I have some wooden banister rods, the ends of which I want to grind
down to a half sphere.
Is there an attachment for a power drill which will give me a half
sphere?
What is this tool called and where can I find one?
I was considering putting them on a lathe, but they are 10 feet long.
I don't want to take them off, as this is work, but maybe this might
be another solution.
Any suggestions, or better yet, links to pics or videos on how best to
do this?

On Sat, 3 Sep 2011 14:48:52 -0700 (PDT), Deodiaus
wrote:

I have some wooden banister rods, the ends of which I want to grind
down to a half sphere.
Is there an attachment for a power drill which will give me a half
sphere?
What is this tool called and where can I find one?
I was considering putting them on a lathe, but they are 10 feet long.
I don't want to take them off, as this is work, but maybe this might
be another solution.
Any suggestions, or better yet, links to pics or videos on how best to
do this?

Look for rounding dowel ends.
Here's one.
http://www.binkyswoodworking.com/PegTip.php

--Vic

On Sep 3, 5:35*pm, Vic Smith wrote:
On Sat, 3 Sep 2011 14:48:52 -0700 (PDT), Deodiaus
wrote:

I have some wooden banister rods, the ends of which I want to grind
down to a half sphere.
Is there an attachment for a power drill which will give me a half
sphere?
What is this tool called and where can I find one?
I was considering putting them on a lathe, but they are 10 feet long.
I don't want to take them off, as this is work, but maybe this might
be another solution.
Any suggestions, or better yet, links to pics or videos on how best to
do this?

Look for rounding dowel ends.
Here's one.http://www.binkyswoodworking.com/PegTip.php

--Vic

Great idea, I never would have thought of it, but it's perfect. Hope
the OP tries it and lets us know how it works out for him.

Deodiaus wrote the following:
I have some wooden banister rods, the ends of which I want to grind
down to a half sphere.
Is there an attachment for a power drill which will give me a half
sphere?
What is this tool called and where can I find one?
I was considering putting them on a lathe, but they are 10 feet long.
I don't want to take them off, as this is work, but maybe this might
be another solution.
Any suggestions, or better yet, links to pics or videos on how best to
do this?


Without the proper tools.
Files and sandpaper.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

On Sat, 3 Sep 2011 17:32:19 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) "
wrote:

On Sep 3, 5:35Â*pm, Vic Smith wrote:
On Sat, 3 Sep 2011 14:48:52 -0700 (PDT), Deodiaus
wrote:

I have some wooden banister rods, the ends of which I want to grind
down to a half sphere.
Is there an attachment for a power drill which will give me a half
sphere?
What is this tool called and where can I find one?
I was considering putting them on a lathe, but they are 10 feet long.
I don't want to take them off, as this is work, but maybe this might
be another solution.
Any suggestions, or better yet, links to pics or videos on how best to
do this?

Look for rounding dowel ends.
Here's one.http://www.binkyswoodworking.com/PegTip.php

--Vic

Great idea, I never would have thought of it, but it's perfect. Hope
the OP tries it and lets us know how it works out for him.

It is. I only looked because I wondered how to do it perfectly.
Most of the big rounded stuff I've seen was done on a lathe, then
the stub gets cut off and it's sanded down.
I've used a different method for rounding edges.
The possible problem with using the router is expense if you don't
have the bits and router.
If the OP's bannisters are 3" he'd need a 1 1/2" rounding bit.
Don't even know if they make them.
I'm not quite clear what his purpose is with these, but if there's
room I'd go after them with a belt sander.
That's what I use to round edges.
Making it almost perfectly round would take patience and a light
touch.
You could use a rasp, then smoother files and sandpaper to do the same
thing, just takes longer.
Check this out

http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com...info/831-0333/

Love to have them at my workbench, but it will never happen.

--Vic

On Sep 3, 8:23*pm, Vic Smith wrote:
On Sat, 3 Sep 2011 17:32:19 -0700 (PDT), "hr(bob) "





wrote:
On Sep 3, 5:35*pm, Vic Smith wrote:
On Sat, 3 Sep 2011 14:48:52 -0700 (PDT), Deodiaus
wrote:

I have some wooden banister rods, the ends of which I want to grind
down to a half sphere.
Is there an attachment for a power drill which will give me a half
sphere?
What is this tool called and where can I find one?
I was considering putting them on a lathe, but they are 10 feet long.
I don't want to take them off, as this is work, but maybe this might
be another solution.
Any suggestions, or better yet, links to pics or videos on how best to
do this?

Look for rounding dowel ends.
Here's one.http://www.binkyswoodworking.com/PegTip.php

--Vic

Great idea, I never would have thought of it, but it's perfect. Hope
the OP tries it and lets us know how it works out for him.

It is. I only looked because I wondered how to do it perfectly.
Most of the big rounded stuff I've seen was done on a lathe, then
the stub gets cut off and it's sanded down.
I've used a different method for rounding edges.
The possible problem with using the router is expense if you don't
have the bits and router.
If the OP's bannisters are 3" he'd need a 1 1/2" rounding bit.
Don't even know if they make them.
I'm not quite clear what his purpose is with these, but if there's
room I'd go after them with a belt sander.
That's what I use to round edges.
Making it almost perfectly round would take patience and a light
touch.
You could use a rasp, then smoother files and sandpaper to do the same
thing, just takes longer.
Check this out

http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com...-Rasps/product...

Love to have them at my workbench, but it will never happen.

--Vic- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Wonder if the $76.95 includes shipping???

great, but my banisters are not round, rather egg shaped, and the flat
end is on the bottom so that it is attached to the railing.

The easiest way I see to get this done would be to build an end piece
which I would use to mount on a drill.
I was thinking of finding an old coke bottle, cutting it in the
center, and putting a roofing nail in the short end.
Then pouring concrete into it, and stuffing in a old tennis ball until
it sets.
Then put this on a drill and using it as a circular file.

What I really want is a "concave router" bit? Is that the name?
Basically, something that looks like an cave with teeth. I am sure
that some Dutch craftman must have a dozen of them if I know where to
look.
Basically, something to attach to the end of my drill so that I can
round off the ends of the banister.
My banister cross section is an ellipse, about 1 inch high and 2
inches long.

On Sun, 25 Sep 2011 11:54:10 -0700 (PDT), Deodiaus wrote:

What I really want is a "concave router" bit? Is that the name?
Basically, something that looks like an cave with teeth. I am sure
that some Dutch craftman must have a dozen of them if I know where to
look.

A "round-over bit" bit will cut a quarter-round profile (two passes gets a
half-cylinder).

Basically, something to attach to the end of my drill so that I can
round off the ends of the banister.

There are bits intended for this, but you're nuts if you think you're going to
do this with a drill.

My banister cross section is an ellipse, about 1 inch high and 2
inches long.

There are all sorts of router and shaper bits around to do this sort of thing,
but again, forget the drill. It's not going to work and you're likely to hurt
yourself.

I agree that working with a round-over bit is asking for trouble.
In a hardware store, I saw a drill grinder attachment which had a
concave hole, and was thinking that this might do the trick.
I was thinking of installing this on a lathe if that's what it takes.

BTW, how did they use to get a nice head on a wooden base ball bat ?
I suppose that they had some sort of lathe which would hold the base
while they could sand the ends.

On Sep 25, 6:14*pm, "
wrote:
On Sun, 25 Sep 2011 11:54:10 -0700 wrote:
What I really want is a "concave router" bit? *Is that the name?
Basically, something that looks like an cave with teeth. I am sure
that some Dutch craftman must have a dozen of them if I know where to
look.

A "round-over bit" bit will cut a quarter-round profile (two passes gets a
half-cylinder).

Basically, something to attach to the end of my drill so that I can
round off the ends of the banister.

There are bits intended for this, but you're nuts if you think you're going to
do this with a drill.

My banister cross section is an ellipse, about 1 inch high and 2
inches long.

There are all sorts of router and shaper bits around to do this sort of thing,
but again, forget the drill. *It's not going to work and you're likely to hurt
yourself.

On Sep 26, 12:23*am, Deodiaus wrote:
I agree that working with a round-over bit is asking for trouble.
In a hardware store, I saw a drill grinder attachment which had a
concave hole, and was thinking that this might do the trick.
I was thinking of installing this on a lathe if that's what it takes.

BTW, how did they use to get a nice head on a wooden base ball bat ?
I suppose that they had some sort of lathe which would hold the base
while they could sand the ends.

Skilled woodturner with a skew chisel who did nothing
but turn bats all day.

On 9/25/2011 11:56 PM, Father Haskell wrote:
On Sep 26, 12:23 am, wrote:
I agree that working with a round-over bit is asking for trouble.
In a hardware store, I saw a drill grinder attachment which had a
concave hole, and was thinking that this might do the trick.
I was thinking of installing this on a lathe if that's what it takes.

BTW, how did they use to get a nice head on a wooden base ball bat ?
I suppose that they had some sort of lathe which would hold the base
while they could sand the ends.

Skilled woodturner with a skew chisel who did nothing
but turn bats all day.

More likely a robot programed to turn bats.

Deodiaus wrote:
What I really want is a "concave router" bit? Is that the name?
Basically, something that looks like an cave with teeth. I am sure
that some Dutch craftman must have a dozen of them if I know where to
look.
Basically, something to attach to the end of my drill so that I can
round off the ends of the banister.
My banister cross section is an ellipse, about 1 inch high and 2
inches long.

All you want to do is round off the end(s)? What you want is called a
"rasp". A 4-in-hand - aka "shoemaker's rasp" - will work nicely.
Especially if you use a hammer and chisel to get to rough shape.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

Deodiaus posted for all of us...


What I really want is a "concave router" bit? Is that the name?
Basically, something that looks like an cave with teeth. I am sure
that some Dutch craftman must have a dozen of them if I know where to
look.
Basically, something to attach to the end of my drill so that I can
round off the ends of the banister.
My banister cross section is an ellipse, about 1 inch high and 2
inches long.

I have only read to this point so... Try a plug cutter with the appropriate
inside diameter.

--
Tekkie

On 9/26/2011 5:29 AM, Leon wrote:
On 9/25/2011 11:56 PM, Father Haskell wrote:
On Sep 26, 12:23 am, wrote:
I agree that working with a round-over bit is asking for trouble.
In a hardware store, I saw a drill grinder attachment which had a
concave hole, and was thinking that this might do the trick.
I was thinking of installing this on a lathe if that's what it takes.

BTW, how did they use to get a nice head on a wooden base ball bat ?
I suppose that they had some sort of lathe which would hold the base
while they could sand the ends.

Skilled woodturner with a skew chisel who did nothing
but turn bats all day.

More likely a robot programed to turn bats.

Yea, if you define a CNC lathe as a robot - rough turning 90 seconds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov3awRWfVJc

Many bats are still made by hand, though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIr3ES8Cwi8

On Sun, 25 Sep 2011 21:23:37 -0700 (PDT), Deodiaus
wrote:


BTW, how did they use to get a nice head on a wooden base ball bat ?
I suppose that they had some sort of lathe which would hold the base
while they could sand the ends.


If "How It's Made" or"How Do they Do That" runs on one of your cable
TV channels, check the episodes for "baseball bat". One has the
making of the Louisville Slugger and another covers making aluminum
bats.

The wooden bat has the handle end held in place on the lathe by a
point tailstock

John

wrote in :

On Sun, 25 Sep 2011 21:23:37 -0700 (PDT), Deodiaus
wrote:


BTW, how did they use to get a nice head on a wooden base ball bat ?
I suppose that they had some sort of lathe which would hold the base
while they could sand the ends.


If "How It's Made" or"How Do they Do That" runs on one of your cable
TV channels, check the episodes for "baseball bat". One has the
making of the Louisville Slugger and another covers making aluminum
bats.

The wooden bat has the handle end held in place on the lathe by a
point tailstock

John


just a FYI,the alloy used in AL bats is aluminum-scandium.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com

On 9/26/2011 1:29 PM, Just Wondering wrote:
On 9/26/2011 5:29 AM, Leon wrote:
On 9/25/2011 11:56 PM, Father Haskell wrote:
On Sep 26, 12:23 am, wrote:
I agree that working with a round-over bit is asking for trouble.
In a hardware store, I saw a drill grinder attachment which had a
concave hole, and was thinking that this might do the trick.
I was thinking of installing this on a lathe if that's what it takes.

BTW, how did they use to get a nice head on a wooden base ball bat ?
I suppose that they had some sort of lathe which would hold the base
while they could sand the ends.

Skilled woodturner with a skew chisel who did nothing
but turn bats all day.

More likely a robot programed to turn bats.

Yea, if you define a CNC lathe as a robot - rough turning 90 seconds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov3awRWfVJc

Huh? This guy (gone Batty) seems to have more than one way to kill a bat:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoKn1...eature=related


--
Jack
Add Life to your Days not Days to your Life.
http://jbstein.com