Results 1 to 4 of 4

Thread: A different way to "turn".....

  1. #1

    A different way to "turn".....

    This might be of interest. The pictures show a way we sometimes turned small bowls and display trays in exotic woods for high end retailers like Nordstrom's jewelry counters.

    The machine here is a CNC milling machine. It's programmed to cut an outside profile then do the inside with a tapered wall, thin at the outside and thickening slightly toward the bottom. The same thing can be done on a CNC lathe, but the mill gives a little more variety in the tricky cuts it can do like oval turning. As shown about 6 minutes to do the inside and outside.

    The piece shown is 3" diameter, black locust limb dripping wet. It's what I had handy. It's a little surprising the finish isn't better with this being locust, earlier I did a piece in soft western maple that has an almost burnished finish.

    The work is stationary, the high speed rotating cutters move around the work in a downward spiral path. For this test the outside was done with a 4" diameter shaper cutter, the inside with a 1/2" diameter ball end router bit. The same technique can do turnings as large as salad bowls.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  2. #2
    Interesting.,
    Looks like you're burning that edge with the washer though...
    CarveWright Model C
    Stratos Lathe
    Jet 1014
    Half-a-Brain

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Northern Ohio
    Posts
    524
    It wood be interesting to see some video.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by William Bachtel View Post
    It wood be interesting to see some video.
    No video, here are three pics showing a shallow recess being cut. The cutter starts at the top spiraling down to the bottom center. This wood is very punky so not a clean cut.

    Fourth pic shows a recess cut in walnut for contrast in quality of cut using dry hard wood (camera distorted color). Note the sharp edges and smooth cut.

    Fifth picture shows a related capability, oval box lid in a rosewood-like material.

    Sixth pic is just something done to see if I could. Same machine and similar technique to the box lid.

    I've always like turned wood objects, but I don't like to turn by hand. When I retired from my business I kept two CNC machines to do my turning. This same type work could be done on the under $2K CNC routers sold by Rockler and Woodcraft. With the CNC you have similar issues as hand turners, both ways you have to come up with a good design. The CNC just makes it a bit easier to accomplish your design.
    Attached Images Attached Images

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •