Echo by Maury S - FINISHED - Cross-Section

[dgbot]

Making a mast on a lathe can be frustrating.  The easiest way is to use a plane and a fixture.  You have better control and it is safer and more accurate.

A self centering 4 jaw is defeating the purpose.  I have an independent 4 jaw that is used for irregular shapes etc.

David B 

[druxey]

Also, see Gaetan Bordeleau's Le Fleuron latest posting for a good alternative lo-tech solution.

Edited November 14, 2015 by druxey

[GuntherMT]

Making a mast on a lathe can be frustrating.  The easiest way is to use a plane and a fixture.  You have better control and it is safer and more accurate.

A self centering 4 jaw is defeating the purpose.  I have an independent 4 jaw that is used for irregular shapes etc.

David B 

 

Why do you find it frustrating to use the lathe?  I start with square stock in the lathe, make it all nice and round, then cut it down to the approximate size using cutting bits and then finish with sand paper.  I made all the masting on my AVS this way with what I think are quite good results, so I'm curious what you find frustrating, and why a self centering 4 jaw defeats the purpose (given the purpose is to center the wood stock, which is what it does).

[Dan Vadas]

Why do you find it frustrating to use the lathe?

 

 

It's OK for thicker sections, but gets rather tricky when you get under 2mm or so as the wood flexes too much. A Follower Rest is needed, but is still slower than using a V-block and chisel IMO.

 

  Danny

[dgbot]

Like Danny said to much deflection needing either  steady or follower rest.  Plus I use and independent 4 jaw chuck for the odd shapes I get into.  It depends on what I am doing and the material and the thickness of the part.  As the old saying goes there are many ways to skin a cat.

David B

[GuntherMT]

I was just curious, as the lathe has worked fine for me.  I have an independent 4-jaw, self centering 4-jaw and a 3-jaw.  I do use a follower rest for the masting work.

 

Sorry for the derail on your log Maurys.

[Maury S]

Thanks for the comments.  Proxxon does not offer a self-centering 4-jaw chuck as far as I can see.  I do masts the old fashioned way, going from 8 sided to 16 sided to round.  It's the small newel posts on the rail at the quarter-deck I'm doing now.  Six-inch square stock turned in the center.  Five matching ones needed.  Final length (full sized) about 1.5".  I'll play with some of the suggestions.  I need the experience anyway.

Maury

[Dan Vadas]

Proxxon does not offer a self-centering 4-jaw chuck as far as I can see.

 

 

Yes they do Maury - here's the LINK. Not cheap though   .

 

  Danny

[mtaylor]

Maury,

 

Check with John (Texxan5).  I don't see them on his webpage but I imagine he can get them.

[Maury S]

Danny, The self-centering chuck shown goes on their big lathe.  I did not bite that bullet.

M

[Dan Vadas]

Danny, The self-centering chuck shown goes on their big lathe.

 

 

Sorry, my bad. I didn't know the difference .

 

  Danny

[Maury S]

Thanks for all the comments on the lathe chuck.  Danny's reference to Gaetan Bordeleau's Le Fleuron posting was very helpful...just use a brass tube to hold the square piece.  Sort of like a collett in a collett.  I cut three nesting tube pieces so I have various sizes.  I had to nest two tubes to get a firm grip by the closest sized collett and it worked perfectly.  First practice turning came out fine (sorry about the focus...I'll switch cameras to get a better shot next time).  I suspect that using  slightly over-sized square stock to begin is better.  This was 1/8 " to start.

Maury 

 

 

[Maury S]

I put a macro lens on to get this pic.  It is still a test without any sanding.  The turned portion is about 5/8" long.   The challenge will be to make five identical posts.  I taped the scale drawing of the post to the lathe tool rest so I can try for a similar profile, and after a few more tries, I'll probably settle on the final shape.   I found it's better to work close to the collett end...not the middle of the piece where there is some flex with such a small square stock.  Maury

[Dan Vadas]

Not bad Maury .

 

I found it's better to work close to the collett end...not the middle of the piece where there is some flex with such a small square stock.

 

 

Also, work your way from the outer end back toward the chuck to avoid flex.

 

  Danny

[Maury S]

Thanks for the likes and all the tips for the lathe.  The entire breastwork is a project unto itself.  I made about 10 turnings from 7" square stock and picked the five most alike.  The top and intermediate rails are 3" x 11" with a decorative groove scraped into the edge (not visible in the pictures).  I need a lot more practice cutting and using scrapers.  I clamped the rails in a makeshift jig and heated them with a blow dryer to match the bend of the deck.   Undersized holes were drilled through the rails and reamed to size with files.  Drilling them out with a larger bit risks tear-out.  The posts are square where they pass through the lower rail and it needs careful filing to fit.  The turnings are not perfectly matched given my inexperience with the lathe.  Half-lap joints cut in the lower ends of the posts to attach to the deck beam.  Holes for simulated sheaves were drilled.  I don't want to mount it just yet for fear of breaking it while working on the bulwarks.

Maury

[WackoWolf]

Beautiful detail work, something to be proud of

[trippwj]

Beautiful!!

[Canute]

Maury, the breastwork looks good.

 

One drilling technique I've used on basswood parts is to increment the drill sizes from a fairly undersized drill to almost the correct size. Then you should be close enough to use your files and reamers.

[Maury S]

I was not happy with the molding and I need more practice on the lathe so I re-did the breastwork rail and posts.  The posts are more consistent and the railing molding is more visible on this version. 

Finished version soon.

Maury

[Maury S]

More details of rails and posts.  I cut some blocks to make sure the spacing between the rails was consistent, then everything glued up.  Once together, the sheaves were marked and drilled.  The macro lens sure shows some things I don't see with the naked eye.

Maury

[dvm27]

Looks great Maury. I often am displeased when I look at my work with a macro lens. But since these minor imperfections are not visible to the naked eye we need to learn to ignore them.

[GuntherMT]

Even with the super-macro shots, that is very nice work, and when viewed by the naked eye, I bet it looks perfect.  Very nicely done.

[Maury S]

Breastwork mounted.  The bolts thru the aft half-laps are Black monofilament line as with other bolts throughout.  they are held in with medium CA and might even provide some structural strength?

  I finished the inner bulwarks on the quarter deck.  The thin black piece will join with one of the rails.  Rails will eventually go on top.  Some carving (Drifts and Volutes) coming up pretty soon.  I suspect the scrap box will get some more rejected pieces.

Maury

[mtaylor]

Just beautiful, Maury. 

[dgbot]

Great piece of woodworking.  Beautiful

David B

[Maury S]

A little more progress on misc. parts for one of the rails.  They are finished and just set in place for now.  Six - seven thinned coats of hull-spar black.

Maury

 

[druxey]

It's a satisfying moment to cap the timbers, isn't it? Nice finish on your plank sheer rail!

[Maury S]

Capping the timbers is satisfying, if only temporarily!  Thanks for the likes and comments.  I finished the fender (only room for one) and the waist rail.  This entailed a lot of scraping, filing and sanding.  I have not yet mastered cutting a complex scraping tool, so I made two different simple ones from pieces of an old hacksaw and scraped two patterns.   The first picture of the fender showed it to be too thick, so I shaved it in half and re-scraped the molded edge.  Stairs are next.

Maury

[dvm27]

Nice job Maury. i think the fenders are one of those items that would be easier and cleaner to install before planking but that requires planning way above my pay grade!

[Maury S]

Stairs:  Rather than scrape the pattern, I cut a slot with my (Byrnes) table saw, then another cut on the edge  at a shallower level.  Lots of sanding to get a delicate profile.  I then cut miters and put the pieces together.   That way, the pattern on the ends exactly matches the face.  The tails were sanded off and finished with 320 grit paper.  They look real rough under the macro lens so a once over with the scotch pad and they should be good.  The backs have to be sanded on an angle so the treads are level as they get placed up the side.

Maury