Not so Lazy Susan

[Wood spoiler]

My weekend project was to make my version of an old favourite. The concept being to make a real ball race as a feature of the item.

I have taken pictures of it in component parts in case anyone wants to have a go. As far as I am aware this is an original piece as not seen anything like it before (no doubt I will soon be shown where it has been done by someone - originality is quite difficult to come by)

Just in case it was too easy went for a bit of inlay as well. The base is Ash. The top is sycamore

Be pleased to hear what you think and happy to answer any quetions.

 

[chrisbaker42]

Excellent piece of work, I hope it takes pride of place when you have the neighbours round for a take away.

 

[Jonzjob]

Easy-peasy!! Where did you buy the balls from :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Seriously, how on earth did you get the balls the same size? That is unless you did actually buy them :shock:

That looks like a really good center piece. I would be seriously chuffed if I had made it..

 

[Wood spoiler]

Easy-peasy!! Where did you buy the balls from :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Seriously, how on earth did you get the balls the same size? That is unless you did actually buy them :shock:

That looks like a really good center piece. I would be seriously chuffed if I had made it..

Hi

The secret weapon was http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WOODTURNING-L ... _500wt_922

That and a piece of wood with a hole drilled in it to size. When they passed through they were done.

The tool is a bit fiddly but if you make your lengths and turn them to diameter so you have rods ready to go it becomes production line stuff

 

[Mike Wingate]

Nice job. I have a Sorby ball turning jig. Very poor. I turn balls using my lathe copier. A "ubeaut" that I bought a few years ago from Australia. It is a great copier, using an item or an MDF template. I onece said a child could use it, One did. Great tool.

 

[Wood spoiler]

Nice job. I have a Sorby ball turning jig. Very poor. I turn balls using my lathe copier. A "ubeaut" that I bought a few years ago from Australia. It is a great copier, using an item or an MDF template. I onece said a child could use it, One did. Great tool.

Thanks for the comment. Intrigued to know how a copy lathe works if ever you wanted to do a picture story of the process and tooling.

Excellent piece of work, I hope it takes pride of place when you have the neighbours round for a take away.

Thanks for taking the time to reply. It certainly has pride of place this week, but the wife did ask what I was making next ....

 

[jumps]

no questions - just impressed (again)

currently have one as WIP but have gone down the route of a bearing mechanism (I hadn't even thought of manufacturing it all!)

I also like the inlay, and the lip (unusual but logical!)

 

[Jonzjob]

Lip? I was under the impression that you were quite good at giving it some lip Jumps :roll: :roll: :mrgreen:

But does it have any bearing on the route of the mechanisme you were traveling?

The lip would stop everyone having an equal share they didn't want if they were in a spin? I like the idea..

Being serious for a change. I think the piece is delightful and even without the ball trap I am tempted to try it and turn me balls freehand. The 'hole' to drop them through is a great idea. I have turned small balls for a toy before and they aren't tooooooo bad to do. A couple of dozen would be a challenge though and I like a challenge.

There are three balls in the bowels of this, about 1", so starting with a 3/4" or 1/2" turned dowel in beech??? As a matter of interest, all of it is turned from firewood and no metal bits..

 

[Wood spoiler]

no questions - just impressed (again)

currently have one as WIP but have gone down the route of a bearing mechanism (I hadn't even thought of manufacturing it all!)

I also like the inlay, and the lip (unusual but logical!)

Pleased you like it.

The lip as you say is logical or the first time it is turned everything slips off the edge and goes everywhere.

Hope it's given you some ideas

 

[Wood spoiler]

.

Being serious for a change. I think the piece is delightful and even without the ball trap I am tempted to try it and turn me balls freehand. The 'hole' to drop them through is a great idea. I have turned small balls for a toy before and they aren't tooooooo bad to do. A couple of dozen would be a challenge though and I like a challenge.

There are three balls in the bowels of this, about 1", so starting with a 3/4" or 1/2" turned dowel in beech??? As a matter of interest, all of it is turned from firewood and no metal bits..
]

That's fancy firewood you have there in France. Is it marketed by Kinder, the egg people, just break open the piece of firewood and you have a toy inside!

The hole in a piece of wood simplifies as it can be offered on the chuck. I find callipers lie (????). Using the hole idea it either goes through or it doesn't

 

[loz]

Nice work Colin,

I love it, Ca we have more info on the inlays used ??

 

[Wood spoiler]

Nice work Colin,

I love it, Ca we have more info on the inlays used ??

Glad you liked it.

I obtained a whole varied load of different bits and pieces from this company via the website http://www.originalmarquetry.co.uk/

The delivery charge was quite high so I thought I had better make a good order to justify it :-" (any excuse) However, the stuff was delivered in an extremly well packed way. The strips were taped in groups and then onto a piece of 2" x 1". The Marquetry panels on a piece of MDF topped with corrugated card. All over wrapped in card with half a reel of tape binding it all together. I really would recommend them as it is a good site with lots of interesting stuff and sent in pristine condition.

I have used the bandings, Marquetry and their stringing and am very pleased with it. I did not think that it was priced too badly either considering what you are getting.

 

[Mike Wingate]

I was talking to a jewelry bead maker this weekend at Treefest. He makes his beads with a form tool, 5 beads at a time and finishes them in a tumbler.

 

[Wood spoiler]

I was talking to a jewelry bead maker this weekend at Treefest. He makes his beads with a form tool, 5 beads at a time and finishes them in a tumbler.

I can understand why. It would not be a cost-effective operation the way I did them if you were doing it for gain, just too time consuming and wasteful of wood.

 

[Jonzjob]

So just a load of balls really?

OK, I know where me coat an 'at is

What ever the waste. I think I will have a go a free hand turning a couple of dazen balls for something like that.

If I can turn 5 dozen different size eggs for a falconary center then what the ****?

OK, I had 5 different size holes at a dozen of each! I avoided a boiled egg for breakfast for at least a week after that lot!

 

[Wood spoiler]

So just a load of balls really?

OK, I know where me coat an 'at is

What ever the waste. I think I will have a go a free hand turning a couple of dazen balls for something like that.

If I can turn 5 dozen different size eggs for a falconary center then what the ****?

OK, I had 5 different size holes at a dozen of each! I avoided a boiled egg for breakfast for at least a week after that lot!

I'm guessing it took more than just the tonic water to swallow that lot!

Good luck - I look forward to seeing the results. I personally think it will be worth it because all modesty aside, the finished piece is stunning. I think it is my best piece. I think the balls give it the interest and dimension, everyone that has seen it is compelled to give it a spin and the rolling balls give a lovely clattery sound

 

[Wood spoiler]

Just a quick addendum for John, or whoever else wants to have a go at the home made ball race.

When you are making your balls for the race the good news is that you need to turn one less ball than you think. You need to leave a gap in the ball race or they bind and don't work. Taking one ball out solved the problem.

 

[Jonzjob]

Sounds good. After all, you can't have yer balls binding can you :roll: :roll:

I think that I will have to get some spinny time and start by turning some dowel for the job.. As I ain't not been in the U.K. for several years now and the size of the coins change with the seasons and get smaller to reflect the value, just what is the diameter of yer balls Colin?

 

[Wood spoiler]

Sounds good. After all, you can't have yer balls binding can you :roll: :roll:

I think that I will have to get some spinny time and start by turning some dowel for the job.. As I ain't not been in the U.K. for several years now and the size of the coins change with the seasons and get smaller to reflect the value, just what is the diameter of yer balls Colin?

I have taken Legal advice and can confirm that I can answer .....

Apparently very cold in these parts at a massive 3/4" old money or 19 mm new money

 

[Jonzjob]

16 balls done and only about 16 more to do and then I can start to look at the base and top.

I have some nice ash that I think (?) would do that!!

I am turning 9 ash squares into 5/8th" rounds and from there turning the balls. As long as the balls are round and I haven't gone below the 5/8 " center then they can't be far out. All turned by eye, so if you don't here any more then it was a total disasted and I don't want to talk about it any more