Metal Spinning Start

[John Keeton]

Handcrafted America's recent episode featured a segment on an artisan that produces some beautiful metal work. Perhaps you can catch a rerun. http://www.insp.com/shows/handcrafted-america/

[Dale Miner]

The metal spinning toolrest arrived today and seemed to be typical Oneway quality, very well made. I tried to get some 1100 aluminum locally but couldn't find any so a few 8" discs were ordered from the source John Jordan mentioned earlier. They should arrive early next week. That should give some time to make the mandrel out of some scrap MDF lying around. My first project is to reproduce the part shown below. It's about 3" in diameter and seems simple enough. No doubt I'll discover all of the complexities in making it.

Attachment 365875

MDF is too soft for a mandrel. For the item pictured you will be better served gluing up hard maple for the mandrel.

That item will be challenging for a first project.

[John K Jordan]

That item will be challenging for a first project.

That was my thought too. For a first projects I might consider making a shallow bowl shape or two. Maybe a nice spun aluminum lid for a lidded box.

JKJ

[Steve Mathews]

I got the idea of using MDF here ...
http://newproductllc.com/metal-spinning/hard-maple-circles/


OK, looks I'll put that project on the back-burner and pick something simpler to start. Would any hardwood work. Hard maple is hard for me to get here in the Southwest.

[Dale Miner]

I got the idea of using MDF here ...
http://newproductllc.com/metal-spinning/hard-maple-circles/


OK, looks I'll put that project on the back-burner and pick something simpler to start. Would any hardwood work. Hard maple is hard for me to get here in the Southwest.

The harder the wood, the better it will hold up to having metal spun over it, especially when the technique is still in the learning curve.

BUT, wood with very noticeable early wood/late wood growth rings will often leave the pattern of the growth rings in the metal on the inside of the part.

If hard maple is difficult to source in your area, use a close grain local hardwood for your practice parts.

BTW, most spinning forms are glued up from 1" to 2" thick kiln dried hard maple boards. You might be able to find hard maple at the big box stores of perhaps cabinet shops.

[Robert Edington]

Contact John Lucas on WoodCentral. He made his own tools. He was doing it a lot a few years ago. He is a good demonstrator and instructor. He'll help.

RP

[John K Jordan]

Contact John Lucas on WoodCentral. He made his own tools. He was doing it a lot a few years ago. He is a good demonstrator and instructor. He'll help.

I asked John about this a few days ago and I know he would help. In fact, knowing Sir Lucas he might even offer to make and send out some tools!

John is one of my favorite people - an incredibly skilled and creative turner/ carver/ machinist/ photographer/ teacher/ tinkerer/ inventor/ tool-maker/ demonstrator PLUS an industrious and helpful person.

JKJ

[Steve Lansing]

The metal spinning toolrest arrived today and seemed to be typical Oneway quality, very well made. I tried to get some 1100 aluminum locally but couldn't find any so a few 8" discs were ordered from the source John Jordan mentioned earlier. They should arrive early next week. That should give some time to make the mandrel out of some scrap MDF lying around. My first project is to reproduce the part shown below. It's about 3" in diameter and seems simple enough. No doubt I'll discover all of the complexities in making it.

Attachment 365875

Thats not a bad one to start on but if it doesn't have at least a slight taper it can get stuck on the mandrel especially if wood. If you can't have any taper just don't spin it tight on the mandrel but that will make it harder to hold a diameter if it's critical. One of many tricks to remove a part from a mandrel is to have a small hole through your mandrel to blast some compressed air, just be careful.