A new woodturner's contraption

[Brice Rogers]

I am going to finish a platter with handles. I will need to remove the material between the handles. There are lots of ways that I could do this. I could try to carefully cut with a bandsaw, jigsaw or sabre saw and clean it up with filing or sanding. But I want to make sure that I don't leave obvious saw marks, etc. My thought is that if I could hold a router and cut between the handles that it might be preferable and require less hand work.

So I made a contraption that allows me to hold a router in my lathe banjo. The thing took me less than an hour. It consists of a 1/4" plate welded to a 1" Diameter post that is held by my banjo. When I cut the handles, I'll repost.

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[Peter Blair]

Looks to me like a very usable contraption. I often use a router on a platform which could do what you are needing. I did make a contraption up to limit the movement of the lathe spindle to control both ends of a cut.

[Brice Rogers]

Peter, your contraption to limit the rotation of the spindle - - sounds interesting. I'll keep that in mind.

[Brian Kent]

So you are using this to cut out a ring on the outside of a platter, leaving the handle part intact?

[John K Jordan]

I am going to finish a platter with handles. I will need to remove the material between the handles. There are lots of ways that I could do this. I could try to carefully cut with a bandsaw, jigsaw or sabre saw and clean it up with filing or sanding. But I want to make sure that I don't leave obvious saw marks, etc. My thought is that if I could hold a router and cut between the handles that it might be preferable and require less hand work.

So I made a contraption that allows me to hold a router in my lathe banjo. The thing took me less than an hour. It consists of a 1/4" plate welded to a 1" Diameter post that is held by my banjo. When I cut the handles, I'll repost.

Nice. I've thought of making something like that but so far for feet and handles I just cut away the ring with a coping saw, carved, then smoothed. Time consuming.

The other John Jordan told how he turns a partial revolution when he makes teapots with spouts. He said he holds the bowl gouge as usual and turns the work back and forth by hand, cutting on just the forward stroke kind of like using a spring pole lathe. I want to try that. Should work well with a platter. May need to do the far side of each handle from in reverse from the back side of the lathe.

JKJ

[Brice Rogers]

Brian,

The final shaping of the platter will have an inch or so flat rim. I will use the router to remove two large C-shaped sections of that outer rim, leaving just a pair of handles. I will probably either use a bandsaw or coping saw to complete the curved transition. I'll probably also rough cut the portion getting routed to minimize the potential for burning.

John, I had read about people doing a manual back and forth turning like you describe. It might work better if the gouge was attached to the turner's forearm rather than trying to cut one handed. Or better yet, have a second person doing the back and forth movement while you turn using both hands.

[John K Jordan]

John, I had read about people doing a manual back and forth turning like you describe. It might work better if the gouge was attached to the turner's forearm rather than trying to cut one handed. Or better yet, have a second person doing the back and forth movement while you turn using both hands.

I haven't tried it on a bowl, but I do use tools one-handed for thin spindle turning. I generally grip the tool around the shaft or ferrule instead of the handle, then press the end of the handle firmly against the underside of my forearm. This in effect attaches the tool to my forearm just as you imagined. This permits the "left hand steady rest" technique for thin spindles.

I often extend my forefinger on top of the tool to help with the control, and if possible provide a little extra support and guidance with the left thumb.
D01_thinning_IMG_5025.jpg

In this shot my right knuckles are sliding against the tool rest for support, again with the extra left-hand thumb support..
E01_reverse_IMG_5036.jpg

On this cut I was getting wild vibration on the thin right end of the spindle so I supported it with the left hand crossed over. I couldn't use the thumb support here but the skew was still fine one-handed. I guess I could learn holding with just the left hand but I can see some disadvantages to that.
E02_crossover_IMG_5031.jpg

The finished wand. Not too exciting, but it was a quick demo.
G01_finished_wand_IMG_5047.jpg

JKJ

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I am going to finish a platter with handles. I will need to remove the material between the handles. There are lots of ways that I could do this. I could try to carefully cut with a bandsaw, jigsaw or sabre saw and clean it up with filing or sanding. But I want to make sure that I don't leave obvious saw marks, etc. My thought is that if I could hold a router and cut between the handles that it might be preferable and require less hand work.

So I made a contraption that allows me to hold a router in my lathe banjo. The thing took me less than an hour. It consists of a 1/4" plate welded to a 1" Diameter post that is held by my banjo. When I cut the handles, I'll repost.

.IMG_0035 (1024x768).jpg

I hope this will work for you Brice, as I have made several bowls with handles on and in them, I do know it does take some careful cutting and quite a bit of sanding, some handled bowls shown here

Handle making.jpg Handles done.jpg Other handles.jpg Handles on Elm.jpg

[Mike Goetzke]

OK - How old is that router?

[Brice Rogers]

Thanks John and Leo for your comments.

Mike, that router is about 40 years old and still working well.

What was the tip-off that it was old?

[Paul Girouard]

Thanks John and Leo for your comments.

Mike, that router is about 40 years old and still working well.

What was the tip-off that it was old?

All metal (aluminum) base and motor housing , ended about 1980 -ish. 70 and earlier Aluminum / all metal was common.

[Mike Goetzke]

Mike, that router is about 40 years old and still working well.

What was the tip-off that it was old?

No plastic!