Thread: Looking for brass poles for carousel horses?

Unless you can get something second hand expect to shell out mega$. With the price of base metals going through the roof anything brass costs a lot these days. What about turning something up in wood instead.

Like Bobl said seems to be a wy to go and with timber you could always gild it depending how how much/how big the project is.
pete

Thanks Bob & Fxst. I've been thinking about the wood turning option myself.

Unfortunately I've never done any lathe work (well, not since high school anyway), although it's on my list of things to do .... eventually. So many ambitions - so little time (and cash - not necessarily in that order). Further, I understand that turning up a 1.5 long narrow pole with a nice barley twist and full length centre hole is probably not the best first subject for a trainee - even one as gifted as moir.

And of course you're right, the the cost of brass and other non-ferrous metals has sky rocketted. I'm currently researching a heap of Asian and Indian manufacturers. Quite a bit of promise there, and amazing range of stuff available (see photos). Just have to figure out the shipping & duties etc.

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Regards. Hardenfast

Originally Posted by Hardenfast

Thanks Bob & Fxst. I've been thinking about the wood turning option myself.

Unfortunately I've never done any lathe work (well, not since high school anyway), although it's on my list of things to do .... eventually. So many ambitions - so little time (and cash - not necessarily in that order). Further, I understand that turning up a 1.5 long narrow pole with a nice barley twist and full length centre hole is probably not the best first subject for a trainee - even one as gifted as moir.

And of course you're right, the the cost of brass and other non-ferrous metals has sky rocketted. I'm currently researching a heap of Asian and Indian manufacturers. Quite a bit of promise there, and amazing range of stuff available (see photos). Just have to figure out the shipping & duties etc.

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Regards. Hardenfast

You could always get a length of reinforcing bar and have it brass plated. Only thing is it would be a bit difficult to bore a hole up the centre.

How much do you need?

Hi Durwood. Do you mean of the brass pole ot timber? If I was going to the trouble of sourcing the brass stuff I would but 9 or 10 of them. If I could source something turned out of a nice local hardwood I would buy 2 of them at around 1.5m long.

thanks.

The hole is just for the wire, right? For the wood pole option, use a blank about 50mm longer than final length. Mark one face for later reassembly. Rip the blank down the center/centre. Rout a slot in each cut face, stopping 25mm from each end. Router bit can be square, core box, or whatever. Glue the pieces back together, using earlier match marks. Turn the wood to cylinder, with spiral embellishment either by hand or "router lathe" such as Legacy mill, etc., if desired. Cut off ends to expose hole, and form end attachment details.

If the wood grain is particularly handsome, finish as is. If ho-hum, apply metal-filled wax such as Rub-n-Buff. Available in craft shops or by mail (do internet search for suppliers.) This stuff polishes to almost mirror finish. Also been around for at least 25 years, probably available in Oz. Heck, I dunno, might have originated in Oz.

JG

Try- Mother of Pearl Trading Co. speak to the owner. They get all manner of brass "antique" fittings made for them in India. If they can't get them for you they may be able to point you in the right direction.
Theyre in Sydney but I don't have a contact, sorry.

As for stirrups, go to a horse auction and they can be purchased for very little, we have the horse sales at Pakenham once a month and all the horse gear sells in the morning, a set of stirrups would only be about $5, or check out a garage sale where they are offloading horse gear, you could also pick up a cheap saddle or three, if it's broken it's really not going to matter for what you want them for.

Try
Tubelok Architectural Balustrading
589 Gardeners Rd Mascot NSW 2020
ph: (02) 9667 0966