In article ,
dogbite wrote:

Hi, I am using a handsome Atlas Pick-o-Matic lathe for the first time.
I'm working from the 57th edition of "How to run a Lathe".
In turning a full length piece of 1"x1" hardwood it wants to "climb"
or hop up the cutter toward the middle of the piece. It turns
fabulously for the first foot, then starts to wobble, then hops, then
wobbles and the last foot where it's supported by the tailstock is ok
but not great. I tried the Left to Right bit and the Finishing bit
(bit better). I 45'ed the corners on a table saw and rounded them with
a hand rasp before I chucked it. Any tips? (It's going to be a dog
crusher cane). I have to move the cutter below the centerline and
angle it differently? I tried a wood lathe but it was impossible.
Thank you for your time.

Use the carriage tool post and a follower rest. You may have to use a
rasp by hand to get it round enough to start.

--
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Your wood lathe is the proper tool to turn something that slender. It
takes a very sharp chisel and a light touch to get the job done. A
steady rest on either lathe will help minimize the flexing.
Also consider setting up a trim router [$20 from HF] on the Atlas
toolholder. It will cut the wood with a lot less chatter. Better yet
make a dowelling jig for the router and turn small scraps into big
dollar value dowels that are very expensive to buy.
Bugs

There is a good set of plans for a dowel cutter in The New Router
Handbook. Don't have the author handy at the moment, but it's for sale
in most hardware centers. If you own a router you should own this book.
The cutter is just a series of stepped holes that feed the stock past
the router bit and turn out finished dowels. Contrary to popular
belief, not everything is on the WEB, . . . yet.
Bugs