Joyner pendant jig problem

[Alan Zenreich]

Dave,

Lauren and I appreciate your kind words about our presentation in Tampa.

If you have any questions, or just want to chat a bit, send me a private message, and we can talk on the phone.

[David C. Roseman]

My first post on SMC, but coincidentally, I just spent yesterday afternoon and this afternoon experimenting with that jig, which I got from Ruth Niles. It sounds as though you are making it work but wanted to offer another suggestion. I turned both the front and back on that jig but found that when I turn the front, I need to keep most of the center portion nice and flat so it will adhere to the tape when I turn it over. I can taper the edge a bit but the center has to be flat. On the first one I didn't do that way, I had trouble keeping it on the jig, but solved that problem by putting two more layers of the double-faced tape on top of the first layer so it was thick enough to sort of "wrap" around the curve and keep it tight enough to turn with pretty light cuts. It looks like this is going to be fun.

Tom, welcome to SMC! Nice to see you on this board. For other members, Tom is an accomplished, professional turner who started one of our local clubs here in No. VA a few years back. Great instructor and all 'round good guy. While he no doubt cringes when he hears me say it, taught me much of what I know about turning.

David

[Tom Boley]

David, thanks for the kudos. As to the jig, I have been experimenting with turning bottle stoppers on it, too. The new version comes with a faceplate with five holes in it, well, 29 holes if you count the 24 around the edge. Four of those are for wood screws to firmly attach a waste block for turning pendants. That large center hole is for the large 3/8" shaft screw which is also included. I bored a 23/64" hole in a piece of 3/4" white oak (any good hard wood OK) and screwed it down good and tight onto that large screw/bolt. It must be really tight or will move when you don't want it to. (I have ordered another faceplate from Ruth so I can make a permanent attachment. I then turned the waste block down so the outer-most face was the same diameter as the Niles stoppers (3/4") as a guide. I then drilled a 23/64" hole in my stopper blank, screwed it onto that large center screw as the mandrel, and used different settings of the jig for off-center stoppers. I've only done two and I would urge experimentation with some wood scraps before using the expensive stuff. I turned a cylinder first, then curved the bottom to the waste block and the top all the way to center and sanded both top and bottom, all that with the jig in the #1 (center) hole. I moved it to an outer hole and, keeping the faceplate on 0-0, cut a cove in one third of the stopper. I rotated the faceplate to 0-8 and did it again, trying to match both the width and depth of the first cut. Then on to 0-16 for the third cut. It looks pretty cool and feels really good in the fingers. I think the possibilities are endless but they are very labor intensive with all the jig changes. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

[Ron Cote]

Dave,

I hope that you have solved your problems, but in case that you are still having any issues, consider using a drawbar to ensure the mandrel is not moving.

Ron

[steve worcester]

Drawbar is paramount as well as using the allen screws and not the thumbscrews when you are turning. You just can't get them tight enough.

[Alan Zenreich]

I respectfully disagree with Steve about the Allen head screws. I find no problem at all with the thumb screws, finger tight is fine for my turning. Considering how often I reposition the index plate, the hex head screws are a real pain compared to the thumb screws. Also, I often use only three thumbscrews. (Depends on which threaded offset hole is in use)... use whatever works best for you.