THE WOODWORKER SERIES
WOO
Glass
2-CU-
Book ^_f 3
WOOD-TURNING
(THE WOODWORKER SERIES)
THE WOODWORKER SERIES
Woodwork Joints. — Deals in the clearest and most
practical way with all Joints required in Cabinet
Work, Carpentry, Joinery, etc. The volume is illus-
trated with over 420 diagrams, many of which have
been specially drawn to show the methods of work
and the application of the joint. 12mo., with com-
plete Index of over 1,000 references.
Staining and Polishing. — The most complete
guide to every process connected with Staining,
Polishing, Varnishing, etc., placing before the reader
full information regarding practically every method
of wood-finishing. There is an Appendix of Recipes
for stains, polishes, varnishes, etc., and a most valu-
able Index of 1,300 references. 12mo., illustrated.
Fretwork. — Contents include Fret Cutting, In-
laying and Over-laying, giving the reader details
regarding the preparation of the wood and the design.
The author has had a vast experience as a fret-
cutter. He has also written more on the subject and
produced a larger number of published fret-work
designs than any other living man. He gives many
practical hints on cutting and sandpapering, joints
and fitting, gluing, fixing and fitting, backgrounds
and finish, etc. There is also included material on
the art of over-laying and in-laying. 12mo. 222
pages. 129 illustrations in the text.
The Woodwork er Series
WOOD-TURNING
PHILADELPHIA AND LONDON
J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY
.fa
FEINTED BT J. B. LtPPIHCOTT COVPAWT
AT THE WASHINGTON SQUABS PBBftS
PHILADELPHIA, V. 8. A.
\i
FOREWORD
'"TpURNING, one of the most effective and satisfy-
A ing modes of ornament, has been employed from
the earliest times in constructive and decorative
woodwork, and this volume has been designed to
assist the professional craftsman and the amateur in
practical lathe work.
The uses of tools and the methods of manipulation
for various classes of work are clearly given, and
suggestions are offered as guidance for the setting
out and grouping of the recognised classical members
so as to secure correctly proportioned and graceful
designs. The numerous illustrations include many
examples of turnings in different styles, and in
several cases full-sized working details are given.
The volume has been written and (for the most
part) illustrated by Mr. William Fairham, and is
aimed to assist not only the home worker, but also
practical wood turners, cabinet makers, pattern
makers, joiners, carpenters, wheelwrights, junior
draughtsmen, and teachers and students in Technical
or Day Continuation Schools.
J. C. S. BROUGH.
CONTENTS
*AGE
THE LATHE i
Lathe Parts — Treadling — Gauging and Chucking —
Roughing Down.
TURNING SMALL OBJECTS 13
Using the Chisel — Turning a Hollow — Rounding off —
Stepping or Sinking — The Callipers — Gauges —
Examples — Finishing with Glass-paper — Tools.
TOOLS: GRINDING AND SHARPENING . . 25
Grinding Gauges and Chisels — Oilslips — Sharpening.
THE BACK STAY— SAWING AND BORING . . $1
Back Rest — Back Stay — Circular Sawing — Drilling
Attachment.
SPLIT TURNINGS AND TURNED MOULDINGS . 36
Jacobean Split Turnings — Preparing the Wood — Turn-
ing Mouldings — The use of the Arbor — Bulbous Turn-
ings.
TWISTED AND SPIRAL TURNINGS . . • 1/
Single Twists — Double Twists — Separate Strand
Twists — Cabriole Legs.
CHUCKS AND FACE PLATES .... 55
Metal and Wooden Chucks — Split Chucks — Screw
Chucks — Face Plates — Rounding Tools.
HOLLOWING A VASE— SUPPORTING COLLARS,
ETC 67
Hollowing a Vase — Turning Discs — Gap Lathes —
Temporary Supporting Collars — Turning Moulds for
Barred Doors.
CONTENTS
PAGE
TURNING A BALL ♦ .... 75
Tae Limit Gauge and »ther Tools — Operations in
^Taming Balls — Testing Balls — Turning Common
Bails.
TURNING WOODEN RIN^S, SQUARE TURNING,
ETC 81
Cornice Pole Rings — Use of Saddle — Square Turning
— Quasi-square Turning — Setting-out Laths — Turning
for Capitals.
FINISHING TURNINGS— STAINING AND POLISHING 91
MISCELLANEOUS HINTS 99
Tobacco Pipes — Sideboard Pillars — Noah's Ark Animals
— Grouping of Members — Table of Speeds — The Story
of the Lathe.
PATTERNS FOR TURNINGS (with many full-sized
details) ......... jo*
Dining-Table, Billiard Table, and other Table Legs —
Columns, Posts, Spindles, etc. — Chair Legs — Newel
Posts — Household Turnery — Chessmen, Etc.
INDEX • jt • • M9
THE LATHE
THE art of Wood Turning consists, broadly speaking,
of forming timber into such a shape that, if a
section be taken at right angles to the axis on
which the work is revolved, the section will be a
circle. The machine or appliance in which the
timber is revolved whilst the cutting action is in
progress is called a Lathe.
FIG. I. — SKETCH OF STANDARD TREADLE LATHE, WITH
EXTENSION PIECE.
Fig. i is a sketch showing the front view of a standard
foot or treadle lathe. Fig. 2 illustrates the back view
Wood Turning
The Lathe
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B S
IVood Turning
of the same lathe, a complete numbered list of parts
being given on page 3. Various makes of lathes
differ in design and construction, but the general
principle is the same.
The length of the bed of the lathe shown in the illus-
ration is 3 ft. 6 ins. ; and the height of the centres from
FIG. 3. — SKETCH OF EXTENSION PIECE (NO. 1 4).
the bed is 5 ins. The extension piece (No. 14) was in
this particular case made after the lathe was bought,
so as to enable the worker to turn table legs, etc., up to
2 ft. 8 ins. long. A sketch, Fig. 3, is shown of this
extension, which can be bolted on and taken off the lathe
proper as occasion demands.
FIG. 3a. PARTS 4 AND J OF LATHE.
Buying a Lathe. — The points to be remembered
when buying a lathe are these : —
Do not err by buying one that is too small and too
lightly built. The height from the bed of the lathe to
the centre of the spindle, and the distance between the
centres (4 and 7) regulate, respectively, the diameter and
the length of the work which is to be operated upon.
If your pocket will afford it, do not buy a lathe the
The Lathe
bed of which is less than 3 ft. 6 ins. long, and the height
to the centres of less than 4 ins.
The whole of the moving parts should be accurately
fitted. The driving wheel should be weighted, so as
to bring up the treadle to such a position that it is always
ready to be started by a direct downward pressure of the
foot, and the cast-iron legs should be of a fairly heavy
design. Lightly built lathes are useless for good work,
as their construction is such that they do not absorb
vibration.
The Operation of Shaping Wood by means of a
lathe is as follows : — The timber to be turned is placed
in the lathe between the live centre (7) and the dead
centre (4). The treadle is started ; this transmits, by
the action of the chain (23), the requisite power to the
crankshaft and driving wheel. This, again, by aid of
a leather belt or strap, turns the live spindle and so sets
the wood revolving. A turning tool, generally a gouge,
is firmly held by the worker with the blade supported
by the tee rest, and the waste wood is cut away so as to
leave the desired shape.
Make yourself familiar with the adjustments of your
lathe. Slacken the nut at the centre of the tailstock,
and note how readily the tailstock can be moved along
the lathe bed so as to take the desired length of timber.
Slacken the clamp (13) and you will find that the tee rest
support can be adjusted so as to take varying diameters,
or that it can be moved along the bed similarly to the
tailstock, enabling you to bring it to any desired position
lengthways on the bed. Slacken the screw (25), which
allows the tee rest to be raised or lowered, and at the same
time turned at right angles to the bed of the lathe.
Remember, before commencing work, that a lathe
is in some ways like a bicycle, and that the moving parts
require oiling so as to avoid undue friction.
Treadling. — Having made yourself familiar with
IVood Turning
all the various parts of the lathe, your first difficulty
will be learning to treadle. To the beginner it appears
impossible to work the feet independently of the hands.
FIG. 4. SHOWING POSITION OV BODY WHILST TREADLING.
It is, therefore, advisable to spend an hour or so in
practising with the treadle before attempting the actual
turning. Both feet should be used in turn, and this will
6
The Lathe
be found difficult at first. Much depends upon the poise
of the body whilst changing the foot, and there is need
for perseverance until easy and continuous running is
obtained.
The great fault with the beginner is that he puts
pressure on to the treadle before the crank passes the
dead centre, thus working much harder than is necessary,
or preventing the treadle from giving the crankshaft
and flywheel a continuous revolution. Stand in front
of the lathe (Fig. 4), the whole weight of the body on
one leg ; work the treadle with the other leg, but moving
no other part of the body in unison with the leg. When
this can be done with either the right or the left leg
without undue fatigue, the beginner may consider
himself ready for his first attempt at wood turning.
Gauging and Chucking. — Take a piece of wood
preferably of a soft nature, such as yellow pine or red
deal. A convenient size for a first attempt will be about
12 ins. long by 1 \ ins. square. See that the ends of the
wood are approximately square and, taking up the
ordinary joiner's marking gauge, strike the centre as
shown at Fig. 5, these marks being, of course, gauged at
each end of the wood. Next take up a bradawl and bore
a hole about \ in. deep, so that the spur and the dead
centre of the lathe will be forced into the timber without
splitting it.
Considering that the lathe is foot driven, it is advisable
to roughly plane away the corners of the wood as shown
at Fig. 6 ; then, by making suitable adjustments to the
tool rest and tailstock, proceed to place the timber
between the lathe centres. This operation is called
" chucking " the wood. Fig. 7 shows the wood held
in the left hand while placing the centre point of the spur,
or prong, in the centre of the hole already made for it.
Now give the end of the wood a couple of smart
taps with a hammer or a spanner, and this will effectively
drive the end of the wood on to the spur.
Wood Turning
Take up a tallow or composite candle and grease the
hole that has been formed to take the dead centre.
It is important that this be lubricated, owing to the fact
that the wood revolves on the dead centre, thus inducing
FIG. 5. — GAUGING TO FIG. 6. — PIECE OF WOOD WITH CORNERS
FIND CENTRE. ROUGHLY PLANED AWAY READY FOR
MOUNTING BETWEEN THE LATHE CENTRES.
friction. On the other hand, no lubrication is necessary
at the end of the wood which engages with the spur or
prong, because the woog is carried round, or revolved
by this spur. Candle grease is considered much better
FIG. 7. — CHUCKING THE WOOD
for lubricating the dead centre than the ordinary machine
oil, which, owing to its liquid state, runs all over the
wood, thus messing up the turning and throwing oil into
the worker's face.
Turn up the hand-wheel as shown at Fig. 8 until the
conical point pushes fairly tightly into the wood, then
8
The Lathe
give the handle a quarter turn backwards to avoid
excessive friction, and lock the tail spindle in the desired
position by screwing up the locking handle shown at
Fig. 2, No. 2. If the tail spindle be not locked, there is
always a danger of the spindle working backwards, and
FIG. 8. FASTENING WOOD BETWEEN CENTRES.
a risk of the wood flying out of the machine and injuring
the worker.
The tee rest and the tee rest holder should now be
adjusted to the work. This is done by raising the tee
FIG. 9. POSITION OF REST AND WOOD.
rest so that the top edge of it is slightly above the centre
of the wood, and then adjusting the tee rest holder so
as to allow the front of the rest to be as close to the wood
as is possible, without actually touching it when the
work is revolved. For positions of rest and wood, see
Fig. 9.
Wood Turning
Roughing Down. — Now take the J-in. gouge as
shown at Fig. 4, allowing it to lie with its back on the tee
rest. Hold the right hand (which grasps the handle of
the tool) close to the body, so as to overcome leverage,
and let the fleshy part of the left hand come in contact
with the tee rest so as to act as a guide and prevent the
tool being pushed into the work unevenly.
Treadle the lathe so that the wood revolves towards
you as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4, and gently
advance the gouge so that it takes light cuts off the rough
-POSITION OF GOUGE WHEN ROUGHING DOWN THE
WORK RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND CUTS.
parts of the wood. Give it at the same time a sideway
motion, and gradually cut deeper into the wood opposite
the tee rest until it becomes cylindrical. The clamping
handle, No. 13, Fig. 2, is now loosened so as to enable
the tee rest to be placed opposite that portion of the
wood which has not been worked upon ; fasten the clamp
which holds the tee rest, and repeat the cutting operation
until the whole of the wood is approximately a rough
cylinder.
This tool operation is called " roughing down."
When roughing down, the tool should occasionally
be reversed so as to bring the other cutting edge into
use ; this method is shown in Fig. 10. The sketch shows a
The Lathe
top view and an end view. When the gouge is being
worked to the left, as indicated by A, it is slightly tilted
as shown by the curved arrow ; similarly, when working
to the right, B, it is again slightly tilted as shown by the
arrow. With constant practice this reversal of the tool
becomes almost automatic.
The beginner will probably experience some little
difficulty in using the gouge. He may fix his tee rest a
little too high, or he may hold his gouge at an incorrect
angle to his work. Should his tool rub upon the work
without cutting, he should slightly lift the right hand.
FIG. II. SMOOTHING WITH THE CHISEL.
A little experience will soon enable him to judge his
correct cutting angle without any necessity for theoretical
knowledge, such as cutting edges at a tangent to the cut
circle.
After roughing down the work with the gouge, the
worker should endeavour to make his work as smooth as
possible by removing the irregularities which have been
left by the roughing process. This can be done by
taking a very light cut with the gouge, and allowing the
left hand to slide along the front of the tee rest ; in fact,
the left hand will act as a kind of slide rest. With
practice an almost finished surface can be left from the
gouge alone.
ii
Wood Turning
^JWJU-J _■
12
TURNING SMALL OBJECTS
' N the previous chapter we described the wood- turning
lathe and its various parts, and dealt with the work
of the gouge in " roughing out " for the initial stages.
The next tool to be used is the turning chisel, and as
an introduction to this tool the worker is advised to
use it on the cylindrical block that he has already
experimented upon (Fig. 6). His first use of this tool
will be an attempt to finish off his work.
The Chisel.— Most amateurs use the chisel as a
scraping tool. Perhaps they have not seen it used as a
End View.
FIG 12. FINISHING WORK WITH THE CHISEL.
(RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND CUTS.)
cutting tool, and many who attempt to use it as a cutting
tool experience great difficulty, owing to the liability of
the sharp corners to continually catch and dig into the
work.
The secret of using this tool for smoothing purposes
is to remember that only the centre portion of the blade
should be actually touching the wood. Fig. n indicated
the method of using it when making a finishing cut, and
Fig. 12 shows the actual position and the approximate
angle of the tool for cutting to right or left.
Before the finishing cut has been going on many
13
IVood Turning
minutes, the worker will probably find that the long
corner of the chisel will catch into the wood, thus splinter-
ing it to a greater or lesser extent, according to how
firmly the handle is being held. This is one of the traps
for the beginner, and the best safeguard is to use a chisel
FIG. 13. AN ELEMENTARY TURNED SHAPE.
not less than i-in. in width. Nervousness is a cause of
a great deal of spoiled turnery work.
As a second attempt, take the gouge and rough down
the work similar to the shape shown at Fig. 13. Practise
taking a finishing cut with the chisel, working from the
centre of the block to the ends and using the chisel both
to the right and left from the centre. Remember, as a
jTTiF
FIG. 14. STAGES IN TURNING A HOLLOW, ETC.
general rule, to keep the tee-rest as near to the work as
possible, say J-in. clearance, and bear in mind that, as
the block is reduced in diameter, you must adjust the
rest so as to follow up the continually diminishing
diameter.
The worker should continue practising with the gouge
and the chisel until the wood is reduced to such a size
that it has to be discarded.
Turning Small Objects
Turning a Hollow. — Next try to turn a hollow with
a f-in. or J-in. gouge. Fig. 14, A, shows the completed
concave curve. B shows the method of using the gouge
to give the first or opening cut, and this cut is gradually
widened out until it is ready for the finishing cut. C
illustrates the commencement of the finishing cut ; the
gouge is held so that the cutting edge is vertical, and at
the same time (as the gouge is worked forward into the
hollow) the right hand twists it, as indicated by the
arrow at D. This twisting of the gouge is continued
until reaching the deepest point of the concavity, at
which point the gouge will be on its back, as indicated
atE.
The left-hand half of the hollow is worked out by
starting at the left of the cut and reversing the cutting
operations, thus finishing the cut at its smallest diameter.
The general rule to be remembered is to work "down-
hill " as it were.
When starting the cut at C it is important that the tool
be held at a correct cutting angle, and with the edge of
the tool that is in contact with the work vertical. If
the tool be advanced at an incorrect angle with the edge
not vertical, the worker will find that it has a tendency
to run along the face of the work, thus scarring the
finished surface with an unsightly spiral cut which will
spoil the work. For instance, if, when starting the cut C,
the gouge is held as shown in position D, the power
exerted by the revolving wood will twist the gouge flat
upon its back and tear the wood away.
A considerable amount of practice will be necessary
at this stage of the work, and it is important to firmly
grasp the handle of the gouge with the right hand.
Rounding Off. — Next attempt rounding off the end
as shown at F. Start the cut with the gouge almost flat
upon its back, twisting the handle of the gouge to the
right at the same time as the point goes towards the
*5
Wood Turning
centre of the wood. This will bring the gouge into the
position shown at F — that is, with the cutting edge in
contact with the work, vertical.
Squaring Down the end of the wood with a gouge is
shown at G, and from start to finish of this cut the edge
of the gouge is held in a vertical position.
The reader will clearly understand that all the above
tool operations, although shown in most instances
working from left to right, can be manipulated from
right to left by reversing the position of the tool.
Stepping or Sinking Down the work may next be
attempted, such as recessing the handle of a dumb-
FIG. 15. STAGES IN STEPPING DOWN OR SINKING \
ROUNDING OFF A BEAD, ETC.
bell, similar to I. The gouge is first used to rough out
the work in 1, 2, 3, or more cuts, as shown in the upper
half of sketch H. After roughing in to the approximate
shape, the shoulder is cut down by taking a light cut with
the chisel as H, 4. The chisel commences the cut at the
highest point of the turning and is advanced in the
direction of the arrow until the required distance is set
in, it is now turned upon its side and used as at H, 5.
After finishing out the corner, the chisels are used in an
exactly opposite manner, to work away and finish the
right-hand corner.
16
Turning Small Objects
Where a very narrow recess has to be turned out, it
will be necessary to use a parting tool, as at J.
Rounding Off a Bead with the chisel is shown at
K, L and M. The tool is held at K, and by gradually
twisting the handle to the left, as shown at I (see arrow),
the tool will assume the position shown at M, which is
the completion of the cut. The ordinary vee cut is
made with the chisel (N, Fig. 16). For the first cut or
incision, hold the cutting edge perfectly vertical, then
Fig. 16. — A Vee Cut. Fig. 17. — Showing
Direction of Tool.
take a cut at each side of this centre line in a similar
position to that shown at L.
For Finishing Tool Handles or similar articles of
spherical or semi-spherical shape the chisel is used. Start
with the tool flat upon its side as at K (Fig. 15), and
gradually twist the handle, as at L, until at the finishing
point the edge of the chisel is vertical as at M. Fig. 17,
O, shows the rounding of a handle, the position of the
tool being about two-thirds of the distance down the
cut. The whole of this handle would have the
finishing cut given to it by the turning chisel, working
from the highest points downwards as indicated by the
arrows.
The worker will have to give considerable attention
and practice of the use of the chisel for finishing, as it is
W.T. J 7 C
JVood Turning
probably the most difficult of all turning tools to success-
fully manipulate. When a certain amount of freedom
of cut has been attained by constant practice, he should
attempt to turn one or two objects to certain dimensioned
sizes, and for this purpose he will find the necessity of
using the callipers.
Callipers. — Figs. 19, A and C, illustrate the same pair
of callipers. At C the legs are simply crossed over so as
to form a pair of inside callipers. At Fig. 18 a pair of
fig. 18 — Fig. 19A. —
EGG CALLIPERS. CALLIPERS.
FIG. I9B. — FIG. igc.
IN-AND-OUT CALLIPERS
CALLIPERS. (I9A REVERSED)
6-in. egg callipers is shown, whilst Fig. 19 B illustrates
a pair of combined " in-and-out " callipers. In-and-out
callipers, if correctly made, always show the same dis-
tance at each end ; thus, if the egg portion of the callipers
be set to one inch, the inside callipers at the reverse end
will also show one inch. This is of great advantage to
the worker, because he can use the egg portion of the
callipers to gauge the diameter of a turned pin, and, by
simply using the opposite end of the callipers, he can
gauge a hole to fit the pin without any further adjust-
ment of the thumb-screw.
18
Turning Small Objects
FIG. 20. HANDLED
WOOD turner's GAUGE.
TIG. 21. HOME-MADE
WOODEN GAUGE.
19
Wood Turning
. Fig. 20 shows the handled wood turner's gauge, which
is a most useful tool where there is a great amount of
repetition work to be done. For the callipering of general
FIG. 22. — USING THE WOOD GAUGE.
work up to i -in. in diameter, the home-made contrivance
shown at Fig. 21 is very useful. A series of holes ranging
from f in. to 1 in. is bored in a piece of hardwood, which
FIG. 23. — TESTING
DIAMETER WITH
OUTSIDE CALLIPERS.
FIG. 24. — TESTING INTERIOR RECESS
WITH INSIDE CALLIPERS.
may be about f in. or f in. in thickness. The centres of
the holes are kept in a straight line, and the wood is then
sawn down the centre with a very fine saw; the worker
has thus a series of gauges, of graduated sizes, which
20
Turning Small Objects
can be used in conjunction with his centre or twist boring
bits. The end of this wooden gauge may be hinged as
shown so as to prevent one of the pieces from being
j45*
pK, 25. EXERCISE IN TURNED WORK.
(ALL DIMENSIONS ARE GIVEN.)
FIG, 26. ANOTHER TURNING EXERCISE.
(THE END PARTS, WITH DIAGONAL LINES, ARE SQUARE.)
— r
FIG. 27. TURNING A CHISEL OR FILE HANDLE.
mislaid or lost. The method of using this gauge is to
open it and place it around the work as shown at Fig. 22.
The egg callipers are used by passing them around the
work as at Fig. 23. (The lathe, of course, is stopped
21
Wood Turning
fTG. 28. — FIG. 29. — FIG. 30. — FIG. 3 1.—
PARTING TURNING SCRAPING TURNING
TOOL. GOUGE. TOOL. CHISEL.
22
Turning Small Objects
during the testing operation.) The inside callipers are
used for obtaining the diameter of an internal recess, as,
for instance, that shown at Fig. 24.
Examples. — The turner is now advised to try one or
two examples, such as those given at Figs. 25 and 26,
to the dimensioned sizes. Note that, where diagonal
lines are drawn on turning patterns, it means that these
portions are to be left square. The turner at this stage
will probably desire to try his hand on such objects as
chisel and file handles. If this is the case he should
first slip his brass or steel ferrule over the end of the dead
centre as shown at Fig. 27. This will facilitate the turn-
ing of the pin to fit the ferrule without the trouble of
callipering the pin ; he can simply try the pin from time
to time by sliding it on to the handle as indicated by the
arrow. F denotes the ferrule in this drawing. Leave a
piece at the left hand of the handle, about one inch long,
so as to avoid damaging the edge of the tools on the live
or running spur. When the handle is finished, and just
before removing the turning from the lathe, this small
piece may be cut away by using the turning chisel edge-
ways up.
Finishing with Glass-paper.— Turnings are finished
by glass-papering. A piece of folded glass-paper is
held in the hand and generally applied at the
back of the work. Undulating work is followed by the
fingers, and small squares, fillets, etc., are papered by
folding the glass-paper and using the folded edge. The
work may be first glass-papered with fine 2-grade glass-
paper, and finished with No. ij.
After completing the glass- papering, it is usual to grasp
a handful of fine shavings which will have collected on
the lathe, and by holding these shavings in the hand
and grasping the work in a similar manner to that shown
at Fig. 8 in the previous chapter the work is brought
to a finish by friction (see also pp. 91 and 92).
33
Wood Turning
Rolling pins, potato mashers and, in fact, any turnery
that is going to come in contact with water, should be
treated as follows. After finishing, as described above,
take a sponge or rag, which has been dipped in hot water
and wet the whole of the surface of the turned article.
Allow this to thoroughly dry, and then repeat the glass-
papering and friction polishing process. After this
treatment the grain of the wood will have no tendency
to rise when it comes in contact with moisture.
Tools. — Fig. 28 shows a parting tool, Fig. 29 a |-in.
turning gouge, Fig. 30 a scraping tool for concave work,
and Fig. 31 the wood turner's chisel. The methods of
sharpening and grinding these tools are dealt with in
the next chapter.
Many workers make scraping tools out of old files,
and, as these can be easily made and re-ground to the
required sections, they will be found most economical.
Home-made tools should, of course, be mounted on
handles of similar shape to the bought ones.
24
TOOLS :
GRINDING AND SHARPENING
F good turning is to be accomplished, it is necessary
that all the tools which are used should carry a keen,
sharp cutting edge. In fact, many common turnery
articles, such as file handles and chair spindles, are
frequently left as finished direct from the tool, and for
Awork of the above class a sharp finishing cut is
absolutely necessary.
FIG. 32. — GRINDING A GOUGE. (METHOD ADOPTED BY
TRADE OR PROFESSIONAL TURNERS. BY THIS METHOD
RIDGES ARE WOVEN ON THE GRINDSTONE.)
For Grinding and Sharpening, the following
appliances will be necessary : — A grindstone, an oil-
stone in a case, and a few assorted oilslips. The slips
and oilstone may be the well-known " Washita/' or
" India medium " variety.
The trade or professional wood turner usually grinds
his gouges as shown at Fig. 32, and he very soon wears
suitable ridges in the face of his grindstone so as to fit
the various sizes of his turning gouges. This method
is an excellent one for the professional turner ; but it
is less adv.** tageous to the amateur, who, after grinding
25
Wood Turning
his turning gouges to-day, may possibly desire to grind
the iron of a smoothing plane the following day, when
he would experience considerable difficulty in obtaining
a true cutting edge on his iron.
FIG. 33. GRINDING A GOUGB.
FIG. 34. — GRINDING THE TURNING CHISEL.
The difficulty of grinding a true wide blade on the
face of a grindstone scored with ridges is apparent even
to the beginner, and he is advised to grind his gouges
as at Fig. 33. The direction of rotation of the grindstone
26
Tools : Grinding and Sharpening
is shown, and the worker twists his right hand backwards
and forwards, as indicated by the arrows. If the gouges
are ground by this method, and the worker occasionally
moves his gouges across the width of the grindstone,
he will find little difficulty in keeping the face of the stone
fairly even.
At Fig. 34 is illustrated the grinding of the turning
chisel. This chisel is ground on both sides, and the
approximate angle of inclination is shown at Fig. 35.
FIG. 35. CHISEL EDGE.
During the whole of the grinding process a plentiful
supply of water should be fed on to the grindstone so
as to keep the steel blade cool, and to wash away the
particles of ground steel from the pores of the stone.
Sharpening.— After grinding, the sharpening, or
wetting, is attempted. The turning chisels are rubbed
on the oilstone as shown at Fig. 36. The tool is
sharpened from both sides, and the wire edge may be
removed by pressing the cutting edge into a waste piece
of hard wood. Some workers, after sharpening the
tools, finish them off by stropping the edge on a piece
of leather, but this is quite unnecessary unless the work
27
Wood Turning
is for exhibition purposes, and has to be finished " left
from the tool."
For sharpening up the gouges the tapered India oil
FIG. 36. — OILSTONE.
FIG. 37. — OILSLIP.
FIG. 38. — WORN OILSLIP.
FIG. 39- TAPERED CYLIN-
DRICAL OILSLIP.
FIG. 40. — OILSLIP WITH
FEATHEREDGE.
FIG. 41. — TAPERED INDIA
OILSLIP.
OILSTONES AND OILSLIPS.
slip illustrated at Fig. 41 is the handiest. This slip is
6 ins. long, convex on one side and concave on the other,
and tapering uniformly to the point. It is used as shown
28
Tools : Grinding and Sharpening
at Fig. 42 ; that is, with a to-and-fro motion, and at the
same time a twisting movement as indicated by the
arrows. After rubbing the outside of the gouge the
FIG# 42. — USING A CONCAVE AND CONVEX OILSLIP
FOR GOUGE.
-REMOVING THE WIRE EDGE
FROM GOUGE.
wire edge is removed by taking an oilslip similar to Fig.
37 and using it inside the gouge, as at Fig. 43. Fig. 38
shows an oilstone similar to Fig. 37, with the exception
that the former is worn by constant use to fit the outsides
29
Wood Turning
of the f-in. and §-in. gouges. Fig. 39 shows a tapered
cylindrical oilslip, and Fig. 40 illustrates an oilslip with
a feather edge, used to sharpen vee-shaped turning
tools. The beginner, however, will find that he can
get along fairly well in the early stages of his work with
the oilslips shown at Figs. 37 and 41.
Neat's-foot oil is considered to be one of the best
lubricators for use with oilslips.
THE BACK STAY
SAWING AND BORING
FIG. 44 is an illustration of an adjustable back rest,
and this is a very useful device for supporting long
material, and thus ensuring a better result. It has
a vertical adjustment of ij ins. in the rest socket
and a horizontal adjustment of ij ins., and it will
support work up to 6 ins. in diameter. The
contact wheels are adjustable from zero to 2§ ins. The
FIG. 44.
•SHOWING THE ADJUSTABLE
FIG. 45.
BACK REST.
WOODEN
BACK STAY
base of this back stay is fitted on to the bed of the lathe
in precisely the same manner as the tee rest.
Back Rest. — This accessory can be bought for
about 37s. 6d. , and it is well worth the money to any one
constantly engaged upon long, slender work, such as
masts for model yachts, the delicate legs of fire-screens,
batons for musical conductors, billiard cues, etc.
3i
Wood Turning
Back Stay. — Of course, it is not every amateur who
can afford such an outlay, and if this be the case he will
have to use the home-made wooden back stay shown
at Fig. 45. This is generally made out of a piece of birch
FIG. 46. — ILLUSTRATING USE OF BACK STAY FOR
LONG SLENDER SPINDLES.
wood, about f in. in thickness, the vee notch or semi-
circular recess being cut in it to accommodate the
particular piece of stock on which the worker is engaged.
The method of fixing this home-made back stay to the
bed of the lathe so as to support the work is shown at
Fig. 46. A back stay is used to support slender work
FIG. 47. — CIRCULAR SAW SPINDLE.
so that it will offer a certain amount of resistance to
the cutting edge of the tool. If no back stay be used
the work will bounce away from the tool, and conse-
quently the work will be rough and full of ridges ; in
fact, probably a fracture will occur.
32
The Back Stay
The following hints will be useful when the back stay
has to be used. First centre up the work and fix the
tee rest in such a position that it is in the centre of the
proposed turning. Set the work revolving and bring
the gouge carefully up to the work, taking very light
cuts. The work will probably begin to spring away
from the tool, and, if this is the case, hold the left hand
behind the work so as to form a temporary back stay.
FIG. 48. — SAW SPINDLE AND SAW IN LATHE.
This will enable you to give the necessary resistance
to turn the work cylindrical for a distance of about
i| ins.
Now stop the lathe and fix your back stay, as shown
at Fig. 46 ; rub a little composite candle on the work
so as to reduce friction where the turning runs in the
back stay, and proceed with the turning in the ordinary
manner. When the turning at each side of the back
stay has been completed, remove your back stay from
A to B (Fig. 46), and finish up the remaining member
of the turning.
Without resorting to some such temporary appliance
as a back stay, the worker will find it is quite impossible
to turn long and slender work.
Circular Saw. — Much has been written upon the
use of small circular saws in conjunction with the turning
w.i. 33 d
Wood Turning
34
The Back Stay
lathe ; and, whilst admitting that the saw speed is not
all that can be desired, the fact still remains that the
amateur may obtain a great amount of useful work by such
a combination. For a saw spindle the writer obtained
a hub out of a bicycle wheel and turned down one end to
a taper, so as to fit his lathe (Fig. 47). The saw spindle
is fitted into the lathe as Fig. 48. The temporary saw
bench is made of timber, so as to accommodate a circular
saw of 4 ins. in diameter, having eight teeth to the inch.
A sketch of the temporary bench is illustrated at
Fig. 50, and a side view of the bench fitted to the lathe
bed is also given. The bench top is hinged at the
right-hand end (Fig. 50) with a 3-in. brass butt hinge.
This arrangement allows the left-hand end of the bench
to be unscrewed, lifted up, and, by the use of a suitable
strip of temporary packing, the top of the saw table
may be adjusted to the desired height for rebating.
The writer has found the above appliance to answer
splendidly for rebating the edge of door frames for light
cabinet work, and he uses the strips which are cut away
from the rebates to bead in door panels, etc.
The saw table is held in position with the same bolt
and washer as is used to hold down the tool rest.
Sizes for this small sawing table cannot be given,
because much will depend upon the size of the lathe
centres and the width of the lathe bed and saw spindle.
The approximate sizes are : — Length, 11 ins. ; and
width, 5 ins. An adjustable fence may be made out
of wood, I in. in thickness, and this is secured by ordinary
flat-headed screws, which fit in slots, as shown in Fig. 50.
Drilling Machine — By removing the dead centre
A, Fig. 48, and substituting a three- jawed self-centreing
chuck and boring bit, as at Fig. 49 (page 34), a really
serviceable horizontal drilling machine for either wood
or iron may be improvised. The necessary pressure to
feed the wood or iron towards the drill is obtained by
screwing up the hand- wheel at the end of the tail stock.
35 »a
SPLIT TURNINGS, TURNED
MOULDINGS, ETC.
REPRODUCTIONS of Jacobean furniture are at
the present time so popular with the public that
we may well devote a chapter to the making
of split turnings. These are principally used for
the ornamentation of pilasters and panels. Fig. 51
is a sketch of the pilaster of a fireplace jamb, and
the enlarged drawing (Fig. 52, A) shows the detail of the
split turning.
The simplest and most effective method of arriving
at this result is as follows : — Take two pieces of timber,
as shown at Fig. 53, and carefully plane them up so that,
when placed together as at Fig. 54, they form a square
when viewed at the end. Glue the two pieces together,
with a piece of newspaper between them, and apply the
necessary pressure so as to make a good joint by using
one or more handscrews or cramps, as at Fig. 54. When
the glue is set, mark out diagonal lines at each end, and
carefully centre the work between the headstock and
tailstock of the lathe, using, if possible, the type of live
driving spur illustrated at Fig. 55. This spur, or driving
centre, allows the work to be carefully centred up, and
avoids any tendency to open up the glued joint.
The work is now turned to the desired shape, and,
when finished, the two pieces of wood may be separated
by sliding the thin blade of an ordinary table knife down
the glued joint. The result will be that two split turnings
are formed at one operation ; moreover, the back of
each will be true and level, and will thus bed on to the
face of the pilaster without the worker having to plane
up the back of the turning.
36
Split Turnings, Turned Mouldings, etc.
To plane up the back of a split turning, especially if
it has been sawn out of a solid piece of turnery, is an
irritating and tedious job, even if the worker makes a
FIG. 51. — PILASTER WITH
SPLIT TURNING.
FIG. 52. — DETAIL OF
TURNING.
saddle or jig to hold the turning during the planing
process, and the difficulty is increased if the split turning
be of slender and delicate proportions.
Whether the split turnings be of large or small design
the turner who has not access to a " dimension " saw
37
Wood Turning
will be well advised to glue up his work in the manner
described. Split turnings, such as pearl or fancy
headings, may be turned in this manner, no matter
whether the section be a half or a quarter of a circle.
FIG. 53. — PREPARING THE WOOD.
Mouldings under sideboard tops and Continental
clocks, etc., are frequently turned up in the lathe, and
for the amateur who cannot work mouldings with a set
of hollow and round planes much effective work may be
added by using split mouldings.
FIG. 54. — GLUEING THE WOOD.
At Fig. 56 is shown a turned beaded moulding under
the top of a dressing-table. The beads (or mouldings)
of these (see sections at Figs. 57 and 58) are turned in
the lathe. The procedure is as follows : — The pieces
which are to form the moulding are glued around a
38
Split Turnings, Turned Mouldings, etc.
square core of pine, as shown at Fig. 59 ; and it is
essential that the core piece be planed up true and square,
and that the outside pieces be thicknessed up before they
are glued in their position with the pieces of paper
separating the joints. The piece, Fig. 59, which should
FIG. 55. — DRIVING SPUR.
be made as long as the bed of the lathe will permit, is
now truly centred up, and, after being turned cylindri-
cally, the beads or mouldings are turned upon it as
indicated at Fig. 60. S shows where the turning will
C top
<-BElADir4G —
FIG. 56. — MITRED CORNER OF BEAD MOULDING.
be split with a knife blade , and, when the pieces are
separated, it will give the worker four pieces similar to
Fig. 62, which will be turned along their entire length
with beads. These pieces are now permanently glued
upon a pine backing, and their edges are planed away as
shown at Fig. 61. The beaded moulding, if not of
sufficient length to span from one end of the work to the
39
Wood Turning
other, is butt-jointed, care being taken that the joint is
at the juncture of two beads so as to hide the division.
Some little difficulty often occurs with the mitreing of
this type of moulding, especially when the length of the
mitred moulding is not a multiple of the number of the
fig. 57. fig. 58.
SECTIONS OF BEAD MOULDINGS.
beads. To avoid this many Continental workers leave
the mitred ends plain, as shown at Fig. 56 ; but some
members make a more effective finish to this otherwise
plain mitre by finishing it with acanthus leaf carving.
FIG. 59. GLUEING UP THE PIECES ON A CENTRAL PIECE OF
STOCK.
The Use of the Arbor. — An arbor may be described
as a temporary piece of tapered steel or wood on which
hollow articles are turned. Bobbin makers and others,
who are constantly engaged upon hollow work, have
specially long live spurs, which form a combined driving
centre and arbor. The amateur, and frequently the
40
Split Turnings, Turned Mouldings, etc.
FIG. 60. — PREPARING WOOD FOR TURNED MOULDING.
FIG. 62. — SPLIT
MOULDING.
FIG. 6l. — MOULDING FIG. 63. — TEMPORARY WOODEN
BACKED. ARBOR.
FIG, 64. — METHOD OF TURNING TOY CANNON.
JVood Turning
trade turner, whose type of work is of an ever-varying
nature, uses a temporary wooden arbor, which he makes
specially for the particular job he may be engaged upon.
Fig. 63 illustrates a temporary wooden arbor, which
consists of a piece of hardwood which has a slight taper
FIG.
BORING WOOD TO MAKE AN ARBOR.
lengthways. Fig. 64 shows the method of turning up
the barrel of a small wooden toy cannon, or other similar
object, in which it is necessary that the inside and outside
portions be concentric. The block of wood is first
prepared by boring it lengthways with a twist bit, as
FIG. 66. — ELECTRICAL
BOBBIN.
FIG. 67. — END OF
VICE HANDLE.
FIG. 68. TURNING
WHEELS.
shown at Fig. 65, after which it is pushed fairly tightly
on to the arbor and placed between the lathe centres
and turned up in the usual manner. If the object has
any tendency to slip upon the arbor whilst the turning
and shaping is in progress, slightly damp the arbor, and
this will have the effect of raising the grain. Chalking
has a similar effect.
42
Split Turnings, Turned Mouldings, etc.
FIG. 69. TO- 7°- FIG> 71'
BULBOUS (OR ACORN-SHAPED) ELIZABETHAN AND JACOBEAN
TURNINGS.
Small objects, such as the core bobbin for electrical
work Fig. 66, and the end piece for a wooden vice
handle, Fig. 67, are ordinary examples of the class ot
work turned on an arbor.
Fig. 68 illustrates four pieces of wood which are glued
43
Wood Turning
together with paper between the joints, ready to be placed
on an arbor and turned to the required diameter for the
wheels of a toy locomotive or similar article. The
FIGS. 72, 73. REDUCED SQUARES.
*1G.
74. PLANING UP THE SQUARES OF REDUCED TURNINGS.
(THE WOOD IS HELD IN THE MITRE TRAP.)
wheels are then split asunder, the separations being at
the positions where the paper was glued. If wheels
are not required to have the grain of the wood running
44
Split Turnings, Turned Mouldings, etc.
in the direction shown, it is, of course, only necessary to
turn up a cylindrical piece and separate it into the
required number of pieces with the parting tool.
fig. 75. fig. 76. fig. 77.
EXAMPLES OF TURNED PILLARS FOR GATES,
BALUSTERS, ETC.
FIG. 78.
RAILINGS,
Elizabethan and Jacobean Turnings. — The type
of leg used during the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods
was similar to the illustrations at Figs. 69, 70, and 71 ;
the turning is swollen at the centre, and frequently
referred to as " bulbous " or " acorn " tuning.
It will be noticed that the turned portion at the centre
45
Wood Turning
is of a much greater measurement than the squares
which form the top and bottom of the leg. When
reproducing this kind of turning, which is generally
known as " turnings with reduced squares," it is usual
to work away the material at the top and bottom of the
leg prior to the timber being put into the lathe. The
squares may be reduced by planing them on a power-
driven " hand feed " surfacing machine, which gives the
result shown at Fig. 72 ; or they may be sawn down with
a hand saw, which leaves them as shown at Fig. 73.
If the sawing be accomplished by hand the work will
have to be fixed in the mitre shooting trap, and the
squares will have to be brought to a finish by planing
them with a small plane, such as a chariot plane, shown
at Fig. 74.
Figs. 75, 76, yy, and 78 illustrate good examples of
turned pillars suitable for garden gates, garden railings,
balusters, and general work.
When work has to be produced at a low price, four
pieces of wood are glued around the timber so as to
build up the work. This plan should only be resorted
to when the joint lines can be hidden, say, by carving;
even then the built-up work cannot be compared with a
solid leg.
46
TWISTED AND SPIRAL
TURNINGS
WISTED turnings are of three distinct types,
and these are again sub-divided into decorated
spirals. There is the single twist, the double
twist, and the triple twist, and work of this class
is looked upon by most amateurs as something
in the nature of a mystery. In up-to-date factories
iwisted turnings are worked on a special type of lathe,
designed similarly to an engineer's screw-cutting lathe ;
n this chapter, however, we shall confine our remarks
FIG. 79. — SINGLE TWIST TURNING, SHOWING PITCH.
to the methods used b}' the old craftsmen who made
twisted turnings long before the introduction of modern
wood-working machinery.
Single Twists. — First of all we shall consider the
marking out and the cutting of a single twist as illustrated
at Fig. 79. The distance travelled by a screw in one
revolution through the nut is called the " pitch " (see
Fig. 79), so that, after having turned the work cylindrical,
the worker will have to decide what pitch he will use for
his twisted turning. Fig. 79 is 1 in. in diameter, and it
has a pitch of 1 in. Generally speaking, the pitch is
equal to the diameter when working an example similar
to the one shown.
To Mark Out the Work, divide the circumference
of the cylindrical portion into four equal parts, and
47
Wood Turning
draw lines lengthways down the cylinder, as at Fig. 80.
These lines may be drawn by using a pencil and ruler.
FIG. 80. FIRST STAGE IN MARKING OUT.
& t, C
FIG. 8l. SECOND STAGE IN MARKING OUT.
A I C
FIG. 82. THIRD STAGE IN MARKING OUT.
FIG. 83. SINGLE TWIST MARKED OUT. SHADED PORTION
WILL BECOME THE HOLLOW.
Put the work into the lathe and set it revolving. Whilst
it is revolving mark lines with a pencil which are spaced
I in. apart as illustrated at Fig. 81. The worker is
48
Twisted and Spiral Turnings
advised to use a blue pencil for this purpose, so as to
avoid confusion later on. When these lines have been
drawn around the work, take it out of the lathe and draw
a spiral line (Fig. 82) from 1 through d ; through e ;
through /; and on to g. This line may be drawn
freehand ; or, better still, make a strip of thin cardboard
and fold it around the cylinder so that its edge runs
through the above-mentioned points 1, d, e, f, g. Then,
holding the cardboard in position, run your pencil along
the top edge, and it will neatly mark a spiral line which
will run through the desired points of intersection.
This spiral line, which is shown at Fig. 82, is the line
A A shown on the finished sketch, Fig. 79 ; in other
words, it is the spiral line at the top of the round portion
of the twist.
The next step is to divide the distances 1 to d ; d to
e ; etof; and /to g (Fig. 82) into three equal portions,
as at Fig. 83. The shaded portion shown in this sketch
will eventually be cut away to form the hollow portion
of the spiral.
After the marking out is completed, the work is again
placed between the lathe centres, and the driving strap
is thrown off the pulley. Hold the pulley or the work
with the left hand, and with a tenon saw cut a vee notch
down the work, as at Fig. 84. First use the tenon saw,
cutting to the right ; then use it cutting towards the left ;
the work meanwhile being rotated slowly with the left
hand. This will remove the superfluous timber and leave
a roughly-cut vee notch which will, later on, form the
hollow of the twist.
Take a |-in. chisel, as at Fig. 85, and by paring away
the wood it will round the timber as shown. After this
the hollow portion is eased out with a suitable gouge
(f-in. or £-in.), and the hollow portion is filed up with
a J-in. rat-tailed file. The work is slowly revolved with
the left hand during this filing process, and eventually
it is completed by glass-papering the whole of the
W.T. 49 E
Wood Turning
piece. The beginner should make his first experiment
with a single twist ; and, after becoming conversant
with the method of working, he should then set out and
cut a double twist.
Double Twist. — Fig. 86 shows a double
marked out and in the lathe ready for cutting.
twist,
Fig. 84
FIG. 84.— CUTTING THE NOTCH.
FIG. 85.
-PARING AND ROUNDING OVER
THE TWIST.
illustrates the method of sawing away the waste material.
Fig. Sy shows one hollow spiral of the double twist
roughly sawn away ; and after this step it is, of course,
necessary to saw away the waste material from the other
hollow spiral, which is shown shaded in this illustration,
so as not to confuse the worker. Fig. 88 shows the
double twist when finished.
50
Twisted and Spiral Turnings
FIG. 86. — DOUBLE TWIST, MARKED OUT.
FIG. 87. — ONE PORTION OF A DOUBLE TWIST
ROUGHLY SAWN.
FIG. 88. — DOUBLE TWIST FINISHED.
51
Wood Turning
Occasionally the worker is required to produce a
double-twisted turning in which the strands are
separated, as at Fig. 89. When this is the case, the
FIG. 89. — DOUBLE TWIST.
SEPARATE STRANDS.
FIG. 90. — TRIPLE TWIST, WITH
SEPARATE STRANDS.
double twist is finished similar to that shown at Fig. 88 ;
after which a series of holes is bored through the hollow
portions with a twist-bit, as shown at Fig. 91. The
work is then pared up so as to separate the strands, and
52
Twisted and Spiral Turnings
filed and glass-papered to a finish. Fig. 89 shows a
double twist with the strands separated.
Triple-twisted Turning. — Fig. 90 illustrates a
tapered twisted turning having three strands, which
are separated. This, of course, is the most difficult and
the most effective type of twisted work. To mark out
y
FIG. 91. DOUBLE TWIST, BORED AND READY FOR
SEPARATING.
a three-strand twist the cylinder is trisected lengthways
instead of dividing it into four equal portions, as was
shown at Fig. 81.
If the beginner finds any difficulty in setting out a
spiral, he may make use of the following method. Cut
a strip of paper about 1 in. wide and, say, 2 ft. long.
FIG. 92. — EXAMPLE OF CHAIR LEG, WITH CLUB FOOT.
Glue or paste one side of the paper and wind it around
the cylinder similar to a barber's pole, the paper, of
course, being laid on the wood evenly, and without
puckers or blisters. The portions of the work not
covered by the strip of paper should be cut away and
finished as previously described.
Turning Clubbed Foot Legs.— Chair legs having
club feet, as shown at Fig. 92, are turned up on two
centres ; that is, they are first turned up in the ordinary
way by using the true centres. After this operation, the
53
Wood Turning
centre at the toe is moved about a J or f in. as occasion
demands, and the foot is then turned up again, thus
giving it the appearance shown in the sketch. The
FIG. 93.
CABRIOLE LEG
MARKED OUT.
FIG. 94.
CABRIOLE LEG
SAWN.
centre at the top of the leg is not altered during the
turning process.
Queen Anne and Cabriole Legs. — The toes of
Queen Anne and cabriole legs are generally turned in
the lathe, as this method gives a guide to the work
FIG. 95. CABRIOLE LEG FINISHED.
generally. Fig. 93 shows a block of wood on which the
toe portion has been turned and the square portion
marked out for sawing. Note that the toe portion
can only be turned until it reaches the highest point
of the diameter of the toe, as shown in the sketch. The
leg portion is now sawn away square, as shown at Fig.
94 ; and after this the work is brought to a finish by
nsing the chisel, the spokeshave, the file, and glass-paper,
as at Fig. 95.
54
CHUCKS, FACE PLATES, ETC.
CHUCKS are appliances which are used to hold
the timber securely and firmly on to the lathe
mandrel. At Fig. 96 the headstock of the lathe
is shown, with the metal chuck (A) unscrewed.
Immediately to the right-hand of A is illustrated
the tapered steel prong or fork which holds the
work.
FIG. 96. — HEADSTOCK OF LATHE \ A, METAL CHUCK ,*
B, WOODEN SPLIT CHUCK ; C, END VIEW OF B.
The chuck (A) is generally supplied with the lathe
and it may be used for many other purposes besides
holding the tapered prong which is shown. For instance,
at Fig. 97, we show a small ornament which is turned
down by supporting the timber at one end only, the
tailstock of the lathe being dispensed with for this
particular purpose. The piece of wood is pared, or turned
down, so that one end of it may be driven tightly into
the chuck (A, Fig. 96). The timber is thus held by
friction, whilst the ornament is turned up and finished.
Split Chuck. — Another type of home-made wooden
chuck, called a split chuck, is shown at Fig. 96, B. It
is necessary to use suitable wood for chucks of this type,
or they will not wear well. Sycamore and plane tree
55
JVood Turning
Chucks, Face Plates, etc.
are fairly tough and hard, whilst not liable to spring
and twist. Failing these, a good tough piece of bass
wood will make a good substitute. Beech is often
recommended, but is really unsuitable, being too
hard for the metal thread to cut into it. Boxwood is
also a suitable material, but the above objection also
applies here. A very good method, especially with the
harder woods, is to bore a suitable hole and work the
ordinary metal tap into it, so as to cut the thread in
exactly the same manner as is used when tapping a
metal thread. The thread should be cut into the blocks,
FIG. 98. — HOME-MADE SCREW CHUCK.
end way of the grain, and, as a rule, the wood should be
used that way of the grain.
Home-made wooden chucks are, of course, not to be
compared with metal ones ; but for the beginner they
will answer all purposes, and, if used with care, they
will wear for many years.
The Split Chuck at Fig. 96, B (of which the end
view is shown at C), is made as follows : — Take a piece
of wood, about 3 ins. long by 2 J ins. square ; bore a
hole in one end of the wood and work a thread in it, so
that it will screw tightly on to the nose of the mandrel.
Before it is screwed quite home the end of the wood
must be turned true, and it may with advantage be
57
IVood Turning
turned slightly concave, so that it beds truly on its
outside edge against the shoulder of the mandrel. The
block is now screwed tightly on the mandrel, and is
turned up truly to the shape shown at Fig. 96, B. The
recess C (Fig. 96) is then turned out to a suitable diameter,
say, 1 in., or in accordance with the diameter of the
work which it is intended to hold. The chuck must
now be removed from the lathe, and the front end is
slotted down with a tenon saw, the cuts being made at
right angles. Four f-in. holes may be bored at the
;ssra
FIG. 99. METAL CHUCK \ A, HOLE \ B, TOMMY BAR.
END VIEW ALSO SHOWN.
bottom of the saw kerfs, so as to allow the chuck to open
slightly when the wood is forced in position. Thus they
cause the wood which is to be turned to be gripped
equally all round and held very tightly. A brass or iron
ring is now driven on to the chuck so as to compress the
four jaws, and thus hold the work securely.
The Screw Chuck. — Fig. 98 shows a wooden chuck
made similarly to the previous one ; but, instead of
making saw cuts, two rows of round-headed screws are
inserted. The points of these screws must be filed off,
otherwise they will damage the work. This chuck is
a most useful one, allowing the work to be mounted
58
Chucks, Face Plates, etc.
either centrally or eccentrically. Chucks of this type
are made in different sizes as occasion demands.
Fig. 99 illustrates a similar type of metal chuck which
may be bought from the maker of the lathe. A shows the
hole, and B illustrates the tommy-bar, which is supplied
so as to facilitate the screwing and unscrewing of the
chuck on the lathe mandrel.
Fig. ioo is a section of a screw chuck which is most
useful when a metal face plate is not supplied with the
FIG. IOO. — SECTION OF SCREW CHUCK, SUITABLE
FOR USING WHEN LATHE HAS NO FACE PLATE.
lathe. The piece of hardwood (A) is first turned up,
and the centre hole is turned out to fit the diameter of
the thread that is on the mandrel. The face of the
block (A) is then turned up truly. The block is now
removed from the lathe, and piece B is turned up and
glued and screwed upon the face of A. The work is
next placed upon the mandrel, and the whole of the block
is turned up truly on its outside edges. A temporary
small face plate or simple screw chuck is thus evolved.
E is the recess at the back of piece B ; and C is a good
stout gauge screw which holds the wood to the surface
of the chuck.
59
Wood Turning
Face Plates. — Fig. 101 illustrates the type of cast-
iron face plate, generally about 9 ins. in diameter, which
is supplied by the maker ; A is the front view, B the
back view, and C shows the front view after the worker
has bolted on a i-in. piece of wood and fitted a suitable
centre screw, as described in the case of Fig. 100. The
object of fixing a piece of wood on the face of this plate
is to prevent the worker from allowing his turning tool
to come in contact with the metal, and thus necessitate
frequent grinding and sharpening.
FIG. IOI. FACE PLATE \ A, FRONT
VIEW ; B, BACK VIEW ; C, FRONT
VIEW WITH WOOD FACE.
FIG. I02. — CHUCK
FOR TURNING
DISCS.
Fig. 102 is a chuck for turning discs which have a
central hole in them. The discs are first bored to slip
over the screwed portion of the chuck. The conical
shaped piece of boxwood which has a hole bored through
its centre is forced into the hole of the disc by the nut
shown in the illustration, thus giving sufficient pressure,
and at the same time ensuring that the disc be mounted
centrally upon the lathe.
Fig. 103 gives a sketch and section of the face plate
shown at Fig. 101, which has been fitted with a wooden
cover, in the centre of which a square hole has been cut.
The object of this appliance is to accommodate square
legs to engage with the chuck, so as to avoid waste of
60
Chucks, Face Plates, etc,
time in centreing up a quantity of square stock which
has to be turned into table legs or spindles. The square
FIG. IO3. — FACE PLATE TO TAKE SQUARE TIMBER.
of the leg is simply placed in the recess, and the tail
stock is screwed up in the usual manner.
FIG. IO4. WORK MOUNTED ON FACE PLATE WITH
THE REST IN POSITION.
At Fig. 104 is shown a piece of wood mounted on the
face plate, and the rest is shown set at right-angles to
the work ready for the turning up process.
61
Wood Turning
» \
62
Chucks, Face Plates, etc.
The use of the turning chisel for cutting down and
finishing the edge of the disc is suggested at Fig. 105,
whilst at Fig 108 the same tool is shown sinking a
central recess.
FIG. IO7. SKETCH OF JIG REQUIRED FOR TURNING UPPER
PART OF BACK LEG OF CHAIR (SEE FIG. Io6).
Turning Shaped Chair Leg. — A specimen of work
which is often somewhat of a mystery to the amateur
turner is given at Fig. 106. A shaped back leg of a
FIG. I08. SINKING RECESS IN TURNED PATERA.
chair is shown, and it is desired to turn the upper portion
into a spindle having a finial at the end of it. This leg
is carried in a jig or saddle, so that the axis is central.
J shows the jig, or saddle, and S is the metal strap that
is temporarily used to hold the work together. Fig. 107
63
Wood Ttirning
is a sketch of the jig. At P two screws, I \ ins. long, have
been screwed into the jig, with their heads filed off to
resemble nail points. The chair leg receives these
points at the foot, and the strap (S) holds all securely
FIG. log. — A ROUNDING TOOL.
FIG. I IO. — ANOTHER TYPE OF ROUNDING TOOL.
together. Some workers prefer to make the lower
portion of the jig into box form, so that the leg snugly
fits inside it. Care must be taken in this class of work
that the jig be made so as to give a true running balance,
and the same weight of timber must be left above the
64
Chucks, Face Plates, etc.
axis (Fig. 106) as there is below ; otherwise vibration
and consequent bad work will be the result.
Suggestions such as the above will enable any ingenious
worker to carry out much that at first sight appears
almost impossible to manipulate in the wood-turning
lathe.
Rounding Tools --At Figs. 109 and no two dis-
tinct types of rounding tools are shown, such as are
used for the rounding of broomstick handles, blind
rollers, etc. This type of tool may be used with or
without a lathe, and this is probably the line of demarca-
tion between rounding with hand tools and rounding in
the lathe. The square sticks may be roughed down with
the gouge whilst the lathe is revolving, after which the
tailstock is slackened and the rounding tool is slipped
over the dead centre. The tailstock is then screwed up
and the work is revolved in the lathe, whilst the rounding
tool is pushed by hand towards the lathe headstock.
When using this class of rounding tool without the
lathe, the work has the corners chamfered away so as
to form an octagon ; the work is then secured in the
vice, and the rounding tool is rotated by hand.
w.«. 65
JVooa Turning
66
HOLLOWING A VASE— SUPPORT.
ING COLLARS— TURNED
MOULDS
OLLOWING.— Possibly one of the most difficult
kinds of work for the beginner to tackle is hollow-
ing on the face plate. At Fig. in is given a
sketch and dimensioned drawing of a hollow
wooden vase, which may be used as a receptacle
for holding safety pins, studs, buttons and similar
objects. The vase shown was made up in olive wood,
but any hard wood, such as ash, oak, or beech will answer.
FIG. III. — TURNED VASB
WITH SKETCH SHOWING
DIMENSIONS.
-*v— *
The wood is first turned in the form of a cylinder, by
mounting it between the live centre and the dead centre
67 TZ
Wood Turning
FIG. 112. HOLLOWING A VASE. SHOWING INCLINATION
OF TOOL REST TO LATHE BED.
FIG. II2A. HOLLOWING A VASE, SECOND OPERATIOM.
FIG. II3. — SHOWING POSITION OF TOOL (HELD SL GHTLY
DOWNWARDS) WHE->I HOLLOWiNG.
68
Hollowing a Vase
of the lathe, after which it may be mounted on the face
plate or large chuck similar to Fig. ioo or Fig. ioi, c.
The work will appear as a cylinder mounted on the face
plate (A, Fig. 112.) The writer, speaking generally,
prefers to hollow his work before turning up the outside
of the vase, but no hard and fast rule can be given.
A hole, about ij ins., is first bored in the centre of the
vase, so as to remove that portion of the wood around
the axis. Fix the tool rest so that its inclination is
about 45 degrees to the lathe bed (Fig. 112), and hold
the gouge so that the work has a tendency to force the
FIG. II4. — POSITION OF TOOL
AT LATER STAGES OF
THE WORK.
FIG. II5. SHOWING
METHOD OF TURNING
DISCS, ETC.
tool towards the operator. Figs. 112, 112 a and 113
show the positions of the tool. When the work has been
roughed out to a depth of about 1 \ ins. it will be found
that the leverage is too great to obtain successful results
by this method, and that the rest and tool will have to
be used as at Fig. 114. The interior of the vase may be
finished by using the scraping tool (Fig. 30.) The
exterior of the vase may now be carefully turned up, and
the whole of the work finished by using two grades of
glass-paper.
Turning Discs. — Fig. 115 is a plan showing the man-
ner in which discs, such as bread platters, etc., may be
69
Wood 1 urning
turned on the face and trimmed down at the edge.
Other examples of face plate work which may be sug-
gested to the amateur are the top ring of a palm stand
having a moulded edge, and sunk pie top crust table
tops or shelves.
Frequently we find that the amateur has not obtained
a gap bed lathe as illustrated at Fig. 116, and it is there-
fore necessary when he desires to turn work of a large
diameter, such as 18-in. or 20-in. circular table tops, he
FIG. Il6. GAP BED LATHE
is at a loss to know how to manipulate his work. The
writer on many occasions has turned up 20-in. table tops
by fixing the work to the face plate, and reversing his
headstock so that the work overhangs the end of the
lathe as shown at Fig. 117. Although not possessed of
the portable tool rest shown in this illustration he
manages perfectly well with a temporary home-made
contrivance on which he has made arrangements to
mount his existing tee rest. Another method of turning
large work, such as legs of a large diameter, is to pack
up the head and tail stock of the lathe with a piece of
70
Hollowing a Vase
FIG. II7. LATHE WITH HEADSTOCK REVERSED, SIDE VIEW J
ALSO END VIEW, SHOWING THE REST.
FIG. Il8. — DEEP BORING A ROLLER WITH SPOON AUGER.
71
JVood Turning
3-in. timber and lengthen the driving belt as indicated
by Fig. 119.
FIG. 119. — " PACKING" A HEADSTOCK.
Temporary Supporting Collars are generally home-
made affairs, and constructed as from time to time may
be required. They are used to hold up work at the
FIG. I20. HOW TO TURN
ASTRAGAL BEADING FOR
BOOKCASE DOORS.
FIG. 121. TURNING
QUARTER CIRCLES FOR
DOOR FRAMES.
opposite end to the headstock. Fig. 118 is an illustration
of the method of boring a dividing roller as used in a
cotton mill. The roller is first roughed down between
the ordinary centres, and a small shoulder (D) is turned
Hollowing a Vase
on it so as to fit the supporting collar. The roller is
now mounted on the face plate (or a self-centreing jaw
chuck may be used) and the opposite end is lubricated
with tallow and runs in the collar (B). The work is
revolved in the lathe, and, by the aid of a long spoon-
nosed auger bit, a central hole may be bored down the
entire length of the roller ; after which the work is
mounted on its steel spindle and the outside is turned
up to the desired pattern. A and F in Fig. 118 are the
supports of the auger ; whilst B is the collar portion to
support the work. In the example given the support
and the collar portion are both tenoned and screwed into
a base board which is common to both. E is the base-
board.
The object of illustrating this example is to give the
idea of manipulating work such as rollers, fishing rods,
etc. , when it is desired to bore the work whilst still in the
lathe, and it will no doubt open up possibilities of other
classes of work to the novice.
Turning Moulds for Barred Doors. — Good work
can also be obtained from a judicious use of the face
plate in such cases as that shown at Fig. 120. A tracery
or barred door consisting of circles (and parts of circles)
is shown, and the astragal or bead moulding may be
turned up on the face plate.
Fig. 121 is another instance where lathe work may be
utilised for inlaying quarter circle corners, the ring of
satinwood being turned up to the required width and
afterwards sawn into four pieces. Cabinet door frames,
having quarter circle bolection mouldings, may be
turned up in a similar manner.
73
IVood Turning
WwK^mMi
74
TURNING A BALL
^HE following method is one of the best for the
turning up wooden balls where great accuracy is
desired, and work may be guaranteed to within
i-64th of an inch if care be taken during the turning
process. The balls are first roughly turned, so
as to leave a plug or stub at one end (Fig. 122).
The plug portion (P) is then tightly driven into the
hollow portion of the mandril spindle, as at Fig. 123,
and the ball is turned up without the use of the tailstock
122. FIRST OPERATION
TURNING A BALL.
FIG. I23. — PLUG DRIVEN
INTO MANDRIL SPINDLE.
as shown at Fig. 124. This view shows the approximate
result obtained by the average worker ; and it would
be quite correct enough for balls such as are used in the
fair ground for cocoanut or Aunt-Sally shies.
A Limit Gauge is now made out of a suitable piece of
metal, this being somewhat similar in shape to Fig. 132.
A ball tool is next made as at Fig. 128, the cutting end
of the tool (A) being ground exactly to the radius of the
finished ball. A cup chuck is now turned up out of a
piece of box or beech wood, similar to the form shown
at Fig. 129. A cup chuck of this type can be used for
turning balls of varying sizes from 1 J ins. up to 3 J ins. in
75
Wood Turning
diameter, and an advantage it possesses is that it is to a
certain degree self-centreing.
A Nose Piece is next made out of boxwood, and a
sketch of this is shown at Fig. 127, reverse and obverse ;
it fits snugly yet loosely over the tail centre, as at Fig. 126.
Grease the inside of the nose piece so that it can revolve
freely upon the tailstock (C) with the ball. No other
tools or appliances will be needed save those usually
found around the wood turner's lathe, with the exception
of a H H grade lead pencil.
It is advisable to first rough out the balls as near as
possible to the correct diameter, paying less attention to
the end portions, except to note that they are large
enough to finish to the required diameter. If possible,
finish a strip around the middle of the ball as wide as
the end of the cup chuck, e, Fig. 126.
The Ball Tool Cutter, Fig. 128, is made wide enough
to cut a bearing for the cup chuck. For instance, if the
width across the cup chuck is 1 in., the width of the
ball tool should be about 1 in. ; it will then only be
necessary to push the cutter against the ball when it is
yet on the end of its plug as at Fig. 124, d. After this
bearing, or path, for the cup chuck has been made, hold
the point of the lead pencil against the ball whilst the
lathe spindle is revolving, and a mark will be produced
as at Fig. d, 124. This mark is the measure mark to
which all future efforts in finishing the ball are to be
directed. Next, turn away the plug piece and place the
ball in the cup chuck as at Fig. 125, with the pencil line
passing under the chuck so that the chuck bears entirely
upon the strip of work which was finished by the concave
ball tool, Fig. 128. When this can be done (and it is
simply a matter of having a suitable cup chuck, or of
reducing an old chuck to the correct size by turning it
down) it simplifies the work and enables the operator to
76
Turning a Ball
FIG. I24.
FIG. I25.
FIG. 126.
BALL ROUGHLY
SHOWING CUP
SHOWING BALL BETWEEN
TURNED.
CHUCK.
CUP CHUCK AND NOSE PIECE
FIG. I27. —
HOSE PIECE.
FIG. 128. —
BALL TOOL.
FIG. 129.—
CUP CHUCK.
FIG. I30.
FINISHED BALL.
FIG. 131. ROUGHING DOWN TO MAKB
THREE WOODEN BALLS.
77
Wood Turning
finish the ball with but one or possibly two settings in the
cup chuck.
The ball is now self-centred between the cup chuck (a)
and the revolving nose piece (b), Fig. 126.
Finishing the Ball. — The ball is then ready for the
finishing process, and with a gouge and the callipers at
hand cut the shallow path e, Fig. 126, until the callipers
indicate the required diameter. Once the channel e has
been made, again put on the pencil mark, and use the
ball tool shown at Fig. 128. This will finish a new belt
or path around the ball, which is wide enough to engage
with the cup chuck.
The mark d, Fig. 124, was made while the blank was
chucked on its plug ; and it will be noted that when the
ball has been sized down at e it had previously been sized
at d, and the mark d and the channel e just touch each
other. If the ball be worked with the tool, Fig. 128, this
will have to be applied very carefully, the lathe being
stopped occasionally if necessary to see the line d, Fig. 126,
along the entire length cut by the tool, which perhaps
will be from F to G.
If the work be done by the chisel or the gouge, it must
be done in the same manner, viz., cut down just to the
line d, not a bit further, or the ball will be spoiled. Thus
having once callipered the ball at d (or, more properly,
at e) and made a finished bearing place for the cup chuck,
no further callipering will be necessary. The line d (or
the one made at e) is what the geometrical expert would
call a " great circle," and no matter at which angle that
circle be turned, if we work the material down from ail
sides exactly to that line, we will have a perfect ball
remaining inside the circle in question.
It appears as though there would be danger of getting
the ball chucked out of the centre one way or the other,
and then there would be a possibility of cutting too
deeply at the points half way between the segments of
78
Turning a Ball
circle d. There can, however, be no possibility of thus
damaging the ball, owing to the fact that, no matter how
much the ball may be chucked, the portion of the line d
on the high side of the ball will be reached by the tool
before material can be cut away down to the finish line
or any other portion.
The only possible exception to this is when a hole is
deliberately dug into the ball at, say, G, Fig. 126, thus
cutting a small circle which does not pass through any
portion of the great circle d or e. This would, however,
be avoided by using the callipers until the great circle
has been established, then turning the blank in the chuck
until a portion of the great circle is underneath the chuck
which rests upon a finished surface. The pencil mark
is a sure guide which may be relied on implicitly by the
turner, without the least fear of cutting too deeply. Of
course, there is a danger that he will cut below the pencil
mark at any given point, and this can only be guarded
against by closely watching the mark in question.
Testing the Accuracy of a ball may be done as
follows : — Take a piece of thin sheet brass about 15
W//M.
1=3=
WE
IB!
1
m
FIG. I32. DOUBLE-
ENDED LIMIT GAUGE.
FIG. I33. — SECTION OF
HOME-MADE CHUCK.
gauge, and bore a circular hole through this material to
the desired diameter of the ball. The ball is tested by
passing it through this hole several times in various
79
Wood Turning
positions. Billiard balls, and similar articles, may be
tested in a similar manner.
Turning Common Balls.— For turning up a wooden
ball of the common type where great accuracy is not
required, the following is a good method : Rough down
a cylindrical piece large enough to make three balls as
at Fig. 131. Use the callipers to test the balls first at a,
then at b, then at c, and lastly at d. This will give an
approximate ball near enough for ordinary purposes.
Some workers prefer to use a small template of J-in. wood
FIG. I34. TESTING WITH CALLIPERS AND TEMPLATE.
as at E, Fig. 131. The inside edge of the template is
made to the desired radius and rubbed with black lead,
so that when the ball is tested with the template the high
portions touch it and automatically become marked with
lead. This testing is carried on from time to time, and
the protruding portions of the ball removed.
Other workers prefer to start the work as at Figs. 122
and 123 ; after which they place the ball in a home-
made chuck, a section of which is given at Fig. 133. The
ball is taken out and re-chucked from time to time and
tested with the template as shown. A sketch is given at
Fig. 134 showing the combined use of the callipers and
template before cutting the ball off its plug.
80
TURNING WOODEN RINGS,
SQUARE TURNING, Etc.
OODEN rings for palm stands, cornice poles,
etc., are required from time to time for existing
work, and some difficulty may be experienced in
obtaining or matching this class of turning.
The ability to turn such rings will enable one
to be made to any size or pattern in any kind
wood.
FIG. I35. FIG. I36. FIG. 137.
SHOWING METHOD OF TURNING CORNICE POLE AND OTHER WOOD
FIG. I37 INDICATES THE USE OF A
RINGS UPON A SCREW CHUCK.
SADDLE.
Cornice Pole Rings are best turned upon a screw
chuck, and it is advisable to start the work by using a
disc of wood a trifle thicker than the finished ring is
required to be made. First turn the outside of the rim
to the desired section, and at the same time turn down
the disc to the required thickness as at Fig. 135. The
disc is now turned on the front, thus forming one side
of the ring, and cutting the disc to within one-sixteenth
of an inch, or thereabouts, as indicated at Fig. 136.
81
Wood Turning
The partly formed ring is cut off the disc by taking a cut
from the back of the work as suggested by the arrow at
Fig. 136.
Use of Saddle. — The ring has now to be finished
at that portion which was the back. To do this make
a temporary wooden block or saddle to hold the work ;
the shape of the saddle with the ring mounted on it is
shown at Fig. 137. The ring fits tightly on to this
FIG. 138. FIG. I39. FIG. I40.
METHODS OF TURNING WOODEN RINGS OR RIMS.
block (or saddle as it is called) and the friction will be
sufficient to hold it in position whilst the turning is
completed. The half circle wooden handles for box
or heater irons as used in nearly every household are
made by turning rings and then cutting them in half.
By similar methods of working and by a judicious use
of saddles many articles may be turned on the lathe,
which at first sight appear to the inexperienced worker
to be almost impossible of manipulation.
82
Turning Wooden Rings, Etc,
At Fig. 138 is shown a grooved circular astragal
moulding, such as is used when building up a barred or
tracery door as shown at Fig. 120. Segments may be
cut from this turned ring so that they will intersect with
the straight portions of the moulds which form the
tracery door ; and, by using portions of turned rings
instead of hand-made free curves, the cost of production
is considerably lessened. A piece of suitably straight
grained wood may be secured to the wood face plate,
by the central screw, as at Fig. 135, or it may be held on
the face plate by using nails or screws as at Fig. 138.
The circle is turned to the required diameter, after
which the groove is turned into it as shown at Fig. 138.
The central portion of the block is then turned away,
as shown by the arrow mark, and the worker is left
with a ring of the required width and thickness and
having the necessary groove in it.
The wood face plate is now turned down to provide
a seating for the ring ; the ring is placed on this seating
and held there by friction whilst the work is turned up
to the required shape as shown at Fig. 139. The top
rim or ring for palm stands, Fig. 140, and a hundred
and one articles of a similar nature may be turned up
by adaptations of the methods shown above.
Square Turning. — Square turnings are made on a
somewhat costly machine which consists of a sliding
metal table actuated by a screw feed. The blocks of
wood are fixed on to the table, one behind the other, and
securely clamped down. The table top with its load of
twelve to twenty legs, according to size, is then passed
under a set of revolving cutters which give the required
pattern on one face of the leg. The legs are loosened,
and given a quarter turn so as to bring a new face of the
work in contact with the cutters ; this is repeated four
times in all to complete the work.
In the modern machines the work is fed under the
83
JVood Turning
M
a<
84
Turning Wooden Rings, Etc.
cutters, with the cut, instead of against the cut, as is the
case with a planing machine. This does away with
temporary packing to prevent the last edge which is
being cut, from crumbling, or showing a faulty edge.
Quasi-Square Turning was in great favour long
before the introduction of wood working machinery,
fig. 142. fig. 143. FIG. 144.
EXAMPLES OF SQUARE TURNING PATTERNS.
and a short paragraph showing how the old craftsmen
tackled this problem will be interesting to those who wish
to try their hand at this class of work. A built-up
barrel or cylinder similar to that shown in Fig 141 was
made and turned up between the lathe centres. The
centre of the barrel has an iron rod running through it,
and it is on this rod or axle that the centres of the lathe
engage. The blocks of wood are planed up true and
square and cut off to exactly fit in the cylinder as shown.
85
Wood Turning
The cylinder is filled full with the prepared blocks, and
these are held in position by steel straps which have
bolts and wing nuts attached to them so as to pull up
tightly in exactly the same manner as a chair maker's
cramp. The old workers used a leather strap, or in
many cases simply nailed each block down on to the
cylinder. A strap is fixed at each end of the cylinder so
as to hold the work tightly down and this accounts for
i m
JLL
NAILS
VEE NOTCHES
FOR PENCIL
FIG. I45. SETTING-OUT LATHS FOR REPETITION WORK.
the square portion, A, at each end of the turning, which
cannot be used.
The work when mounted so as to fill the cylinder, is
revolved between the lathe centres in the usual manner,
and the work is turned up by the aid of the gouge and
chisel to the desired pattern. The straps are now taken
off and each leg or spindle is given a quarter turn on the
cylinder so as to bring a new face of the work in contact
with the tools. The straps are replaced and tightened
up ; the work is revolved, and a second face is thus
86
Turning JVooden Rings, Etc.
turned up to coincide with the one already worked. The
operation is repeated four times; that is, of course,
until all the faces of the work have been turned.
Difficulties will be experienced when turning the last
face of the work, as the remaining edge will have a
tendency to chip or crumble owing to there not being
sufficient wood to resist the pressure of the turning tools.
There is no royal road to success with regard to this last
edge, and there is no way of overcoming the difficulty,
except the old-fashioned method of making shaped
packing pieces to fit and fill the interstices. Owing to the
cost and trouble in turning this class of work on the
lathe it is not in general use, although when neatly
executed with details of good proportion it is exceedingly
effective.
This turning was called by the old craftsmen " Therm-
ing," and, of course, the larger the diameter of the
cylinder on which the work was done the more effective
was the so-called square turning.
Three good examples of square turned spindles are
given at Figs. 142, 143, 144. The members are choice
and in good proportion.
Setting-Out Laths are used by wood turners whose
several spindles or other turned pieces have to be
repeated, such as turning a quantity of chair legs or
balusters to a given pattern. For common work it
is usual to take a piece of wood about \ in. thick and
drive into the edge of this lathe a number of small
wire nails or panel pins, the pins being filed up to a
point. This lath is used to mark out the work to its
extreme length, and it also marks out the distances
between each member of the turning.
The rough wood is turned up cylindrically and the
setting-out lath is held against it whilst the work is
revolving. This causes the turning to be slightly scored
or scratched by the protruding nail points ; and thus
87
Wood Turning
the work is set out lengthways to exactly the same size
as the previous turning. Other workers prefer to dis-
pense with the nails, and they draw with a pencil the
required lines on their setting out lath. The lath is
then held against the rough turning, and whilst it is
slowly revolving the worker marks the turning with his
Fig. 146.
carved capital.
FIG. I47.
BURNING A CAPITAL PREPARA-
TORY TO CARVING.
lead pencil exactly opposite his setting-out lath. Others,
again, cut small notches into the edge of the setting-out
lath, and hold the pencil point in each vee notch con-
secutively until the whole length of the turning is
marked. All the above methods are good and the worker
should use that which answers his own requirements the
best. These laths apply to setting out the length only,
as, of course, the diameters are callipered in the usual
88
Turning Wooden Rings, Etc.
way. Fig. 145 shows a turning pattern and the three
types of setting-out laths.
Other types of setting-out or gauging laths are used
to judge the correct shapes of long or deep curves.
These templates, as they should correctly be described,
FIG. I48. SHOWING USB OF SHAPED TEMPLATES FOR SHAPED
TURNINGS.
are made of thin wood such as three-ply or sawn veneer,
and the application of them can be clearly shown in the
two examples given at Figs. 148.
Turning for Capitals.— At Fig. 146 is shown a
turned carved capital supporting a shelf or cornice
moulding ; much can be done by the wood turner so
89
Wood Turning
as to ease the laborious work of the wood carver by
turning the capital as indicated at Fig. 147. The greater
circle which touches the highest points of the volute
is turned, and this gives a guide to the carver when
cutting out his work.
90
FINISHING TURNINGS
STAINING AND POLISHING
FTER completion of the tool operations, the work
is generally finished by using successive grades of
glass-paper. The glass-papering is commenced by
using fine 2 grade and finished by No. ij. The
glass-paper is generally folded and applied to the
'sketch as shown at Fig. 149. The glass-paper
is moved longitudinally so as not to leave ridges on the
work. In such cases, as where vee cuts and small fillets
are to be operated upon, the glass-paper is folded so as
to bring the sharp edge into contact with the internal
portions of the turnings.
After the glass-papering is completed, it is usual to
give a frictional polish to the work by using a handful
of fine shavings which have been turned off the actual
work (see Fig. 150). It is advisable to use turnings
which have been turned off the work, thus ensuring the
same hardness of wood ; as, if oak turnings were used
to give a frictional polish to a soft wood like pine, the
result would be a series of ridges and scratches on the
surface of the work.
To Change the Colour of turned work, staining is
resorted to ; and, if mahogany is being treated to
match the cabinet work, it will be necessary to slightly
weaken the stain before it is applied to the turnings.
After staining, the work should be allowed sufficient
time to dry thoroughly. It may then be again put in
the lathe (provided the turning centres have not been
cut off) and the raised grain carefully papered down
with No. 1 or No. i\ glass-paper. The stain may be
applied to the work with a brush, as at Fig. 151, whilst
slowly revolving the lathe.
After the stain has been papered down, the work
91
IVood Turning
Finishing Turnings
Wood Turning
■C3^
APPLYING STAIN WITH A BRUSH.
shown, whilst the lathe is slowly revolved.
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94
Finishing Turnings
Wood Turning
should be examined, and if of a very wild or open grain,
such as many species of African baywood or American
oak, it may be advisable to fill in the work with a suitably
coloured wood filler. The turning will in any case be
wiped over with raw linseed oil, which may be applied
with an oily rag whilst the work is slowly revolving.
French Polish is suitable for applying to hard-
woods such as walnut and close grained mahoganies,
or such woods as satin walnut. After the work is oiled
(and this should not be done too freely) the polish is
used on a soft pad of cotton wadding covered with an
open woven piece of rag, to which a spot of Unseed oil
is applied, so as to prevent it sticking to the work.
Fig. 152 shows the method of holding the rubber. This
rubber must be soft, fairly large, and charged with
fairly thin polish. The work must be rotated slowly
at first, until the polish begins to shine, and after a fair
body of polish has been applied the speed may be
slightly increased.
It is advisable to give the polish time to harden
after a fairly good surface has been obtained ; let it
stand overnight if possible. Examine the work before
bodying up the second time to see if any dust specks
are present. If such are observed, carefully glass-paper
the work with No. o grade, and proceed to again body
up the work. To finish, give a light quick rub with a
rubber charged with methylated spirit ; this takes out
all the oil and gives a clear and brilliant surface.
Many workers finish by using a pad made of nice
soft rag, on which a little methylated spirit has been
sprinkled ; and this is probably the safest way for an
amateur who has had little experience of this class of
work.
Oak is generally polished dull by applying a solution
of beeswax and turpentine. The wax compound is
96
Finishing Turnings
well rubbed into the work, and as much friction as
possible is applied with a linen or cotton rag — or, better
still, a stiff brush, revolving the lathe first one way and
then the other, and brushing the wax out of all the
quirks and sunk fillets, etc. Much labour can be saved
by bodying in all the turned work before framing the
carcase portion of the work together, especially where
a number of turned spindles, or chair or table legs have
to be operated upon.
97
Wood Turning
ORNAMENTAL FIRE SCREEN WITH TURNED
PILLARS AND RAILS,
98
MISCELLANEOUS HINTS
TOBACCO PIPES— BUILDING SIDEBOARD AND OTHER
PILLARS — ANIMALS FOR NOAH'S ARKS — GROUPING OF
MEMBERS — TABLE OF SPEEDS — THE STORY OF THE
LATHE.
f i ^HE turning of tobacco pipes is a very simple
matter for those who have had some little experi-
ence on the lathe. A beech chuck is made and
tapped at one end, so as to screw on to the mandril
end (Fig 153), and the opposite end of the chuck
is slotted so as to take the pipe blank (A). The
FIG. I33. — HOW TO TURN TOBACCO PIPES.
blank is gripped by compressing the jaws of the chuck by
tightening up the screw S, the bowl of the pipes is bored
99
Wood Turning
out with a spoon-nosed augur, and the outside of the
bowl turned up.
The pipe is then released from the chuck and re-
centred so as to allow of the turning up of the pipe stem.
When the turning operations are completed the pipe will
present the appearance shown at B, and is now ready for
finishing by sawing away the superfluous wood and filing
and glass-papering the lower part of the bowl to the
necessary curvature.
Building Sideboard Pillars. — The majority of side-
FIG. 154. SIDEBOARD PILLARS.
board pillars used in present-day furniture have a large
swell, and owing to economical conditions are frequently
built up as illustrated at Fig. 154, that is, instead of
wasting timber by reducing, the squares at the top and
bottom of the turning, the swell, or bulb portion, is
100
Miscellaneous Hints
inserted as shown. The upper and lower portions of
the turning have pins formed upon them and a double
pointed dowel screw is inserted as shown.
The bulbous portion is first bored so as to accommo-
date the turned pins, and it is then put on an arbor and
turned up in the usual way. The parts of the pillar are
then glued and screwed together, the swell concealing
the joint. It is usual to carve up the bulb portion with
reeds, as shown in the sketch.
FIG. 155- — NOAHS ARK ANIMALS.
Animals for Noah's Arks. — Many of the continental
makers of toys, especially those engaged in the manufac-
ture of Noah's arks and similar work, make good use of
the lathe. An instance is given at Fig. 155 of the
method of roughing out the formation of an animal on
the face plate of the lathe. The blocks are cut to a
suitable size and glued up so as to form a ring ; this is
mounted on the lathe and turned up to the approximate
contour of the animal desired. The timber is then taken
off the face plate and again fixed so that the other side
may be worked upon.
Sections are now cut radially, and in this manner the
general contour of the animal is obtained. They are
101
PVood Turning
afterwards brought up to a finish by hand labour. Many
animals are thus obtained out of one ring of wood, and a
close inspection will show that nearly all toy animals are
narrower in width at the fore legs than at the hind-
quarters.
Grouping of Members for Turning Patterns. —
The Romans and Etruscans are often shown sitting or
reclining on chairs or couches made of willow, viz.,
basket work, and a piece of sculpture in Treves Museum
shows a soundly constructed wicker chair, the front legs
of which are bound round with osiers.
fig. 156. fig. 157.
EVOLUTION OF CHAIR TURNINGS.
It is probable that this binding of the legs, so as to
strengthen them suggested the contour of the turned
beads which are so familiar on chair legs, as at Figs. 156
and 157.
Turning patterns are made up of concave, convex, or
serpentine lines, combined with fillets and vee cuts.
These members are classified, and every wood turner
should be familiar with their names. Fig. 158 illustrates
102
Miscellaneous Hints
the members generally used by the turner. Take, for
example, Fig. 159. Commence at the top and analyse it.
First we have the square ; next the ogee, and the fillet :
then we come to the serpentine swell and we find upon
examination that even this shape is a combination of the
FIG. I58. — MEMBERS GENERALLY USED BY WOOD TURNERS.
hoUow and round (or, to give them their correct names
the scotia and bead). Small bead, fillet and scotia again
follow ; after which we have a swell, which with its
fillets might be classed as a large ovolo moulding. The
ogee, fillet and major portion of the shaft follow on, and
we arrive at the small astragal mould which breaks the
upper and lower portion of the shaft. The shaft is
103
Wood Turning
FIG. 159. —
EXAMPLE OP
TURNED SHAFT.
finished by a fillet and then we
have the crushed ball form which
is ornamented by a sunk bead. In
turning patterns the general effect
consists of a good grouping of the
various members and a correct pro-
portion of the lines which are used.
Table of Speeds for Power
Lathes. — In all cases where pow r
lathes are being installed for special
purposes the following table of speeds
should be consulted : —
DIAMETER
REVOLUTIONS
OF WOOD
OF WORK
TO BE TURNED.
PER MINUTE.
Approximately
I in.
. . 3,000
2 ins.
.
2,500
3 ins. . .
.
1,500
5 ins. . .
.
1,000
8 ins. ..
.
650
12 ins.
.
570
18 ins.
300
24 ins.
.
250
After consulting the above table
the advantage of driving lathes by
variable speed motors is obvious.
The Story of the Lathe.— The
lathe is probably one of the oldes*:
types of woodworking machines, and
there is little doubt that it was an
adaptation of the potter's whee".
Theodor, of Samos, is mentioned
by Pliny as the probable nventor (740 B.C.), and we read
in Scripture that the ancient Hebrews were skilled in the
use of the lathe. In India at the present day some of the
104
Miscellaneous Hints
native workmen use a very primitive form of lathe as
shown. It consists of two fixed centres, upon which the
work revolves, and a cord running two or three times
around the actual work, so as to obtain a backward and
f 01 ward rotation. One workman uses the tools, whilst
another actuates the cord similar to a jeweller's bow
or fiddle drill. The operator brings his tool up to the
work during the forward rotation and removes it
during the backward rotation. The upright supports
are generally driven to earth and the turner works in
a sitting position.
FIG. l6o. — NATIVE INDIAN LATHE.
In this country the earliest form was undoubtedly the
pole lathe, and as recently as the year 1910 pole lathes
were occasionally to be seen in every-day use amongst the
chair makers of Buckinghamshire. Rapid strides have
been made in lathe production during the last fifty years,
and we can now obtain automatic and semi-automatic
lathes and back knife lathes, which will produce the same
pattern of turned articles (clothes pegs, brush handles
and chair legs) by the gross. Oval turning lathes for
hammer shafts, bradawls, screw-drivers are in daily use
throughout the country, and many forms of copying
lathes are on sale which will turn golf stick heads, cricket
bats, and even the legs for a rocking horse. Such
105
Wood Turning
machines as these are necessarily costly, and are only
used in wholesale factories. The amateur, however, can
obtain an attachment to fix on the foot lathe for turning
oval handles, etc., called an oval chuck. This was in-
vented by William Murdock, who was an assistant of the
celebrated engineer, James Watt.
K>6
PATTERNS FOR TURNINGS
DINING-TABLE LEGS — OTHER TABLE LEGS (SEVERAL WITH
FULL-SIZED DETAILS) — COLUMNS — SPINDLES —
CHAIR LEGS — NEWEL POSTS — HOUSEHOLD TURNERY
— CHESSMEN
PATTERNS OF TABLE LEGS.
ff^HE height of a standard dining-table from the
floor to the top is 2 ft. 5 ins. This includes the
castor and the lining-up moulding which is generally
placed under the top to strengthen and clamp it.
The wood turner generally prepares his legs about
2 ft. 4 ins. in height, so as to allow for squaring up
the top of the leg. Where castors and castor rims are
used the legs are turned to fit the rim, because different
makers of castors and rims slightly vary their sizes.
The turner should also prepare his work so as to leave
sufficient material at the top of the turning to allow the
cabinetmaker to mortise in his table framing. No hard-
and-fast rule can be given for table framing. Some
workers use a wide rail and cut or shape the centre
portion away to allow clearance for the knees of a person
when seated at the table. Other workers use a rail
4 ins. in width as a standard.
Following are given approximate scale drawings of
twenty examples of table legs. With the aid of a scale,
a full-sized setting out can easily be made. A brief
description of these table legs is added :
No. 1. — Standard turned dining-table leg, 4 ins.
square.
No. 2. — The shaft is reeded and upper portion carved.
No. 3. — Plain turned dining-table oak, mahogany or
walnut leg.
No. 4. — Turned and reeded shaft.
107
Wood Turning
No. 5. — Turned with reduced squares, Elizabethan
type.
No. 6. — Turned 6 ins. square.
No. 7. — Leg with reduced squares. Elizabethan type.
No. 8. — Ditto. Legs 7 and 8 are shown purely for
wood turner. Decoration on the bulb or acorn portions
come under the heading of carving.
No. 9. — Modern billiard table leg, 6 ins. square, and
left for a 9-in. table framing.
No. 10. — Leg made in two portions to accommodate
under framing. Queen Anne type.
No. 11. — Turned as shown, or may be decorated by
fluting the shaft.
No. 12. — Modern 4-in. dining-table leg (with full- sized
details).
No. 13. — Washstand leg without castor, 2 ins. square
(with full-sized details).
No. 14. — Washstand leg with castor if desired (with
full-sized details).
No. 15. — Washstand leg with castor if desired.
Twisted turning (with full-sized details).
No. 16. — Washstand leg (with full-sized details).
The usual height of washstand to table top is 2 ft. 6 ins.
No. 17. — Occasional table or other small table legs,
2-in. squares.
No. 18. — Occasional table or other small table legs,
2-in. squares.
No. 19. — Occasional table or other small table legs,
2-in. squares.
No. 20. — Occasional table or other small table legs,
2-in. squares.
Occasional tables vary in height from 2 ft. 2 ins. to
2 ft. 6 ins., according to style.
All portions of the legs lettered x on the drawings are
left square.
108
Patterns for Turnings
en
i.
o
MOS. I, *, 3.— FATT»MI» OF TURHBD DIWWG-TABLB LBOt.
109
Wood Turning
NOS. 4, 5, 6. — PATTERNS OF TURNED DINING-TABLE LEGS.
(No. 5 has a turned shaft with reduced squares.)
zxo
Patterns for Turnings
u
X
NOS. 7, 8. — ELIZABETHAN PATTERN &ABLB LEGS,
III
IVood Turning
WJMMM -
JIO. 9. — PATTERN OF BILLIARD TABLE LEG, WITH SCALE.
Legs of large diameter generally have a f-in. hole bored length-
ways through them to facilitate drying and prevent chocking
of the timber. The holes are afterwards plugged up.
112
Patterns for Turnings
[under FRAME. 1 1
NOS. IO, II. — PATTERNS OF TABLE LEGS, DESIGNED TO ACCOMMO-
DATE UNDERFRAMING.
Note. — Dotted line of turned pin to make the joint.
"3
Wood Turning
)
1
Q
1
1
C'ASTOR*
NO. 12. FOUR-INCH DINING-TABLE LEG (MODERN) WITH FULL-
SIZED DETAILS,
Alternative finish to castor ring is given in full-sized detail.
II4
Patterns for Turnings
NO. 13. WASHSTAND LEG, WITH FULL-SIZED DETAILS.
US
1 0
IVood Turning
SQUARE1
MO. 14.— WASHSTAND LEG, WITH FULL-SIZED DETAILS.
Il6
Patterns for Turnings
SQUARE
V0. 15.— WASHSTAND LEG, WITH FULL-SIZED DETAILS.
117
Wood Turning
16
NO. l6.— WASHSTAND LEG, WITH FULL-SIZED DETAILS.
118
Patterns for Turnings
NOS. 17, l8, 19, 20. — TURNED LEGS FOR OCCASIONAL TABLES.
119
IVood Turning
Miscellaneous Patterns for Turning. — The follow-
ing plates illustrate hall stand, columns, spindle^,
ornaments, sideboard and overmantel columns, chair
legs, chessmen and examples of household turnery.
No. 21. — Column for shop shelves, ij ins. to 2 ins.
square (with full-sized details).
No. 22 — Turned post for hall stand, height about
2 ft. 8 ins. (with full-sized details).
No. 23. — Turned post for hall stand, height about
2 ft. 8 ins. (with full-sized details).
No. 24. — Spindle design for light trap, etc. , up to 10 ins.
long.
No. 25. — Spindle design for garden gate up to 8 ins.
long.
Nos. 26, 27, 28. Chair or couch spindles ; also suitable
for galleries around overmantels or sideboards.
Nos. 29, 33, 34. — Ornaments for general work, such as
tops of chairs, cabinets, fire screens.
Nos. 30, 31, 32. — Furniture buttons for hiding the
heads of screws used for constructional purposes.
No. 35. — Method of applying same to the work.
Nos. 36 37, 38, 39. — Ornamental turning. After
turning ropes of the desired pattern they are cut in half
lengthways so as to be glued on to the work. Occa-
sionally they are sawn lengthways into four pieces, so as
to enable them to be glued into a rebate. No. 38 is
pearl beading.
No. 40. — Two finialsfor a barge board at the apex of
the roof of a house. Also suitable for a flagstaff.
Other exrmples of turnings are given on pp. 127 and
128 (sideboard columns), 129 (chair legs), 130 (ti ble
leg, lull sized details), 131 (newel posts), 132 (house-
hold turnery), and 134 (chessmen)
120
Patterns for Turnings
A VJOP
NO. 21. — COLUMN FOR SHOP SHELVES, \\ INS. TO 2 INS. SQUARE,
WITH FULL-SIZED DETAILS.
121
Wood Turning
»o. .a.-*™ W^«££?W»m.
HEIGHT ABOUT 2 FT. 8 iNSi
122
Patterns for Turnings
MO. 23. — TURNED POST OP HALL STAND. HEIGHT ABOUT 2 FT. 8 INS.
WITH FULL-SIZED DETAILS. (DETAILS OF FOOT NOT SHOWN.)
123
JVood Turning
124
Patterns for Turnings
FURNITURE
BUTTONS.
TERMINAL
ORNAMENTS.
FIXING A
tURMED BUTTON.
36
37
58
59
EXAMPLES OF ORNAMENTAL TURNING.
These are used round, half-round, and quarter-round.
t*5
tVood Turning
FINIALS FOR BARGEBOARD, A TERMINAL FOR FLAGSTAFF.
126
Patterns for Turnings
EXAMPLES OF SIDEBOARD COLUMNS.
Heights to suit sideboard backs. General height,
2 ft. 2 ins. to 2 ft. 3 ins.
127
Wood Turning
BXAMPLES OF SIDEBOARD OR OVERMANTEL COLUMNS.
Heights to suit requirements. General height,
2 ft. 2 ins.
128
Patterns for Turnings
EXAMPLES OF TURNED CHAIR LEGS.
General height to top of frame for upholstered seats, 17 ins.
129
Wood Turning
dBfttM 5Ciuare: 1
FOO
)
)
FULL-SIZE DETAILS OF A WASHSTAND OR OCCASIONAL
TABLE LEG.
Length of taming, 14 ins. long. Lower square portion, 2 ins. high.
I30
Patterns for Turnings
EXAMPLES OF TURNED NEWEL POSTS.
General Dimensions, 4 ins. to 6 ins. diameter.
131
JVood Turning
6t'x &"<£•-'
CMJ
B
12 *1*
IT *&
EXAMPLES OF HOUSEHOLD TURNERY.
*3«
Patterns for Turnings
Household Turnery. — A few examples of useful
household turnery are given opposite. The general sizes
are marked, and modifications to suit existing require-
ments may be made by the worker.
A. — Vegetable presser, or butter worker. A suitable
wood is sycamore, maple, holly, box, beech, or birch.
B. — Dumbells, made of birch ; the ends bored and
weighted with lead according to requirements.
C. — Rolling pin, alternative sizes being given on sketch.
A suitable wood is sycamore, maple, birch, or box.
D. — Reel for builder's chalk line ; size to own require-
ments. Use boxwood, sycamore, or other hard and close-
grained wood.
E. — Potato masher : two sizes given on sketch. Made
of maple, sycamore, or birch.
F. — Chairman's or auctioneer's mallet. Length of
handle, 7 ins. Suitable wood is ebony or English walnut.
G. — Halter block for stable use, 3 ins. to 4 ins. dia-
meter, and about 4 ins. to 5 ins. long ; oak or beech.
H. — Soda water bottle opener ; boxwood.
I. — Indian club (adult's size) ; birch wood.
J. — Pork pie block, for assisting to raise the pastry ;
birch, beech, or sycamore.
K. — Plain serviette ring ; boxwood.
L. — Bread platter, sunk pattern ; sycamore or maple.
M. — Moulded serviette ring ; box or other fancy hard
wood, such as olive wood.
<33
Wood Turning
FAWN.
^^V7
1 T
KING. QUEEN. BISHOP.
SET OF CHESSMEN, FULL SIZE.
Suitable woods are boxwood and ebony. The bottom
of each piece is turned slightly concave, so that it will
stand secure. The lower portion of the knight is turned
with a small pin on it so as to engage with a hole which
is bored into the horse's head. The upper portion forming
the head is hand-carved.
\>A
BBD OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI, WITH TURNED POSTS
AND FEET.
(From *' Tk* Woodwork*," 19 19 Volumt.)
135
GATE-LEG TABLE CROMWELLIAN TYPE. VIEW WITH
FLAP DOWN.
(From " The Woodworker," 1919 Volume.)
137
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY CHAIR WITH TURNED LEGS AND BACK
UPRIGHTS. DETAILS OF TURNING SHOWN.
(From " The Woodworher," 1919 Volume.)
140
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY OAK CHEST
WITH TURNED LEGS.
(From "The Woodworker," 1919 Volume.)
141
144
INDEX
Acorn turnings (see Elizabe-
than, Jacobean and Queen
Anne turnings,) 45
Animals, Noah's ark, turning,
101
Anne (Queen), cabriole legs,
turning, 54
Anne (Queen) pattern legs,
scale drawings of, 113
Arbor, making a wood, 42
Arbor, use of the, 40
Astragal beading for bookcase
doors, turning, 72, 73
Astragal member, the, 103
Auger, deep-boring a roller
with spoon, 71, 72
Back stay, the, 31, 32
Ball, finishing a, after turning,
78
Ball, testing accuracy of, after
turning, 79
Ball tool cutter, the, 76
Balls, how to turn, 75
Balls, turning common, 80
Balusters, examples of, 45
Bar, the treadle, 3
Barred doors, turning moulds
for, 73, 83
Bead member, the, 103
Bead, rounding off a, 17
Bead, the sunk, 103
Beaded moulding, turning a, 38
Beading (astragal ) for bookcase
doors, turning, 72, 73
Beading, pearl, 125
Bed, gap, 70
Bed posts, turned, 135
Bed, the lathe, 3
Beeswax and turpentine for
polishing oak, 96
Bench for circular sawing, 34
Bobbin, turned electrical, 42, 43
Bolection mouldings, turning,
73
Boring adjustment, 34
Boring (deep) a roller with
spoon auger, 71, 72
Bottle (soda water) opener, 132
Bread platter, 132
Bulbous turnings (see also
Elizabethan, Jacobean and
Queen Anne turnings), 45
Butter worker, 132
Buttons, patterns for furni-
ture, 125
Cabriole legs, turning, 54
Callipers, egg, and in-and-out,
18
Callipers, testing with, 20
Cannon, method of turning a
toy, 41
Capitals, turning for, 88, 89
Casting (or leg) , the lathe, 3
Catherine de Medici, bed of,
135
Centre pin for crankshaft, 3
Centre, the dead, 3
Centre, the live, 3
Centres, fastening wood be-
tween, 9
Chain, the driving, 3
Chain wheel, the, 3
Chair, Cromwellian, 143
Chair, French (Francis I.), 142
Chair, French (Henry II.), 142
Chair (John Knox's), 143
Chair leg, how to turn upper
part of back, 62, 63
Chair legs, patterns for, 129
Chair legs, turning clubbed foot
and cabriole, 53, 54
Chair (seventeenth century),
140
Chair, Stuart, 144
Chair turnings, evolution of,
102
Chessmen, patterns for, 134
J45
In J ex
Chest, seventeenth century
oak, 141
Chisel, grinding a, 26, 27
Chisel, illustration of, 22
Chisel, preliminary work with
the, 11
Chisel, the, how to use, for
finishing work, 11, 13
Chisels, sharpening, 27
Chuck, cup, for turning balls,
75
Chuck for turning discs, 60, 62
Chuck, home-made, for turning
balls, 79, 80
Chucking the wood, 7, 8
Chucks, screw, 58
Chucks, split, 55
Circles, turning quarter, 72, 73
Circular saw spindle, 32, 33
Circular saws, 33
Clamp to tee rest holder, 3
Club foot and cabriole legs,
turning, 53, 54
Collars, temporary supporting,
72
Columns, building sideboard,
100
Columns, patterns for turned,
121, 127, 128
Concave and convex oilslip, 29
Cone pulley, the, 3
Cornice pole rings, turning, 81
Crankshaft, the, 3
Cromwellian chair, 143
Cup chuck for turning balls,
75
Cup, the (or dead centre), 3
Cutter, the ball tool, 76
Dead centre, the, 3
Deep-boring a roller with spoon
auger, 71, 72
Designs (see Patterns).
Details (full-sized) of turning
patterns, 1 1 4 — 118, 1 2? 1 —
123, 130, 134
Dining-table legs, patterns for,
109, no, in, 113, 114
Discs, chuck for turning, 60, 62
Discs, method of turning, 6>.
Doors, turning moulds for
barred, 73, 83
Dresser, Tudor, 139
Drilling adjustment, 34, 35
Driving chain, the, 3
Driving spur, 39
Driving wheel (slow speed) for
metal turning, 3
Driving wheel, the, 3
Dumb-bells, 132
Dutch dining-table, 139
Egg callipers, 18
Electrical bobbin, a turned, 42,
43
Elizabethan dresser, 139
Elizabethan pattern legs, scale
drawings of, in
Elizabethan table legs, ex-
amples, 12, 66, in
Elizabethan turnings, 12, 43,
45, 66, 74, in, 139
Elizabethan turnings, examples
of miscellaneous, 12, 43, 7^
Exercises, examples of, 21, 23
Extension piece to lathe bed,
3» 4
Face plates, 60
Featheredge, oilslip with, 28
Fillet, the, 103
Finials, patterns for, 126
Finishing turnings (staining
and polishing), 91
Finishing with glass-paper, 23
Fire screen with turned parts,
98
Flemish table, 144
Flutes, 103
French polishing, 36
Gt. p bed lathe, 70
Gate-leg table, 136, 137
Gate pillars, examples of, 45
X46
Index
Gauge, grinding a, 25
Gauge, handled wood turner's,
19
Gauge, home-made wooden,
19
Gauge, illustration of, 22
Gauge, preliminary work with
the, 10
Gauge, the limit, 75, 79
Gauge, using the wood, 20
Gauging, 7
Gauging (or setting-out) laths
for shaped turnings, 87
Glass-papering, 23, 91
Gouges, sharpening, 28
Grinding, or sharpening tools,
25
Grindstone, the, 25
Hall stand posts, patterns for,
122, 123
Halter block, 132
Hammer, chairman's or auc-
tioneer's, 132
Hand wheel for tailstock, 3
Handle, turned vice, 42, 43
Handle, turning a, 21
Handles, finishing tool, 17
Headstock, packing a, 72
Headstock reversed for large
work, lathe with, 71
Headstock, the, 3
Hollow, stages on turning a, 14,
15
Hollowing a vase, 67
Household turnery, patterns
for, 132
In-and-out callipers, 18
India medium cilslip, 25, 28
Indian club, 132
Jacobean chair, 144
Jacobean split turnings, 36
Jacobean turnings, 45, 115
118, 144
Jig, a saddle, for shaped chair
legs, 63
Lathe bed, the, 3
Lathe, buying a, 4
Lathe, description of standard,
Lathe, gap bed, 70
Lathe/ names of parts of, 3
Lathe, native Indian, 105
Lathe, the story of the, 104
Lathes, automatic, etc., 105
Lathes, table of speeds for
power, 104
Laths, setting out (or gauging),
87
Leg casting of lathe, the, 3
Leg, how to turn upper part of
back chair, 62, 63
Legs, examples of Tudor table,
12, 66, in
Legs, pattern for chair, 129
Legs, patterns for dining-table,
109, no, in, 113, 114
Legs, patterns for occasional
table, 119, 130
Legs, patterns for washstand
or dressing-table, 115 — 118,
130
Legs, turning clubbed foot and
cabriole, 53, 54
Limit gauge, the, 75, 79
Live centre, or prong, the, 3
Live spindle, the, 3
Lock nuts, 3
Mallet, chairman's or auc-
tioneer's, 132
Mandril spindle, 75
Medici (Catherine de), bed of,
135
Members for turning patterns,
grouping of, 102
Metal turning, slow speed driv-
ing wheel for, 3
Mitre trap for reduced squares,
44
*47
Index
Mouldings, patterns for turned,
125
Mouldings, turned, 36, 38, 125
Moulds for barred doors, turn-
ing, 73, 83
Neat's foot oil, 30
Newel posts, patterns for, 131
Noah's ark animals, turning,
101
Nose piece for turning balls,
75
Nuts, lock, 3
Oak, polishing, 96
Ogee member, the, 103
Oil, neat's foot, 30
Oilslips, 25, 28
Oilstone, the, 25, 28
Overmantel columns, patterns
for, 128
Ovolo member, the, 103
Packing a headstock for large
work, 72
Parting tool, illustration of, 22
Patera, turning, 62, 63
Patterns for turnings (many
with full - sized details),
107-134
Pearl beading, 125
Pilaster decorated with split
turning, 37
Pillars, building sideboard, 100
Pillars, examples of turned, 45
Pillars (or columns), patterns
for, 121, 127, 128
Pin, centre, for crankshaft, 3
Pin, rolling, 132
Pin, thrust, 3
Pipes, turning tobacco, 99
Pitch, the, in spiral turning, 47
Planing reduced squares, 44
Plates, face, 60
Platter, bread, 132
Polishing, french, 96
Polishing, frictional, with fine
shavings, 93
Polishing in the lathe with
rubber, 95
Polishing, wax, 96
Pork pie block, 132
Posts for hall stands, patterns
for, 122, 123
Posts, patterns for newel, 131
Potato masher, 132
Power lathes, table of speeds
for, 104
Presser, vegetable, 132
Prong, or live centre, the, 3
Pulley, the cone, 3
QuASi-square turning, 85
Queen Anne cabriole legs,
turning, 54
Queen Anne pattern legs, scale
drawings of, 113
Railing pillars, examples of,
45
Reeding, 103
Reel for builder's chalk line,
132
Rest, adjusting the tee, 9
Rest, the back, 31
Rest, the tee, 3
Rims and rings, turning, 81, 82
Rings, serviette, 132
Rings, turning cornice pole and
other, 81
Roller, deep-boring a, with
spoon auger, 71, 72
Rolling pin, 132
Roughing down, 10
Round (or torus), the, 103
Rounding off, 15
Rounding off a bead, 17
Rounding tools, 65
Saddle for turning rings, 82
Saddle, or jig, for shaped chair
legs, 63
I48
Index
Saw spindle, circular, 32, 33
Sawing bench for circular saw,
34
Saws, circular, 33
Scotia moulding, the, 103
Scraping tool, illustration of, 22
Screen, fire, with turned parts,
98
Screw chucks, 58
Serviette rings, 132
Setting-out (or gauging) laths,
87
Shaped chair legs, turning, 63
Shaped turnings, setting-out
laths or templates for, 87
Sharpening tools, 25, 27
Shelf, the tool and calliper, 3
Sideboard columns, patterns
for, 127, 128
Sideboard pillars, building, 100
Sinking, or stepping, 16
Slips, oil, 25, 28
Soda water bottle opener, 132
Speeds for power lathes, table
of, 104
Spindle, circular saw, 32, 33
Spindle lubricator, the, 3
Spindle, mandril, 75
Spindle, tailstock, 3
Spindle, the live, 3
Spindles, patterns for, 124
Spindles, use of back stay for
supporting slender, 32
Spiral turning, 47
Spiral turnings, examples of,
52, 117
Split chucks, 55
Split turnings, 36
Spoon auger, deep boring a
roller with, 71, 72
Spur, driving, 39
Spur, the, 3
Square timber, face plate to
take, 61
Square turning, 83
Squares, reduced, 44
Squaring down, 16
Staining turnings, 91
Stay, the back, 31, 32
Stepping, or sinking, 16
Stuart chair, 144
Supporting collars, temporary,
72
Table, dressing, or washstand
lees, patterns for, 115 — 118,
130
Ta^c, Dutch dining-, 139
Table, Flemish, 144
Table, gate-leg, 136, 137
Table legs, examples of Tudor,
12, 66, in
Table legs, patterns for dining-,
109, no, in, 113, 114
Table legs, patterns for occa-
sional, 119, 130
Table of speeds for power
lathes, 104
Table with turned legs (seven-
teenth century), 138
Tailstock, etc., 3
Tapered oilslips, 28
Tee rest, adjusting tne,
Tee rest, the, 3
Template for turning balls, 80
Templates (or setting-out laths) ,
87,89
Terminal ornaments, patterns
for, 125, 126
Therming, 84, 87
Thrust pin, 3
Thumb mould, the, 103
Tobacco pipes, turning, 99
Tommy bar, the, 58
Tool cutter, the ball, 76
Tool handles, finishing off, 17
Tool shelf on lathe, 3
Tools, grinding and sharpen-
ing, 25
Tools, various turning, 22, 24
Toy cannon, method of turn-
ing a, 41
Toy wheels, how to turn, 42, 44
Trap, mitre, for reduced
squares, 44
Treadle bar, the, 3
Treadle, the lathe, 3
149
Index
Treadling:, hints on, 5, 6
Tudor dresser, 139
Tudor table legs, examples of,
12, 66, in
Tudor turnings, examples of,
12, 43, 66, 74, in, 139
Tudor turnings (see also Eliza-
bethan turnings).
Turned mouldings, 36, 38
Turning large work, 70
Turning, patterns for orna-
mental, 125
Turning patterns, with full-
sized details, 114 — 118, 121
—123, 130, 134
Turning, square, 83
Turning, twisted and spiral, 47
Turnings, examples of Tudor,
12, 43, 66, 74, in, 139
Turnings, finishing (staining
and polishing), 91
Turnings, split, 36
Twist, double and triple, with
separate strands, 52
Twisted and spiral turning, 47
Twisted turning, triple, 53
Twists, double, 50, 52
Twists, single, 47
Twists, triple, 52, 53
Vase, hollowing a, 67
Vee cut, the, 103
Vegetable presser, 132
Vice handle, turned, 42, 43
Washita oilslip, 25, 28
Washstand legs, patterns for,
115— 118, 130
Wax polishing, 96
Wheel (hand) for tailstock, 3
Wheel, slow speed driving, for
metal turning, 3
Wheel, the chain, 3
Wheel, the driving, 3
Wheels, how to turn toy, 42, 44
Wood, chucking the, 7, 8
Wood, how to fasten between
centres, 9
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