New drill press - Finial Turning Question

Dan Mosley

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Location
Palm Springs, Ca
Finial Question -see pic 1-2 - Making a large Finial for a large vase out of green wood - the question is how to keep it from warping and control the drying - and finish the top on a remount.
I took the area between the tenon and the base to about 3/4" - Left the base a bit oversize to account for shrinkage and will finalize the diameter on the remount - I sprayed it good with alcohol several times at the end of my rough turning and spun it over and over for awhile - Im going to let it dry a day or two - then see if I can sand it - then soak/wet sand it repeatdly with DO or tung (formbys) and let it dry for several weeks or more inside the house openly where I can watch it - dab CA on any areas of concern -

I could control the warping by putting it in a vise and sandwhich it gently between two other boards - may or may not work - Keep soaking it with Alcohol and see if that works -or just leave it alone

The top on remount - Thought I would just cut the top with a hand saw after all sanding is done and sand it to a point


Other day I met a guy running a glass brick shop that wanted to sell a Ridgid drill press he had as he was closing down another shop he had in another town. I went to look at it and was suprised to see it was brand new. He negotiated and he took $200 for it plus some bits that were with it (HD has it for $500 plus shipping). Got it home and unloaded it and have it just sitting right now. I do have another large drill press and a smaller delta bench type, making the total 3 drill presses. My wife wants to know why I need 3 drill presses............hummm guess I don't but thought it was a decent deal on a new one. I have a friend at work that would buy my other larger one for $100 so If I do sell the other it would make my cost on the Ridgid $100..........dragging my feet on this because I like the other one to.................LOL................see pics 3-4
 

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Dan that's a great deal on that drill press. As far as the finial goes i've only tried green wood on one finial, It warped to much for my liking. What i do now is take my green wood and microwave it till it's dry, then turn. Being as most finials are small this works good for me. Yea i do have a microwave in the shop just for this.Most of the time i'll cut a piece 2x2 by 6" long and this is what i zap.Zap it on defrost till dry.
 
Well this is day two evening and it began to crack slightly at the base but stopped with CA - still straight and in plain sight - The longer part of it has not shown any signs of cracking or warping - Maybe it won't im hoping with the Alcohol and spinning I did - works good on vessels with MS but who knows - ill have to wait and see what happens
 
Dan great deal on the drill press. As far as the finial goes I never use green wood. I have tried it in my earlier turning adventures and it does not work or come out well. I never had one that didn't crack or warp.
 
I'd love to have two drill presses, and the space for two drill presses, one would be set up for wood only and other for metal :thumb:

Dunno what to say about the green wood thing, it would have never occurred to me to even try using green wood for such a thing:huh:
 
Day 3 and only a few cracks at the base - other than that it seems to be staying straight - ill post more when I finish it ..............
 

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