# Barley Twist



## mrtree (28 Nov 2014)

Hi all, I have cut a couple of barley twists for a chair restoration project, that was a good few years ago & took an age  

I have another that I would like done. This time I would like to have someone do it for me using as copy lathe.

It is a double twist, that's probably not the right term. I will try & explain....there is the main twist cut from ,say, 40mm stock and running through this is a smaller twist almost as if a piece of string has been wound round....does that make ant sense?? :? :? :? 

Anyway, it is possibly above my pay grade to copy this by hand,  so I want someone to do it for me.

Does anyone know anyone who has the facility to copy this for me.

I have had a quote of £140 from a company but they weren't willing to guarantee that it would be an exact match. The piece is approx 600mm long.

Any advice is appreciated

Chris


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## Woodmonkey (28 Nov 2014)

I would think you would need to use a router lathe rather than a copy lathe?


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## CHJ (28 Nov 2014)

A picture of the form required would help visualize it.

Richard Findley of this Parish is your man for one or two off speciality twist turnings if they are sensibly possible without CNC.


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## mrtree (28 Nov 2014)

Woodmonkey":1l6lilo3 said:


> I would think you would need to use a router lathe rather than a copy lathe?



Ah, yes, that's the one!!



CHJ":1l6lilo3 said:


> A picture of the form required would help visualize it.



I'll post one later when I get home.


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## mrtree (29 Nov 2014)

This is the piece I'm trying to copy


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## dickm (29 Nov 2014)

That's going to be a beast to do with power tools!


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## Richard Findley (29 Nov 2014)

I don't think this could be done on a copy lathe, it looks like a hand turning job to me. I'd be happy to look at it for you, although I notice you are in Hampshire, the home of the twist master, Stuart Mortimer (Google for details)

If you want me to take a look, drop me an email. I doubt I could do it before Christmas though.

Thanks

Richard


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## Bodrighy (30 Nov 2014)

I have seen things like this and even more complex done on a cnc lathe but usually as Richard says they are done by hand first as a prototype. 

Pete


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## finneyb (30 Nov 2014)

As Richard says Stuart Mortimer is the twist master. Try his Youtube vids on making a spiral https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wm-wWjlAtTw

Brian


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## Roger C (2 Dec 2014)

This is possible on a copy lathe if the turner is worth his salt. The only problem I see is if the part to be replaced is opposite to the one in the picture. I had a left and right hand barley twist made in 1997 1.2m long x 120mm thick.
the right hand twist on a copy lathe is strait forward it is the left hand twist that is when the turner needs to know what he is doing. By hand on a lathe is possible and with some patients should be done in say 3 to 4 hrs. regards Roger C


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## merlin777 (22 Apr 2017)

I've just been confined to a wheelchair and so I'm going to take up woodworking again which I stopped doing as a hobby nearly 20 years ago. I'll be making small things as my space and ability to handle large pieces are limited.

One of the things I always wanted to do is spirals, largely for decoration on clocks, and I nearly bought a Trend Router lathe before I stopped. So, may I throw a bunch of questions at you in the hope this thread is still being visited?

Doe the Trend Router Lathe or something like it still in existence?

Could you cut spirals on a metalworking lathe that can cut threads?

Could you lash a dremel-type mini router to the tool post of a metal working lathe? This is of particular interest because I seem to remember the router lathe could cut lovely hollow spirals with a deep cut.

Anyhow, any advice would be greatly appreciated.


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## timber (22 Apr 2017)

merlin777":17pyu6po said:


> I've just been confined to a wheelchair and so I'm going to take up woodworking again which I stopped doing as a hobby nearly 20 years ago. I'll be making small things as my space and ability to handle large pieces are limited.
> 
> One of the things I always wanted to do is spirals, largely for decoration on clocks, and I nearly bought a Trend Router lathe before I stopped. So, may I throw a bunch of questions at you in the hope this thread is still being visited?
> 
> ...



I have a Legacy Ornamental Lathe, I am not good enough to tackle something like that But the LOM is more than capable of doing that, with the right cutters. The old Trend router lathe only did one pitch /spiral and no way of doing more.
On the http://www.woodworkuk.co.uk/forum/index.php JFC has one he is Near London

Timber


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## Walney Col (22 Apr 2017)

I recently made this 
[youtube]tAm4AygzWpY[/youtube]
I think the phsical demans might be a bit much for you but maybe it'll give you some ideas.
Col.


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## Inspector (23 Apr 2017)

Maybe too small for what you want. Beall Pen Wizard uses a Dremel for cutting.

http://www.bealltool.com/products/penwizard/penwiz.php

http://www.toolpost.co.uk/pages/Chucks_ ... izard.html

With a metal lathe, unless you can modify the gearing for the carriage, you are limited to maybe 8 threads per inch or finer, possible 4 on a bigger machine. CNC lathes or a milling machine with a 4th rotary axis can also cut spirals.

Pete

Bill Ooms has a CNC ornamental lathe that might be of interest to you.

http://www.billooms.com/index.html


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## J-G (23 Apr 2017)

Inspector":1tg1898m said:


> With a metal lathe, unless you can modify the gearing for the carriage, you are limited to maybe 8 threads per inch or finer, possible 4 on a bigger machine. CNC lathes or a milling machine with a 4th rotary axis can also cut spirals.


I've been through this thought process and actually made a modified gearing unit for my Myford Super 7.

It uses a Dremel attached to the tool-post as the cutting head and was only marginally successful. The major problem is naturally that the very high gearing needed for (say) 2" (50mm) or even 1" (25mm) pitch, you need a wormwheel in the equation. This then dictates that you cannot drive the spindle with the normal motor - it must be driven from the lead-screw.

I've put three files on my website - http://www.crescentcomputing.co.uk/workshop

1 is a SketchUp model (42Mb!) of the design (you'll need SketchUp V8 or later to view it) 
2 - a photo of the finished gearing unit 
and 
3 - a photo of a part cut BarleyTwist.

With appropriate cutters in the Dremel there is no real reason why a BarleyTwist as shown in the original photo in this old thread couldn't be cut but it's not a simple "Start the Dremel, put a feed on, turn the lead-screw handle and 'Bingo' you have a BarleyTwist".


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