Some "Wobbly" Practice

Stuart Ablett

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15,917
Location
Tokyo Japan
I'm doing this between centers, nothing special, just trying to get a handle on how this stuff wobbles, and it is neat, but you got to really stay behind that tool rest, and a dark background behind the piece being turned (if it is light colored wood) is a help too............

eccentric3.JPG eccentric4.JPG
Started out small and simple, kind of looks like a stylized duck..... :rolleyes:

eccentric1.JPG eccentric2.JPG
next I tried to get some different discs going, it sort of worked....

eccentric5.JPG eccentric6.JPG
Finally, I had a nice piece of Walnut just begging for destruction....

As you can see, this is still in the "Practice" phase, but it is really neat, I just have to learn how these all go together, so to speak......

Cheers!
 
Sure keeps you wide awake when you are turning them too :eek: :D

Jean-Francois Escoulen is the master at this stuff, check out this chess table and chess set he did a while back...........

echecs-table-fermee-pions.jpg echec-pieces4.jpg echec-pieces5.jpg

All from his site www.escoulen.com

Of course, he has over 35 years of turning experience and a bucket load of talent.... :thumb:

But is sure is something to aspire to!
 
Have you had anything fly off yet?

Pete, the correct question is "How many have you had fly off....." :eek: :eek: :rolleyes: :rofl:

Only a couple so far, one was a flaw in the wood, as I got to the outside corners of the axis, and applied (slight!) pressure to the piece, I hear it go crack..... :eek: and then it just kind of sagged and fell down.

Jean-Francois warned us of this, and told us that at each axis move, apply only slight pressure on the tail stock, and turn the lathe on at a low speed, slowly ramping up the speed and the pressure on the tail stock........... and stand out of the firing line while doing so......... :rolleyes:

The other one, I was doing an eccentric goblet, and I cut just a bit to far, and then top half of the goblet went for a ride...... :bang: :(

Oh well, one thing I learned from watching Jean and Eli was that sometimes, even they only make shavings, and that is alright, especially if you learn something from it.

Cheers!
 
Stuart, you had a very nice time with your newest thing, isn't.
Looks good, take care huh with all that wobble, and some flying objects.
I'm full of envy.
 
Hey Stu, looks like you need to re-check the alignment of your tailstock. Something's not lining up correctly on your lathe, buddy. :rofl:
 
Vaughn beat me to it. Stu I think you need to put a drive point in your headstock and a live center in the tailstock. Buddy you got something really off alignment on that lathe.:rofl::rofl::rolleyes:;)
 
According to my calculations that would be $537.65. That seem a bit steep to a poor working 5th grade teacher.

Yep, not cheap, but it will be a tool that opens up a ton of possibilities that are not open otherwise. :dunno:

Once I get my adapter and play with it a bit, you might change your mind on how "Expensive" it really is. On thing I can tell you is the build quality is top drawer.

Cheers!
 
Stu, like I said in the first post here....I think you are going to have some fun with this one.:thumb: Are there limits to the length you could use this on? Just seems it would get really out of balance if you tried to use in the entire length of you lathe?:dunno::huh:
 
I'm still figuring it all out, but my biggest problem is I cut too deep and then when you move the axis and apply pressure with the tail stock, sometimes the pieces go "CRACK" :eek:

I then remove the piece from the lathe and grab another one :D

There are all kinds of steadies that you can make, string steadies etc, that would take up the whip on longer pieces.

To get really wildly eccentric pieces you have to start with a fairly large chunk of wood, I'm just learning right now, so I'm just using pieces a little over an inch........

the latest practice pieces..........

friday_nights_eccentrics.JPG

Some real pucker factor turnings there, but I'm learning a lot on how this stuff works, and it is fun to watch them emerge from the wood! :D :thumb:
 
Very cool Stu! Gonna try that for sure, It looks like something a person could get real creative with. There was a feature in 'Woodwork' Magazine a few issues ago where a guy was making eccentric turnings, been interested ever since. Now you've shown us that mere mortals can do it. I've about had my fill of turning bowls for a while. Cheers, Barry
 
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