Wood for a newel?

[Bruceyp]

I have been asked to turn 48" newels for my neighbor. As my lathe bed only accomodates 36", I plan to turn a mortise and tenon and make them in 2 pieces gluing them together with gorilla glue. Does any one see any major drawbacks to this technique? Also, the originals were cedar I think. Is that the best wood to make these from?
Thanks for any input you can give me.
Bp

 

[dkulze]

Western Red Cedar or Spruce work great. Tend to rot slowly.

 

[Andrew]

bp,

Polyurethane glue (your Gorilla Glue) is fine. It'll foam out so be prepared to clean up the joint line after a day or so. The new Titebond III will work just as well, stronger and is easier cleanup and no foaming. Either way is good though. Make yourself a tennon on one part and a mortise on the other so lining them up will be easier when you stick them together.

Another option, if you can arrange it, is to just make yourself a fixed tailstock 48" from your headstock. It can be as simple as just a 2x4 in a vice on a workbench that has a large nail pounded through it at the same height as the headstock drive center. For more ease of mounting and unmounting the woodturned piece your working on (not to mention a way to "tighten down" the tailstock center), you can substitute that nail with a bolt with it's end filed down to a point. Fit an appropriately sized nut in that 2x4 tailstock board and screw your bolt in and out of it.

What's that you say? What about actually turning that extra 12" that you don't have lathe bed (and can't get the toolrest to float in mid air to boot) for? Just turn the first 36" (actually more like 39" or more depending on how long your toolrest is); flip the piece end-for-end and work the remaining 12" (now) next to the headstock.

Just a few more options if you want,

 

[Bruceyp]

Thanks for the help

Thanks y'all for the inf. Red cedar or spruce. titebond III may be a better bet than the gorilla glue.
But Andrew, you are obviously more daring than I am. Your description of a temporary tailstock sounds a bit "iffy" for me. I have donesome of those Iffy" things. Some worked better than others. Some let go at rather inappropriate times.(I once turned a 48" disk on the outboard end of my lathe. When I turned it on it was fine. But the first time I turned it off the motor stopped before the disk did. It unscrewed itself off the spindle and went bounding across my basement.) I made sure that didn't happen twice!
I did see another thread that was addressed to owners of the same lathe that i have, 3520 powermatic, and asked if anyone had a bed extension that i could borrow/rent.

 

[Andrew]

Thanks y'all for the inf. Red cedar or spruce. titebond III may be a better bet than the gorilla glue.

Cypress is also a good choice. Frankly, depending on what kind of finish the newell will have, you can use about anything and it'll last for 20 years or more.

But Andrew, you are obviously more daring than I am. Your description of a temporary tailstock sounds a bit "iffy" for me. I have donesome of those Iffy"

There's nothing "iffy" about it if you keep things solid, strong and not allow it to move around on you. We're just talking about simple spindle turning here. I'm young and crazy but not stupid. As long as it's built well, it's a great way to extend the length of the lathe. And for long, permanent, production types of items, a permanent tailstock mounted to a wall (or similar solid object) has been used for a long time in woodturning.

Hope it works out for you,

 

[Jim Carroll]

Bruce I would have to agree with andrew on this one, all you are doing is supporting the tailstock. As long as the support is rigid enough and level with the bed you will have no problems. The main turning is done over the bed of the lathe and your capitol if it has one is done at the headstock end. Generally these are not turned at any great speed. Make sure the spur drive has a good grip in the timber and on the tailstock end I use a live center with a pin and ring to have better grip. I dont like using a cone centre as there is not enough grip.

 

[Mort]

If the newell post is to be painted I suggest poplar(sp). The wood turns great for spindles, is good for 20 + years, little to no sanding, takes and holds crisp details and is reasonable in price.