A Course In Wood Turning Part 5

This method will be found very convenient epecially on models where the base is to be left straight. It will also be found to save much stock when working with expensive woods.

LATHE ADJUSTMENTS

To get the best results in face-plate or chuck turning there should be no end play in the spindle of the lathe. The spindle should always be tested out, and if any play is found, should be adjusted before attempting any work. It is almost impossible to make a true cut when such a condition obtains.

POSITION OF TOOL REST

For all face-plate and chuck turning the tool rest should be kept as close to the stock as possible, the same as in spindle turning, regardless of the angle it may be set. Vertically, the rest in most cases should be sufficiently below the center of the stock to bring the center or cutting point of the tools used, when held parallel to the bed of the lathe, even with the center of the stock. This last condition will necessitate adjusting the height occasionally when changing from large to small tools.

CHAPTER X

TOOL PROCESSES IN FACE-PLATE AND CHUCK TURNING

B-I--1-a. Straight Cuts

1. ROUGHING OFF CORNERS. (3/4" GOUGE.) FIG. 14. The tool rest is set crosswise to the bed of the lathe and parallel to the face of the stock.

Place the gouge on the rest with the handle well down. Roll the gouge to the left until the grind which forms the cutting edge is perpendicular to the stock. The point of contact should be slightly below the center or nose of the tool.

The handle of the gouge is then swung well to the back of the lathe or to the operator's right. The gouge is then pushed forward into the stock and to the left, making a shearing cut. The cut should not be too heavy.

The starting point for this cut should be a line which will indicate the largest diameter or circle that can be made from the block.--This cut should be repeated until the corners are removed from the block.

To complete the cutting of thick stock it will be found necessary to change the tool rest to an angle of 45 with the bed of the lathe.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 14.]

When hardwood is being turned it is sometimes advisable to saw the block almost round with a compa.s.s saw or bandsaw, if one is to be had. Should this be done the preceding steps are omitted.

The tool rest is then placed parallel with the lathe bed and a roughing cut is taken with the gouge the entire thickness of the block.

The lathe should be run on second or third speed until the corners are removed, and then changed to first speed.

2. CALIPERING FOR DIAMETER. The true diameter is then calipered the same as in spindle work.

3. SMOOTHING CUT. A smoothing cut is taken with a skew chisel the same as in spindle work.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 15.]

4. ROUGHING CUT ON THE FACE. (3/4" GOUGE.) FIG. 15. The rest is now placed parallel to the bed of the lathe and slightly above the center of the spindle. Place the gouge on the rest on its edge with the grind toward the stock and parallel to the face to be surfaced. The nose of the gouge is the cutting point.

The handle is then raised and the cutting point is forced toward the center. A very thin shaving should be taken. If the gouge is allowed to roll back so the grind above the cutting point comes in contact with the wood it is sure to catch and gash the wood.

5. SMOOTHING THE FACE. (SMALL SKEW CHISEL.) FIG. 16. For all work up to 3" in diameter, the surface may be smoothed by using a small skew chisel in the same manner as in squaring the ends of Stock in cylinder work.

(Step 6--Exercise A-I--1-a, Straight Cuts.)

For larger work, place the chisel flat on the rest with the toe next to the stock and the back edge of the chisel parallel to the face to be surfaced.

The point of the chisel is then forced toward the center of the stock, using the straight back of the tool as a guide against the finished surface. Only a very thin cut should be taken at a time.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 16.]

Note:--While this operation may be termed a sc.r.a.ping cut, it will be found to be much easier on the tool than if the cutting edge were held flat against the work as in other sc.r.a.ping cuts.

The surface of the work should be tested for squareness by holding the edge of the chisel or a straight edge across the face.

LAYING OFF MEASUREMENTS

In laying off measurements on the face of the stock a pencil compa.s.s or dividers should be used. Set the compa.s.s or dividers to one-half the diameter of the circle wanted. While one point is held at the exact center of the stock, which is easily located while the stock is revolving, the other is brought in contact with the revolving stock until a circle of the correct diameter is marked.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 17.]

Should the center of the stock be cut away, rendering this method impossible, the following method may be used: Set the compa.s.s or dividers to the exact diameter wanted. Place one point in contact with the stock a little to one side of the required line on the part that is to be cut-away. Bring the other point to the stock and see if it touches the line first made. If not, move the first point until the two points track in the same line.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 18.]

The rest should be set at the exact center for measuring.

All measurements on the edge of the stock can be made with pencil and rule as in cylinder turning.

B-I--2-a. Shoulder Cuts

1. EXTERNAL SHOULDERS. FIG. 18. The surplus stock at each successive shoulder is roughed out with a 3/4" gouge, keeping well outside the finished measurements. The gouge for this work is held in the same position as described in B-I--1-a, Step 1, for Roughing Off Corners.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 19.]

2. For the finishing cut a small skew chisel is used, and the process is the same as that used in squaring ends of stock. Both the vertical and horizontal shoulders can be handled easily by this method. Fig, 19.

3. INTERNAL SHOULDERS. For internal shoulder cutting the same methods may be used for roughing out and cutting the horizontal shoulders, but for the vertical or base shoulder it will be necessary to use the sc.r.a.ping process. (See "Use of Sc.r.a.ping Tools.")

B-I--3-a. Taper Cuts

Taper cutting will not be found hard as the gouge and skew chisel are used in the same manner as described in B-I--1-a, Steps 4 and 5. After the stock has been roughed away with the gouge to the approximate angle desired, a smoothing cut is taken with the skew. Care should be taken that the skew chisel is held at the exact angle of the taper desired.

B-I--4-a. V Cuts

V cutting will also be found easy as the tool process is exactly the same as that used in spindle turning. Exercise A-I--4-a. Fig. 20.

B-I--5-a. Concave Cuts