Turning a Saucer

[Birdhunter]

I finished turning a “cup” out of lemon wood. It has a 5” OD and is about 6” tall. I’m making a “saucer” out of Royal Ebony that will be 6” OD.

I’ve trued up both sides of the Royal Ebony disk which is 1.5” thick and glued a 2” by 2” round stub to what will be the convex side. I plan to to turn the concave side using the stub to chuck on.

I’m not sure how to chuck the saucer to cut the convex side.

Any suggestions?

 

[thudchkr]

I would start between centers using a friction drive on the headstock. Turn it down till there is just a nub on the tailstock side. The nub can removed bu placing the piece in a cole jaw set, (Nova chucks), or Jumbo jaw set, (Oneway chucks). A vacuum Chuck could be used if have one as well.  (Use care with a vacuum chuck as a thin item such as a saucer could end up cracking if their is too much vacuum.)

Alternatively one could just remove the nub by hand.

Good luck.

 

[jeffinsgf]

If you're planning on turning frequently, I would look into a vacuum chuck. It is the easiest and fastest way to reverse turn. I have a close friend in Marietta who is a professional turner and has written a couple articles on setting up vacuum chucks. I could get you two in contact, if you think it is something you would like. Beyond the vacuum, Nick is a great teacher and mentor.

 

[Michael Kellough]

A vacuum chuck is very nice but I’m not sure how to get the saucer exactly centered (or that it’s critical to do so on a saucer).

Cole jaws are used to hold pieces like this.

 

[jeffinsgf]

A vacuum church is very nice but I’m not sure how to get the saucer exactly centered (or that it’s critical to do so on a saucer).
...

Typically your first mounting method will have a center mark. When you reverse your piece on the vacuum chuck you bring the tailstock up and align the center mark to that. That will get you close. Then, check, partitally release the vacuum, adjust, re-check and repeat until your project is turning true.

 

[Birdhunter]

Thanks everyone.