I'll try anything once...!
I don't think I have one of those...either of them. That's one of the reasons I'm on this site--to learn from the masters.
Where would you get one of those and what might it be called? Is it the same thing that Donnie called a "center rest"?
![IMG_4112[1].JPG](https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/data/attachments/204/204929-5152e2f87f0714495ecee2151409b153.jpg "IMG_4112[1].JPG")
@Vfordyce , in the above pic on the left is a spur centre and the right is a live centre. Spur centre is used in the headstock normally when trying to turn square or odd shaped material round. Live centre is used in the tail stock to steady or support the material you are turning.
If you are using a dowel use a three or four jaw chuck to hold the dowel. Put dowel into chuck and if possible push it though the headstock until there is only a small amount left sticking out of the chuck. Tighten the chuck up a little just so that the dowel won't slide out, bring up your tailstock, with the live centre mounted in it, and mark the centre of the dowel with the point of the live centre. Now loosen chuck, move tailstock back and pull out dowel to desired length. Tighten up chuck and slide tailstock up to dowel making sure the point of the live centre is located in the mark/hole you previously made. Tighten down tailstock and live centre then start turning/sanding your wood!! The two block method previously mentioned is a real good system!
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That explains it very well. Do you use chisels?
When doing spars and masts I only use sanding blocks, it goes quite fast and there is no chattering and a lot less breakage!
Pretty much what Kurt said.
As the admonition, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me!"
Rich
You don't need to use cutters or
turning chisels to shape dowels. Plus, at such small diameters, if the cutter catches on the wood grain EVEN ONCE, you'll snap the part anyway. Sanding the material away is best. You don't have that much material to remove anyway, so using a risky cutter is not a good idea. I was using a stationary live center. Its a pointy thing.
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A live center is great, but you don't need a center spinning on ball bearings to turn dowels into masts. You can use a non-spinning center as well. See the drill press picture I posted earlier. The center is simple clamped in a vice, which is so heavy relative to any force applied to the dowel that it never shifted while working. Even a small dimple made by hand in the center of the end of the dowel is enough to hold the tip of a live center in position. I placed the wood into the metal lathe with almost nothing protruding from the chuck, and while it was turning, pushed a dimple into the wood by screwing the live center mounted into the tailstock until the tip crushed about 2mm into the wood. Don't push in too far or you'll split the dowel. I can then take the dowel out and place it loosely in the drill press chuck, pressing the end with the divot onto the live center at the bottom lightly while I tighten the chuck. It While sanding, watch to see if the dowel slips upward into the chuck. If that happens, you could loose support of the live center at the bottom and snap off the piece. If chuck gets loose, stop and tighten it up before resuming sanding.
I may be old school technique and age but I prefer to hand sand and check the diameter frequently. Not being in a hurry it is not a problem but provides the activity and focus that I want in this hobby. Just a personal thing as every time that I try to hurry I end up having to do it over . . . and over. . . and again. . . etc. Rich
For those of use with less experience with that method, turning the parts is better for maintaining concentricity.
I have the same drill press also. How do you hold the bottom of the dowel to keep it from wobbling?
Jan
And remember, there are collet systems to hold dowels and rods while turning.
Attachments
I normally use the drill and sandpaper method to taper mast. To control the speed of the drill I use a sewing machine foot pedal. By using the foot pedal I can have both hands free to sandpaper and hold the mast.
A few years ago I built a model for the SC Maritime Museum of a 1740 era boat that was discovered locally. It was built at 1/2 inch equals 1 foot. This presented a problem for tapering the mast. I only had a Proxxon DB250 lathe and the mast and spars were much longer than the 12 inch lathe could handle. The photos below show how I solved the problem. The glove was to protect my hand.
A few years ago I built a model for the SC Maritime Museum of a 1740 era boat that was discovered locally. It was built at 1/2 inch equals 1 foot. This presented a problem for tapering the mast. I only had a Proxxon DB250 lathe and the mast and spars were much longer than the 12 inch lathe could handle. The photos below show how I solved the problem. The glove was to protect my hand.
If you don't have a drill press or a lathe, take a tip from the Russians, who can engineer just about anything out of scrap and make it work, because they're clever with simple solutions. Firmly mount a portal electric hand drill to a plank it's side, with center made from a large diameter common nail ground to a shallower, 60 degree point on the other end, capable of adjustable position, and make yourself a turning tool cheap. The results are exactly the same as using more expensive tools. I saw a Russian fellow make a plank cutting tool similar to a circular saw with a hand held rotary (Dremel) tool and cutting disk, mounting it on a board with an adjustable fence. Good tools are where you make them...
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I find the dremel with a sander attachment works well for me and gives good control.
Dr. Y
Dr. Y
I use a lathe on the larger masts and yards. I have a 900mm centre to centre 10 speed lathe which is nice for what I need. The main thing is to make sure your tools are sharp and then sharp. I found that I had wobble on smaller diameter dowels if it was set to tight or turned to fast. Have turned down under 2mm on yard steps but you have to be patient and as I said sharp tools. Walnut I found was best to turn with some maple as well. The other timbers I have tried are Jarrah and gum they turn well as well. Will be doing the Berlin after the Bounty and its supplied masts are square so will definitely use the lathe to turn them down
Thank you!