How do I stop this happening

[benji79]

The first pic is of my first attempt at a goblet. The second pic is what it looks like after alot of cursing :C :ranting2: . It got a bit of a wobble as i was sanding and next ting its flying off at me. I was soooo disappointed, think it was turning out well. it was made of QLD red ceder. Think i might stick to bowls, i find it much easyer..:sigh:

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[masoth]

The grain seems certain to have had something to do with the breakage, and the thinness of your turning - not that knowing the "WHY" makes the loss any easier to accept.:gaah:

soth

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Pity, it looks like you were doing damned well with it, too.

Even when the grain's dead straight, as soon as you get that "wobble" you know you're in trouble.

To help prevent it, I do my sanding and finishing in stages. Turn a bit, sand/finish it. Turn the next bit, sand/finish it. There's still times I gotta go back and sand it all over :rolleyes: in which case I set the toolrest up as though I was hollowing it out, then rest my right hand on that with my fingers splayed inside the mouth of the goblet to limit how far it can wobble.

Of course, this means doing all the sanding/finishing left handed, but I'm getting used to that... :wink:

[Gil Jones]

Darn, it sure was lookin' good too.
Possibly torque is your enemy, but Cedar is a fairly brittle wood (at least ours is).

[TTIT]

Like Skew said, work your way down in stages but you can also try making a cone to fit over your live centre and into the cup so you can bring the tailstock up to support the top while you finish the rest. Looks like it was going so well too!:C Not having the grain parallel to the stem would have made it difficult regardless.

[Hickory]

Don't go back to bowls until you have mastered the Goblet. Skew may be a "Rookie" :o at goblets but I think he knows what he is talking about. :; Believe me if you think you are going to make goblets w/o snaping a few stems you have another think coming. One of your pictures shows the goblet off the chuck. When you get to that stage, it should stay in the chuck until it is finished or parted off the spigot. I don't care how well you center and get it back to the arrangement, you can't mount it on exact center a second time, and with the stem as thin as you have it. the slightest variance would start stressing it out of balance.

Also a piece of dowel between the bottom of the goblet's bowl and the tail center would have helped steady as you finished. A stedy rest would help also.

But I believe the biggest mistake was to take the work from the chuck before it was finished.

Lets see the next one. Back in the saddle , as they say... :2tsup:

[TTIT]

But I believe the biggest mistake was to take the work from the chuck before it was finished.

Very observant Hickory - shouldda been a walloper.:; Damned good point - didn't click with me :B

[Sprog]

A tennis ball and live centre makes a good support for goblet bowls. Holds the bowl steady and does not mark your finish. Not too much pressure though when you bring up the tailstock, just enough to give very light support.

[benji79]

Ha ha, na guys, thats actually after it snapped, just stuck the pieces together for the photo. I woulnt remove a piece till it was finished. :D

[OGYT]

I think Sprog's idea of the tennis ball would have helped you keep the wobble out of it.. with just enough pressure to keep the live center spinnin'.
just ramblin'
You were in the short rows, too. Woulda been a really nice goblet.

[benji79]

Yeah, I really like the tennis ball idea, simple and effective, OK, talked me in to trying another one.

[BernieP]

G'Day Benji

Was looking good too. But we all have breaks especially with Red Cedar. Look forward to seeing next one!

Cheers
Bernie

[Cabbie]

Maybe the stem is just a tad too thin. The weight of the base doesn't have to be off centre by bugger all without it having a drastic affect on the stem geting a wobble. Nice looking goblet all the same. Good luck with the next one. It will be really good once complete. :)

[SawDustSniffer]

Ha ha, na guys, thats actually after it snapped, just stuck the pieces together for the photo. I woulnt remove a piece till it was finished. :D
so what was your problem ?
a bit of glue , drying time , whack it back on the lathe and try again , if it brakes again glue it up again , it wont be perfect but it will be finished

[benji79]

I thought about it, but i didnt think it would hold in the lathe. Ill give it a go if you think it will hold it with out it flying off.. :stretcher:

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Very observant Hickory - shouldda been a walloper.:; Damned good point - didn't click with me :B

Agreed. :doh:

[Hickory]

Ha ha, na guys, thats actually after it snapped, just stuck the pieces together for the photo. I woulnt remove a piece till it was finished. :D

Look at the picture of the fractured one (look close) which way is the grain going? Should not the grain be traveling down the center of the stem? :doh:Perhaps this is why it spun apart. Make a closer exam of the wood grain and direction before you try cutting so thin and loosing "structural integrity" :C

[rodent]

Skew a rookie be damned he's run out of shelves ie (he has to go and make taller biger shelves now ).he gets boored and turnes a goblet .He was here at a mates birthday and got on the lathe ( with many on lookers ) and turned a goblet ,great entertainment for all .who needs jugglers & dancing girls weve got skew the mad turner.

[benji79]

Look at the picture of the fractured one (look close) which way is the grain going? Should not the grain be traveling down the center of the stem? :doh:Perhaps this is why it spun apart. Make a closer exam of the wood grain and direction before you try cutting so thin and loosing "structural integrity" :C

Being relatively new to woodworking (havent touched a lathe since school 10 yrs ago, and just got it before crissy), I have no idea before turning, what the grain should look like, I just throw it in the lathe and turn it. :whistling2: . But your right, the grain isnt straight. Thanks for the heads up, I will be looking in future. I guess thats what this forum is all about, learning from you guys with years of experiance. Thanks to everyone thats given me input. :thewave:

[Hickory]

Skew a rookie be damned he's run out of shelves ie (he has to go and make taller biger shelves now ).he gets boored and turnes a goblet .He was here at a mates birthday and got on the lathe ( with many on lookers ) and turned a goblet ,great entertainment for all .who needs jugglers & dancing girls weve got skew the mad turner.

I may have said that with tongue in cheek, As I have seen a few more than a great many posts featuring Skew's Goblets. One would be ill advised not to heed the Skew and his methods.

[Mobil Man]

Try these links & videos. They are really worth the time. Instead of a tennis ball--just use a piece of cloth or towel & always work toward the head stock. Video's: Go to Woodcraft.com. When it comes up go to HOME. Then look about 1/2 way down the right hand side of the page to project videos. There's all kinds of interesting stuff. Shows how to use turning tools for the newbee, & good video on goblets & vessels. Really worth the time. Also try: Woodturningonline.com. In the left column to "turning projects". Loads of info. & pictures. I'm new to woodturning-less than a year- turned over 100 pens, 2 goblets [one of the easier projects], a few bowls, a few lidded boxes & a few platters. These two sights have helped me one heck of a lot. I've been reading this forum now for 3-4 months & find it very interesting & sometime comical. May I say you fellers "down under" seem like a "bloody" neat bunch of "blokes", with a lot of good info.

[hughie]

[
od info. May I say you fellers "down under" seem like a "bloody" neat bunch of "blokes", with a lot of goMobil Man,

As one of the ''bloody neat bunch down under'' I commend you, for your discernment and great intelligence, carry like this and you will be most popular. :U:U:U

Welcome, glad your getting some good info, thats what its all about. We have a too few regulars from the Good Ole U.S. of A.good to have another one :D

[Spindleshanks]

Looks like a grain problem with an over-thin stem. However, I find that stuffing the cup with kitchen paper and then using a live centre helps a lot.