Spun a few tops

[Mike Davis]

Pam wanted some tops for gifts, so I dashed off a few.

Five walnut and two spalted sycamore.

 

[Bryan S]

I like those Mike. I tried a spinning top when I had the goodwill lathe, but I could not pull it off.

 

[Mike Davis]

I just figured out an easier way to do them today. Made all those in two hours. The last three were my new way and cut the time in half. Messed up four doing it my first method which was not very simple nor easy. Could do eight an hour now.

 

[ashley_phil]

Those look cool. Care to share your new trick?

 

[Sealeveler]

Those look cool. Care to share your new trick?

Those look great.Would like to know the trick too.
Tony

 

[Mike Davis]

I started turning between centers, I thought I needed the support for stem. But this caused a lot of problems for me. Then I was turning two at a time and they were working ok but I had to trim the ends each time and that took extra time.

Now I just mount a block in the chuck and turn the whole thing with a 3/8 spindle gouge. I turn the bottom first and get a perfectly centered point then turn the body and finally the stem. I have a 2x2x3/4 inch waste block left over at the end, but save time and get a better balance.

No great secrets and maybe that's the way everybody else does it already, but I didn't have any instructions and had to find my way from scratch.

 

[ashley_phil]

that's a good idea to use the chuck i've always turned on centers. had to to drill a couple out an put in stems when they've broken before.

 

[mark2]

Those looks like a great way to spend time both in the shop and on the desk, table or floor with help from the grandkids.......