Metal Spinning

Re: Metal Spinning

Metal spinning is something I tried to learn about several years ago and found that there was very little information available,I actuall only found about 12 pages in a machinist book from the 40's and a friend found one magizine article.I had the toolrest with pegs and a set of spinning tools from Australia to play with. A couple of years ago Sorby came out with their own tools and disc of metals. They sent Mark Baker to spinning shops in France I believe to learn. He demonstrated their use at the store where our club meets. I can spin metal now but haven't found the right project to really inspire much interest yet, I just like wood more.

If you want to do spinning you need a lathe that the centers line up on perfectly because the metal is only held at the start by pressure between centers, if the centers are offset any when you turn the lathe on the metal will start walking off center and can come flying out. This happened to Mark and he had to move over to another lathe. also what ever you use for the form if it has pores or any imperfections they show up in the metal because is actually warming and flowing while you work it. This can be a plus if you plan to incorperate it into your design. Sorby sells a extruded material to make forms from that do not change shape or size when heated so your spun pieces is always the same and be defect free. The different metals for spinning also react differently. Pewter is probably the easiest because it doesn't work harden. Silver is supposed to be the same but I couldn't affort it. Brass, copper and aluminum all harden when heated and have to be annealed. we used to take brass shim stock and heat cherry red then quench, this softens brass and copper. while spinning a piece you may have to stop and do this if the metal gets too hard. You also have to keep the metal and forming tool lubricated to reduce friction. I believe someone said Dave Hout in Ohio Demonstrates metal spinning, you could try contacting him and get more info at, wood-1@webtv.com . you can make a forming tool out of a 5/8" dia round rod with the end turned round and polished to a mirror finish cut half off the end for about 1 1/2 " and grind slightly concave the polished side for forming the shape and the opposite side to turn the metal over to roll a lip. Spinning doesn't require many tools and can be a companion skill to turning. I always find it useful to learn a new technique even if I don't plan to use it right then I may need it later.Keep all options open and enjoy learning.

Maybe this will help you

Larry Hancock

Re: Metal Spinning

Woodturning Magazine, issue 68, October 1998 has an article introducing the Sorby Metal Spinning Tools. The article is by Mark Baker.

Curiously, this is the same issue that answered another query about Chinese Balls. The reason, though, that it is open on my workbench at the moment is on page 21: an article on combining knots, specifically turk's heads, with wood turning projects. When I don't have my lathe around, such as at Scout Camp, I am usually carving or tying knots.

FNelson