Turning Chair Legs questions

[kelLOGg]

I have a neighbor who picked up a chair with missing legs from a swap shop. I offered to make square legs because I have never turned wood on a lathe but I the more I thought about it, I decided round legs are a better choice because the legs are screw-on and a square leg would probably end up mis-aligned and look bad. My question is - when should the hole be drilled in the leg to receive the mounting bolt? (3/8" - 16 threaded rod). My plan is to drill the hole in the blank, epoxy the rod in place and mount the rod in the lathe for turning. This way the rod would be perfectly parallel to the leg center. Can a threaded rod be inserted in a wood lathe for turning? If not, what is the best plan? The legs are 10" long and ~2.25" at the big end and an example from another chair is shown below.

 

[Mike Davis]

Drill the hole in the leg on the lathe so it is centered, mount a small block in the lathe, drill a hole in the block with the lathe running so it is perfectly centered, screw the bolt into the leg (epoxy if needed), screw the leg into the small wood block, turn the leg.

 

[kelLOGg]

Okay. That's pretty straightforward if the lathe I have access to has a chuck big enough. Another issue I need addressed is that the wood to be turned is white oak which is rather hard. That is the only choice I have and I have glued 3/4" pieces together to make a 2.25" square blank. Any comments on turning that? I plan to cut the edges off to make it sort of octagonal.

 

[Mike Davis]

White oak is very easy to turn. It’s not as hard as you might expect.

 

[kelLOGg]

Good news! Thanks.

 

[Mike Davis]

You are welcome to visit and I will be happy to help. I’m sure my big lathe can handle a chair leg. I may even have some 3’ white oak blanks ready to turn. I seem to remember buying some oak for bourbon cups, the oak was not suitable for cups but should do nicely for chair legs.

 

[kelLOGg]

That’s a very nice offer. Someone has offered help with the lathe at my retirement home in Durham and if that doesn’t work out I’ll be in touch.

 

[kelLOGg]

All turned out very nicely. I will stain tomorrow when the epoxy holding in the bolts sets.
Thanks for your comments and offer, Mike,

 

[kelLOGg]

I applied 2 coats of black stain according to instructions - last coat was 12 hours ago. The legs feel dry but the black color slightly rubbed off onto my hand. Instructions say to let dry for 8 hours - I waited 12.

The stain is penetrating so I was surprised that there was pigment sediment in the bottom of the can and required stirring ala instructions. I this the cause of the rub-off onto my hands?

 

[Mike Davis]

I would give it a few days then coat with your varnish of choice.

 

[kelLOGg]

Thanks. You’ve been a great help, Mike!!

 

[Mike Davis]

I think you may have gone a little thick on the coverage.
Always better to ply several thin coats, dries faster and more evenly.
Sometimes I will pour a little into a soup can and thin with mineral spirits or in winter time I will thin with naphtha.

 

[danmart77]

Next time use a dye not oil stain. It dries quickly and it doesn't come off on your hand.

 

[kelLOGg]

I think I did apply too much because 2 days after application I could rub it, and even though it was dry, the stain would lightly coat my fingers. I have never had good results with stain that requires stirring to suspend the pigment that has settled to the bottom of the can. If I had closely read the directions I would not have used it. Dan, I have never used dye but I will remember that recommendation.
So, I got a can of black spray lacquer and put a light coat on the legs and POW! - problem solved in minutes. The legs looked great - I could rub and rub with no stained fingers - and I am off to deliver them to my neighbor in the next few hours. Thaks for all the comments.