Wood Balls or Spheres

yu take and cut them out on the Tsaw first to approx size then keep taking alittle of each flat till it tries to roll away from yu then yu put ti on the sander and sand alittel of each flat with a curved sweep then yu take to the lathe to true it up and fill in the holes that held it on the lathe.:thumb:;)
 
Hutch had a post about those last year? Get a block about the size your going to make and glue a waste block on each side. Turn as round as possible leaving the block sides a bit high. Part off the blocks and make to friction chucks, pop in your shelf padding for traction on opposing sides of the high spots...finish rounding! Some guys do them in half's and glue them back together and will add a filler, stone, inlace...what have you, to hide the joint. Hope that helps.
:huh: So when are you getting your lathe so you can use all this info Cynthia :huh:
 
I saw these somewhere....like this photo....and I thought they were beautiful. How do you turn wood spheres?

thanks all
:wave:

Vaughn's video was very interesting... I haven't found it yet, but also saw one where they guy use pvc pipe to make chucks to hold the ball so he could turn both ends and not have to cut the nubs off and resand... can also use the same pvc chucks to turn eggs.
 
hey vaughn that guy was using a bowl lathe right? and if so can one of those extend enough to make spindles say 36" long as well?

Yep, the VB-36 is among the best bowl lathes out there. As far as I know though, the "long bed" version can only handle spindles up to 31" long. Most guys who can afford a VB-36 (about $8000 for the short bed model) have enough spare change to buy a conventional lathe for longer spindles.
 
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On my Lathe...:D I have turned smaller balls, Dont go direct between spur and live center, leave a stub on each end. and work toward as small a point as possible. Use a template, cut a "Perfect1/2 circle" in the bandsaw or Jig saw. (allowing for the stubs). Center up and usuing your best lathe skills begin working down the shape, test fitting the template. till the shape is correct. Sand and smoothe as much as you can, then hand cut each stub closer to severed untill you fear it will break,cut off stubs and then file & sand the area.

I also used a cup chuck (for loss of a better name" I used a faceplate and some thick stock and turned a "bowl", the inside and rim become the driving force and I also turned a smaller cup that will fit over the live center. Place the ball between these two cups (slower speeds) tighten the tailstock and turn on lathe, Of courswe there will be some off center turning, turn off this lump, then re locate the ball in th chuck and again smoothe out the hump, keep relocating and turning off the lump, you willfind that the lumps are less and the ball is smoother (althought shrinking in size) When you have it "perfect" repeat the process with sanding.

Or at least that is the way I do (did) it...

On that note, I see fellows who get all excited building segmented bowls and vessels, but haven't seen any segmented "Balls" I bet they would make a great art form, and conversation piece, yet I see none. :dunno:


Sorry, I didn't look at Matt's post (lazy me) but "Thats what I'm Talking about" better presentation, nice pictures, and good advice. :Thumb
 
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