Spindle turning Speed
 

What would be a good RPM range for rough turning a 2" square of walnut 24
inches long?
-TIA

I found this on another discussion board - it's from someone that knows what
they're talking about (Lyn Mangiameli):

"With respect to safety, determine your speed based on the maximum diameter
of your turning. A good rule of thumb is the one (to my knowledge) first
established by Dale Nish: Diameter times RPM should equal 6000-9000 rpm (D x
RPM = 6000-9000 RPM). For example, a 20 inch bowl turned at 400 rpm is going
to give a figure of 8000, while a 10 inch bowl turned at 800 rpm will give
the same figure. Generally I'd suggest you shoot for something closer to the
lower 6000 rpm figure. Put another way, don't seek to always go the speed
limit, but instead shoot for something closer to 80% of your speed limit,
this gives you some margin for error."

So, in your case, you can probably safely turn from 3,000-4,500 RPM. This
is likely the maximum range of most lathes (but, this is coming from a
newbie, so I could/likely be wrong). You probably know that it is typical
to rough turn slower and then increase speed to give a smoother finish as
your diameters decrease (or at least that's the way I think about it).

Hope this helps,

Mike


"buck" wrote in message
vers.com...
What would be a good RPM range for rough turning a 2" square of walnut 24
inches long?
-TIA

As slowly as possible for your safety. ~500

You need enough angular velocity to overcome cutting pressure, which is
seldom significant, or scraping pressure, which can be considerable.
Increase speed if the thinner piece tries to squirm away from the tool up to
perhaps 1500. Remember that you now have nine times the energy you had at
500, so be careful.

"buck" wrote in message
vers.com...
What would be a good RPM range for rough turning a 2" square of walnut 24
inches long?
-TIA

Mike and George..... Thank you for your advice...... Now I just have to
decide..... somewhere between 500 and 4500...... LOL!
I understand Georges concern for safety and I also understand Mike's
comments based on info from established turners also... hmmmmmmm


"buck" wrote in message
vers.com...
What would be a good RPM range for rough turning a 2" square of walnut 24
inches long?
-TIA

"buck" wrote in message
ervers.com...
Mike and George..... Thank you for your advice...... Now I just have to
decide..... somewhere between 500 and 4500...... LOL!
I understand Georges concern for safety and I also understand Mike's
comments based on info from established turners also... hmmmmmmm
=========================
Buck,
Roughing should be at lower speeds than maximum allowable. During roughing,
you are not in constant contact with the work piece through out its entire
rotation, so it's easier to dig in. In other words, square stock should be
slower than round stock. I'd start 2 inch square between 500-1000 RPM
depending on wood species, wet or dry, etc. I seldom go above 2000 RPM.

Ken Moon
Webberville, TX

When you lead with your knuckles in sawing, planing and carving, it's
unavoidable. Plus, he persists in using that inappropriate T-handle
bludgeon as a mallet to the detriment of his nails. Seems he could work up
a good carver's mallet on the lathe.

Bottom line on speed is that what seems too fast to you - is. Of course,
what I said first still applies - much more energy available at faster
speeds. You decide if that's friend or foe.

"buck" wrote in message
ervers.com...
..... You ever see Roy Underhill's fingers??? LOL



"George" george@least wrote in message
...
That's it. Let _your_ experience and need determine what you do.

Ever watch Ol' Roy Underhill work on his lathe? Don't take much speed
to
cut wood right.

Ken Moon wrote:
"buck" wrote in message
ervers.com...
Mike and George..... Thank you for your advice...... Now I just have
to decide..... somewhere between 500 and 4500...... LOL!
I understand Georges concern for safety and I also understand Mike's
comments based on info from established turners also... hmmmmmmm
=========================
Buck,
Roughing should be at lower speeds than maximum allowable. During
roughing, you are not in constant contact with the work piece through
out its entire rotation, so it's easier to dig in. In other words,
square stock should be slower than round stock. I'd start 2 inch
square between 500-1000 RPM depending on wood species, wet or dry,
etc. I seldom go above 2000 RPM.
Ken Moon
Webberville, TX

I've been doing this quite a bit lately turning LOTS of kitchen utensils out
of Brazillian cherry, Walnut and Maple. I usually start with flat blanks
about an inch think by 2 inches wide by 12-14 inches long. I do not change
the speed of the lathe when starting to when I'm finished and it's running
at 1800-2000 RPM. Now I agree, you need to be VERY careful. There's a lot
of wind there meaning no wood. When I start the turning the roughing gouge
is barely touching the wood and I slowly chip away during the first passes.
I always start in the middle and work out and as the piece comes closer to
round I can make the cuts more aggressive but never TOO aggressive.

I agree, start slow and as your comfort level increases so can the speed. I
recently started my 12 yr old on turning and started him off VERY slow so he
could understand exactly how the tools cut and how dangerous a flying chunk
of wood can be. He has great respect for it now, so I've increased his
speed a bit but not too much, I think he's up to 750 now. It's a learning
process and don't go too fast.

Hope this helps.

Mike Rinken

Mike - That helps a lot....Thanks You!


"Mike Rinken" mwrinken at gmail dot com wrote in message
news:25045$41938281$41a9ca42$25212@allthenewsgroup s.com...
Ken Moon wrote:
"buck" wrote in message
ervers.com...
Mike and George..... Thank you for your advice...... Now I just have
to decide..... somewhere between 500 and 4500...... LOL!
I understand Georges concern for safety and I also understand Mike's
comments based on info from established turners also... hmmmmmmm
=========================
Buck,
Roughing should be at lower speeds than maximum allowable. During
roughing, you are not in constant contact with the work piece through
out its entire rotation, so it's easier to dig in. In other words,
square stock should be slower than round stock. I'd start 2 inch
square between 500-1000 RPM depending on wood species, wet or dry,
etc. I seldom go above 2000 RPM.
Ken Moon
Webberville, TX

I've been doing this quite a bit lately turning LOTS of kitchen utensils
out
of Brazillian cherry, Walnut and Maple. I usually start with flat blanks
about an inch think by 2 inches wide by 12-14 inches long. I do not
change
the speed of the lathe when starting to when I'm finished and it's running
at 1800-2000 RPM. Now I agree, you need to be VERY careful. There's a
lot
of wind there meaning no wood. When I start the turning the roughing
gouge
is barely touching the wood and I slowly chip away during the first
passes.
I always start in the middle and work out and as the piece comes closer to
round I can make the cuts more aggressive but never TOO aggressive.

I agree, start slow and as your comfort level increases so can the speed.
I
recently started my 12 yr old on turning and started him off VERY slow so
he
could understand exactly how the tools cut and how dangerous a flying
chunk
of wood can be. He has great respect for it now, so I've increased his
speed a bit but not too much, I think he's up to 750 now. It's a learning
process and don't go too fast.

Hope this helps.

Mike Rinken

I've been doing this quite a bit lately turning LOTS of kitchen utensils out
of Brazillian cherry, Walnut and Maple. I usually start with flat blanks
about an inch think by 2 inches wide by 12-14 inches long. I do not change
the speed of the lathe when starting to when I'm finished and it's running
at 1800-2000 RPM. Now I agree, you need to be VERY careful. There's a lot
of wind there meaning no wood. When I start the turning the roughing gouge
is barely touching the wood and I slowly chip away during the first passes.
I always start in the middle and work out and as the piece comes closer to
round I can make the cuts more aggressive but never TOO aggressive.

I probably run at about the same sort of speed for 2" maple, though I
have VS and really don't know the absolute speed, preferring to run the
lathe as fast as it can without vibration or making me feel nervous.

One reason for running the lathe fast is that the body can better dampen
out the percussive effect of the corners of the blank slamming into the
tool. That means better control of the tool, and therefore less chance
of a dig in. I start with the tool off the wood, making the first
approach with care to be sure of the depth of cut. I make a quick U-turn
at the end of the each cut and go back and forth.

Out of interest I just went and roughed down a piece of hard maple,
about 1 7/8" squarish and 11" long to a cylinder. I did this in 10
passes in about 20 seconds. If the lathe and VS settings are to
believed, it is running at about 2100 rpm.

I'm saying all that for information only, and not to start a
competition, or to encourage beginners to do something they are not
comfortable with from a safety perspective! I have been turning full
time for nearly 10 years and I am very comfortable with what I am doing
and have absolutely no concerns about the wood coming off the lathe or
the tool getting embedded in the ceiling. But I do think it is important
that beginners understand what is possible.

I remember that when I first started bowl turning I was shown how to
hollow the bowl by making nice curves parallel to the outside of the
bowl. This was a great way to practise the art of making finishing cuts,
but it is terribly slow. I have since found out that I can hog out the
guts of a bowl much quicker by making straightish cuts nearly to
parallel to the axis. I do this until I am close to the finished shape,
then slow down to make the finishing cuts which refine the shape and
achieve a good surface finish.


--
Derek Andrews, woodturner

http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com
Wedding Favors ~ Artisan Crafted Gifts ~ One-of-a-Kind Woodturning

Derek... Thanks for taking time to help. Lots of good info here. I will
definately re-read it a few more times. I also checked out your website and
the work you do. Very nice indeed and recommend everyone take a look
see....




"Derek Andrews" wrote in message
...
I've been doing this quite a bit lately turning LOTS of kitchen utensils
out
of Brazillian cherry, Walnut and Maple. I usually start with flat
blanks
about an inch think by 2 inches wide by 12-14 inches long. I do not
change
the speed of the lathe when starting to when I'm finished and it's
running
at 1800-2000 RPM. Now I agree, you need to be VERY careful. There's a
lot
of wind there meaning no wood. When I start the turning the roughing
gouge
is barely touching the wood and I slowly chip away during the first
passes.
I always start in the middle and work out and as the piece comes closer
to
round I can make the cuts more aggressive but never TOO aggressive.

I probably run at about the same sort of speed for 2" maple, though I
have VS and really don't know the absolute speed, preferring to run the
lathe as fast as it can without vibration or making me feel nervous.

One reason for running the lathe fast is that the body can better dampen
out the percussive effect of the corners of the blank slamming into the
tool. That means better control of the tool, and therefore less chance
of a dig in. I start with the tool off the wood, making the first
approach with care to be sure of the depth of cut. I make a quick U-turn
at the end of the each cut and go back and forth.

Out of interest I just went and roughed down a piece of hard maple,
about 1 7/8" squarish and 11" long to a cylinder. I did this in 10
passes in about 20 seconds. If the lathe and VS settings are to
believed, it is running at about 2100 rpm.

I'm saying all that for information only, and not to start a
competition, or to encourage beginners to do something they are not
comfortable with from a safety perspective! I have been turning full
time for nearly 10 years and I am very comfortable with what I am doing
and have absolutely no concerns about the wood coming off the lathe or
the tool getting embedded in the ceiling. But I do think it is important
that beginners understand what is possible.

I remember that when I first started bowl turning I was shown how to
hollow the bowl by making nice curves parallel to the outside of the
bowl. This was a great way to practise the art of making finishing cuts,
but it is terribly slow. I have since found out that I can hog out the
guts of a bowl much quicker by making straightish cuts nearly to
parallel to the axis. I do this until I am close to the finished shape,
then slow down to make the finishing cuts which refine the shape and
achieve a good surface finish.


--
Derek Andrews, woodturner

http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com
Wedding Favors ~ Artisan Crafted Gifts ~ One-of-a-Kind Woodturning