iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Any ideas who or how?

Started by flip, January 15, 2008, 09:45:03 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

flip

A co worker is restoring their 100+yo farm house.  I guess the front porch had trim around it and they have been doing small portions at a time.  She needs about 10 of these small spindles to finish out and she's looking for replacements.  I have yet to try turning of any type so I feel that this would NOT be the project for me to start on.  I have too much going right now to even try, so does anyone know of a company, person or like wise that could whip out about 10 or so?  This is the only example they have left and it has been repaired (very poorly) a long time ago.





It is about 10" and could be longer to be cut to size and about 1 1/4 square.

Timberking B-20, Hydraulics make me board quick

SwampDonkey

Well you just need to make measurements for the rounded section in between the two square ends and after you have it rounded to the width of the thickest section, take and transpose the pattern and use calipers to keep checking the diameter of each section. I'd set the original in front of me so I could pay attention to the details. There would be a lot of calipering on a piece like that because there are so many rounded beads and then the vase shape. It would not be difficult but each of those turnings you could count on close to 2 hours with some rough sanding on each. The more polished the job the more hours, might even push 3 or 4 hours a piece. Count on a least 3-4 days at most of our little hobby work shops to turn out 10 of those little gems. I'm not even going to throw out a price because I feel that would just taint the whole thing for someone who might be seriously interested, probably should not even have given a time factor. That time is just a reflection of my skill level, it certainly varies and should not be taken to judge anyone else. I'm no expert turner. You price that stuff in a store, and it ain't cheap.

You have to make sure there is no pith and no knots and preferably kilned, so it has to be top notch wood.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Texas Ranger

Try a local school shop class for a project for them, pay them, let them see what production is.
The Ranger, home of Texas Forestry

beenthere

Like TR suggested, this would be a good school project. Production of such spindles would likely be using a tool ground to the pattern of the spindle, and moved (advanced) into the spinning wood square beneath the center axis.  Instead of a single knife shaped to do this spindle, several knives could be ground to produce this shape. It would not be cost effective for just 10, but the simulation of how a production line would be set up, would (should) be a valuable learning experience.

Also, CNC attachments on lathes might be available in some vocational school programs near you.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

SwampDonkey

Yeah, that's the thing. It's the practicality of designing and using what beenthere mentioned. There might be some trades school that would have the fancy tools, but most high schools won't. They'd be well off just to have a bare lathe. And a lot of high end places that could do it or might have a template to match that piece of wood will charge accordingly, it won't be cheap.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

jrokusek

What about a duplicator for a lathe?  I've only owned a mini-lathe for about 2 weeks so I don't know anything about this, but I ran across these on Ebay while looking for a used lathe.  Kinda looked interesting to me. 

LINK to Ebay


Sprucegum

Find a woodturners club in your locale and make a deal.

I did a similar job for a local cabinet builder(I'm too far away to do yours  :( )   He asked how much for 4 of them and I replied " Do you have any cutoffs to trade?"
It took me a couple days , I'm even slower than SD  ;) and he filled my 1/2 ton box full of oak cutoffs  8)  8)

SwampDonkey

That's why I hated to even put a time frame in that post.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

flip

I think if you do a piece price on this would probably cost 60-80 per spindle.  Even if she OK'd it I would'nt have time until the fall.  I have an Craftsman lathe with a duplicator but the way things are going every waking hour not at the day job is spent building furniture.  I need an easy button.
Timberking B-20, Hydraulics make me board quick

SwampDonkey

That lathe duplicator sure looks interesting. It's a bit cheap ($99), a good one is around $500 or more from what limited reading I have done. Light duty ones (I'd avoid) around $200 or so, Pro nearly $1000. Vega seems to be the brand most reviewed if you Google around. I'm no expert on duplicators, just read some reviews.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

SwampDonkey

flip, that sounds about right for price. But again, I can't put a number on it for good reasons.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Bro. Noble

Well,  I'm not a woodworker or craftsman by any stretch of the imagination,  and you guys will probablywant to tar and feather me for having the audasity to mention this,  but you did ask for an easy button.  I've always said that if you want to know the easy way to do something,  ask a fat guy and I am qualified in that respect ::)

You could go to one of the box stores and buy 10 ballisters (they are about 1 1/4 inches square on each end)  cut them and splice them in the middle where the diameter is the same,  cut the square ends to getr the correct length.

milking and logging and sawing and milking

SwampDonkey

"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Patty

Go Noble!  Great idea!  8)
Women are Angels.
And when someone breaks our wings....
We simply continue to fly ........
on a broomstick.....
We are flexible like that.

slipshod

I am by no means a turner but I have turned a bunch of spindles for my staircase I put in my 150+ year old house. I cut 2 inch squares out of sugar maple, planed them to 1 1/2 inches.Then I turned out a couple of different ones until I had a pattern that I liked. This one I hung on two coat hanger brackets I made directly behind the lathe to use as a visual guide for the rest of them. No two came out the same but no one can tell unless I point it out to them. So long as all the features are distanced the same a bit of difference in the tapers or diameters seem to disappear. Besides it gives the whole railing system an original look, like it belongs in this old house. I turned 160 spindles for the project.

srt

I've used Cleason at High's quality custom woodworking in Farmersville PA to do exactly what you want - about a dozen different times over the years.  Good guy, excellent product, reasonably priced.  He's made as few as a dozen , and as many as a few hundred for me. 

Faron

Fliip, I hadn't seen this until now.  I can make those if you still need them.
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner.  Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote. - Ben Franklin

Thank You Sponsors!