Finishing spindle ends

[Tiger]

Most of the time I don't bother about carefully finishing the ends of my spindle turning efforts where they've been parted off for eg on tool handles but when it matters, how do you finish the piece where it has been parted off. I usually hand sand the end with a couple of grits but applying a friction polish on the end never quite matches the finish obtained when the piece is on the lathe. Thinking about some sort of buffing set-up to help, what do you think?

[Calm]

I have a plastic sleeve that a new chisel came in, i wrap that around handle and put it in the chuck (dont do it up too tight or you mark the wood) and hold the other end central with one hand.

This allows the handle to turn while i sand and polish - it's ok but you need to be careful and have the paper etc ready beside you.

Hope that helps

Cheers

[ElizaLeahy]

This is a problem I have all the time with the hair sticks.

I bought needle nose jaws for my chuck (then bought another chuck because changing them is a pain!!!)

I use garden hose to put my stick in so it doesn't mark. I split it lengthwise into 4.

For polishing, it is fine. For timming - it never centers!

I guess that's a lot of expense to go to for the occasional piece.

[aak]

...

I bought needle nose jaws for my chuck (then bought another chuck because changing them is a pain!!!)

...

Hi Eliza,

Do you have a link for this chuck? Searching the net did not find it.

Sorry for highjacking the thread.

Regards
Andy

[ElizaLeahy]

Sure. I might have been calling them the wrong things.
http://www.poolewood.co.uk/acatalog/RP4000D.jpg

[brendan stemp]

If I am doing a chisel handle, for example, the end that needs to be finished is closest to the headstock and I use a skew chisel to finish as much of that end as I can leaving the smallest of spigots possible. I will then finish cutting through the wood with one hand operating the skew chisel and the other lightly supporting the timber. This will leave the smallest patch of wood to finish sanding by hand. If you dont like the idea of operating the skew with one hand then cut the spigot through with a parting tool and finish hand sanding as you have been doing. Finishing with shellowax off the lathe is best done with a buffing wheel. Apply the wax by hand and then buff the whole piece. UBeaut sell a terrific buffing mop. I have one and have made an attachment for it that enables me to hold it on my lathe with a chuck and live centre.

[aak]

Sure. I might have been calling them the wrong things.
http://www.poolewood.co.uk/acatalog/RP4000D.jpg

Thank you Eliza,

If I may ask what brand is the chuck and the jaws if they are not the same brand. Looking at your picture of the jaws and the pictures of the Vicmarc and SuperNova jaws on the net, Your pic does not look like either of the two brands. Your chuck's pic though is like a Vicmarc chuck pic on the net.

Regards
Andy

[Tiger]

Thanks, David and Eliza. I think I read somewhere where you can use bits of PVC pipe to hold and not mar work.

[Tornatus]

Thank you Eliza,

If I may ask what brand is the chuck and the jaws if they are not the same brand. Looking at your picture of the jaws and the pictures of the Vicmarc and SuperNova jaws on the net, Your pic does not look like either of the two brands. Your chuck's pic though is like a Vicmarc chuck pic on the net.

Regards
Andy

G'day Andy

That's a Vicmarc VM100 chuck, and those jaws are the OLD style Vicmarc Long-nose Jaws that I referred to in my earlier advice to you - now do you see why I find them so useful?

[dai sensei]

Long nose jaws or pin jaws.

I throw sanding pads (http://gpwoodturning.sitesuitestores.com/cgi/index.cgi/shopfront/view_product_details?category_id=1107133412&product_id=1107220050) in the jaws and work my way through the grits hand shaping/sanding. The use my Swansdown mop (http://www.ubeaut.com.au/sdmops.htm) in the lathe to polish.

[ElizaLeahy]

I'm sorry, I don't know. I go to Dave at Sth East Woodworking and I say "you know that chuck you sold me, can I have some pin jaws for it please?"

Sorry :(

[aak]

G'day Andy

That's a Vicmarc VM100 chuck, and those jaws are the OLD style Vicmarc Long-nose Jaws that I referred to in my earlier advice to you - now do you see why I find them so useful?

Hi Tornatus,

Thank you. That is what I was hoping to hear! Now I can ask Eliza if she would sell it to me.



Hi Eliza,

No problem, as you can see Tornatus already confirmed it.

You said "changing them is a pain!!!" Would you consider selling them to me or swapping them for something you want or need more than these?


Hi Neil, Thank you for you too.

Regards
Andy

[ElizaLeahy]

Sorry - I meant changing jaws is a pain when you have one chuck, and as I need both for what I do I bought a second chuck!

If I sold them to you I'd have to go back and buy another :)

[ElizaLeahy]

Where is Mt Martha?

[robyn2839]

there are nova long nose jaws ,available at gary pye $77.......bob
and the same as Eliza,s at carbatec to suit the vicmarcs

[DJ’s Timber]

Where is Mt Martha?

Mt Martha is on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria :;

[aak]

Where is Mt Martha?

Hi Eliza,

Mount Martha is in Victoria, part of the Mornington Peninsula. It is on the outskirts of Melbourne. Lovely place. I retired to here from inner Melbourne five years ago. No regrets at all! (I can see DJ just beat me to the answer.)

The new Long Nose jaws are different as I found out from Tornatus on another threrad. Hence wanting to buy yours. Having said that if you are using these jaws do not sell them to me. I just need to find another set somewhere or get some other jaws that will do the job.

Robyn, Thank you, I will look into it.

Regards
Andy

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I'm a bit late coming in on this thread (nothing new there) but there's one other method that hasn't been mentioned...

You know all those leftover tenons & stubs in the scrap bin that we accumulate after parting off? Perfectly sized for sitting in the jaws, yes?

I simply remount 'em in the chuck, face them off and then turn a dimple in the middle - a small bowl as it were - of slightly larger radius than the end of the spindle I want to finish. (Assuming it has a rounded end, of course.)

If I need to sand the end of a spindle, I'll cut out a small disk of sandpaper and snip triangles out of the radius so I can line the dimple with it. It's a bit fiddly - exposed bits of wood don't matter much but you really don't want overlaps or creases in the sandpaper. This disk is glued into the dimple and, once the glue is dry, I use it as a sanding cup.

Simply spin up the lathe, poke the end of the spindle in and wobble it around a bit. If all is done well, it gives a beautiful finish. :)

I don't do that often... I try to take enough care not to need sanding when I part off. (Not always successful, though. :rolleyes:) More often the problem is simply "how do I apply a friction finish on the end?" Same thing, except using a bit of cloth instead of sand-paper. A smear of wax, Shellawax or whatever, et voila!

[ElizaLeahy]

Oooohhh! That's a BRILLIENT idea!

I'm always having problems with the pointy ends of the hair sticks. I could make one for sanding and one for polishing and they should last a while.

Thank you! :)

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I should point out that I use Hermes J-Flex (http://www.cws.au.com/cgi/index.cgi/shopfront/view_product_details?category_id=1107144918&product_id=1107452810) sandpaper. It's cloth-backed and can "stretch" a bit to conform with the dimple.

A bit more expensive than ordinary paper, but as far as turning is concerned it's a "must have." And, unlike other paper, it's reusable until you wear the grit off. :D

I really can't recommend it enough. :wink:

[ElizaLeahy]

I don't know what I use. It's swiss, it's brown, it's on material. It lasts for ages. It could be that - only it's brown. I buy it from Dave.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Should be right then.

Just thought I'd mention it, as ordinary paper-backed stuff is a bit too flimsy for turning.

[Tiger]

Skew, I've been turning for a while, never heard of the idea of re-mounting and dimpling timber then lining with sandpaper but great idea, must try it! Thanks for sharing.

[Wayne Blanch]

Terrific idea Skew, I used to hand sand this sort of stuff, and I wasn't happy either:(( Not any more:D
Thanks