Work holding help for a new turner needed

[Zeddedhed]

First a little bit of introduction......

A few months ago I bought one of these..

and one of these

all for just under £150 (a bit a bargain methinks).

I also got myself a set of Axminster HSS tools and a copy of Keith Rowleys book.

Since then I've made one of these...

One of these...

a bunch of these

and for a bit of a laugh one of these... (it works by the way)

Then I went to the D&M tool show and watched a demo by a mad man from Record and understood how sharp the tools need to be.

I dug out the bench grinder, sparks flew in the right places and I found out I could make square things round without needing a change of underpants.

More practice with the roughing gouge followed until I cold do this fairly easily

Then I had a go with an oval skew and changed my pants.

Anyway, I now want to try and make some small knobs for tools and furniture pieces.

I'm guessing that the right thing to do is to use my lovely chuck but despite reading and watching for the last few days can't find much info on actually using the damned things.

I understand that they can grip wood in compression or expansion via a tenon or 'mortice', dovetailed or parallel depending on the jaws.

I've also seen some vids of people doing this

Is this OK?

What is the normal procedure for turning a knob?

Any help (or weeping and wailing) accepted

 

[chipmunk]

Hi Zeddedhed,
Welcome to wonderful world of turning!

How do you plan to fix your knobs? - because that can be the key to holding them on the lathe.

I made some kitchen door knobs and chose to use these...

which means that a length of 6mm threaded rod or bolt held in the chuck (actually screwed into another insert in a piece of scrap held centrally in the chuck jaws) made a brilliant holding means.

If you plan to use a woodscrew then make a screw-chuck - a screw sticking through a scrap piece of wood held in the chuck jaws.

Mike Peace has a pretty nice video here which should help....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsfWQoOIkNw

...and you have all the essentials now so no need to buy anything else apart from perhaps a screw or two.

If you want them all the same then consider some sort of measuring jig...

Good luck and have fun.
HTH
Jon

 

[Dalboy]

If you are going to hold your wood as in the last picture it can be done, what I will say if you are making a few draw knobs for example I would bring up the tail stock to support it. Then cut all of the knobs but do not part off until completed. Once at that stage you can part of the knob nearest to the tail stock at the end only move the tail stock out of the way and clean up the end. Finally part off the other end work down your knobs until you have completed all of them. This means that while you are turning the bulk away you have some support from the tail stock

 

[Zeddedhed]

Thanks for the advice guys.

The knob I'm trying to turn at the moment is a replacement for my recently acquired Edward Preston Side Rebate plane.

It's similar to the one shown below which is from a Stanley 98 or 99 (I can never remember which is which)

It needs a mortice (blind hole) in the base to fit over the end of the plane.

I'm guessing that I should probably drill this first into a blank, then chuck it up using the smallest expansion jaw (if I've got one small enough that is) and then turn it.

If I can't chuck it this way what would you suggest?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Expensive business, buying a lathe to turn that.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

You probably haven't small enough jaws, so turn a jam chuck - just a little bit of scrap that sits in your chuck with a shoulder to register the knob on and a spigot just tight enough to jam it on. Leave the tailstock up until you're ready to clean it off.

 

[Zeddedhed]

Expensive business, buying a lathe to turn that.

You're quite right. But I think you're failing to take into account the stunning array of mostly round objets d'art shown in the first post.
I think you'd agree that they more than justify the purchase...........no?

 

[nev]

Find a screw, coachbolt etc roughly the same size (diameter)as the mount for your knob but slightly longer and make a screw chuck from it. Drill your blank with appropriate size drill bit to depth, mount on screw chuck and away you go.


Excuse the very rough sketch, fat fingers and tablets don't mix well

 

[Woodchips2]

Hi Zeddedhed, you've made a good start so well done =D>

The skew can be off-putting when you start because it is so easy to get snatches and possibly a smack in the chops with a sharp chisel. However once you get confident with it you can do so much with one tool from roughing out, beads and coves, planing, tapering etc. The secret is remembering to rub the bevel before introducing the cutting edge and only cut using the bottom third or so.

I found Keith Rowley's book very good but learnt most from Gary Rance's DVD on woodturning techniques http://www.garyrance.co.uk/videos . He demonstrates use of all the chisels including the skew showing you how to avoid snatches as well as showing how to sharpen without jigs.

Woodturning can become addictive just beware the dust.

Regards Keith

 

[marcros]

Expensive business, buying a lathe to turn that.

You're quite right. But I think you're failing to take into account the stunning array of mostly round objets d'art shown in the first post.
I think you'd agree that they more than justify the purchase...........no?

nice selection of fisherman's priests there... :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[chipmunk]

Well I'd stick to the idea of a screw chuck but start by drilling your blank with a forstner or spade bit to create the mortice first and follow with a pilot hole for the screw.

If you use a finer screw in the chuck than your plane has then it should be ok on the finished product because that screw looks as if it'd be hard to replicate in a screw chuck.

Also if you have a tenon on your screw Chuck to match the mortice in the knob then it'll make the knob more secure during turning.

Good luck
Jon

 

[Zeddedhed]

nice selection of fisherman's priests there... :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Thanks Marcros. Good to see that someone appreciates my 'art'. :lol: :lol:

Seriously though I wonder how many people when they first get their lathe just go around the workshop trapping bits of wood and making them round and then calling them mallets or candlesticks?

I'd never thought of calling them Priests - good call.

 

[deserter]

My first efforts were all honey dippers. I think everyone I know got one before I moved on to the next idea.