Split Pedestal Turning

Re: Split Pedestal Turning

John Lucas

>I haven't turned anything that large as a split turning but have turned a ton of stuff. A paper joint has always worked well for me. I use newspaper. If you were really concerned about it coming apart wrap that part with nylon strapping tape. Then turn the other part. When this is done wrap this with strapping tape and turn the other part.

I also use a large drive center and cup chuck. I predrill the center holes so the tapered pins in the drive and tail center won't split the joint. I also place the drive center at 45 degrees to the joint to keep it closed and the cup center does the same for the tailstock end.

Re: Split Pedestal Turning

GeeSeaWhy

>Split it first. If you split it after, you have two halves that are a semicircle minus a saw kerf. The join will be obvious, to touch if not to sight. But do heed all advice on how to do the split turning safely.

Graeme

Re: Split Pedestal Turning

Mac

>When I do a split turning, I always make the blank a few inches longer than needed and screw the halves together in the waste ends.Gives a little margin of safety.It also must be glued with paper in between.When you separate the halves you can use a chisel out in the waste to pry it apart without any harm being done to the turning.

Re: Split Pedestal Turning

Jim Orasky, Davenport IA

>Thanks for the tips. I'll let you know how I make out.

Re: Split Pedestal Turning

Joe Fleming

>Jim,

I did a 6" diameter x 38" long split turned cylinder. I glued up the stock with brown paper before turning. Make sure you leave extra wood on one or both ends. When I wedged the two halves apart with a 1-1/4" chisel, the chisel mucked up the wood at the wedge points pretty thoroughly. Leaving extra allows you to cut off the damaged portion.

Joe Fleming - San diego

Re: Split Pedestal Turning

Rich Polinski

>At work I regularly turn pedestal bases up to about 20 inches in diameter. Since, if I understand you correctly, you want to have something in the center of your pedestal, the method I use for the larger diameter turnings may work for you: I cooper all of the larger diameter turnings in the form of an octagon, the blank pre-cut to its finished length. Then I screw caps on the ends with turned 3/4 inch plywood disks and attach a faceplate on the headstock end. Sometimes these pedestals need to be cut in half or have various angled chunks cut out of them to wrap around cabinets, etc. If I needed to use both full halves, I'd glue up the center-line staves with brown grocery bag paper. Since I always spline the joints 1/8 inch in from the inside of the blank, and with the caps on the ends, the danger of it coming apart is minimal. The thickness of the staves will depend on the depth of your deepest profile and the maximum outside diameter. I hope this may be of some help.

You got the hole idea !

Fred L. - North Carolina

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Re: Split Pedestal Turning

Jim Orasky, Davenport IA

>I think you hit the nail on the head for me. I had planned on making the outer pedestal up from eight 5/4 staves wide enough to give me a 10 inch octagon. I was going to use biscuits instead of splines. That what I can place the to avoid the deeper turnings. I like your idea about capping it with plywood. I will also try to strap it as suggested in the other posts. Can't be too careful!

You guys are good!