Split Turning

[Shultzy]

I want to create rounded corners on a bed i'm making and it's been a long time since I tackled any split turning. I'm assuming that the old method of gluing newspaper to the wood and then splitting after turning is the preferred method.

Is it one sheet of newspaper per joint or two?
Do you split it with a chisel or a meat cleaver?
As I will be using a four prong drive centre and a live end, do I need anything to stop the parts splitting in mid turn (there are four corners, each 1 1/4 x 1 1/4)?

Is there any other "modern" technique, such as hot gluing?

 

[CHJ]

You really need to use a hollow Ring centre or a Steb centre on the tailstock end which will tend to hold the two halves together, using a plain tapered tailstock centre is likely to split the joint whilst you are turning.

 

[NazNomad]

I did an 'inside-out' xmas decoration thing and 1 layer of newspaper seemed to work fine. Separated it with a chisel.

I'd hot-glue a sacrificial block on either end too, but then I'm a big coward. :-D

 

[Dalboy]

As Chas has stated if you don't have either of those then a piece of ply screwed into the ends as above is also a reconised way of holding it secure to stop it splitting

 

[finneyb]

I used newspaper & glue and wrapped gaffer tape around the bits not being turned.

Brian

 

[Shultzy]

Thanks for the info all. I'll post a few pics when I've finished.

 

[Shultzy]

BTW how much do I need to remove from the glued sides so I can re-glue the quadrants?

 

[NazNomad]

I would think that once you've sanded off any trace of newspaper, you're good to re-glue?

 

[SVB]

You really need to use a hollow Ring centre or a Steb centre on the tailstock end which will tend to hold the two halves together, using a plain tapered tailstock centre is likely to split the joint whilst you are turning.

Or if you don't have one of them, try putting a small washer over the tip of the live centre - limit s how much the tip will wedge the two apart and the washer then just applies an axial push.

S

 

[Shultzy]

Update - I cut strips of newspaper, coated two sides of each piece, laid the newspaper over the glue and rolled it out to avoid any bubbles. I then glued all four pieces together to end up with a 3x3x18" piece. Mounting it in the lathe, at the slowest speed, with a four pronged drive and a live centre I turned a grooves at each end wide enough for a cable-tie. After turning down to 2 1/2" dia I cut the cable-ties and split it into four lengths using a machete. It only required slight pressure with both hands to split neatly. The newspaper came off with a scraper. All in all a reasonably easy procedure.

 

[SVB]

So, 'd rules is, no pics = it didn't happen!!