Fruit turning with a difference

[Aled Dafis]

I've just completed this "Half a Lemon" for one of my colleague's A Level students at school. He's making a coffee table based on fruit, it's supposed to be some kind of play on Alessi's Juicy Salif, the "lemon" is 400mm diameter and about 430mm long, laminated from glued up octagons of 75mm wide x 18mm thick pine. The lathe at school doesn't have anywhere near the required capacity over the bed, so I bought it home to turn on my Woodfast.

Had it been me advising the student, I would have laminated rings of nice quality ply and left them natural colour, but my colleague's initial intention that this just be a mould so that the lemon be fibre glassed, unfortunately, time has beaten both my colleague and the student, so this "mould" will now be filled, sanded back and painted bright yellow.

Also, I had asked them to stagger the octagons so that the joints didn't all end up in straight lines!

Anyhow, about an hour and a bit later I had this.

The lathe behaved fantastically, and didn't flinch at turning pretty much at it's capacity, both in diameter and length.

(Needless to say that marks will be deducted for outsourcing the turning)

Cheers
Aled

 

[adidat]

wow thats some weight hanging there, are you using a faceplate?

adidat

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

I was thinking the same thing.

Looks an interesting project.

 

[Woodchips2]

Well done Aled! Brilliant advert for Woodfast :lol:
Regards Keith

 

[Aled Dafis]

wow thats some weight hanging there, are you using a faceplate?

adidat

Yes it's screwed onto a 6" faceplate and was also supported at the tailstock throughout the turning. Yes it's quite heavy, I'd guess around 15-20kg. I shudder to think how heavy it would be if it were solid.

I'll post further pictures when the coffee table is done.

Cheers
Aled

 

[spasm]

well done,

Aled The lathe does look as if you pushed it to the limits, question have you altered the lathe as the motor looks to be in the wrong place.

rob

 

[Aled Dafis]

Hi Rob, as far as I'm aware, the motor is where it was designed to go, but I bought the machine second hand, and it had been upgraded with a 1.5Hp Speed Genie Variable speed drive which is excellent, although when going full tilt, I can quite easily stall the machine. :? :shock: :? That probably says more about me than the machine though. :wink:

Yes it's right at it's capacity, but to be honest it didn't flinch!

I'm not sure what the history of the machine is, but it had a very low centre height, could it be designed for wheelchair users? I've since mounted it on 12" RSJ "feet", bringing the centre height to just above elbow level (when I've brushed the floor). My plan over the summer is to fill the gap between the feet with concrete to add a little more mass and stability as the feet aren't quite as stable as they should be and it tends to wobble if I hit a resonant frequency with off centre pieces, a barrow full of concrete and some scrap steel should sort that out!

Cheers
Aled

 

[gregmcateer]

Nice one, old fruit :lol:

Looks and sounds like that was fun!