Lathe Turning

Lathe turning is perhaps theonly woodworking operation inwhich, after stock is cut to size, youcan start and finish a project in justone mode of the Mark V. But italso demands a good deal moreskill and patience than other opera-ations. If you're just beginning,don't be dkcouraged. Turning takesa little practice, but once you getthe hang of it, it's one of the mostsatisfying woodworking techniques.

The lathe hasn't changed inprinciple since it was a primitive,bow-powered tool that is said tohave been invented in ancientEgypt. It remains a means ofturning stock at controlled speedsso sharp tools may be pressedagainst it, shaping it symmetrically.Electric motors have replaced thevarious hand powered or footpowered devices originally used,but the quality of the output stilldepends on the operator's skill

in manipulating the chisels usedto form the stock.

There are two basic kinds oflathe turning: spindle turning andfaceplate turning.

Spindle turning is turning stockbetween two centers--the drivecenter and the cup center (Figure12-1). Usually the end product is along cylinder, like a table leg or acandlestand.

Faceplate turning is turningwith the stock mounted to a face-plate (Figure 12-2). This faceplateis, in turn, mounted to the mainspindle. The end product is usuallyshorter and wider than spindleturning, like a platter or bowl.Shopsmith offers two faceplates, 3-3/4" and 6" in diameter.

LATHE MODE - SETUP ANDFEATURES

To set up your Mark V in thelathe mode, follow the instructionsin the Owners Manual that camewith your machine.

As you work in the lathe mode,

you'll find that the Mark V is anextremely capable lathe with severalspecial features.• It has aswing of 8-1/8", so that

you can turn stock up to 16-1/4"in diameter. It will hold a spindleup to 34" long between thecenter-long enough to turn tablelegs.

• The quill feed holds the spindle inplace between the centers.

• The tool rest is 8" long andswivels a full 360 degrees. Itadjusts up or down with the tableheight mechanism and sidewaysby sliding the carriage along theway tubes. The Model 510 toolrest arm has a center post posi-tion that is used when turningheavy stock.

• The speed dial provides a broadrange of speeds for a variety oflathe operations from roughshaping to finish sanding.

• The tailstock has an eccentricmount to aid in turning tapers.

• A lathe steady rest is availablethat helps to reduce whip andvibration of the spindle stock.

Figure 12-1. The accessories that are used for spindle turning operations are the:(A) drive center, (B) tool rest, (C) cup center, (0) tailstock, and (E) optional steady rest.The steady rest helps to reduce whip and vibration

Figure 12-2. The accessories that areused for faceplate turning are the: (A)faceplate, and (B) tool rest.

LATHE TOOLSThere are four basic tools that

you need when doing lathe work(Figure 12-3).• Gouges are used to round the

stock and to make concavecurves called "coves," mostly inspindle turning.

• Roundnose chisels are also usedto make coves, mostly in face-plate turning.

• Skew chisels are used to makeconvex curves called "beads."They can also be used to cutstraight or tapered cylinders.

• Parting tools are used mostly forsizing and parting operations.

A basic lathe tool set includes1" and 1/2" gouges, a 1/2" round-nose chisel, a 1" skew chisel, and a1/8" parting tool. These five toolscan be used for all types of turning.

HOLDING LATHE TOOLSTwo ways to grip lathe tools

properly (reverse if left handed) aredemonstrated in Figure 12-4. Theleft hand is usually placed on top ofthe blade, with the little fingertoward the stock. The butt of thehand or little finger rides against thefinger ledge. The right hand holdsthe handle of the tool and providesthe movement which determines thecut. The part of the hand that restson the finger ledge also acts as agauge.

An alternate method of holdingthe lathe tools consists of placingthe left hand on the blade with thethumb on top. The back of the handrests on the finger ledge and thefingers are placed comfortablyaround the tool or on the fingerledge. The right hand serves thesame purpose in this holdingmethod as it does in the methodmentioned previously.

When making smoothing cutsor when roughing stock to size, the

tool may be moved along the toolrest parallel to the work, taking abite that remains constant becausethe left hand butts against the toolrest ledge and acts as a control.

The feed of the chisel, whichdetermines the amount of woodremoved, should be slow andsteady--never forced, never jabbedinto the work. After the tool is inposition, start the cut by advancingthe tool slowly until it touches thewood.

Three Cutting ActionsEach of the lathe chisels act in

the three ways shown in Figure 12-5, depending on how you holdthem.

Scraping--Scraping is theeasiest and safest of the threeactions and the best for the begin-

ner to use. Many experiencedoperators use this action almostexclusively because it gives goodresults.

A scraping action with a round-nose chisel is shown in Figure 12-6.Notice that the hand position hasn'tchanged except for the fingers.Placed as shown, the thumb andforefingers do most of the grippingand help to bring the cutting edgeof the chisel close to a horizontalplane. This position is maintainedwhile the chisel is advanced to thedepth of the cut and then movedslowly from side to side to increasethe cut's width if necessary. Fulldepth does not have to be reachedat once. The chisel may be movedforward a slight amount and thenmoved from side to side as thepivot point is maintained. The

Figure 12-3. There are four basic types of lathe tools: (A) the gouge, (B)the roundnose chisel, (C) the skew chisel, and (D) the parting tool.

Figure 12-4. Two ways to hold lathe tools.

procedure is repeated until the fullshape is formed. Each "pass"removes a little more wood.

Cutting--This action calls forbringing the tool edge into thesurface almost as if it were a knife.

The feed should be slow and thecut should be light. Warning: Ifyou jab the chisel into the work-piece suddenly or deeply, thechisel will be wrenched from yourhands. You could be seriouslyinjured. At the very least you willruin the workpiece by cutting andlifting a large splinter from it. Don'tuse the cutting action until youhave practiced enough with the

scraping action to be thoroughlyfamiliar with each tool and what itcan do. Once you have becomeproficient with the cutting action,you'll find that it leaves a surfacesmooth enough to finish with a littletouch-up.

Shearing--The shearing actionis usually limited to the skew andgouge. It is a cutting action withthe tool edge moved parallel to thework, taking a constant bite,shearing away a layer of wood fromthe surface of the stock. A shearingaction with the gouge is illustratedin Figure 12-7. The shearing actionof cutting beads with a skew is

shown in Figure 12-8. Shearing acove is one of the easier cuts. Sincethe tool is held on edge, move yourthumb behind it to steady it whilemaking the cut. When the gouge issharp and properly held, wood isremoved rapidly and the surface isleft smooth.

While each of the tools doescertain operations better, theoverlap is so great that no hard-and-fast limitations can be set downfor each one. Each tool will cutdifferently, depending on the action,the angle, and the way it is moved.Practice with each tool until youhave the feel of each of them. Whenyou arrive at this point, habit willtake over and your use of the toolswill become an individual applica-tion that is standard with you.

Figure 12-5. The three basic chisel actions-scraping, shearing and cutting. Thescraping action has many applications and is the first technique for you to master.

Figure 12-6. A scraping action with a roundnose chisel moved directly forwardproduces a cove equal to the size of the chisel. Position of hand, tool rest, and chisel areshown here.

Figure 12-7. The start of a shearing actionwith a gouge. The tool is at a slight anglewith its cutting edge tangent to the work.

Figure 12-8. The shearing action ofcutting beads with a skew.

Using the GougeThe gouge, one of the more

versatile turning tools, can be usedwith any of the three cutting ac-tions. At times it is applied so allthree cutting actions come into play(Figure 12-9).

It is the only tool to use whendoing initial rounding (Figure 12-10). This is essentially a shearingcut with the gouge held on its sideand moved parallel to the work.Depth of cut is maintained by afinger resting against the tool restledge.

Rounding should be startedsomewhere along the length of thestock with the gouge moved in the

direction indicated by the arrows inFigure 12-9E. You'll find it is easierto work from a midpoint towardeach end of the stock instead ofmaking one continuous cut fromend to end.

To make rounding cuts in alimited area, use the gouge betweensizing cuts made with the partingtool or marks penciled on theworkpiece.

Figure 12-11 shows how youcan use the gouge in a scrapingaction to form a cove whose sizeand shape is dictated by the tool.The gouge is held in a horizontalposition and slowly moved directlyforward. Warning: Do not remove

too much material at once. Re-tracting the gouge frequently willallow waste material to fall away.

The shearing action is a moreadvanced way to form a cove withthe gouge. Begin with the gouge onits side as if you were preparing fora rounding cut. Feed the gougeforward to contact the stock; thenrotate it on the tool rest as youmove it toward the center of thecove (Figure 12-12). Work this wayfrom both sides of the cove towardits center. As the gouge is manipu-lated, the action changes fromshearing to scraping (Figure 12-13),which occurs at the full depth-of-cut point only.

Using the Skew ChiselTypical applications of the skew

chisel are shown in Figure 12-14.While professionals use the skewmostly in a shearing action, it canfunction efficiently while cutting orscraping. A common scrapingaction is shown in Figure 12-14Ewith the chisel held to square offthe end of a cylinder. When heldthis way, the chisel's sharp pointremoves material quickly and leavesa reasonably smooth surface. The

Figure 12-9. The gouge is a very versatile lathe tool. It can be used to: (A) shape a cove(scraping action), (B) shape a cove (cutting action), (C) smooth a cylinder, (D) cutaway stock between shoulders, (E) round, (F) shape, and (G) make small coves (deter-mined by the size of the gouge-scraping).

Figure 12-10. Use the gouge ror roundingoperations. Work from a midpoint towardeach end of the stock.

Figure 12-11. The gouge, when used with a scraping action, will form a cove thatduplicates the size and shape of the gouge's cutting edge.

same result is obtained by using thepoint of the skew in a cutting action(Figure 12-14B). When used thisway, the skew works like a knife,severing wood fibers and leaving asurface that requires little sanding.

Tapers are formed by startingthe cut with the heel of the bladeand raising the handle as you slidethe chisel along the tool rest. Tosmooth a taper that was formedwith another tool, use the skew asshown in Figure 12-14A or F. Thiscan be a scraping or a shearingaction. If you move the skew soonly its heel contacts the work-piece, it will shear. If you positionthe skew so its edge is parallel tothe workpiece and then advance itwhile maintaining tool-to-work-piece contact, the action will bescraping.

Probably the smoothest surfac-ing cut of all is shown in Figure 12-14H where a shearing cut is beingused to smooth a cylinder. Thecutting edge of the skew is held atan angle to the longitudinal axis ofthe workpiece. When done cor-rectly, the surface of the work-pieceis smooth with a finish that looksburnished. It will take practice.

The skew is used to form beads.Like a cove, the bead requires threemarked or imagined dimension

Figure 12-12. In a shearing action toshape a cove, the gouge is slowlyrotated as it is moved toward theshape's centerline.

Figure 12-13. At the end of the covecut, the gouge is in a scrapingposition.

Figure 12-14. Here are some of the ways a skew can be used: (A) to form and smooth ataper, (B) to trim ends, (C) to square a shoulder, (D) to make V-cuts (also with heel ofskew), (F) to square ends of stock, (F) to smooth a taper, (G) to form beads, and (H) tosmooth a tapered cylinder.

lines: one to indicate the bead'scenter and one on each side of thecenter to indicate total bead width.

Start by placing the heel of theskew lightly on the bead's center-line so its edge is tangent to thecurve you want to form. Move theskew into the workpiece. At thesame time, rotate and lift the handleto follow the curve of the bead. Itwill take several passes to formone-half of the bead (Figure 12-15).Follow the same procedure, butwork in the opposite direction, toform the other half of the bead(Figure 12-16).

Using the Roundnose ChiselThe roundnose chisel is always

used in a scraping action (Figure12-17) and is the only tool to usefor hollowing. In the latter applica-tion, the tool rest must be posi-tioned to provide maximum supportfor the chisel even if it has to beplaced inside the hollow that isbeing formed.

ARROWS INDICATE TOOLMOVEMENT

Using the Parting ToolThe parting tool is most often

used in a scraping action with theedge of the blade resting on theedge of the tool rest and with bladefeed directly forward, whether thecut is square or at an angle to thework-piece (Figure 12-18).

The parting tool is often used todetermine the depth of cut or thediameter of the final shape. Tospeed up the procedure whenmaking preliminary sizing cuts,handle the tool as shown in Figure12-19. Start with the tool horizon-tal, then slowly raise and lower itscutting edge as the cut deepens.

PLANNING THE DESIGNBefore you attempt to form a

turn-ing, you must first plan thedesign. Otherwise you may end upwith an unattractive project.

The best way to plan the designis to draw a full-size plan with theshapes and dimensions marked, sothat before you start you will knowexactly what shapes you are goingto cut and where.

Here's an example of how toplan the design for a spindle turning12" long and 3" in diameter: Drawa rectangle 12" by 3" on a piece ofpaper. Draw a centerline down itslength. Break up the length intodesign areas by draw-ing horizontallines that are proportional andpleasing. Let the base design

Figure 12-15. To form a bead with a skew,start the cut on the shape's centerline. Cuttoward one side of the bead.

Figure 12-16. Finish the bead by repeat-ing the procedure, this time working inthe opposite direction. It takes practice todo this kind of shaping efficiently.

Figure 12-17. The roundnose tool is the easiest chisel to use. It is always used in ascraping action. It can be used to: (A) form, (B) make small coves, (C) make largecoves, and(D) hollow.

Figure 12-18. Employ a scraping action with the parting tool. Some of its uses are:(A) sizing cuts and grooves, (B) making shoulders, (C) cutting V's, (0) cutting V's ontaper where other tools may not fit, and (E) cleaning ends.

occupy the bottom 3"; use 7" forthe transition from base to top andleave the remaining 2" for the top.

LATHE SAFETYWarning: Before using the

lathe, read and understand theseimportant safety instructions:

Danger Zone--The dangerzone on the Mark V in the lathemode changes as the turningprogresses. Before the stock hasbeen rounded, the danger zoneextends 3" out from the stock in alldirections. After the stock isrounded and while it's beingshaped, the danger zone extends 1"out. After the stock is completelyshaped and the tool rest has beenremoved, you can safely put yourhands near enough to theworkpiece to sand it on the lathe.

Always keep your fingers andhands out of the danger zone.When you work at the lathe, becareful not to touch the stock as itturns, until you have finishedshaping it. In particular, be carefulnot to let your fingers or hands slip

between the workpiece and the toolrest. Keep both hands on the toolyou're using and in front of the toolrest.

Before sanding your workpieceon the lathe, turn off the machine,let it come to a complete stop, andremove the tool rest.

Balance--This is extremelyimportant when turning glued-upstock, long stock and stock morethan 3" in diameter. Check thebalance of your spindle and faceplate stock after you've marked thecenters.

To do this, drive a standard 8penny nail straight into each center.Use suitable string to hang thestock in a level position from thefront bench tube of the Mark V or asaw horse. The ends of the stringshould be looped around the nails(Figure 12-20). Gravity will pull theheavy side down. Use a jointer,bandsaw or hand plane to removeno more than 1/32" at a time fromthe heavy side until the stock re-mains stationary when rotated tothree positions 90 degrees apart.

• Wear proper eye protection and adust mask.

• When turning glued up stock,make sure glue joints are strong.Glue the stock and leave itclamped for at least 24 hoursprior to turning.

• Do not wear jewelry, gloves, ties,loose clothing or clothing withlong sleeves. Keep long hairtucked under a hat. Jewelry,gloves, ties, clothing and haircould become entangled in thestock.

• Do not turn stock with splits,loose knots, or other defects thatcould cause the stock to break,splinter or come loose whileturning.

• Cut stock that's larger than 3" x3" into an octagon. This removesexcess stock and makes turningsafer and easier.

• Wax or soap the end of the stockthat mounts to the cup center.This lubrication helps keep thecup center from wearing into thestock and causing the stock toloosen on the lathe.

• When mounting stock to afaceplate, use #12 x 1-1/4" longscrews. The screws must pene-trate at least 3/4" into the stock.If the screws are being driveninto the end grain, the screwsmust penetrate at least 2" into thestock. Use #12 x 2-1/2" longwood screws. Before mountingstock to a faceplate, to minimize

Figure 12-19. Sizing cuts, to determine the diameter of a turning at any point, are donewith a parting tool.

Figure 12-20. Check the balance of yourspindle or faceplate stock by hanging thestock in a level position from the frontbench tube of the Mark V.

imbalance cut the stock round.• Position the tool rest no more

than 1/4" from the stock. Main-tain this distance while turning.Before turning on the machine,rotate the stock by hand to makesure it clears the tool rest. Neverturn without the tool rest. Restthe tool on the tool rest beforecutting, shearing, or scraping.

During turning, periodicallyturn off the machine and check tomake sure the stock remainssecurely mounted.

• Do not lean across or reachunderneath the lathe while it isrunning.

• Do not touch the rotating stockwhile the tool rest is mounted.

• Round all stock at "Slow" speed.Large heavy stock will fly off thelathe if you try to round at toohigh a speed.

• Feed the tool very slowly into thestock. Never force the tool orremove too much material in onepass. Hold the tool firmly in bothhands and against the tool rest.

• Never try to stop the lathe bygrabbing the stock or any part ofthe machine.

• Do not part the stock completelyor turn the spindle down to sucha small diameter that it snaps.

• Always remove the tool restbefore sanding the turned stockon the lathe.

• When turning large heavy stock,

use the center post position onthe tool rest arm (Model 510only).

• Always use the proper speed forthe stock size and operation.

LATHE SPEEDSBefore you mount stock on the

lathe be sure the speed is set at"Slow." After the stock is mounted,turn on the machine, set the speeddial to the proper speed and let thelathe come up to speed.

The operating speeds for latheturning are determined by the sizeof the stock you're turning and theoperation you're performing-whether you're rounding the stock,shaping it, or finish sanding. Gener-ally, you can use slightly fasterspeeds as you progress from round-ing to shaping to sanding. You canalso use slightly faster speeds withsmaller stock. The larger theworkpiece, the slower the speedshould be for each operation.

To help determine the rightspeed for the job, use Table 12-1.

SPINDLE TURNINGAll spindle turning projects

involve these six basic steps:1. Mounting. Mounting the

stock on the lathe is an extremelyimportant operation. Warning:Improperly mounted stock isdangerous and difficult to turn.

2. Rounding. The first step is to

turn the stock down to a roughcylinder.

3. Sizing. Once the stock hasbeen rounded, mark the positions ofthe shapes you want to make andturn them down to their approxi-mate diameters.

4. Shaping. Turn the beads(convex curves) and coves (con-cave curves) in your design.

5. Sanding. After the stock isshaped, remove the tool rest andsand the workpiece smooth.

6. Parting. After the finalsanding, reinstall the tool rest andremove the waste stock (if any)from the turning.

MountingTo mount stock between the

lathe centers, you must first find thecenter of the stock. To find thecenter of a square workpiece, use astraightedge and draw two diagonallines on each end of the workpiece,from corner to corner (Figure 12-21). Where these two lines intersectmarks the center of the stock. Tofind the center of a roundworkpiece, use a center finder.

With a plastic or rawhidemallet, seat the drive center in oneend of the workpiece and the cupcenter in the other. Caution: Do nothit the centers with a metal ham-

Table 12-1: Lathe Turning Speed Chart

Size of Stock Rounding Shaping Sanding

Up to 2" dia. C (950 RPM) F (1300 RPM) K (2050 RPM)2" to 4" dia. B (850 RPM) E (1150 RPM) J (1900 RPM)4" to 6" dia. A (750 RPM) D (1050 RPM) H (1600 RPM)Over 6" dia. Slow (700 RPM) A (750 RPM) B (850 RPM)

NOTE: These speeds are for 60 hz. operations.

Figure 12-21. To find the center of aworkpiece, draw two dia gonal lines fromcorner to corner. Where the lines intersectmarks the center of the stock.

mer-you will ruin them. Position thecenter point at the center mark;then hit the center sharply (Figure12-22). When properly seated, thedrive center will leave four slotswhere the spurs bit into the wood.The cup center will leave a smallcircle (Figure 12-23). Warning:The spurs of the drive center andthe circle of the cup center mustpenetrate into the wood at least1/16" in order to mount the stocksecurely on the lathe.

If you're working with hard-wood, drill 1/8" diameter holes, 1/2" deep in the center of both endsof the workpiece, and saw diagonalkerfs 1/8" deep. This will help seatthe drive center.

If the workpiece you're turningis more than 3" square, cut off thesquare corners to form an octagon.This will make the workpiece saferand easier to turn. Use a bandsawor table saw to cut off the corners.

Mount the drive center on themain spindle and the cup center inthe tailstock. Position the powerplant so that the centers are about1" farther apart than the length ofthe workpiece, and lock the powerplant in position. Warning: Besure the speed dial is set on"Slow."

Wax or soap the end of thestock that mounts to the cup centerto help it turn smoothly. Hold thestock against the cup center; thenextend the quill and mount theother end on the drive center. Pressagainst the quill feed lever to besure both the spurs and the cup areengaged. Do not release the ten-sion. Then lock the quill in place(Figure 12-24).

Adjust the height of the toolrest for scraping or shearing,whichever you prefer. Then alignthe tool rest parallel to the stockwithin 1/8" to 1/4". Be sure the

setscrews in the tool rest assemblyare secured. Turn the stock by handto be sure it clears the tool rest.Make a five-point check. All fivelocks--power plant, carriage, toolrest height, quill and tailstock--should be secure. The speed shouldbe set at "Slow." Turn on the MarkV. The stock should rotatesmoothly, without excessive vibra-tion.

RoundingSelect a gouge and lay it across

the left end of the tool rest. The cupshould face up and slightly towardthe right end of the tool rest. Theshank and handle should be point-ing down and angled slightlytoward the left end of the tool rest.Gently feed the cutting edge towardthe stock until the tip just touchesthe stock. Then draw it slowly andsteadily along the tool rest to theright, removing a little bit of thestock (Figure 12-25).

To reverse the cutting action,turn the gouge so the cup still facesup but slightly toward the left endof the tool rest. Feed the gouge intothe stock and draw it back alongthe tool rest to the right. Repeatthis procedure until the stock iscompletely round, without any flatspots.

Figure 12-22. With a mallet, seat thedrive center in one end of the workpieceand the cup center in the other.

Figure 12-23. When properly seated, thedrive center will leave four slots in thestock as shown on the left, and the cupcenter will leave a small circle as shownon the right. The centers should penetrateinto the stock at least 1/16".

Figure 12-24. Advance the quill to mount the stock between the centers. Press againstthe quill feed lever to be sure that both the drive center and the cup center are engaged.

To tell if there are any flat spotswithout turning off the machine,carefully let the shank of the qougerest on the revolving stock (Figure12-26). If the gouge vibrates orjumps up and down, the stock isnot quite round. Warning: Round

all stock at "Slow" speed andnever remove too much stock tooquickly.

SizingOnce the stock has been

rounded, "size" the stock, markingthe various diameters of the beadsand coves you want to cut.

Use a pencil and a parting toolfor this operation. With the pencil,scribe lines on the revolving stockto indicate where you want thebeads, coves, and other parts ofyour spindle design to begin andend (Figure 12-27).

With a parting tool, cut groovesin the workpiece to indicate theposition and diameter of the differ-ent shapes in your design (Figure12-28). To gauge when you'vereached the proper diame-ter, set apair of "outside" calipers at the

desired measurement and test thediameter where you're cutting fromtime to time. When the calipers justslip over the stock at the bottom ofthe groove, you've arrived at thedesired diameter (Figure 12-29).

ShapingWhen you've marked the

positions and diameters of thevarious parts of your design, beginto cut the shapes. Usually, it'seasiest to start with the convexcurves or beads.

Select a skew chisel to roundthe sides of the beads. Feed theedge of the chisel slowly into thestock; then move the handle of theskew from side to side as needed toshape the bead (Figure 12-30).

After you've made the beads,begin to cut the coves, the concavecurves in your design. Select a

Figure 12-25. Round a workpiece with a gouge. As shown here, the gouge is beingused to cut. Figure 12-26. To tell if the stock is round

without turning off the lathe, lay theshank of the gouge across the revolvingstock. If the gouge vibrates or jumps upand down, the stock is not quite round.

Figure 12-27. With a pencil, scribe lines on the revolving stock to indicate where youwant the beads, coves, and other parts of your spindle design to begin and end.

Figure 12-28. With a parting tool, cutgrooves in the workpiece to indicate theposition and diameter of the differentshapes in your design. Sizing cuts areusually made by scraping as shown.

Figure 12-29. To gauge when you'vereached the proper diameter, set a pair of"outside" calipers at the desired measure-ment. When the cailpers just sllp over thestock, you've arrived at the desireddiameter.

gouge and slowly feed it into theworkpiece, gradually removingstock. As you did when you wereshaping the beads, move the handleof the tool from side to side toshape the cove the way you want it(Figure 12-31).

When forming duplicate pieces,for example, chair or table legs, it'sbetter to work with a hardboardtemplate (Figure 12-32). Thetemplate is a full-scale, half-profileof the part and can be used tocheck the turning as you go, as well

as for marking initial dimensionpoints.

Although woodworkers usuallyrely on skew chisels to cut beadsand gouges to cut coves, you canuse other tools if you wish. Selectwhatever seems best for you.

SandingIt's much easier to sand a

turning on the lathe than it is toremove it and hand sand it. How-ever, since you have to get yourfingers right next to the spinning

stock, you must be extremelycareful.

When the turning has beencompletely shaped, turn off themachine and let it come to com-plete stop. Warning: Remove thetool rest before sanding a turningon the lathe. Turn on the machineand slightly increase the speed ofrotation. Starting with medium(80#) sandpaper, begin to sand thespindle by holding the sandpaperlightly against it (Figure 12-33).Double the sandpaper over several

Figure 12-30. Begin shaping the stock bycutting the beads. As shown, a skewchisel is being used to scrape the roundcontour of a bead.

Figure 12-31. With a gouge, cut the covesin the stock. Move the handle from side toside to shape the cove. As shown, the toolis being used to scrape away stock.

Figure 12-32. A hardboard template can be made for marking dimension lines and forchecking profiles as you do the shaping. This is a good method to use when you needduplicate pieces.

Figure 12-33. As you sand on the lathe, double the sandpaper over several times toprotect your fingers.

times for two reasons: The paperheats up quickly and extra layers ofpaper protect you from beingburned. Also, the extra layers ofpaper keep your hands from con-tacting the rotating spindle.

Work your way through pro-gressively finer grits of sandpaperuntil you get the spindle as smoothas you want it. Warning: Neverwrap the sandpaper entirelyaround the spindle or allowstrands to wrap around thespindle. The spindle will grab thesandpaper or strand and drawyour fingers into the rotatingspindle.

Because sanding a spindle onthe lathe usually requires you tosand across the grain, tiny "feath-ers" will develop on the surface ofthe spindle. There are two ways toremove these. The easiest is to wetthe spindle with a damp rag, wait afew minutes for the water to dryand raise the wood grain, then givethe spindle a final sanding with avery fine grit sandpaper.

If you don't want to wet thewood, turn the Mark V off anddismount the spindle. Remove thecenters and seat them in oppositeends of the spindle. Remount thespindle, putting enough pressure onthe quill to engage both the drivecenter and the cup center. Thisreverses the rotation of the spindleso that you can remove any micro-scopic feathers with a light sanding.

Here are several other lathesanding tips: The Mark V sandingdisc is a super tool to use whensmoothing uniform cylinders ortapers (Figure 12-34). Anothertrick used by professionals is shownin Figure 12-35. After theworkpiece has been smoothed bysanding, hold a strip of woodagainst the workpiece as it isturning. The result will be a hard,

burnished surface that is fine for anatural finish but will not take astain.

PartingAfter the spindle is sanded, part

the spindle from the waste stock.Using the parting tool turned on itsedge, scrape away stock from eitherend of the spindle until the diameteris as small as it can safely go andstill not break (Figure 12-36).Warning: Never part the stockcompletely or turn the spindle downto such a small diameter that itsnaps on the lathe.

Always remove the spindlefrom the lathe and finish cutting offthe waste stock with a saw (Figure12-37).

Figure 12-34. The sanding disc provides plenty of flat, abrasive surrace ror smoothinguniform or tapered cylinders.

Figure 12-35. A lathe turner's trick. Smooth turnings with a strip of wood. You get aburnished surface.

Figure 12-36. After the spindle is sanded,use the parting tool to partially separatethe spindle from the waste stock. Becareful not to part the stock completely.

FACEPLATE TURNINGFaceplate turning is similar to

spindle turning in some respects,but very different in others. We'llpoint out those differences as we gothrough this basic procedure. Aswith spindle turning, faceplateturning also involves six basicsteps: Mounting, rounding, sizing,shaping, sanding and parting.

MountingTo mount stock on a faceplate,

first find the center of the stock bydrawing diagonal lines from cornerto corner. Then scribe the outsidediameter of your project (thediameter desired after rounding) onthe stock. Also, scribe a circleslightly larger than the diameter ofthe faceplate in the center of thecircle you've already marked (Fig-ure 12-38). Then cut the stockround using a bandsaw or scrollsaw (Figure 12-39). This removesexcess stock which makes turningsafer and easier.

If you don't want screw holes inthe bottom of your finished project,you can mount the turning stock toanother block of wood; then mountthis block to the faceplate. Select ascrap block at least 1" thick andabout the same diameter as the

faceplate you'll be using. Find thecenter of this scrap block; then gluethe block to the turning stock,center-to-center. Put a piece ofpaper (brown craft paper or gro-cery sack) in between the block andthe turning stock (Figure 12-40).Warning: Leave the piecesclamped for at least 24 hoursprior to turning. Later on, thispaper will make it easier for you topart the scrap block from theturning.

After the glue has set up com-pletely (at least 24 hours), mountthe scrap block to the faceplatewith three#12 x 1-1/4" woodscrews. Warning: Be sure thescrews penetrate into the blockatleast 3/4". For large, bulkyfaceplate turnings use longerscrews and a thicker scrap block.

Be sure the speed dial is set on"Slow." Then mount the faceplateon the main spindle of the Mark V(Figure 12-41). Position the toolrest to turn the outside of theworkpiece first.

When the tool rest is properlypositioned and the set-screwssecured, turn the work-piece byhand to make sure it doesn't scrapeagainst the tool rest. Make a four-point check. All four locks -power

Figure 12-37. When the stock has beenpartially parted, remove the spindle fromthe lathe and finish cutting away thewaste with a saw or bandsaw.

Figure 12-38. Prepare stock for faceplatemounting by scribing the outside diameterof your project and a circle slightly largerthan the faceplate on the surface.

Figure 12-39. Cut the workpiece into acircle to make turning it safer and easier.

Figure 12-40. Glue a scrap block and your turning stock together, center-to-center.Put a piece of paper (brown craft paper or grocery sack) between them as shown.

plant, carriage, tool rest height,quill-should be secure. The speedshould be set at "Slow." Turn onthe Mark V and slowly turn thespeed dial to the recommendedspeed for the operation. The stockshould rotate smoothly, withoutexcessive vibration.

RoundingRound the outside diameter

first. Use a gouge, just as youwould for spindle turning, with thisone exception: If the wood grainsare perpendicular to the axis ofrotation, do not attempt to shear.Scrape the workpiece round (Fig-ure 12-42). Trying to shear will tearout large chunks of the stock.

Shearing only works well whenthe wood grain is parallel to theaxis of rotation.

SizingAfter the workpiece has been

rounded, it should be marked toshow the limits and the depth ofshapes you wish to produce. Withthe machine turned off, work withdividers or a pencil compass tomark concentric circles (Figure 12-43), but be sure to use the tool restfor support. Use a light touch. You

can use a marking gauge to markdimension lines on the perimeter ofthe workpiece as shown in Figure12-44.

ShapingMost woodworkers prefer to

turn the outside first (Figure 12-45). Make your beads and coves inthe same manner as you would for

spindle turning. If the wood grain isperpendicular to the axis of rota-tion, scrape the desired shape in theoutside of the workpiece.

When you get ready to turn theinside of the workpiece, turn themachine off. Let it come to acomplete stop; then reposition the

Figure 12-41. Mount the faceplate (withthe scrap block and turning stock attached)on the main spindle of the Mark V.

Figure 12-42. Before rounding a faceplate turning, check which way the wood grainruns. If the grain is perpendicular to the axis of rotation, do not attempt to shear.Scrape the workpiece round as shown.

Figure 12-43. Use dividers or a compass to mark concentric circles. A light touch is inorder.

Figure 12-44. A marking gauge can beused to mark dimension lines on theperimeter of the workpiece. Figure 12-45. Turn the outside of your

workpiece first. Remember: If the woodgrain is perpendicular to the axis ofrotation, use a scraping action.

tool rest at 900 to the axis of rota-tion, about 1/4" in front of theworkpiece. Adjust the height sothat it's about 1/4" below the centerof the workpiece.

No matter what the orientationof the wood grain, scraping is theonly way to shape the inside of afaceplate turning. This is slowwork, so have patience. Select around nose chisel, turn on the lathe,and slowly feed the chisel againstthe "down" side of the stock (Fig-ure 12-46).

When doing deep hollowingjobs, keep adjusting the tool rest toprovide good chisel support even ifit means partially inserting the toolrest in the hollow being formed(Figure 12-47). As you continue thehollowing operation, periodically

check the inside diameter of theturning with "inside" calipers sothat you don't scrape away toomuch stock (Figure 12-48). Stopscraping whenever you've removedas much stock as you want to cutaway. Figure 12-49 shows a gaugeyou can make to check the depth ofhollowing cuts. It's just a dowelthat passes through a hole in a"beam" and which is locked in placewith a setscrew. Cut depths canalso be checked by placing astraightedge across the face of the

Figure 12-46. To shape the inside of afaceplate turning, position the tool rest infront of the stock, just below the center.Feed your chisels against the "down" sideof the workpiece. This will help hold thetool against the tool rest.

Figure 12-47. Always place the tool rest so the chisel will have maximum support evenif on hollowing jobs it means inserting the tool rest into the cavity being formed.

Figure 12-48. Use "inside" calipers toperiodically check the inside diameter ofyour turning so that you don't scrapeaway too much stock.

Figure 12-49. You can make a simple gauge to check the depth of cut onhollowing jobs.

Figure 12-50. A full-sized templatecan be used to mark dimensionpoints and to check the profile.

workpiece and then measuring fromit to the bottom of the cavity.

Templates, like those describedfor spindle turnings, can also bemade for faceplate work (Figure12-50). One side of the template isused to mark dimension points, theother side has the checking profilethat you use to gauge the cuts youmake. Templates are always a goodidea when you must turn duplicatepieces.

SandingWhen you've finished shaping

the turning, turn off the machineand let it come to a complete stop.Warning: Remove the tool restbefore sanding a turning on the

lathe. You can remove the featherseither by wetting the wood or byremoving the faceplate from themain spindle and remounting it onthe upper auxiliary spindle (Figure12-51). This reverses the directionof rotation.

PartingTo part a faceplate turning, first

dismount the faceplate from theMark V spindle and unscrew thefaceplate from the scrap block.Clamp the scrap block in a vise andplace a bench chisel against thejoint between the block and theturning (where you've put the pa-per). Sharply rap the chisel with amallet, driving it in between theblock and the turning (Figure 12-52). The turning will part from thescrap block. Sand any paper orexcess glue off the turning.

OTHER SPECIALTECHNIQUES

There are many special tech-niques that can be performed on thelathe. Let's take a look at some ofthe simplest:

Screw Center WorkWorkpieces that are too small

to be mounted on a faceplate or not

Figure 12-51. Remounting the faceplateon the upper auxiliaiy spindle reverses thedirection of rotation so that you can sandthe "feathers" off the turning.

Figure 12-52. Part the turning from the scrap block by driving a bench chisel inbetween the block and the turning.

Figure 12-53. Small workpieces can be turned by mounting them on a screw center. Besure there are no chips between the workpiece and the screw center's front face.

Figure 12-54. Turning is accomplished innormal fashion. On jobs ilke this it's bestto use carbide-tipped tools since they havesmaller cutting profiles than conventionaltools.

long enough to be fitted betweencenters can be set up for turning byusing a screw center (a device thatis mounted on the Mark V mainspindle). Find the center of theworkpiece and start a hole for thescrew by using an awl or by drill-ing. Mount the workpiece bythreading it on the screw center(Figure 12-53). The techniquemakes it possible to shape smallitems like drawer or door pulls,finials or small posts (Figure 12-54).

Extra-Long WorkWhen a project is longer than

the spindle capacity of the lathe, itcan be turned as separate piecesthat are then joined in the mannershown in Figure 12-55. The tenonon the one piece can be formed

while the part is on the lathe. Drill amatching hole in the mating piece;then put the parts together withglue. Use a Iockwedge, if you wish,to reinforce the joint.

The same idea applies when youjoin a faceplate turning to a spindleturning (Figure 12-56).

Glued-Up StockWhen a large diameter is re-

quired in one area of the turning,two methods are used to preparethe stock (Figure 12-57). In one,start with oversized stock and use ajointer or bandsaw to reduce thestock before it is mounted on thelathe. Warning: Glue the stockand leave it clamped for at least24 hours prior to turning.

In the other, glued blocks areused to build up the larger diameter.

The mating surfaces must beperfectly flat and true for a perfectjoint if the final turning is to re-semble a solid piece of wood.

When solid stock large enoughfor a deep bowl or similar project isnot available, stock may be gluedtogether (Figure 12-58). Or rough-cut rings may be glued onto a solid

Figure 12-55. Extra-long lathe projects can be produced if you turn separate pieces andthen connect them as shown here.

Figure 12-56. The same idea will work when you need to connect a spindle turning toa faceplate turning.

Figure 12-57. When a large diameter isrequired in one area of the turning, either(A) reduce the stock or (B) build up thestock.

Figure 12-58. Make a large turning blockby laminating pieces of stock. Thelaminations can be of contrasting wood.

base. This method saves a lot ofmaterial since the cutout discs maybe used in other ways. Figure 12-59shows rings cut for a project thatwill have straight sides. If the sidesare to slope or taper, the ringsshould vary in size. The im-portantthing is a good glue job so thestock will hold together with just afaint line showing on the finisheditem.

You can produce intriguinglathe projects with an inlaid appear-ance when you prepare the base

stock by gluing together pieces ofcontrasting wood. The initial blockscan be prepared for either spindleturning (Figure 12-60) or faceplateturning (Figure 12-61). The blockswon't look like much to start; theappealing effects occur when theturning is complete. It's not easy,but try to visualize the results asyou plan the initial block assem-blies.

Select wood not only on thebasis of color contrast, but also forsimilarity in density. Good combina-tions to try are maple with rose-wood, and holly or birch withcherry, walnut, or mahogany.

Figure 12-59. Speed up shaping a deepbowl by gluing precut rings to a solidbase.

Figure 12-60. You can get interestinginlaid effects if you prepare a turningblank by gluing together pieces ofcontrasting wood. It's not easy to do, buttry to visualize the end result.

Figure 12-61. The same idea applies tofaceplate work. A good glue job is critical.

Figure 12-62. Here are other ways youcan prepare stock for split turning. Ovalmoldings and even quarter-rounds arepossible.

Split TurningsSplit turnings are lathe projects

that end up as half-round, shapedcolumns. Using the paper-glue-jointmethod shown in Figure 12-62, twopieces of wood will produce identi-cal half-round mold-ings. Fourpieces of wood, paper-glued to acentral core piece, will separate aselliptical moldings. Four pieces ofwood, assembled as a solid block,

will become four pieces of quarter-round molding. Warning: Gluethe stock and leave it clamped forat least 24 hours prior to turning.

Procedures like this are usefulwhen a special molding is needed orwhen you need a particular hard-wood molding that isn't available.

Through HolesThe two methods shown in

Figure 12-63 can be used to pre-pare stock for projects like lampbases before the material ismounted for lathe turning. Cutgrooves in the center of the stock.A groove about 7/16" wide by 7/32" deep in each piece will do for

lamp cords.Glue the pieces together and

use keys to plug the opening ateach end. When the turning iscomplete, open the grooves byboring holes at each end of theturning.

Accurate center holes, oflimited length when using conven-tional bits or much deeper whenworking with extra-long bits orextension bits, can be formed bymounting the drill chuck on thetailstock. Figure 12-64 shows thetechnique being used to form asocket hole in a small candle stand.The procedure is the opposite ofnormal boring. Here, the drill bit is

stationary; the workpiece turns.

IndexingSome lathe projects, like wheel

hubs, require radial holes that areequally spaced about their circum-ference. A good way to do suchwork accurately is to use an index-ing device. The plans for one thatyou can make and which ismounted on the Mark V's upperauxiliary spindle is shown in Figure12-65. Make the guide pin holderfirst. Then drill holes in the powerplant cover and mount the holder asshown in Figure 12-66. Drillingholes in the power plant cover willnot damage the machine. You mustsituate the holder so the guide pinand the spindle have a commonvertical centerline.

The indexing disk, which is thecontrol that positions a project fordrilling, is made next. After the diskis cut out and rounded, mount it ona small faceplate. Then secure thefaceplate on the auxiliary spindle(Figure 12-67). Push the guide pinforward so it will mark the disk.This will establish the radius of thecircle on whose cir-cumference theguide holes must be drilled. Make alayout and drill the holes. The planssuggests a spacing of 22-1/2°, butyou can increase or decrease it.

A typical use for the indexingdevice and a drill guide are shownin Figure 12-68, where the hub fora wheel is being drilled for spokes.For example, if the hub is to haveeight spokes, lock the indexingdevice at any point and drill the firsthole. Turn the indexing device 45°,lock it with the pin, and drill thesecond hole. Turn the indexingdevice 45° for each hole until all aredrilled. If the wheel needed fourspokes, the device would be turned90° to establish each hole position.

The drill guide, made as shown

Figure 12-63. You can prepare stock this way when you need a lathe turning with acenter hole such as a lamp base.

Figure 12-64. The drill chuck grips the bit. The workpiece, while turning, is quill fedagainst the bit to form the hole.

Figure 12-65. Construction details of an indexing device, (A) guide pin holder, and(B)indexing disk.

Figure 12-66. The guide pin holder ismounted this way. Drilling mountingholes in power plant cover will notdamage the machine. Be sure the guidepin and the auxiliary spindle have acommon vertical centerline.

Figure 12-67. The indexing disk ismounted on a faceplate which locks onthe upper auxiliary spindle. When thedisk is engaged by the guide pin, lathe-mounted work will be held in a fixedposition.

in Figure 12-69, is mounted in thetool rest arm and positioned so thebit will be square to the work andso its point will be on the work'shorizontal centerline.

Indexing, as shown in Figure12-70, can also be used to gauge

the spacing of surface-drilled holes.The drill guide can do double-duty.When you position it correctly, itwill act as a stop to gauge holedepth.

Turning Small ComponentsModel makers will find a dowel

turning fixture almost indispensablefor small turnings like head-lights,wheel hubs, rims, capstans, dead-eyes for boat and automobilemodels, and for making compo-nents for miniature furniture.

A good feature of the dowelturning fixture, shown in Figure 12-71, is that it allows mounting of along piece of dowel that is grippedfor turning with the drill chuck thatsubstitutes for the usual drivecenter. The bolt acts as a tool rest.The table to which the fixture isclamped, or the power plant ismoved to position the dowel foreach new turning. The doweldoesn't have to be cut until severalindividual parts have been formed.

To make the dowel turningfixture follow the plans in Figure12-72. The plans show three sizesof holes, but you can accommodateother sizes of dowels merely bydrilling additional holes.

Figure 12-73 shows the rela-tionship between the dowel turningfixture and a turned dowel. It's a

good idea to coat the dowel withpaste wax to minimize frictionwhere the dowel turns in the block.

The dowel turning fixture canalso position tiny work for concen-tric drilling. If the work is very tiny,it can be gripped in a router chucklocked on the main spindle.

Turning OvalsThe most important part of

turning a cylinder into an ovalshape is the template for locatingthe true center and the two offcenters (Figure 12-74). If the ridgeline is located first, it is easy toposition the template at the ends of

work is done by hand. It is startedby mounting stock between lathecenters and turning it to a cylinder.

Layout of the spiral divisions isshown in Figure 12-76. First markoff the length of the spiral. Dividethis into equal spaces, each ap-proximately the diameter of thecylinder. Draw four lines along thelength of the stock, connectingcommon perpendicular diameters ateach end. Now divide each spaceinto four equal parts and, with aheavy piece of paper as a guide,pencil-mark diagonal lines acrosseach one as shown.

Now follow the sequencedetailed in Figure 12-77. Use a saw

Figure 12-68. A typical appilcation for the indexing device. It positions work so radialholes can be equally and automatically spaced. The drill guide keeps the bit square tothe workpiece.

Figure 12-69. Construction details of thedrill guide.

Figure 12-70. The indexing device and the drill guide can also be used to automaticallyspace surface holes. The drill guide can also serve as a stop to gauge hole depth.

the stock and mark the centers withan awl.

Turn the work on true centeruntil it is round. Remark the ridgeline.

Mount the work on one of theoff centers. Turn it until the cutnears the ridge line. Now it's roundon one side, oval on the other.

Mount the work on the remain-ing off center; turn it down to theridge line. Now the work is oval.Sand it as illustrated in Figure 12-75.

Turning SpiralsSpiral forming is classified as a

lathe job even though most of the

to cut along the spiral line to thedepth needed (Figure 12-77A). Thisdepth is easily controlled if akeyhole saw is used. If a backsaw isused, clamp a block of wood to itto act as a depth guide.

Next use a round file to form agroove to the depth of the saw cut(Figure 12-77B). Open up thegroove with a square file (Figure12-77C). Shape it with a half-roundfile (Figure 12-77D). Use sandpa-per to do the final shaping andsmoothing.

Figure 12-71. A dowel turning fixturemakes it easy to turn small parts fromdowel stock.

Figure 12-72. Construction details of the dowel turning fixture for 1/4 ", 3/8", and 1/2"dowels. Additional holes for other sizes of dowels can be drilled.

Figure 12-73. The bolt, which is part ofthe dowel turning fixture, serves as a toolrest. Apply paste wax to the dowel so itcan turn with minimum friction.

Figure 12-77. To form spirals: (A) Use a keyhole sawor backsaw to cut on the spiral line. (B) Start theshaping with a round file. (C) Continue the shaping byusing a square file. (D) Finish the shaping with a half-round file. Then work with strips of sandpaper toachieve final smoothness.

Figure 12-74. You can turn cylinders with an oval cross section if the work is shaped while it is mounted on off centers. Thesedrawings show the procedure to follow.Figure 12-74. You can turn cylinders with an oval cross section if the work is shaped whileit is mounted on off centers. These drawings show the procedure to follow.

Figure 12-75. When the oval is complete, use sandpaper to smooth theproject and to remove the ridge line. The shape of the oval will depend onhow far apart you space the off centers.

Figure 12-76. This is the kind of layout you must use to prepare stockfor spiral forming.