how to get pointy things off the lathe?

[ElizaLeahy]

I'm turning a hair stick, right? And everything is going perfectly, no chips, no dings, no runbacks - it has pretty beads and bobs and I'm really proud of myself.

So I turn the two ends as thin as possible, then do the sanding and the shellacing.

Then I have the issue - what end do I get off first? Whichever goes first, the other will break. I have the fairly pointed (but rounded) bit that goes into the hair, and the more bobbly bit that usually ends in either a round bit, a flat bit (that isn't so hard!) or - most hard - another point.

When they come off the lathe and I sand and polish the ends, they don't look as good to me as if they hadn't FALLEN off the lathe. If you know what I mean.

Is there a solution, or something I just have to live with?

(and 90% of the time I'm catching things before they hit the ground. Do I get extra points for that? :)

[wheelinround]

Eliza you could always remove them intact and use the Bandsaw or craft knife or similar to cut them through then sand

[BernieP]

G'Day Eliza

Great to see you progressing so well, thought this site may be of interest to you
http://web.hypersurf.com/~charlie2/Turning/Turning12.html

Cheers
Bernie

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

There is a solution: you know that thing I mentioned earlier about curling your fingers over the piece to reduce flexing? And practise! (You're gonna get soooo sick of hearing that! :D)

Or a centre-steady, but they're more fiddle than they're worth for a short spindle.

Oh... for making sanding the pointy bit easier, you can always make yourself one of these. (http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=38679)

[NeilS]

There is a solution: you know that thing I mentioned earlier about curling your fingers over the piece to reduce flexing? And practise! (You're gonna get soooo sick of hearing that! :D)

Or a centre-steady, but they're more fiddle than they're worth for a short spindle.

Oh... for making sanding the pointy bit easier, you can always make yourself one of these. (http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=38679)


What Skew said, PLUS this is where a Jacobs chuck comes into its own. Turn the pointy bit on the tailstock end, ease off the pressure from the tailstock as you thin right down, supporting the piece (per Skew's advice) as you turn to a point.

The Jacobs will hold the piece in place after the tailstock end stub has dropped. Leave any thinning of knob end until this stage. Support piece again while gently turning off the knob end. The piece will usually remain in the supporting hand once parted off the drive stub.

After you have been doing this for a while you will find you need less and less off-lathe sanding to complete the piece. If you specialise in this type of work you might get to the point where all you have to do is fettle the ends with the skew just after it comes off the lathe. If your skew is not sharp enough to do this it's not sharp enough anyway.. :).

Neil

[Ad de Crom]

Eliza, I'm agree with wheelinround.

[joe greiner]

String steady, or DIY steady, near the tailstock (not the middle), just before turning that end to a point. Then turn the headstock end almost to a point until it breaks off and you catch it at the right moment. (Yes, you get extra points for that, but you only need two. :rolleyes: ) Sand that end, and the other end if necessary, by twirling it against a disk or belt sander. See t=57866 for a DIY steady and a similar procedure.

Cheers,
Joe

[oldiephred]

Please indulge someone who has not had hair since before Australia was a penal colony and inform me re: what does one do with hair sticks. The work looks good, something like a stunted honey dipper but what are they for?

Thanks.

[ElizaLeahy]

Please indulge someone who has not had hair since before Australia was a penal colony and inform me re: what does one do with hair sticks. The work looks good, something like a stunted honey dipper but what are they for?

Thanks.


heehee :)

They hold up long hair. Honest.

http://www.dressytresses.com/hair/gallery/instruct/hair-bun/