# Turning a spindle even?



## DavePowers (Jun 8, 2006)

Ok, I am turning knitting needles and have completed several set but I am having problems with getting same diameter along the length. Any suggestions? I have the same problem when turning larger diameter spindles also.

Dave


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

I am not much of a spindle turner but when I do I use a skew and also a spindle steady so that there is no flexing of the piece. Also when I sand a spindle I use a piece of mdf so that when sanding I have a perfectly flat surface against the piece. Any flexing will give a uneven surface. Don't know if this will help or not.


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## crquack (Oct 10, 2008)

Do you mean you are getting tapers? Is your tailstock lined up with the headstock correctly? The centre of the headstock spindle should be identical to the centre of the tailstock.


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## DavePowers (Jun 8, 2006)

I get hour glass's or ribs.


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## Ray H (Nov 22, 2008)

There is an exelent artical by David Reed Smith on turning kintting neddles in "Spring 2009 Issue #21" of the "Wodturning Design" magazine. 

Ray H.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Whilst I've never attempted knitting needles, I do have difficulty making any spindle a constant diameter. Next time I'll try Bernie's tip.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Turning knitting needles!! pleas someone post a pic I would love to see them!! Sorry guys but I have 0 experience when it comes to turning. 

Last summer I was in Elk Hart, Indiana and went with my brother-in-law to a crafts place and some guy has turned a baseball bat that was hollow and had lots of Dremel type work in it that is he had a design of holes in it. How did he do that?!

In the same shop was a wood vase that stood 3' high and 18" in diameter all out of a piece of walnut. Did he just make sawdust out of the rest of was he able to salvage some of the walnut??


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## DavePowers (Jun 8, 2006)

Here are 4 that I have turned.


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## DavePowers (Jun 8, 2006)

They are 9 1/4 inches long and 5.5 and 6.5 mm thick.


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## PfBEN (Mar 4, 2009)

I spend my turning life "between the centers". I would suggest to you to find a copy of Dennis White's Video series. Mr. White is to me the finest spindle turner ever. His video's are a no nonsense tutorial on turning. I am a professional architectural woodturner and I return to Mr. White teaching over and over. I believe the first DVD deals with Between the center work. Good luck Enjoy the trip.


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## philland (Oct 3, 2008)

DavePowers said:


> Ok, I am turning knitting needles and have completed several set but I am having problems with getting same diameter along the length. Any suggestions? I have the same problem when turning larger diameter spindles also.
> 
> Dave


the LOML wanted me to make her some wooden knitting needles and that is very frustrating. I hate to tell you that I went down to Lowes and got a dowel the right diameter, put in in a pencil sharpener and glued on a cap on the other end after she showed me exactly how long to make them. 

I know that that doesn't answer your question well, but . . .


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