Steve,
Turning a 4" long diameter in a 6" long square bar isn't that big of a deal.
All you need is a lathe with a 5C collet closer, a 1" square collet (I think
this as big as a 5C goes), and a tail stock with a live center. Knocking the
corners off will be slow, and pretty rough on tools
Cutting fancy features lengthwise in the round portion can get complicated.
If the features are 90 or 180 degrees apart you can use the remaining square
ends as references. Any more than that and your looking at a 4th axis set
up. Maybe even 4 axis surfacing.
Hard to give you an idea of the cost without seeing it. One thing's for
sure, the material cost will be insignificant compared to the labor.
Regards
Mark
"SteveB" wrote in message
news
PEFe.50554$4o.11019@fed1read06...
How much would it cost for a garage machinists to take a piece of 1"
square
rod 6" long ...........
leave the ends like they are one inch on each end ...............
turn down the middle to 7/8" diameter ...........
put lengthwise flutes in it ............
So it looked like an antique wood column when done?
Make 50 of them?
Can be hot rolled steel, can even be scrap, just has to look nice when
finished. Will be painted.
I am interested in having some of these made, and other shapes that look
like old columns, but with a little more designs. On some, the round
shaft
can be smooth, and there would be a raised ring between the end square and
the round shaft. Just like an old wood column. That would probably be a
lot easier and cheaper to do than cutting the flutes, right?
Will consider any and all ideas.
Answer here or e mail me.
Steve