Need Mini Lathe help near Raleigh

Need Mini Lathe help near Raleigh · 07-27-2008, 04:21 PM

I have been looking for MONTHS for turning help. I have a deadline to have a lot of hand-turned spindles by end of August for a festival where I will be a vendor, and have not been able to find classes or a teacher. NC State is not offering ANY wood turning classes because they are relocating the craft center.

I think I would only need a few sessions with an experienced turner.

I took the Woodcraft course in turning a pen 2 years ago and the teacher said I did better than the average student. (They closed, and I could not find them if they have re-opened.)

Two years ago I bought a Grizzly Mini Lathe, and a lot of dowels from a specialty lumber co (who said they were the small diameters I needed and only specialty woods like mahogany, but they lied about size and rarity of wood - BOY HOWDY do I have a lot of 3/4 up to 1" dowels, though!).

Have never used the lathe or dowels because I don't know which tools to buy for this fine work!!!

I need (please):

1. HELP to identify what tools I need to buy for turning spindles from hardwood dowels (can't afford top of the line, oh, and I am left-handed if that makes a difference.) Also need guidance on where to buy the right tools FASTt, along with advice on whatever I need for sharpening them and a lesson on how to sharpen them right.

2. A refresher lesson on centering a 3/8 inch or 1/2 inch dowel for turning, and turning lesson (one lesson I need is how to make one spot on the spindle a specific diameter and shape, to support a stone disk or whorl in place if it has a non-standard hole).

3. One session to critique work I would have done alone at home.

That's all.

Can anyone in the Triangle area help me?? PLEASE?

I am new to this list today. Please email me back about any help that is available locally for my specific needs..

Jon · 07-27-2008, 05:14 PM

Hello and welcome to North Carolina Woodworker. I was the one I think who invited you over. I'm sure someone will chime in and offer help. Glad you came over.

You might look in the turners section of the forum.

ScottM · 07-27-2008, 05:57 PM

Laurie welcome to North Carolina Woodworker. The best sawdust pile on the planet. I am a new turner so I will let some of our experts off the how to advise. For basic tools I would think you are talking about a spindle gouge, parting tool and skew. You should be able to find reasonably prices tools at Harbor Frieight or Klingspor both ob Capital Blvd.

Woodman2k · 07-27-2008, 06:31 PM

Laurie,
I don't know how many or what material you are using but you would be better off going at least to www.pennstateindustries.com and looking at there Benjamins Best line of tools.They will stay with you alittle longer , stay sharp longer , and you have a pretty good selection to pick from.If its smaller spindle's you are turning,you can get the pen turning carbide set but you will need a different wheel on your grinder to sharpen them.There is also a guy on ebay named dissorder who carries a lot of those same tools.If you have alot of spindles to turn or will be doing them again you might consider a duplicator for your lathe.I have a 36 inch and making spindles in numbers is a piece of cake.I live in Mooresville so lessons might be tuff.

mothermastiff · 07-27-2008, 07:16 PM

Thanks, you guys are getting my hopes up that I can find a teacher in Apex, Raleigh, Cary, Garner, or otherwise nearby.

Duplicator? Does it save a template for future use? Can it save multiple templates for different sizes or shapes?

If I come up with a shape that is graceful and has the weight where I want it (for hand spindles for spinning yarn), a duplicator would really help because I'd love to be able to make more of a successful spindle design.

Would I need to keep the good original, or does the duplicator save the shape?

Too cool! I am going to love this group!

laurie (Mother Mastiff)

NZAPP1 · 07-27-2008, 07:32 PM

Laurie,
If you get to the Winston-Salem area I would be more then willing to give you some lessons. I also have a duplicator and I make my templates out of plexiglass so they last a lot longer. You can send me a PM and I will give you some contact info and help you out where I can

DaveO · 07-27-2008, 08:17 PM

Hi Laurie, and welcome to North Carolina Woodworker'er, I am sure you'll find the help you need from these folks.

Originally Posted by mothermastiff

I have been looking for MONTHS for turning help. I have a deadline to have a lot of hand-turned spindles by end of August for a festival where I will be a vendor, and have not been able to find classes or a teacher. NC State is not offering ANY wood turning classes because they are relocating the craft center.

I think I would only need a few sessions with an experienced turner.

I took the Woodcraft course in turning a pen 2 years ago and the teacher said I did better than the average student. (They closed, and I could not find them if they have re-opened.) The Woodcraft has re-opened and is less than a quarter mile from it's original location. Almost a straight line across on the other side of Glenwood. Heading north on 70/Glenwood, turn left on Pleasent Valley Dr. you'll drive right by it. It's a bigber store with more selction, and most of the same helpful and friendly staff.

Two years ago I bought a Grizzly Mini Lathe, and a lot of dowels from a specialty lumber co (who said they were the small diameters I needed and only specialty woods like mahogany, but they lied about size and rarity of wood - BOY HOWDY do I have a lot of 3/4 up to 1" dowels, though!). I don't quite understand why you would want to start turn with dowel. That is what a lathe excells at making square wood round.

Have never used the lathe or dowels because I don't know which tools to buy for this fine work!!!

I need (please):

1. HELP to identify what tools I need to buy for turning spindles from hardwood dowels (can't afford top of the line, oh, and I am left-handed if that makes a difference.) Also need guidance on where to buy the right tools FASTt, along with advice on whatever I need for sharpening them and a lesson on how to sharpen them right. To buy the tools fast I would suggest either Woodcraft or Klingspors Woodworking Store, or even Harbour Freight. For spindle turning you'll need a roughing gouge (unless your starting with already round stock, spindle gouge, parting tool, and a skew (if your brave). Righty or lefty makes no difference to the tool, you might have to adjust your body position if you're going to control the tool with your left hand. I would also think that you could get the supplies and advice on sharpening at the above stores (except HF) I hightly recommend and 8" grinder and the Wolverine sharpening jig.

2. A refresher lesson on centering a 3/8 inch or 1/2 inch dowel for turning, and turning lesson (one lesson I need is how to make one spot on the spindle a specific diameter and shape, to support a stone disk or whorl in place if it has a non-standard hole). To find the center of a circle making or purchasing a centering jig like this - http://www.woodworkingtips.com/etips/2006/09/08/wb/

To turn an area down to a specific diameter you would use a parting tool and a set of turners calipers set to your desired diameter. As you are cutting with the parting tool, keep checking with the calipers until they just slide over the work piece.

3. One session to critique work I would have done alone at home.

That's all.

Can anyone in the Triangle area help me?? PLEASE?

I am new to this list today. Please email me back about any help that is available locally for my specific needs..

If you could post any pictures of the work that you are doing, it might help with giving more specific advice.
Dave

Woodman2k · 07-27-2008, 08:19 PM

Laurie,
Sounds like Nick can answer all your questions about the duplicator.Different brands use different approaches at presenting the item you want to reproduce.My duplicator uses the same method as Nick's,or at least it sounds like it.I use lexan or 1/4 inch plywood to create the shape and the rub pin follows the contour and wallah!

you have a copy of the original.Good luck

dozer · 07-27-2008, 09:34 PM

I would be glad to try to help you out. Turning duplicates without a duplicator is not that hard to do. I started with the $49.99 set of tools from harbor freight and i still use them for most of my turnings.

Mike Davis · 07-27-2008, 10:14 PM

Dozer is your man in that part of the state. He is the best!

My daughter spins wool with a hand spindle so I know what you are doing. I don't see how you will make one from just a 3/4 inch dowel. You need about a 3/8 inch dowel for the spindle and a bigger piece for the whorl. You can turn down the dowels but that seems to be a waste of time if you want to make a profit.

You will need a face plate or a chuck to hold the whorl while you form it. They can be fairly cheap or very expensive and you definitely get what you pay for.

http://www.pacificwoolandfiber.com/Drop%20Spindles.htm

Here is a place that I know sells pretty good drop spindles. You can do better work, but I don't know that you can sell for a lot higher price.

I'm not trying to discourage you, but you need to know there are plenty of competitors with well established business and you will have to be very good, very high quality, very distinctive and well priced to beat them.

Good luck! And I'm sure you will get plenty of help here, we like to see our own succeed.

mothermastiff · 07-27-2008, 11:28 PM

>>If you could post any pictures of the work that you are doing, it might help with giving more specific advice.<<

Haven't been able to START yet, which is why I am asking for a teacher; don't have the tools yet (can't afford to buy the wrong ones in my neophyte ignorance), and would have a lot more confidence with a lesson or two. I did OK at the pen class at Woodcraft, but to be honest, was a little intimidated by the lathe.

Mike, I have spent the last 14 months buying beautiful semi-precious stones in disks from 30-50mm to use as the whorls, for weight and beauty.

I want to turn just the spindle shaft to a pretty shape, and then add a stone whorl.

In some cases, the stone whorl came from the mine with a larger or smaller opening than is standard, so I need a way to measure the spindle as I work, to make sure the specific stone will fit securely.

I have made some drop spindles using my pretty stones and plain dowels, but they are - well, - PLAIN. Even in my own eyes. Not pretty enough for the lovely (and sometimes very expensive) stones.

Besides, having some shapes and curves on the spindle shaft helps the wool stay in place as it is wound on. Most drop spindles I have seen have pretty turnings. People expect that.

An online friend bought wood dowels in nice woods (oak and cherry, mahogany, etc.) and uses them to turn her fairly ornate spindles.

I am not one for fussy work, so simple shapes will suit me best, but I spent a lot of money on dowels from the lumber co. that lied to me (most of the dowels look like oak rather than rare woods, and are much larger diameter than they said).

If it is better to have to take more away than to start at close to the desired diameter, then the larger diameter dowels should work just as well as wood that is square in cross section. (Wouldn't they?)

Did that make clearer what I am trying to learn to do with a mini lathe, and why?

Thanks for the interest and advice!

laurie

Mike Davis · 07-27-2008, 11:43 PM

Oh, Yes! I think you have a winner there!

I do understand now, the stones already have a hole and they are different sizes so you have to start with an oversized shaft, turn it to fit the stone and make it beautiful. That is a challenge but, with a bit of practice one that should be easily met.

So, no need for a chuck nor face plate at this point. You just need to turn the spindle. You need to be able to measure the hole accurately. I use a set of hole gauges for that. And a good adjustable wrench will do in place of a precision caliper or dial gauge. You really don't care what size the hole is you just need to match it with a tight fitting spindle.

Here's a set from Enco that will do nicely up to 1/2 inch.

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?P...&PARTPG=INLMK3

woodArtz · 07-28-2008, 01:02 AM

Hi Laurie... welcome to our group. I hope we can help you with your project. I looked online and now I sort of understand what you're after. Basically, the whorl (looks like a little top) is attached to a dowel that has a hook on the short end. Although, I've seen a lot of plain spindles online, you want to set yours apart by turning some beads and coves and other such designs into the spindle. Cool idea!

If I was starting from scratch and had a short deadline I would choose tools that are easy to master and had a high chance of success for a novice. With that in mind, here's my two cents. Go to Woodcraft or Klingspor and get the following tools:

1. 3/8 spindle gouge
2. 1/2 skew (harder to master but necessary for some basic steps)
3. 1/8 parting tool
4. beading tool(s) (sizes dependent on the size beads you want)

The spindles may need to be done in two parts and then joined at the whorl, but I'm not sure about that. I imagine that a spindle with some nice small beads on the short end followed by beads and coves on the longer end would be nice and not that hard to accomplish with some practice.

Hook up with ole dozer, he'll get you going in the right direction!

Good luck!

mothermastiff · 07-28-2008, 09:43 AM

Mike and Bob, thanks for the specific shopping lists! THAT's what I needed to start with!

This is a great group.

I am going to try to hook up with Dozer for actual hands-on lessons as soon as he has some time for me. (Soon, I hope!)

With luck, very soon I can post some photos of early prototypes for all of you to critique.

Thanks so much!

laurie