Off Center Turning on the Cheap

You can do a fair amount of off center turning with just a regular chuck. I made a couple of key fobs like this for my wife's office (bathroom keys) using my Nova G3 and the tailstock. I just loosened the chuck a bit, moved the tailstock end of the blank to one of several off center spots, then re-tightened the chuck.

Bent%20Keyfob.jpg
 
:lurk:

A side question - I was watching the PSI video and would you really power sand with it offset like that (thumpa sand thumpa sand)? It seems like you'd get better results at least as fast just sanding afterwards.
 
I agree with you on the sanding, Ryan. Seems hand sanding might be easier and just as fast.

I thought it was also interesting that they used a sander instead of a cutting tool on the multi-sided pen. I'm guessing that holding the mandrel by just one end like that results in a pretty springy mandrel, making it pretty difficult to get clean cuts with a gouge or a skew.
 
I'm not a wood turner, but have quite a bit of experience with metal cutting lathes. While the end product is impressive, and looks like a lot of fun to make, turning or sanding an interrupted cut with one end unsupported would scare the heck out of me, especially a flimsy looking piece.
 
I've been doing pendants for several years that are off-center. Even a 3"x1/2" chunk of anything can cause some bowel issues at 500rpm:eek:! That's as slow as the 1014 spins:( and have yet to try it on the 1642, but I suspect that it will be much more stabilier:D. That's for Vaughn :rofl::rofl:
 
From my experience you can use 16 grit sandpaper and round up the gnariliest of bowl blanks so knocking the corners off a little turning square should be no problem. :p


I agree with you on the sanding, Ryan. Seems hand sanding might be easier and just as fast.

I thought it was also interesting that they used a sander instead of a cutting tool on the multi-sided pen. I'm guessing that holding the mandrel by just one end like that results in a pretty springy mandrel, making it pretty difficult to get clean cuts with a gouge or a skew.
 
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