# Ornamental Wood Turning



## gemma.laming (May 1, 2011)

I don't know if my intro worked or not. While my dinner is in the oven, I will give a brief overview of my needs. 

I have been struggling with the idea of making a router lathe, but one that has a little more functionality than the usual. I would like to make it not only a copy-follower but also give it the ability to turn eccentric forms such as hexagons, octagons and other patterns. I believe the machine in question is a rosette lathe, I saw one in Sweden many years ago, but I would like to make more formal shapes than just the frilly things that seem the norm. 

I have the necessary experience and patience to make such a machine, but not a great deal of money. 

Does anyone know of any plans or have any suggestions for me? 

Thankyou for any help you might suggest! Best wishes, Gemma


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI Gemma

If you are good with your hand you can copy the one below it will do all the things you listed..

Legacy Woodworking

Legacy Woodworking

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gemma.laming said:


> I don't know if my intro worked or not. While my dinner is in the oven, I will give a brief overview of my needs.
> 
> I have been struggling with the idea of making a router lathe, but one that has a little more functionality than the usual. I would like to make it not only a copy-follower but also give it the ability to turn eccentric forms such as hexagons, octagons and other patterns. I believe the machine in question is a rosette lathe, I saw one in Sweden many years ago, but I would like to make more formal shapes than just the frilly things that seem the norm.
> 
> ...


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## gemma.laming (May 1, 2011)

Thanks for your speedy response, Bob.

I have seen the machine you allude to, but when I saw it last I had a lot less money than I do now! There are a few issues with it however, and these are that (1) it doesn't have a facility to do copy following along the length of the turning and (2) there is no possibility to do non-circular machining, which routers seem to me to be the most sensible thing to use for this purpose. 

I have tried turning octagons on a rosette lathe, but it is very hard to do and you need razor sharp chisels. I liked the idea of being able to use the rotating tool of a router to achieve the same effect. 

Any ideas? 

Thanks again for taking the time to reply to my post, Gem


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi
The lower end router lathes can copy all day long..octagons are easy on the machine below. both come with a locking indexing head.
You can see many snapshots of the two I have in my uploads 
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## gemma.laming (May 1, 2011)

Bob, that's great!!! Thanks for the photos, I have taken the liberty of downloading them, I hope you don't mind. 

Can I push the boat out a little further and ask if you have any ideas of how you might manage a circular copying facility - I mean instead of using a (I can't think of quite the right word at the moment, it is eleven o'clock at night here in NL!) dividing head for the octagons, etc, but allowing the head to move after a pattern? 

I do like the chuck on your machine, it is very practical. I hope you haven't patented it! 

Thanks again, I will be in touch further tomorrow. Gemma


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## jlord (Nov 16, 2009)

gemma.laming said:


> Bob, that's great!!! Thanks for the photos, I have taken the liberty of downloading them, I hope you don't mind.
> 
> Can I push the boat out a little further and ask if you have any ideas of how you might manage a circular copying facility - I mean instead of using a (I can't think of quite the right word at the moment, it is eleven o'clock at night here in NL!) dividing head for the octagons, etc, but allowing the head to move after a pattern?
> 
> ...


Is the word you are looking for "An indexing Head"


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## gemma.laming (May 1, 2011)

Thanks, James! I think that is the right term for the tool. Gem


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

The router can do the same as a normal lathe, circular copying is a little harder but the router can do all the work with a step block for the patterns cuts and the router bit will do the rest of the work..
You would mount the stock to the lathe with a sub.block on the head and a longer rod going to the tail stock..on a dowel rod so to speak...I have not done it but want to try it one day.. 

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gemma.laming said:


> Bob, that's great!!! Thanks for the photos, I have taken the liberty of downloading them, I hope you don't mind.
> 
> Can I push the boat out a little further and ask if you have any ideas of how you might manage a circular copying facility - I mean instead of using a (I can't think of quite the right word at the moment, it is eleven o'clock at night here in NL!) dividing head for the octagons, etc, but allowing the head to move after a pattern?
> 
> ...


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## gemma.laming (May 1, 2011)

*Routing on a Conventional Lathe*

I agree that this is possible, though you would have to be careful of the higher turning speeds of the workpiece. Most woodworking lathes do not have the very slow turning speeds that a metalworking machine will have for thread cutting. 

Unless of course you are using a pole lathe!  



bobj3 said:


> Hi
> 
> The router can do the same as a normal lathe, circular copying is a little harder but the router can do all the work with a step block for the patterns cuts and the router bit will do the rest of the work..
> You would mount the stock to the lathe with a sub.block on the head and a longer rod going to the tail stock..on a dowel rod so to speak...I have not done it but want to try it one day..
> ...


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## gemma.laming (May 1, 2011)

Hi everyone - especially Bob and James,
thanks for your help. I have had the brainwave I needed, and will be constructing soon, unless of course some person comes along and wants their entire house painted. 

I will let you know what goes on and any preliminary sketches etc. 

Essentially I needed to combine the eccentric and longitudinal movements but I could not think of a way to do it, which I now have. When I have made it, there will probably be a more elegant solution, but for now I have a start. 

Happy routing, happy woodworking, Gem


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## jlord (Nov 16, 2009)

Hi Gemma, 
Here are some links to look at. Maybe get some ideas as to parts you need.

Custom Rose Engine & Ornamental lathe - design, construction

RoseEngine

Home

rose engine lathe - Google Search

http://www.google.com/search?q=rout...AKOyaiDAw&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQ&biw=1068&bih=841

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ7NYL0HnsQ

http://www.google.com/search?q=rout...8A9HQiAL7l_moAw&ved=0CGIQsAQ&biw=1068&bih=841


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## gemma.laming (May 1, 2011)

James, this is an amazing machine! Thankyou for the link. 

I am making something quite different, but the technology will be pretty well the same and the ideas he has are very welcome. All inspiration is welcome, it is not an easy task thinking out things that do not seem to have been done before. 

Gemma xx


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## gemma.laming (May 1, 2011)

*Thankyou for the link!*

James, this is an amazing machine! Thankyou for the link. 

I am making something quite different, but the technology will be pretty well the same and the ideas he has are very welcome. All inspiration is welcome, it is not an easy task thinking out things that do not seem to have been done before. 

Gemma xx


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## brucenelson (Jan 7, 2012)

Gemma:
Search the forum ROUTER TURNING and find Dick in IA who has a thread on a complete shop designed and built machine similar to what you want. Also look at Shopnotes issue #115 about their Spiral Router Milling Machine.


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## gemma.laming (May 1, 2011)

Hi Bruce, thanks for the tips. 

I have not been idle in the mean time, but haven't got as far as making a lathe yet. Several other contraptions - and a small number of oddments that might come in useful when making the thing. 

I still hit the problem that with an oscillating head and swinging arm with the workpiece attached, the lateral movement is the same as you approach the centre as when you are at the periphery. Hence you get distortions. What I need is some kind of linkage that reduces the movement as the machine gets closer to the centre of the workpiece. 

I am going to have a go with some pieces of cardboard to see if I can invent a sensible reducing lever. Not easy when the router is spitting out all that dust!


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