Why so little spindle turning?

[David Somers]

So....this is a simple matter of curiosity.

I saw todays photo of the day and it was a pen set. Very nice by the way. That got me thinking about how little spindle work I see from AAW members?

I will be the first to admit that my imagination was caught by bowls and hollow forms, not spindle turning, so I have almost no experience with spindle work. Is that the case with the rest of us as well or are you folks doing a fair amount of spindle work and just not posting it for some reason? Or are the vast hordes of spindle turners drawn to an organization other than AAW, leaving us as a kind of defacto American Association of People Who Turn Stuff on Faceplates? (AAPWTSF for short)

Just curious,

Signed...

Curious in Hawaii
(Dave)

 

[MichaelMouse]

It's all spinning wood and stationary steel when you come down to it. "Hollow forms" are certainly cut in spindle orientation, as are goblets, ornaments, pens, vases ("weed pots") and boxes.

Unless you're doing period furniture from a period which liked turned legs, or perhaps redoing a staircase, you won't turn many "pure-D" spindles I suppose. Is that what you mean, rather than just spinning along the grain?

 

[Malcolm Smith]

It's just one turners view but I make a point of doing some spindle turning as I find it adds to over all turning technique. The technique is quite different. Perhaps others do the same.

It's certainly true that, other than pen turning, spindle turning is mostly a commercial activity. This seems unfortunate.

Malcolm Smith.

 

[David Somers]

It's all spinning wood and stationary steel when you come down to it. "Hollow forms" are certainly cut in spindle orientation, as are goblets, ornaments, pens, vases ("weed pots") and boxes.

Unless you're doing period furniture from a period which liked turned legs, or perhaps redoing a staircase, you won't turn many "pure-D" spindles I suppose. Is that what you mean, rather than just spinning along the grain?

That's what I was wondering about MichaelMouse. Other than the occaisional pen, the vast amount of work I see being posted here (and discussed on the Forums) is ultimately faceplate work of some sort; Open Bowls, Hollow Forms, boxes, and variants of those usually involving carving or coloring or off center turning techniques. You rarely see anything posted that was turned between centers for the whole process... traditional "spindle turning" if you will. (not counting your technique for hollowing an open bowl between centers of course, and the odd set of pens now and then.) I suppose most of the folks who do this type of work are doing architectural work primarily, but you would think there would be a modest number of "hobbiests" and serious amateurs among us engaging in this tradition. The popularity of Allan Lacer's signature skew and his Skew Videos being some evidence of that. Where is all this work folks are producing after they get their skews and videos in hand?

As I said before....although it hasn't picqued my interest enough for me to pursue traditional spindle turning I have always been delighted watching someone who has mastered the Skew have at a piece of wood. And I was hoping to cajole folks among us who do that kind of work, big and small, to share a bit more of it.

On an unrelated note.....I came into the office a short while ago to prepare for some installations I need to do Monday...and I found the bulk of the park closed (Hawaii Volcanoes National Park that is.) Turns out we have a big swarm of mid sized earthquakes occurring along a line running from the main caldera of Kilauea to the site of the current eruption, called Pu'u O'o. If past performance is to be trusted this will stop after a few more hours, but, it could lead to some excitement if we are lucky!!! (where else in the world can you live where people route for volcanic eruptions in their backyards!)

If any of you are volcano fans, here is the park's web site. The second address will show you a current map of quakes in the park. Keep an eye on it and see what happens! The 3rd address is the home page for the US Gelogic Survey's Hawaii Volcano Observatory located inside the park on the edge of the main caldera. If I show up at the Symposium wearing what appears to be a body cast made of poured black rock you will know past performance was not a reliable indicator! <grin>

http:\\www.nps.gov\havo
http://tux.wr.usgs.gov/Maps/155.25-19.5.html
http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/

Dave

 

[john lucas]

David I have turned quite a few spindles in the last 2 weeks but I doubt anyone wants to see replacement spindles for an antique. I have also turned the handles for 10 hand mirrors today. I also turn a paper joint project to replace some missing parts on an antique spindle.
Of course most of use post things we are proud of like our latest box or hollow vessel or christmas ornament. Of course you can put a finial on the box or hollow vessel which is basically spindle turning. The finials for my ornaments are spindle turning. When I do inside-out turning It's mostly done as a spindle project.

 

[George Guadiane]

On an unrelated note.....I came into the office a short while ago to prepare for some installations I need to do Monday...and I found the bulk of the park closed (Hawaii Volcanoes National Park that is.) Turns out we have a big swarm of mid sized earthquakes occurring along a line running from the main caldera of Kilauea to the site of the current eruption, called Pu'u O'o. If past performance is to be trusted this will stop after a few more hours, but, it could lead to some excitement if we are lucky!!! (where else in the world can you live where people route for volcanic eruptions in their backyards!)
Dave

My wife has all of those links in her favorites, we have been there several times and really enjoy it. She checks the "progress" about every other day or so.
Thanks for the heads up!
G

 

[n7bsn]

odd, you should mention it... I made a meat smasher for SWBMO out of some apple just today (finished it, came in and grabbed the computer), project before this was an alder mallet for myself, next is an apple "something", between centers.

I guess I'm on a spindle turn binge.

BTW, one of the guys in the local chapter just did 100 balusters.

 

[Richard Baker]

What's a spindle?

Oh yeah, must be those beautiful finials we see on boxes and ornaments. Findles, or spinials?

 

[almather]

I do mostly spindle turning, and am just now getting into bowls or vessels. One of the main reasons was that the lathe I inherited was a spindle lathe, and also I knew as a beginner I could not compete in the market with experienced bowl people. This week I am doing an order of knitting needles, some mushrooms, and will do some inside-out stuff both for orders and up coming craft shows.

I would also like to second what someone else has already commented on, I believe that I will be a 'well rounded' turner eventually, and I credit this to, God, first of all, as the giver of gifts to men, and to getting a lathe that limited my 'bowls size', a desire to figure out what I could do on this lathe and could market. While not claiming to be a master with the skew I feel competent. Getting into production items has been a big help - doing the same cut over and over, and trying to make it better. I'm still trying.

Lastly, I don't see the 'big' money in spindle pieces. They are my bread and butter work. A goodly amount of my spindle items cost the same or less than a small bowl. But they do add up!

Al

 

[uncleSteve]

It's all spinning wood and stationary steel when you come down to it. "Hollow forms" are certainly cut in spindle orientation, as are goblets, ornaments, pens, vases ("weed pots") and boxes.

Unless you're doing period furniture from a period which liked turned legs, or perhaps redoing a staircase, you won't turn many "pure-D" spindles I suppose. Is that what you mean, rather than just spinning along the grain?

Don't forget split turnings and waste lost turnings also. I turned hundreds of chair, table and bed parts over the last 39 years on a 1/2hp Powercraft my dad purchased for me on my 14 birthday. Some where along the way lost the face plate and did not do anything else until Jan. when I purchased a new Powermatic. Having so much fun making bowls and hollow forms I hope I don't see any new spindle work for a long time to come.

My nephew is now the proud owner of an antique Montgomery Wards wood lathe and set of carbon steel tools that are a little short from all the sharping.

 

[David Somers]

So......seems folks are kind of making my point for me.....there are folks doing spindle work among our AAW members. Perhaps more than I might have guessed.

Now....how about showing off your work a little? Maybe not every chair leg and knitting needle you have done.....but surely there are pieces you finish and are proud of. A chair leg you replaced that came out great, perhaps a cabriolet leg for a table that you are proud of? A set of knitting needles or whatever else just tickled you with the way it came out. Or maybe it wasn't the best work you've done, but it did represent a breakthrough for you in understanding or ability....a jump in your skill level that we all experience when things click. Show it off and talk about it a bit so we know what went into it. That's what the gallery and forums seem to be about....sharing successes, asking for help, and helping others. Post them puppies and crow a little about the spindle stuff just like you would the face plate stuff.

For those following the magma drama I mentioned earlier in this post.....no real change in the earthquake levels here yet. Looks like we had a bunch in the range of 3.0 to 4.0 in the last few hours but I didn't notice them at the house. Of course, we had folks over for dinner and with all the laughter I am not sure we would have noticed a 6! The map of quakes is looking mighty crowded as of 11pm Hawaiian Time. No Magma has broken to the surface yet, and odds are good it won't, but it is still exciting!!!

Dave

 

[MichaelMouse]

Monkey Wards?

I know you didn't pass on a Monky Wards lathe like my first, a 14" swing stamped steel and plastic abomination with a universal motor. Don't think it would have lasted that long. I bought it to turn some legs (spindles) for a couple of tables I was building, and actually signed up for an IE course in woods to learn to turn. Made the tables and some stools with bandsawn square legs as my projects. It was the faceplate that got me. I turned a bowl of sorts, and it was a rattling mess to work with. Four years later I recieved a large TDY check and was given permission to buy the Delta.

Which goes to the Delta of the Mississippi to my eldest son in N.O.. That lathe will go on to one of his boys if he cares for it. Did tuition for four and still swinging!

EDIT David, put the skew down and use a chisel. It'll do all a skew will do and more, learning's easier, and sanding unnecessary on spindle work.

 

[Keith T.]

Dave, I believe the opportunity to create "art" is what's driving the woodturning phenomenon. Bowls and hollow forms are perceived to be exciting, while spindle turnings are utilitarian in nature. Bowls and hollow forms are also much easier to "personalize", adding touches that make our work uniquely our own. Usually, spindle turners strive to duplicate previous designs, such as duplicating Windsor chair legs, etc....not as much room for creativity.

 

[Sky]

Last year I turned 250 Dowels (spindles) to plug dowel holes in recycled lumber from an old Railroad roundhouse (from the civil war era) which was being used to build a 14,000 sq. foot house. They varied in size from 3/4" to 2 3/8" diameter 16" long. Wouldn't be very exciting photos.

 

[hockenbery]

great spinle work is out there

I admire the archetectural turnings by folks like
Temple Blackwood, Myron Curtis, and others.

I think an Alan Leland stool is a work of art.

Mark Sfirri has made quite a mark in the art world with spindles he just can't seem to get them straight

Next year's AAW show is

Turned for use II

Expect to see some terrific spindle work.

Happy Turning,
Al

 

[Leo Frilot]

Thanks for the compliment in the first note in this thread.

When I started turning it was all spindle work and have graduated into bowl turning and soon to graduate into hollow forms. What I like to do is incorporate the 2 elements of spindle work and bowls. For example, the Red Mallee compote in my gallery is 3 pieces turned with mortises and tenons to fit into each other. And I do this primarily to conserve wood.

Turning spindles can be very challenging, especially when you start turned beads, coves, captive rings, tapers. Some of the same tools can be used, but there are specialty tools for these turnings that make it a whole lot easier.

 

[drjcbarton]

Hi David,

I have been watching this post with interest. I too, have wondered about the general lack of spindle work but, I can only speculate as to why it's not as popular right now. Here are a couple of pictures of a table I made almost completely on the lathe from some cherry scraps I had leftover from a previous project. I turn as much if not more spindle work than bowls but, can do both. In a way, spindle turning is kind of like taking the "road less traveled" in my opinion. Granted, the table top on this piece is face turning so, I guess this is not purely a spindle project.

 

[john lucas]

Beautiful table. That was one of my first lathe projects many many years ago. I keep thinking I should do another one because I know I would do 100 percent better this time around.
here's my latest spindle turning project. I'm doing some repairs to an antique cabinet. It had turned details and some of the glue had given way and the outer portion of some of the turnings fell off. I'm replacing these for a friend and will be turning some finials for the top of the piece.
This was done with split turnings using glue joints.

 

[Mark Mandell]

Lest We Forget

Just to amplify, a vessel/hollowform [read "jar"] hollowed end-grain IS a spindle turning, start-to-finish.

 

[paulspencer2001]

Spindle Turning

I am new to turning (2 years next month). Most of what I have turned is spindle work, boxes, pens, more pens, ect. I have turned a few bowls, but not a lot of them, ( I only have a MIDI lathe and it limits the size of bowls I can turn and a too small band saw for cutting blanks). I have lately been turning open segmented hollow forms as candle holders. I keep giving them away before I remember to take a picture of them.
I am more a lurker than a poster to most of the forums that I beong to. Not much time between work and kids as to have a whole lot of turning time. Poor health has cut into my turning time, ( to tired when I get home from work). Most of my turning time is on the weekend (if the wife lets me skip some of the honey-do list items around the house, and there is quite a few of them at this time of year).

 

[Paul Engle]

spindle work .... bah humbug waaayyyy too much sanding.. ( cept for baby rattles)

 

[David Somers]

Great Replies everyone! I knew there was lots of work out there.

Now post that stuff. Even the visually uninspiring work like Sky's dowell turnings to make a house from recycled lumber may not make for exciting pictures, but it sure is an interesting project to share when you think about it. No need to post every dowell, but the whole project is really neat!

Share your work!!

And Chips29! Most spidle turners I have watched end up with almost no sanding at all. See if someone can check out your techique! (says I who can use a skew with all the subtley of a 9lb sledge! <grin>)

Here's a quick volcano update. Earthquakes are lessening, as is the rate of deflation on the Kilauea and Pu'uo'o summits. But....early this AM we had a 250m long fissure open and ooze some lava about 6 kilometers away from the Pu'u O'o vent for a few hours! That was exciting to hear! Keep an eye on those web addresses I gave you to see what is up!

Gotta get back to work! Thanks for all the return posts so far everyone!!

Dave

 

[KEW]

I'd have to guess one reason why not much spindle work gets posted is the shape of a typical spindle doesn't fit into the dimensions of a picture too well.
For example, a 9" diameter by 4" tall bowl will fill the 5X3 photo form-factor much better than a 12" by 1.5" diameter spindle.

Cheers, Kurt

 

[john lucas]

Speaking of spindles. I'll be turning 2 dozen wine stopper of the next few days. Those are just short spindles. I also need to turn a lamp which is definitely a spindle turning.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I think that plenty of spindles are being turned, but it is not one of those things that people get too excited about seeing pictures of unless it is in a textbook on spindle turning. I have turned tool handles, walking cane, back scratcher, trinkerts like magnifying glass handle, table legs, practice spindles, rolling pins, writing pens, plugs, bungs, and jam chucks. I haven't taken pictures of most of them. For the most part, my spindles are basic utilitarian things.

 

[MichaelMouse]

Guy with the brown truck and unending supply of dog cookies delivered my 1" straight chisel from Woodworkers' Supply yesterday. All I could do to focus on the preparation for this weekend rather than spindle one up. Been working with a 1/2 for a long time. Intimidatingly small on larger turnings, where this one is actually larger and longer than it needs, at first impression. I feel a candlestand coming up.