WoodMangler
Established Member
For metal-turning I've always used tables or nomograms giving the optimum rotational speed depending on material, diameter, operation and direction of cut. Does anything similar exist for wood-turning ?
Turning RPM tables ?
- Thread starter WoodMangler
- Start date
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chipmunk
Established Member
The short answer is that I don't think that there are anything more than guidelines.
A quick google search produced this table...
http://www.quest42.co.uk/woodwork/pdf/Speeds.pdf
...but it seems a bit prescriptive to me because I don't know where the 26' per second came from.
[Edit - Apologies to Chas (I knew I recognized the URL from somewhere) who provided the table - no offence meant
]
My preference would be to let a combination of the lathe stability (not jumping around the workshop), the quality of the cut and my nerves determine the right speed :wink:
HTH
Jon
A quick google search produced this table...
http://www.quest42.co.uk/woodwork/pdf/Speeds.pdf
...but it seems a bit prescriptive to me because I don't know where the 26' per second came from.
[Edit - Apologies to Chas (I knew I recognized the URL from somewhere) who provided the table - no offence meant
]My preference would be to let a combination of the lathe stability (not jumping around the workshop), the quality of the cut and my nerves determine the right speed :wink:
HTH
Jon
Paul Hannaby
Established Member
As a rough rule of thumb (also based on a cutting speed of 25' per second) you can divide the diameter (in inches) of the blank in to 6000 to give the rpm so a 10" blank works out to 600 rpm. This will obviously vary a little depending on the type of wood and takes no account of other factors such as balance (or lack of) or integrity of the blank so all those should be taken into consideration and if necessary, a slower speed chosen for safety.
finneyb
Established Member
I've always found the formula attributed to the late Dale Nish sensible if combined with a little common sense.
' Suggested Turning Speeds
I have found from experience that appropriate lathe speeds can be determined using a simple formula or equation. This method works for me, and I use it all the time to determine lathe speeds when I begin to set up to turn a piece.
D = Diameter of stock in inches
RPM = Revolutions per minute of the headstock spindle
6,000-9,000: just numbers used to determine lowest speed or highest speed
D" x RPM = 6,000 to 9,000
Example:
A bowl blank is 8" in diameter.
8" x 750 = 6,000
8" x 1125 = 9,000 '
source http://www.woodturningdesign.com/askdale/5/5.shtml
Brian
' Suggested Turning Speeds
I have found from experience that appropriate lathe speeds can be determined using a simple formula or equation. This method works for me, and I use it all the time to determine lathe speeds when I begin to set up to turn a piece.
D = Diameter of stock in inches
RPM = Revolutions per minute of the headstock spindle
6,000-9,000: just numbers used to determine lowest speed or highest speed
D" x RPM = 6,000 to 9,000
Example:
A bowl blank is 8" in diameter.
8" x 750 = 6,000
8" x 1125 = 9,000 '
source http://www.woodturningdesign.com/askdale/5/5.shtml
Brian
WoodMangler
Established Member
Thanks folks, table downloaded and printed. Frankly the most critical bit is the quality of my nerves anyway
