Any help for a newbe

Thanks. A spur drive it is then. I do check my alignment between mountings - paranoid I guess but better safe than sorry.

I do want to try bowls sometime but I figure I should stay with spindles for now. When I've got the bugs worked out then I'll go on to try something else. I do appreciate everyone's assistance. I have been unable to find a group in my town (Decatur, IL). If there's one here, it's a better kept secret than my barbershop group (barbershop singing that is).

10sc

There are turners in Springfield including one who regularly comes to our chapter meetings in St. Louis. Also, when we have a weekend in St. Louis with a big name turner, there are several Springfield area turners who come down.

I know one turner in Rantoul which is about 60 miles from you who does shows regularly. They are around. If you want email addresses, contact me off-group.

Bill

10sc wrote:

A chuck is nice for some between centers turning but not necessary. I have a batch of spurtles to send off today that were all turned between centers. I find it faster than using a chuck. For that matter, I find a chuck unnecessary for turning bowls. I have one of those One Way chucks, an excellent product by the way, but use it less than most.

I bought the Oneway Talon last year for the Shopsmith and love it.. When I got the Jet Mini for Christmas, I spent $22 on an adapter for the Talon to fit the jet.. The chuck was a bit pricey... only a fraction of what I paid for the SS in the

80's, but almost as much as the $225 the Jet cost... worth the money for sure, though..

Kind of funny, but I bought the chuck from the Shopsmith site... on sale for $192, it was less there that at amazon or Oneway..

I turned wood occasionally for 20+ years on the shopsmith and never thought about a chuck.. since I have one, it's changed my turning habits and (I think) made me a better turner with less time jury-rigging stuff to get the stock secured and turnable.. (about all I use the face plates for now are for home built jigs for finishing bowl bottoms, etc.)

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Get the feel of the lathe and tools with spindles, then try turning a spindle that you like into a candle stick, vase or something like that where you need to do a little end grain work... sort of get the feel of how bowl turning feels and sets up..

I love spindle turning.. I call it my horizonal pottery wheel.. never know what the wood wants to be until you get it turning and make a few cuts.. *g*

Bottom line suggestion: Wear eye protection, work safely and HAVE FUN

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Mac. See below...

Second the Eye safety. We got a proper mask. I often forget it is there=20 and reach to scratch an itchy nose and bang my hand into the mask.=20 Haven't splashed coffee on it yet -- but it has been close. LOL.

Use a Dust mask for the sanding phase as well. That way you will live to =

see your work become heirlooms.

And now that we have all nagged you have fun... LOL

Thanks for the notes on the oneway/talon style of chuck.... $200 sigh...= =2E

--=20 Will R. Jewel Boxes and Wood Art

power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those=20who have not got it.=94 George Bernard Shaw

Ok. Now that spurs another question (let me know if I'm just bugging you folks). If you're working with a spur drive and tail stock, how would you work the top end of a candle stick or vase? I could see the candlestick as just a hole drilled and sanded after the turning is completed. But what about a vase?

10sc

Another thought for the candlestick...

Drill the hole for the candle (usually 7/8 I think) first into one end of your blank

Make a sort of jam chuck which fits into that hole and mates with your live tail center. Now turn the candle stick and the hole is sure to be centered.

Or, with a chuck you could put a scrap piece in the chuck and then shape to so it would jam into the hole in the candle stick blank.

Either way would work.

Bill

10sc wrote:

"10sc" wrote: Ok. Now that *spurs* another question (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Was that intentional?

Same thing. There are faceplate workarounds as well.

Candlesticks take a tapered bore, dry vases (weed pots) can be any size, and inserts can be matched to the proper bit for live flowers.

Tip on that nub that's always left after parting off - curve-bladed knife - gets right to the base, and draws as it cuts. You undercut the base a bit anyway to keep it sitting firm.

Yup. My minor attempt at humor.

it's not fun flipping the shield down with a cigarette in your mouth either... at least that's what I've heard, ya understand.. *g*

I wish I would have bought that $200 chuck years ago.. what a great investment!

I get lazy now, especially since my wife keeps bringing loads of wood to turn.. I cut a blank, use the Shopsmith with a 2 1/8" forstner to make the recess for the chuck, and start turning...

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Bill.. before I got the chuck, I developed a system that worked pretty good, thanks to a lot of help here:

For that candle stick, take a chunk of 1" dowel... drill a hole in one end for a screw chuck and taper the other end a bit to let it "jam" into the 7/8" hole in the stock..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Leo.. I was trying SO hard to ignore that pun, but thanks for bringing it up.. lmao

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

First, I think it's worth mentioning that the "standard" candle is 7/8 taper to 3/4 at ~1" depth. Therefore, working up a spade bit to use as a low-speed reamer will do as well as the bits sold especially for the purpose. Just remember how grabby they can be.

For a faceplate workaround, turn a tapered portion on your faceplated waste block to use as a mandrel. Order of business is rough stock, parted at either end to have top and bottom parallel, leaving center mark at what will become the base. Take the piece to the drillpress, clamp in position to bore the recess, then back to the lathe, using the mandrel and old base center mark to keep things as true as possible. Works pretty well, but can be a bit fussy if you don't cut the mandrel properly.

Please someone correct me if I'm wrong but aren't Vega lathes manufactured in Decatur? Seems that the company would sponsor a wood club in their own town.

-Kevin

After seeing your note I did some surfing and found their web site. I've never heard of them (or the street they're on for that matter) but I will give them a call on Monday.

I agree Kevin, they should sponsor a club. If nothing else, maybe I can instigate something. How do their lathes compare?

10sc

I own a table saw fence made by them and also a table saw tenoning jig. They are both first rate. They have never been a major player in the lathe area, though.

Bill

10sc wrote:

I've always associated the name VEGA with lathes. Haven't they been in the duplicator business for years? I didn't know they made fences and jigs.

LD