LONG SPINDLES
A long turning can be worked in short sections, with joints
arranged to be at shoulders where they will not be noticed.
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Long thin work that is likely to whip while turning should be
supported at one or two places by a backstick. This is easy
to make. A simple backstick consists of a short length of
wood mounted vertically in an extra tool rest and notched
so that it can be used to support the spindle from behind.
An improved type, which uses 2 roller skate wheels to form
the notch, also is shown.
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Position the backstick against a pre-turned portion near the
center of the spindle, this portion being at least 1/8"over finish
size to allow for later removal of any marks made upon it.
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Operate lathe at a slower speed than normal. Lubricate the
workpiece at point of contact with the backstick. Use
beeswax (preferred), lard or grease.
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After completing the turning, remove the backstick and fin-
ish off the original point of contact. Sand off any slight
burns remaining on workpiece.
Figure 52 - Use of Backsticks
CUTTING DOWELS
Dowels of any size can be turned quickly with the simple jig
shown. If the stock is prepared as a split or quartered turning,
half round and quarter rounds will be produced.
The jig uses a 1/2" gouge as the cutting tool and will produce
dowels up to 7/16" d iameter. Make the jig from suitable hard-
wood stock as shown.
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The hole through the jig must be large enough at the side
to the left of the gouge to allow passage of the square
stock. At the right of the gouge, this hole must be just the
diameter of the finished dowel. Make the jig so that you
can hold and guide it by hand.
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To start, center the stock like a spindle turning and turn
down about 2" at the right end to desired size.
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Then, remove the stock. Place your jig over the turned
end, with turned portion through the smaller jig hole, and
recenter the stock on the lathe.
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Hold the jig firmly and start the lathe.
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Push the jig slowly right to left along the stock until the
whole dowel is completed.
Figure 53
MISCELLANEOUS
OPERATIONS
GUIDE BLOCKS
FOR SCRAPING OPERATIONS
A guide block can be clamped to a chisel to limit the depth of
cut and aid in the production of perfect cylinders, tapers and
facings on faceplate turnings. Scraping methods must be
used when the guide block is employed.
!
Figure 54
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DRILLING
There are several methods of using the lathe for drilling cen-
ter holes through wood stock. When the drill is properly
mounted, centering of the hole is automatic.
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One method is to mount a drill in the tailstock. The work-
piece is held and revolved by the headstock. If the drill has
a Morse taper shank, it can be mounted directly in some
tailstock rams. Otherwise, it can be mounted in a chuck fit-
ted with the proper type shank.
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Another method of holding the drill is to mount it in the
headstock using a 4-jaw (metal-lathe) chuck or a Jacobs
chuck. When this method is employed, there is no accurate
support for the workpiece so that center drilling is difficult.
However, cross drilling, or drilling random holes through
stock can be accomplished
quickly in this manner.
Figure 55
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For cross drilling flat sided work, use a (metal-lathe) drill
pad in the tailstock and place a scrap board between the
pad and the work. For cross drilling round stock, use a
(metal-lathe) crotch center in the tailstock. Large work-
pieces can be located on supporting blocks laid upon the
lathe bed. They can be held by hand or can be supported
from behind by a drill pad mounted in the tailstock.
Figure 56 - Cross Drilling
FACEPLATE AND CHUCK TURNINGS
PLANNING THE WORK
Make a layout first, to provide a visual pattern to follow while
working the turning. Pattern can be laid out in the same man-
ner as spindle patterns - or templates can be made which
can be held against the work for visual comparison. Circles to
locate the various critical points (at which the contours of the
faceplate take distinct form) can be quickly scribed on the
rotating work by using the dividers.
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Figure 57