spindles, make a pencil gauge or story stick. Use your template to mark each blank once it is roughed out. The marks will identify where details are located along the spindles. Use a parting tool or bedan and a vernier scale to cut down to the appropriate diameters. Always Remove the tool rest Always think SAFETY! measure from the same end to 19prior to sanding. It’s Whatever you turn, keep two safety provide consistent results. too easy for fingers to get caught tips in mind: • Always wear a proper dust mask between the tool rest and the while sanding. turning stock. • Never turn without proper eye protection. Enough said.
Nick Cook ([email protected]) is an American Woodturner contributing editor. He lives in Marietta, Georgia.
Photos: Marisa Pruss Vernier scales and 17spring calipers can Never use cloth rags get caught in the workpiece 20for applying finish, and snatched from your hands. only paper towels. In an instant, Always round over the tips of the spinning lathe can grab a your measuring tool before using thread and your finger. It’s false them on spinning stock. Or even economy to use cast-off T-shirts safer: Stop the machine to take if doing so leads to a trip to the measurements. emergency room.
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