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NEW PROJECT JUST FOR FUN


P Doug (WA)

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I am going to start a new project. Something I have wanted to TRY to build for a long time. See below:

minipage14nd.jpg

I don't have a solid piece of mahogany so I am going to glue together some scraps I got fron a friend's deck building project.

mini11515193hs.jpg

I forgot what he called it but it is very simular to mahogany. I haven't glued the pieces together yet. I haven't used a lathe since high school, a loooong time ago. Should be fun. If it turns out good, or even close to good, I will buy a solid piece of wood and make a real one.

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The picture looks like Phillipine Mahongany, but from your description it may be Ipe? Is it really dense and hard? Looks like a fun and yet complex project. :)

I have lots of Honduran,. but nothing as large as you need. I may have some that is 2 1/2"; I will look today.

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It does look like phillipine mahogany. Doesn't "sapelle" look about the same? I think they are both from the cedar family and not "true" mahogany.

My experience with phillipine mahogany is that it splinters easily. Don't know how that translates to how well it turns, as I have never touched a lathe. I'm a little afraid too ... afraid it will be too addicting and I'll start turning everything in sight.

I'm amazed at what people turn out on lathes. Take plenty of pictures and post them here as you go through the process on this one!

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Frank, I had this link on hand for wood identification... maybe you can find your wood in here!

It has lots of pretty good photos and information this guy collects.

http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/

Iv'e been hoping to get a lathe. I'd like to build some tables and turn my own legs. I've seen some pretty cool bowls too, that would make cool gifts. The woodturning guy on DIY kinda got me going on the idea. Keep looking for something used with a long bed.

b.

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After I bought my lathe, I spend 3 times as much on tooling. A simple 4 jaw chuck and a few accessories can easily cost over $400-$500. Don't buy the cheap inexpensive gouges or other tooling. Get only quality HSS tools. It is amazing how fast a tool can become dull if it isn't quality.

The best lesson I ever had on lather turning was basic sharpening. They never come from the factory with the proper bevel. Bowl gouges, for example, come with a standard even bevel. To work properly, they need to have a running bevel ground upon them. Then highly polish them up and they will stay sharp for quite some time. I use disks of MDF, on a chuck, with jewelers rouge to polish the gouges. It works outstanding and best of all, it's really cheap. :)

I have turned more bowls than my wife likes to count. :roll: Replicating things like legs is a real art (which I don't have). If I were to replicate things like table legs, I would invest in a replicating attachment.

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Yup the replicator would be a must have for legs. One of the reasons I want to go used is so that when I buy something I would hopefully still have enough cash to get proper tools and the replicator to go along with it. There always is another tool to buy...It truly is a sickness.

Thats ok though, each week I keep buying my lottery tickets, and thumbing through the tool catalogues, thinking, it could be me....

:)

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You may find this interesting. Using a router to make those types of projects. Simple indexing and spiral cutting.

http://bluemax44.home.pipeline.com/page7.html

Also would work for mast turning as indicated in the article.

I got this from John Teetsel's website. Found it very interesting and easy to do.

But still like lathe work more than just about anything else. Absolutely recommend learning sharpening and burnishing of your chisels first. Makes all the difference in the world and really helps to learn just what you can actually do.

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