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How to Use Your RIDGID Wood Lathe (continued)
Making Long Taper Cuts
Long taper cuts are made like long con-
vex cuts, with the skew or gouge. How-
ever, the angle between the cutting edge
and handle is kept constant during the
entire cut. The handle is not swung
around. Always cut downhill. Do not cut
too deeply at the center of the taper.
How To Handle Spindle Turnings
Plotting The Shape
Once the basic cuts have been mastered,
you are ready to turn out finished work.
The first step is to prepare a plan for the
proposed turning. This can be laid out on
a suitable sheet of paper - and should be
to full size. Next, prepare the turning stock
by squaring it up to the size of the largest
square or round section in your plan. The
stock can be cut to the exact length of the
proposed turning; but, in most cases, it is
best to leave the stock a little long at one
or both ends to allow for trimming.
Mount the stock in the lathe, and rough it
off to a maximum size cylinder. Now
project your plan onto the turning by
marking the various critical dimensions
along the length of the spindle in pencil.
These dimensions can be laid out with an
ordinary ruler - or by using a template.
Make the pencil marks about 1/2-in. long -
they will then be visible when the work is
revolved under power, and can be quickly
traced around the spindle by touching
each line with the pencil.
After marking, use the parting tool to
make sizing cuts at all of the important
shoulders. When learning, you will find it
best to make many sizing cuts to accu-
rately plot the various diameters; but
experienced workers can do with a few
such cuts at the important shoulders. Plan
each sizing cut so that it is in waste stock;
and make each deep enough so that
there will be just enough wood left under
the cut for the finishing process. Once the
sizing cuts have been run in, rough-out
the excess wood with a gouge - then pro-
ceed with the finishing process by making
the various types of cuts required.
NOTE: All Measurements In Inches
Tenon
14-1/4
2-3/4 2-1/4 3-5/8
1-3/8
1-1/2
1-1/3
1-5/8
2-1/4
1
1-11/16
1-7/8
1-5/8
2-3/16
1-9/16
1-1/4
2
Sizing Cuts