What do you do if...

Don Orr

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912
Location
Schenectady, NY
If the piece you are working on is longer than your lathe can accommodate? Why you line up your mini lathe and weight it down with an anvil. Add in a steady rest to manage some of the whip and there you have it. This is a ramming rod for the cannons on the Onrust and it is over 4 feet long. I had to turn down the shaft diameter to ¾” x 2” long and add a 1.5” diameter head about 3” long with a taper down to the shaft size. Worked reasonably well. The gun captain was very pleased with the results.
 

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What would you do if

Now thats using the ole noggin,as the old sayin goes,where theres a will theres a way an it looks like you had a lotta will. :thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb:
 
Well if it works why not!! Looks like something I would TRY usually ending in failure... -- ingenuity and a mix of practicality..
 
I thought of a couple possible solutions before looking at yer picture.
Nothing I had in mind was nearly as clever as what you did.
I probably would have abandoned the lathe and used a drawknife then fastened the head on afterwards.
Cannon? Did you say cannon?
Pictures are required.
 
Pics are in the works

The ship is going in the water for the first time today but I have to miss it because of work. I'll try and get some pics of her floating this evening.

Just trying to "git er dun"

Thanks folks,
 
I remember seeing something similar a year or two back on Bill Grumbine's webpage... He was turning a mast at the time.
(I just looked and he's overhauled his webpage, so I don't see it there.)
 
Where were you when I needed your help ! An extension would be great .

Actually, I had an idea that would have taken all the fun out of making your rammer. Interestingly, some martial arts supply companies sell rods (dowels) 6' or more in length. I don't know what the wood is but it is (supposedly) very strong and flexible.
 
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