Gluing segments

[dickm]

hi
instead of rollerblade wheels you could just use bearings and put some rubber or leather around them so they don't mark your work.
they are also cheaper i would imagine.
best of luck with whatever you decide.
paul-c

FWIW, the Tyme Avon had a centre steady which was made exactly like that, but without any coating on the bearings. Never seemed to give any problems and it's just possible that rubber or leather could actually cause staining discoloration when in contact with the wood?

 

[woodfarmer]

You can now fit either the handle plain or make a sword stick

Just to make you aware, manufacture of a swordstick is illegal in the UK

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...and_offensive_weapons_information_GDS_FAQ.pdf

One of the many reasons I left the UK for France. I do not feel at home in the UK now, it is an alien culture to me. Here in rural France it is very much like living in Cornwall 50 -60 years ago.
When I was a school boy every one had and carried a sheath knife. I even took a machete to school to sharpen my pencil. The tutor just accepted it as a joke and I went home with it unmolested. Knife crime was unheard of. Saturday mornings I would walk into town with my shotgun on my shoulder, Go into the post office and make a small deposit into my savings account before crossing the railway station lines to work my way up a disused cutting which went to a long abandoned mine. No one took any notice at all.

Not like that now.

 

[Roger C]

Froggy I agree you need a central rod.I would use a carbon fibre arrow shaft or two as the they are not to expensive and glue the lot together with Gorilla glue which is a polyurethane glue that has great gap filling properties, sands well, turns well and is very strong don't mess on concrete and not clean asap because when dry it will remove a piece of concrete when you chip it off. Clean hands immediately with thinners other wise the glue stains skin black which takes 3 days to come off. Tite Bond 3 is a water based polyurethane glue which is also very good but not as strong / tough as Gorilla which ticks to about any thing. Cheers Roger C

 

[Roger C]

Froggy I agree you need a central rod.I would use a carbon fibre arrow shaft or two as the they are not to expensive and glue the lot together with Gorilla glue which is a polyurethane glue that has great gap filling properties, sands well, turns well and is very strong don't mess on concrete and not clean asap because when dry it will remove a piece of concrete when you chip it off. Clean hands immediately with thinners other wise the glue stains skin black which takes 3 days to come off. Tite Bond 3 is a water based polyurethane glue which is also very good but not as strong / tough as Gorilla which ticks to about any thing. Cheers Roger C

 

[Dalboy]

Froggy I agree you need a central rod.I would use a carbon fibre arrow shaft or two as the they are not to expensive and glue the lot together with Gorilla glue which is a polyurethane glue that has great gap filling properties, sands well, turns well and is very strong don't mess on concrete and not clean asap because when dry it will remove a piece of concrete when you chip it off. Clean hands immediately with thinners other wise the glue stains skin black which takes 3 days to come off. Tite Bond 3 is a water based polyurethane glue which is also very good but not as strong / tough as Gorilla which ticks to about any thing. Cheers Roger C

I always wear rubber gloves when using it

 

[Froggy]

Thanks Roger and Dalboy. As it happens I have some carbon fibber arrow shafts, might give that a go. Unfortunately I can't get back in the workshop until Monday now, but will keep you informed.

 

[Spindle]

Gorilla glue which is a polyurethane glue that has great gap filling properties, sands well, turns well

Thanks for the info re sanding and turning, I'll file that away for the future.

On the downside, the glue expands and foams when it comes into contact with the moisture in wood, this is how it's activated. In order to stop the expansion forcing the joints apart you need to clamp the work, easy enough with a length of studding, not so easy with an arrow shaft. Also it's 'gap filling' properties are more than offset by the degradation in joint strength when this happens, the strength of the foamed adhesive is minimal. For strength and the ability to fill gaps epoxy is a much better material.

Regards Mick

 

[Froggy]

Hi guys,

Progress report - or lack of!! I made a 'Centre Steady' using my daughter's roller blade wheels (she'll go mad when she gets back from holiday) and some ply wood.

At first I thought it was working but as I moved towards the middle the chatter started again.

It is a little better with the steady but not good enough. I'm not sure why it isn't working, perhaps the ply wood is not strong enough? I took all the other advice such as using a chuck in place of a centre and only light pressure on the tail stock. I will continue to make slight adjustments and see what happens and I will glue up the segmented cane (probably using dowel through the centre), but if I am struggling with a one piece the segmented one will probably even harder!! #-o

Cheers Froggy.

 

[chipmunk]

Hi Froggy,
How sharp are your tools and how hard are you pressing? Try using sharp and honed gouges and/or skew and take only very light cuts.

The other thing is that oak is pretty flexible.

As an alternative you could always resort to a flat wooden block and an 80 grit gouge :wink:

Jon

 

[Froggy]

Hi Jon,

Thanks for the response. The answer to how sharp are my tools is: I'm not sure!! I sharpened my gouge before starting this job but as I'm new to turning may be I only think they are sharp. I have been woodworking for 6 or 7 years now and I used to think my chisels were sharp way back when, but now I realise how comparatively blunt they were then. I am however only using light pressure. What wood would you think would be better than oak for this project? I'm afraid I don't understand your last comment about the flat wooden block and 80 grit gouge??!!

Cheers Froggy.

 

[Spindle]

Hi

Are you steadying the work by wrapping your fingers around it gently? That coupled with sharp tooling applied firmly and lightly will overcome the chatter. You may also find it useful to vary the lathe speed and to cut from the opposite direction. Perseverance will overcome this - you may also find it easier without the steady.

Regards Mick

 

[chipmunk]

Hi Froogy,
Sorry, an 80-grit gouge is a joke.

It's not a gouge at all but a sheet of abrasive paper wrapped around a block of wood which will give you a nice straight flat surface but keep it moving to keep scoring lines to a minimum.

Jon

 

[Froggy]

Mike I think you're right, perseverance is key here. I think part of the problem is my incompetence as a turner and I need to practice. As for wrapping my fingers around the work piece...I found that impossible whilst using a gouge. I can just about use a parting tool with one hand whilst measuring with callipers in the other!!
Jon - That joke went straight over my head lol. But it turned out to be a bit prophetic also, because I took the cane off and finished it by hand with a spoke shave and sand paper.
I haven't got much time left in the workshop this week as I'm going to England on Friday and have a lot to do before then, but if I have time I will glue my segments together (somehow!) and have another go with that. Might as well now I've cut the segments, can't do much else with them.

Cheers Froggy.

 

[Spindle]

Hi Froggy

Supporting the work with your fingers doesn't mean you have to lose touch with the tool - I'd find it difficult to describe how I do it in words but this picture is pretty good and much as I do it:

It's my opinion that you will need to master this technique in order to stop tool chatter on long thin spindles - it will 'click' sooner than you think :wink:

Regards Mick

 

[Dalboy]

Hi Froggy

Supporting the work with your fingers doesn't mean you have to lose touch with the tool - I'd find it difficult to describe how I do it in words but this picture is pretty good and much as I do it:



It's my opinion that you will need to master this technique in order to stop tool chatter on long thin spindles - it will 'click' sooner than you think :wink:

Regards Mick

That is how I do it gentle touch sharp tools and a gentle grip just enough to support. Don't try and hold the work to tight as you will know when your hand starts to warm up

 

[Froggy]

Thanks Mike and Dalboy. I'll have a go.

 

[finneyb]

Froggy,

Suggest the steady is flexing due to the clamp on the bars.
Extend the plywood base so that you can get three bolts in - one back and one front of the bars and one in the middle, as it is now. Also if you can thicken the base ply that would reduced the flexing.

I made the circular steady and when I saw yours I thought good idea ! But, on reflection I wonder if the circular steady is stronger.

HTH

Brian

 

[finneyb]

Gorilla glue which is a polyurethane glue that has great gap filling properties, sands well, turns well

On the downside, the glue expands and foams when it comes into contact with the moisture in wood, this is how it's activated. In order to stop the expansion forcing the joints apart you need to clamp the work, .

Regards Mick

I'm with Mick - and the damn stuff gets everywhere including on the wood. I got in such a mess I had the spray paint the wood to cover the staining.

Brian

 

[Froggy]

Hi Brian, I'm going to make a version 2 and will take on board your suggestions, thanks. But it won't be happening until at least mid August now as I'm going away this week and wont be back till then.