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Device for rotating bowl while finish sets

R

Robert Manning

member
Joined
Jun 16, 2009
Messages
202
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2
Location
Southern California
Website
www.californiawoodartist.com
Does anyone have ideas on how to make a simple device for rotating a bowl on a horizontal axis at approximately 15 to 60 RPM while a heavy coat of finish sets up?

It would be nice to use the device while applying the finish by spray or brush as well. I would probably want to mount a chuck on the device as a means to hold the work. It would also be nice to have the versatility to be able to have the axis vertical and then to be able to rotate the axis to horizontal immediately after applying a heavy coat of finish.

The device could be a wind-up, clock weight powered, or electric. Electric would probably be the easiest. It would be nice to be able to adjust the speed, probably from about one revolution per second to one revolution every four or five seconds. Maybe zero to 100 RPM would be better.
 
How about an old turn table? I still have all my vinal records though. Some people do it on their lathes.

robo hippy
 
Well, I suppose that I won't advise you to not apply such heavy coats of finish since you may have a special reason such as using bar top finish.

Ralph uses a rotisserie motor. That sounds like a good idea unless you can find a demented helper who would work for free doing menial boring tasks.

If you have an ice cream freezer, you could "borrow" the motor. Here is a way to connect it to a chuck:
  • Turn a spindle and taper one end to about a half inch. Grind, sand, or whittle that end to a square to fit the socket on the freezer motor.
  • Turn the large end to the outside diameter of the threads on your lathe spindle. Buy a die of the right size to thread that end of the spindle.
  • Soak the threads in some thin CA and then re-thread it when the CA dries.
  • Screw the chuck onto the spindle.
  • If you want to go cheap, forget threading the spindle. Just taper it and then screw the chuck on s far as you can easily go by hand tightening. Mount the bowl and have at it with the spray can or brush.
 
[FONT=&quot]Hey, Robert,
I presume you would like the piece to rotate in a horizontal plane. If it is still chucked (or on a faceplate) on your lathe, and your lathe speed can get down to 50rpm or so via a VFD, you are in business. If no variable speed, and the piece is still on the lathe, I might suggest rummaging around a Salvation Army store (or the like), and buying a BBQ rotisserie drive motor (and the skewer that goes with it). You could then rig up a way to drive the lathe spindle with that setup from the outboard end.
I think those type drives turn at "around" 10rpm ±.
Luck with it,
Gil[/FONT]
 
Bill Boehme said:
Well, I suppose that I won't advise you to not apply such heavy coats of finish since you may have a special reason such as using bar top finish.

Ralph uses a rotisserie motor. That sounds like a good idea unless you can find a demented helper who would work for free doing menial boring tasks.

If you have an ice cream freezer, you could "borrow" the motor. Here is a way to connect it to a chuck:
  • Turn a spindle and taper one end to about a half inch. Grind, sand, or whittle that end to a square to fit the socket on the freezer motor.
  • Turn the large end to the outside diameter of the threads on your lathe spindle. Buy a die of the right size to thread that end of the spindle.
  • Soak the threads in some thin CA and then re-thread it when the CA dries.
  • Screw the chuck onto the spindle.
  • If you want to go cheap, forget threading the spindle. Just taper it and then screw the chuck on s far as you can easily go by hand tightening. Mount the bowl and have at it with the spray can or brush.
Click to expand...

I have been successful spraying a heavy coat of water based lacquer with yours truly as the menial rotating laborer. The stuff sprays on like a corn cob, but levels out pretty nice with a heavy enough coat, if I can keep it from sagging. I'm polishing it later.

I am alsothinking in terms of a catalyzing bar top finish, as well, like the Moulthrops use and they also use a huge rotator contraption with many heads which is in their new book. Their finishes look great.

Bill, I have used your last suggestion as a means of securing a chuck in my shoulder vise to perform off the lathe techniques such as carving, and it was completely secure sans the die, though I didn't taper it. I turned a dowel on the end of a piece of square stock slightly larger than the ID of the chuck threads, and then threaded the chuck all the way 'til it seated against the square.

I like your idea of stabilizing/repairing threaded wood with CA glue and then rethreading.

Guys, my lathe only goes down to 500 RPM with the Reeves and I would like something portable and adjustable and maybe TEFC. Are rotisseries speed adjustable?
 
Robert, something like this gear motor could perhaps be adapted:

https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=3508020523285802&item=5-1691&catname=

If you use a variable voltage DC power supply, I believe you could change the speeds. (Might be something as simple as adding a potentiometer...I'll let someone who knows more about DC circuits chime in on that.)

Another option might be to use one of the 110v AC gear motors they have available. For speed control, I believe a simple router speed control like this one would do the job.

If you search the Surplus Center site for "gear motor", you'll see lots of options for both power (AC or DC) and speed (1/30 rpm to 750 rpm).
 
Rotisserie motor ~5rpm. See #20 (page 2) and #22 (page 3) here: http://www.aawforum.org/vbforum/showthread.php?t=6978

I'll see if I can find some links of the auxiliary drive with pictures. Here's the stand-alone system: http://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/having-ball-volcanoes-66558/ (pictures 4 & 5) I've also used it for spraying captive rings, not completely successful, but posted here someplace, I think.

[I found some links for the auxiliary drive, one with it OFF the lathe, and the other one ON the lathe:

http://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/bodgers-goblet-45586/

http://www.woodworkforums.com/f88/router-lathe-58169/ ]
 
Last edited:
You can easily buy 1 rpm motors and other geared motors from the Surplus center. Ed Lewis in Chattanooga uses epoxy as a finish. He designed a geared box that has 5-1 1/4x20 spindles that all rotate at about 5 rpm. He can apply a heavy coat of epoxy and then installs the bowls on the spindles and lets them dry.
His finishes are really nice and impervious to water. You can abuse them and they really hold up.
 
Vaughn said:
Robert, something like this gear motor could perhaps be adapted:

https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=3508020523285802&item=5-1691&catname=

If you use a variable voltage DC power supply, I believe you could change the speeds. (Might be something as simple as adding a potentiometer...I'll let someone who knows more about DC circuits chime in on that.)
Click to expand...

A potentiometer is not suitable. They are very low power devices meant only to be voltage dividers and not current limiters. In this application they would be more like fast-acting fuses.

Vaughn said:
Another option might be to use one of the 110v AC gear motors they have available. For speed control, I believe a simple router speed control like this one would do the job.
Click to expand...

A router speed controller is not for use with AC motors -- routers use universal motors which are a type of DC motor that can also run on AC because of the brush commutation. The motor in the link is a shaded-pole AC induction motor which will not work with any of the commonly available speed controllers.
 
Thanks Bill !

I'm not the OP, but I want to say how great it is to have truly knowledgable people like you to explain things clearly. It amazes me every day what a wide variety of very bright and generous members we have here.

So, a big THANKS to all who share their specialty with us !
 
Bill Boehme said:
A potentiometer is not suitable. They are very low power devices meant only to be voltage dividers and not current limiters. In this application they would be more like fast-acting fuses.

A router speed controller is not for use with AC motors -- routers use universal motors which are a type of DC motor that can also run on AC because of the brush commutation. The motor in the link is a shaded-pole AC induction motor which will not work with any of the commonly available speed controllers.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the corrections, Bill. 😉 With electrical engineering skills like mine, I'd probably be better suited as a baseball player. 😀
 
Robert,
The people that do make displays in business windows, have all kinds of small motors with a wide range of speeds. All of the 110v.
In my New York city days, I used to get them in surplus outlets in Canal Street.
Check in your area.
Jorge
 
I actually have this same project in the works and the best part is it will cost very little. I picked up a couple used tread mills at the local refuse site. These work great as they are already set up for VS. The motors are 1 hp, and the part that the belt fits on is big enough that it could have 1" threads cut into it. I haven't had the threads cut yet but my brother is a machinist so I will actually have nothing invested in this but my time.

P1010001 (Large).JPG P1010002 (Large).JPG
 
Thanks, Bill and everyone else. The rotiserie seems like the easiest way for the bowls, and thanks for directing me to the AW article, which I had overlooked.

I have a treadmill with a Baldor motor, but I would prefer to fix it to be a treadmill again. The button that increases the speed wore out and it's one of those flat bubble button keypads. I haven't been able to figure out how to isolate the circuit to put a momentary contact switch on it to repair it yet. The manufacturer folded, so a new keypad is not available. It's a shame to see this stuff end up in the landfill when it's really just a very minor repair. Maybe if I got it fixed, I could install a PTO for the bowls.
 
Rotisserie

Bill Boehme-

First thing in the morning have your wife place your lathe so it is straddling the bed. Just have the hospital tray off to your left or right side, your preference. Make the necessary adjustments allowing for a prone or sitting up position in bed. At the end of the day have your wife move the lathe and clean up the shavings. Better than the treatment in a hospital.

Wayne
 
Wayne Spence said:
Bill Boehme-

First thing in the morning have your wife place your lathe so it is straddling the bed. Just have the hospital tray off to your left or right side, your preference. Make the necessary adjustments allowing for a prone or sitting up position in bed. At the end of the day have your wife move the lathe and clean up the shavings. Better than the treatment in a hospital.

Wayne
Click to expand...

Thanks for the great suggestion, Wayne. After giving it some consideration, I have decided not to pass this suggestion along to the wife since I can envision that it might possibly lead to turning from a hospital bed. And, as you said, the treatment at a hospital is not too good. Besides most hospital food is not all that good. And there is also the issue of the immodest turning smock issued by the hospital.
 
HI Robert, The trick to spraying water base lacquer is to first spray a light coat, and allow it to become just a bit tacky. Then, spray a heavy coat. The heavy coat will adhere to the first light coat without running. The heavy coat should have a uniform blue tint while wet...that is a good gauge of proper thickness. The water based material is designed to be sprayed through HVLP equipment. You must sand between coats, and several thinner coats are better than a few heavy coats. Rotating the piece on only one axis won't stop all runs, only in one direction.
 
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