OPERATION
The following directions will give the inexperienced operator a beginning point for common lathe operations. Practice on scrap material before attempting serious work.
LATHE TOOLS
Standard wood turning tools come in several different configurations (Fig. 26). The majority of turnings will require the gouge tool (A) Fig. 26. This round nosed hollow chisel is used for roughing cuts, cove cuts and other operations. The skew chisel (B) is a
E
C
A
B
D
A
Fig. 26
HOW TO TURN SPINDLES
Working with any material that is attached to the lathe centers is called a spindle turning. This is the principal type of wood turning (chair and table legs, lamp stems, etc.) The turning of spindles can be done with either a scraping or cutting technique. The cutting technique, by virtue of faster wood removal and a cleaner surface, is the preferred method.
CENTERING THE WORK
Wood stock for any spindle turning should be approximately square, and the ends should be square with the sides. Two common methods of determining the center are shown in Figs. 27 and 28. In Fig. 27, a distance a little more or a little less than
Fig. 27
Fig. 28
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