Heavy Duty Turning

**Willy Nelson** · 27th March 2014, 09:38 PM

Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen

I have roughed turned these large wet chunks of Jacarandah. I rough them down to allow them to dry quicker and also, they take up less room in storage. Good fun turning wet timber, feel like a professional turner, shavings flying everywhere. The largest of the logs is probably 15 Kgs

These will eventually be turned down to a tapered cone, they are used by a friend who is a commercial diver. They smack them into the ends of pipes etc to seal them. Anyone who is ex Navy would know them as DC plugs. They need to be a soft wood, as they expand when wet and don't damage the pipes. Some of the biggest plugs I have turned have been 28cm across, tapering down to 14 and 30cm long. I get paid in BEER!!!!!!!!

Not as big as some peole get to turn, but certainly larger than pens
Sincerely
Willy

**brendan stemp** · 27th March 2014, 11:23 PM

Interesting. What are the pipes used for or is that irrelevant? Some follow up pics might be needed when job is done. Or perhaps a few days after the job is done given the method of payment

**chuck1** · 27th March 2014, 11:28 PM

ahh that brings back memories! my boss had the navy contract to to turn the plugs! we used to use Oregon! all different sizes down to Pen size! good job Willy

**Willy Nelson** · 28th March 2014, 12:44 AM

Originally Posted by brendan stemp

Interesting. What are the pipes used for or is that irrelevant? Some follow up pics might be needed when job is done. Or perhaps a few days after the job is done given the method of payment

If I was smart enough, I would be able to reply to both you and Chuck 1, Ha Ha

Anyhoo, the pipes are generally going to be gas or fluid, the plugs are used either to prevent stuff getting in, or the leaking of residual liquids getting out. I normally get asked to turn them on a Friday, ready for Monday, so I must have suitable soft woods available, which is funny because I banned all pine from my exclusive WA studio.

Cheers
Willy

**Willy Nelson** · 28th March 2014, 12:48 AM

Originally Posted by chuck1

ahh that brings back memories! my boss had the navy contract to to turn the plugs! we used to use Oregon! all different sizes down to Pen size! good job Willy

Wow, many of us Navy turners wondered who made them.

When I commisioned NEWCASTLE, the DC plugs were made from Western Red Cedar. I was tempted to turn pine/oregon plugs and substitute them, but I diidn't. Thanks for letting me know. I guess someone is still making them, because we still have ships and they still go to places where they might have holes punched into them that require the use of a plug
Cheers
Willy

**chuck1** · 28th March 2014, 08:18 AM

we also turned the 5 metre long boat staves and wedges.
with the plugs to save measuring I used to cot disc,s out of craft wood and drill a hole to go over the centres and pop the blank in as they were 6 inches to to 3 inches and 12 12 inches long so I only measured a few a day, it was good when we had work experience kids to let them have a go.
we turned pallets of them over the years and each order a quality assurance person would come and check them randomly to make sure they were in the tolerances of the contract.

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