Newbie question -turning without the tailstock

[lee85]

Just practising cuts and getting aquatinted with my first lathe the record power dml320 . I have been following YouTube videos for basics however I'm thrown by one aspect . Currently practising turning mushrooms but when it comes to the nub the tailstock is removed and the end is rounded by being supported on the headstock spindle. I have 4 prong drive centre however this will not support the piece whilst turning am I right in thinking that the 4 prong drive centre is removed and I lathe down the diameter of th wood to fit into the centre of the faceplate.

 

[flh801978]

A screw chuck would suffice for doing mushrooms or a chuck of any other description
Turning a morse taper to place the work in the headstock hole would be very wasteful in wood
Ian

 

[nev]

You'll need a different method of holding the wood as mentioned. A chuck will be on your future shopping list.

If you have a faceplate, make your own screw chuck by putting a course wood screw through some ply etc. make it flat though not cupped as in the picture.

You will still need to keep the tailstock up to support the work. Removing the tailstock only when you need to do the final gentle cuts to remove the 'nub'.

If you only have the prong drive at the moment you can still create your mushroom. Make your mushroom an inch or so shorter than your wood and leave a good nub at the tailstock end. shape your mushroom but leave wood at the TS to support your work, reducing the nub gradually as it gets in the way. When you get to the last cm or so ...

turn the lathe off and simply saw the nub of with a fine saw (jr. hacksaw) and sand to finish.

 

[lee85]

Chuck ordered[THUMBS UP SIGN]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Or mount a disc of scrap wood to your faceplate and hot melt your blank to it. Turn and part off. If you're using a really nice wood you waste next to nothing.

 

[Honest John]

+1 for hot melt glue. I have several chucks, but good old hot melt glue is the turners best friend. If you have no experience of it, I guarantee it's bond is way stronger than you imagine, and as Phil says it will save a good deal of nice wood as you will loose very little in parting off.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Actually what I've often done is to turn a small cylinder of scrap, hot melt that to a wooden faceplate, then hot melt the work piece to that - It gives better access to the bottom and less waste again.