Question how to?

Re: Question how to?

Some thoughts:

One way would be to get a piece of scrap that you can mount on your faceplate. In the center of the scrap screw in a coarse threaded woodscrew like some drywall screws. Then screw your ring onto the protruding portion of the woodscrew. This is a screw chuck.

You could also glue on a piece of scrap to the bottom of your workpiece and mount it on the faceplate. Using the paper interface with the glue will help you cleave it off and then you can sand the bottom to clean it up.

If there is a lot of wood on the base of your ring, you can turn an external tenon on it and mount it in the chuck and then part it off when done. This is probably the most robust method but given the size, you likely won't be hogging off big cuts.

Bill

Thank you

I can implement any of those suggestions.  Will likely use the screw as it seems fastest. 

I have never hollowed out anything.  To excavate the interior hollow to accommodate the sphere should I bore out some material with a Forstner bit to get started?  If I had  a large enough bit I could just bore out the interior, but I think I max out at 1 1/2" and I need 2 1/8 ID. 

Re: Thank you

Maybe a 2" hole saw would work in a pinch

Re: Question how to?

Bill,  Have you ever turned a bowl?  Your ring is nothing more than a small shallow bowl.

• I would not trust drywall screws.  Too brittle.   
• If the OD of the base will fit in one of your chucks, you can to that. 
• If you don't care about screw holes on the bottom, mount the ring directly on a small faceplate.
• What wood turning tools do you own?  That will make a difference on how you can accomplish this.  The simplest approach would be to scrape the hollow section.  Not the greatest finish, but it can be sanded adequately.  Light scrapes to minimize the chances of a catch and bad tearout.  Sharpen the scraper first.
• Can the ring be cut completely through?  If yes, drilling it out might be the easiest answer assuming a large enough cutter.

Re: Thank you

Boring a hole first is actually a common method used for interior hollowing. It helps get rid of the material and importantly sets the depth of the hollow so you don't go too far which is good so you don't make an unwanted through hole or hit your chucking screw if used. 

In this case, I wouldn't worry about the brittleness of a drywall screw. The piece is very small, cuts are accordingly small and the screw is pulling the workpiece base onto the other piece which means there is considerable friction holding the workpiece centered as well as the screw itself. 

Bill

Re: Question how to?

It could be hollowed out with the right tool faster than you could set up to drill it out. If it needs to be over 2 inches it will most likely take several drill bits to get to the needed size. It would take seconds to hollow with a sharp gouge

Re: Thank you

Practice on some poplar or similar softer wood first.  You can make the concave hollow with push or pull cuts. 

For push cuts you can use a spindle roughing gouge, spindle gouge, or bowl gouge.  Begin at the center and work out taking light cuts.  A bit much to explain a push cut in a few sentences. 

For pull cuts you can use the left wing of a spindle gouge or bowl gouge.  Again a bit much to explain in a few sentences.

Richard Raffan once or twice a week is posting usually shorter videos on Youtube.  He is excellent at explaining as he demonstrates.  I don't think he has a video just on push and pull cuts though.

screws

I never use drywall screws for anything but drywall.  I have an ideal screw - hardened steel, square drive, deep sharp thread. 

Thanks

I have a dandy scraper for the task.....but stubborn so I will try cutting the hollow out with spindle gouge, and scrape if I must.  Wood is cheap and I am not in a hurry.  I'll try stuff and see what works.  I will soon learn what doesn't! 

Re: Question how to?

you have encouraged me to try. 

Re: Question how to?

I think I might start on a faceplate large enough that the screws will be in the waste.

When it is on the faceplate turn the bottom flat, shape the out side 25% of the way up, drill the center hole with a forstner bit 75 % and make dovetails to fix your chuck.

Remove work from faceplate

Install work on chuck, finish drilling hole, shape and finish work.  

 Walta

Re: Thanks

A round nose scraper will get the "bowl" removed in seconds knowing that you will have it razor sharp 

A comment on a home made scraper

Years ago I made a bunch of woodworking tools from CPM 3V steel- chisels, plane blades, various lathe tools including a couple of scrapers.  An attribute of this steel is exceptional toughness which leads to tenacious burrs when sharpening these tools.  There burrs are not desirable when preparing a chisel edge for they must be removed with diffiuclty.  However, on a lathe scraper they were beneficial and long lasting in my superficial evaluation.   I reported this observation on the Turning Forum of that day and was met with derision.  Apparently some were not receptive to a new steel from an unknown person. 

For my occasional furniture parts turning I never used the scrapers much, if at all.  This project will be an opportunity to use one of these scrapers on the hollow.  I'm on it later this AM............

Re: Question how to?

Bill, I was responding to your question yesterday and I scrolled up (or something) and everything disappeared.  Anyway ....

There are at least a half dozen ways to do this using the tools & equipment you have.  4-jaw chuck, small faceplate, screw chuck, double-sided cloth tape, CA glue, hot melt glue, wooden waste block, etc. - with one mounting or two or more reverse mountings depending on how fancy you want to get.  No drilling involved!  The most important part is the sphere holding area - all it needs is a simple rim to support the sphere without it bottoming out.  Just like a shallow bowl.  Hope this helps.

Re: Question how to?

These items are for your bedposts, right? Here's yet another way, that someone mentioned but nobody followed up on...

Turn a cylinder (I don't know the finish O.D. of your bases), with a tenon on the end, with a diameter matching a big drill bit that you will use to drill a hole in the top of the bed legs. Chuck the tenon into one of your chucks and turn the piece, inside and out, to your predetermined cross-section. A sharp bowl gouge will hollow this in no time, and you can check the fit easily as you go, using the actual sphere. If you don't have a bowl gouge, and would like to turn more in the future, get one now. I'd start with an Ellsworth-style gouge.

When you've turned the piece to your liking, just drill the mating hole in the top of the leg and mount the finished piece, with or without glue depending on whether you want to allow for future removal. Presto. Bob's your uncle.

Ellis

Thank you all for suggestions