I'm really new to turning and would like to turn a table pedestal.

I've tried with no luck to create a cylinder with 2x4s but I can never get
my angle right so they don't fit together at all. I get can get close but
still I leave gaps.

I thought I would try a differnt method and use a 10 x 10 white pine blank
about 28 inches long. However, no one (lowes or home depot) carries anything
like that.

So, has anyone out there turned any type of table pedestals and if so how
did you do it and where did you get your supplies?

I looked on the internet and but still couldn't find anything.

Thanks!

wrote: (clip) I've tried with no luck to create a
cylinder with 2x4s but I can never get
my angle right so they don't fit together at all. I get can get close but
still I leave gaps. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This is a problem that segmented turners deal with all the time. One of our
club demonstrators did it by trial and error, making tiny changes in the
angle until things fit together nicely (using short scrap pieces, of
course.)

Or, you could turn all but one of the pieces alike, and take out the
cumulative error by playing with the angle on the last piece (again, using a
piece of scrap.)

Or, you could glue up a bundle of 2x4's, flat-to-flat, and then turn the
pedestal as though it were one piece of wood, Turn on an axis so the grain
layers are symetrical, and it should look pretty good (though not as elegant
as pie segment glue-up.

Draw a circle the dia. of the pedestal with a compus than devide into
pie shaped peices ,start with four segments than eight than sixteen.
Than devide 360 by 16 and use that number as angle to set your saw.
If you click on my web page you can see bowls I made with segments.
Jerry




http://community.webtv.net/awoodbutc...oodWorkingPage

"Jerry - OHIO" (clip)Than devide 360 by 16 and use that number as angle to
set your saw. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
In principle, yes. 360 divided by 16 = 22.5 degrees. If your saw setting
is off by half a degree, the cumulative error is 8 degrees. I think that is
where Ironspike is having trouble--how to set the saw so the pieces fit
together with no visible error.

For a segmented bowl I can see why you would want 16 segments, or even more.
But, the more segments, the more the error multiplies. And I can't see the
need for 16 segments for a pedestal. 8 ought to be plenty, or even 6. With
6, a half degree error on the saw would be only 3 degrees cumulative.

You would need a jointer and planer if you are going to glue up a
solid piece of 10 x 10. Buying a piece that size is almost impossible
because it is almost impossible to dry all the way through some thing
that thick, and it will split. You can make a diagram, and leave the
center open, say 5 to 6 inches, and laminate a square box around that
then turn that. Other than that, all those angles would drive me
crazy, even more so than I already am.
robo hippy

On Aug 1, 11:22*am, "Leo Lichtman"
wrote:
"Jerry - OHIO" (clip)Than devide 360 by 16 and use that number as angle to
set your saw. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
In principle, yes. *360 divided by 16 = 22.5 degrees. *If your saw setting
is off by half a degree, the cumulative error is 8 degrees. *I think that is
where Ironspike is having trouble--how to set the saw so the pieces fit
together with no visible error.

For a segmented bowl I can see why you would want 16 segments, or even more.
But, the more segments, the more the error multiplies. *And I can't see the
need for 16 segments for a pedestal. *8 ought to be plenty, or even 6. *With
6, a half degree error on the saw would be only 3 degrees cumulative.

While the other posters are absolutely correct about calculating angles and
dividing 360 degrees, I have a hunch that I know where you are getting into
trouble.

As much as the wrong angle will give you gaps, so will starting with stock
that is not straight/flat and square. If you start with a catty-whompas
(spelling?) 2x4, your bevel cuts for wedges will never be straight and you
will have gaps.

Face joint, then edge joint your stock before cutting those bevels. (find
someone with a jointer). 2x4's are notoriously unstraight/flat.

Yes, it's a flatwood solution to a turning problem.

-Steve


wrote in message
...
I'm really new to turning and would like to turn a table pedestal.

I've tried with no luck to create a cylinder with 2x4s but I can never get
my angle right so they don't fit together at all. I get can get close but
still I leave gaps.

I thought I would try a differnt method and use a 10 x 10 white pine blank
about 28 inches long. However, no one (lowes or home depot) carries
anything like that.

So, has anyone out there turned any type of table pedestals and if so how
did you do it and where did you get your supplies?

I looked on the internet and but still couldn't find anything.

Thanks!




** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

By all means start with flat, straight stock. Then cut the miter angles as
close as you can get them. Glue them up in two subassemblies, each
corresponding to half of the column. When you bring these together you will
see the error, but it will be quite easy to plane it out on the four
surfaces, making the mating surfaces on each half be planar.

There are some tricks for gluing up the two halves. One is to use hot hide
glue and make rubbed joints. Good rubbed joints are surprisingly durable.
Another is to glue up the segments using band clamps, but with dowels stuck
in between two opposite joints. The dowels will distribute the pressure
evenly over the joints that are being glued. After the glue dries, take
away the dowels and plane the exposed surfaces.

- Neil


"StephenM" wrote in message
...
While the other posters are absolutely correct about calculating angles
and dividing 360 degrees, I have a hunch that I know where you are getting
into trouble.

As much as the wrong angle will give you gaps, so will starting with stock
that is not straight/flat and square. If you start with a catty-whompas
(spelling?) 2x4, your bevel cuts for wedges will never be straight and you
will have gaps.

Face joint, then edge joint your stock before cutting those bevels. (find
someone with a jointer). 2x4's are notoriously unstraight/flat.

Yes, it's a flatwood solution to a turning problem.

-Steve


wrote in message
...
I'm really new to turning and would like to turn a table pedestal.

I've tried with no luck to create a cylinder with 2x4s but I can never
get my angle right so they don't fit together at all. I get can get close
but still I leave gaps.

I thought I would try a differnt method and use a 10 x 10 white pine
blank about 28 inches long. However, no one (lowes or home depot) carries
anything like that.

So, has anyone out there turned any type of table pedestals and if so how
did you do it and where did you get your supplies?

I looked on the internet and but still couldn't find anything.

Thanks!




** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

The 16 segments was just an example.
Jerry




http://community.webtv.net/awoodbutc...oodWorkingPage

I've used a similar technique with segmented bowls. Glue the half rings
together and then true too halves for a perfect match. You need to leave
yourself enough material in order to turn your cylinder when finished, so
make sure to make your rough piece some larger.

JD (Kentucky)

--
He that will make a good use of any part
of his life must allow a large portion of it
to recreation.
- John Locke

"Neil Artman" wrote in message
...
By all means start with flat, straight stock. Then cut the miter angles
as close as you can get them. Glue them up in two subassemblies, each
corresponding to half of the column. When you bring these together you
will see the error, but it will be quite easy to plane it out on the four
surfaces, making the mating surfaces on each half be planar.

There are some tricks for gluing up the two halves. One is to use hot hide
glue and make rubbed joints. Good rubbed joints are surprisingly durable.
Another is to glue up the segments using band clamps, but with dowels
stuck in between two opposite joints. The dowels will distribute the
pressure evenly over the joints that are being glued. After the glue
dries, take away the dowels and plane the exposed surfaces.

- Neil


"StephenM" wrote in message
...
While the other posters are absolutely correct about calculating angles
and dividing 360 degrees, I have a hunch that I know where you are
getting into trouble.

As much as the wrong angle will give you gaps, so will starting with
stock that is not straight/flat and square. If you start with a
catty-whompas (spelling?) 2x4, your bevel cuts for wedges will never be
straight and you will have gaps.

Face joint, then edge joint your stock before cutting those bevels. (find
someone with a jointer). 2x4's are notoriously unstraight/flat.

Yes, it's a flatwood solution to a turning problem.

-Steve


wrote in message
...
I'm really new to turning and would like to turn a table pedestal.

I've tried with no luck to create a cylinder with 2x4s but I can never
get my angle right so they don't fit together at all. I get can get
close but still I leave gaps.

I thought I would try a differnt method and use a 10 x 10 white pine
blank about 28 inches long. However, no one (lowes or home depot)
carries anything like that.

So, has anyone out there turned any type of table pedestals and if so
how did you do it and where did you get your supplies?

I looked on the internet and but still couldn't find anything.

Thanks!




** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **