Spindle Turning
Spindle turning is the most common type of work done with a wood lathe. It involves turning a workpiece between two centers and removing stock to achieve a specific contour. To mount a workpiece between centers:
1.Locate the center point on both ends of the workpiece. This can be done by carefully drawing diagonal lines from corner to cor- ner. The point of intersection is the center of the work. Or if the workpiece is somewhat irregular, there are center finding devices available which will aid in this step.
2.Hold the workpiece vertically and support it on a solid surface. Line up the spur center with the center of the workpiece. Drive the spur center into the stock about 1⁄4'' using a dead blow hammer. See Figure 25. Be careful not to split the workpiece. Wood with splits along the grain may fly off the lathe during operation. For dense wood, drill a hole for the center and score lines with a saw blade for the spurs.
Figure 25. Seating the spur center.
Make certain the centers at both ends are firmly seated. Failure to do so can allow the workpiece to spin off of the lathe. Serious personal injury may occur.
3.With the spur center firmly attached to the workpiece, insert the spur center into the headstock spindle.
4.While supporting the free end of the work- piece in your hand, loosen the tailstock locking lever and slide the tailstock assem- bly close to the end of the workpiece and lock into place.
5.Line up the point of the live center with the workpiece center. Turn the hand wheel to press the center into the workpiece. Do not press too tightly or the bearings will bind and may overheat. Too loose, however, and the workpiece will not be properly seated and may spin off when the lathe is started. Lock the spindle nose in place with the locking lever. Make certain no more than 2'' of the spindle is extended.
6.Adjust the tool rest as close to the work- piece as possible without actually coming in contact with the workpiece. Test by hand turning the workpiece before turning lathe on. Ensure that the lathe chisel is fully sup- ported by the tool rest. Support the lathe chisel on the tool rest with one hand, while controlling the chisel with the other hand.
See Figure 26.
7.Cycle the lathe on and off rapidly to ensure the workpiece is firmly seated.
Figure 26. Typical spindle turning setup.