On Fri, 3 Jun 2005 15:07:57 -0400, "George" george@least wrote:

Been taking time away from the garden and household chores to turn all the
oversize stuff I had around. Computed 400mm capacity and figured out why my
sixteen always seemed too big, and since have been working with a max
slightly less than the 15 3/4, with a flat at the end grain to compensate
for my 15 1/2" drill press. The sides will contract anyway, so nothing
lost.

She has never complained about chunks being a bit out of balance
accidentally or even deliberately. I find myself getting lazy, though, and
leaving the set at 360 RPM even when hollowing. Got into the lazy habit
from the old one, where the minimum was close to 700. I've slipped the belt
a few times, but never gronked the 1 HP (14amp?????) motor.

Anyway, after weeding, and in and around washing and hanging two loads of
laundry this morning, I turned a leftover piece of my gift cherry measuring
13x11x7. Turned it bark up, even though the bark was loose, and was
delighted to find that even this out-of-balance by design chunk stayed
smooth and centered throughout. At a quarter inch thick, it'll be ready to
finish in a week or so, but I also have nearly 25 "chamber pots" as the
family calls them, of 14" in stages from ready to soaking wet that I've
cut since she arrived in March.

She's a peach! Glad I took the chance. I see a lot of folks with money
upgrading and advertising them for sale. None as good a deal as the one I
got so far, but not outrageous. Good thought for someone itching to turn
something larger in diameter.

glad that you're enjoying the Nova experience, George...
I looked (very briefly) at 16" lathes, but figured that going from a 9" to a 14
was skipping enough steps and putting a big enough ding in the cash reserves..

I have to put a shelf in and load it up with green logs... I put a 2 foot log
that was about 12" dia. and very wet on the 1442 last night and we were laughing
at how it kept walking out the garage door and I had to keep getting my wife to
help me drag it back in.. lol

I have to say, though, that the same log or one a bit smaller would have thrown
my mini into the next state and set up a rattle and roll on the shopsmith that
would wake the dead..

It was ok, once I got the bark off and trued it up... I would normally either
cut a blank or trim it round on the band saw, but last night was kind of a (I
hope) worst case test.. I'll see how I feel later tonight, after doing about 14"
or 16" of end grain cutting to make her that vase she wants...

Did you get that laundry hung/folded yet?


mac

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