Homemade Lathe
 

Hi,

I need to turn a piece of wood thats 4m (12') long by 50cm (20") wide
(diameter). Would a piece of wood this size be suitable for turning on a
lathe, if I was to make one especially for this purpose?

The item I'll be turning will be a (model) submarine hull.

Does anyone have any better suggestions?

Thanks

Michael

Homemade Lathe
 

Michael wrote:

I need to turn a piece of wood thats 4m (12') long by 50cm (20") wide
(diameter). Would a piece of wood this size be suitable for turning on a
lathe, if I was to make one especially for this purpose?

The item I'll be turning will be a (model) submarine hull.

Does anyone have any better suggestions?

I'd suggest that you tell us a bit more about what exactly you're
doing.
Is there a particular reason the sub can't be built up in sections?
Will the hull be hollowed out?
Will it be painted?
What's the intended purpose?

R

Homemade Lathe
 

"Michael" wrote in message
k...
Hi,

I need to turn a piece of wood thats 4m (12') long by 50cm (20") wide
(diameter). Would a piece of wood this size be suitable for turning on a
lathe, if I was to make one especially for this purpose?

The item I'll be turning will be a (model) submarine hull.

Does anyone have any better suggestions?

Thanks

Michael

wow......Is it going into water or just a show item? For a show item I
think I'd make an interior frame and skin it with veneer. Or if you can
find a 24" lathe (check woodturning forums for somebody with a big One Way),
turn it in sections and connect the sections..

Gary (scratching head....)

Homemade Lathe
 

Something like this?
http://turningaround.org/18inColumn.htm
however I can only do 18" by 114"

--
Art Ransom
Lancaster , Texas

www.turningaround.org

Homemade Lathe
 

"Art Ransom" wrote in message
...
Something like this?
http://turningaround.org/18inColumn.htm
however I can only do 18" by 114"

--
Art Ransom
Lancaster , Texas

www.turningaround.org

Man I'd hate to have that thing come off the lathe! What was the turning
speed to rough that out?

Gary

Homemade Lathe
 

Even if previously hollowed out, you'd need a monster lathe to turn it.
I recall that FWW once had an article on a poor man's router lathe,
basically a plywood box into the ends of which the workpiece was
mounted, as if between centers. A router with a dish cutting bit rode
the length of the box's sides. The workpiece was turned with a crank
mounted on one end. Tapers would be cut by raising or lowering the
mounting at one end.

I'm sure this would be slow with much wear and tear on the router. But
without specialized super heavy duty lathe equipment I don't know how
else you'd do this safely in the average generalist's woodshop.

J.

Michael wrote:
Hi,

I need to turn a piece of wood thats 4m (12') long by 50cm (20") wide
(diameter). Would a piece of wood this size be suitable for turning on a
lathe, if I was to make one especially for this purpose?

The item I'll be turning will be a (model) submarine hull.

Does anyone have any better suggestions?

Thanks

Michael

Homemade Lathe
 

Then again, since you're building a "boat", consider the classic
boatbuilder's techniques of "tortured plywood" or "cove and bead" plank
on frame construction. You might then be able to carry, row or float
your sub to wherever you want to display it.

J.

Homemade Lathe
 

On Thu, 02 Mar 2006 23:52:15 GMT, "Michael"
wrote:

I need to turn a piece of wood thats 4m (12') long by 50cm (20") wide
(diameter). Would a piece of wood this size be suitable for turning on a
lathe, if I was to make one especially for this purpose?

The last part makes no sense. All wood is useful. It is the tool
that needs to be useful for the job, and I'm betting you cant afford
that size of a lathe. I saw one once in an Otis Elevator production
plant. Perhaps you can tell us how you are going to make a [safe]
lathe that size to support that weight of wood, and have it cheap
enough for a single job. I have an idea for the last part as I type.

Also since when are submarine hulls round? I'm not sure of the exact
profile, but it tapers a bit towards the top I thought.

Homemade Lathe
 

On Thu, 02 Mar 2006 20:18:23 -0500, Guess who
wrote:

Also since when are submarine hulls round? I'm not sure of the exact
profile, but it tapers a bit towards the top I thought.

Since the 50s. USS Albacore. They may have the top flattened, but
surely it's easier to turn it round and then flatten the top if that's
what's called for.


-Leuf

Homemade Lathe
 

Michael wrote:
Hi,

I need to turn a piece of wood thats 4m (12') long by 50cm (20") wide
(diameter). Would a piece of wood this size be suitable for turning on a
lathe, if I was to make one especially for this purpose?

The item I'll be turning will be a (model) submarine hull.

Does anyone have any better suggestions?

Thanks

Michael


router jig, as suggested, or a bunch of time with a drawknife....

Homemade Lathe
 

Here's a link that shows what you can do with lots of money and space...
http://plamann.com/sys-tmpl/lathe/view_all.nhtml
--
JeffB
remove no.spam. to email

Homemade Lathe
 

"Michael" wrote in message
k...
Hi,

I need to turn a piece of wood thats 4m (12') long by 50cm (20") wide
(diameter). Would a piece of wood this size be suitable for turning on a
lathe, if I was to make one especially for this purpose?

The item I'll be turning will be a (model) submarine hull.

Does anyone have any better suggestions?


A lathe turns things between two points. You can take the ubiquitous old
Delta 12" shop lathe, use the outboard thread and faceplate, mount the
tailstock on a table screwed to the floor the appropriate distance away, and
countershaft the beast to desired speed. As long as you have the two points
fixed in line, you're good.

A long 2x6 "tool rest" and hand planes on the columns I worked with, though
router jigs and such would also work. Keep the heel of the plane on the
rest, skew and go.

Homemade Lathe
 

Leuf wrote:
On Thu, 02 Mar 2006 20:18:23 -0500, Guess who
wrote:

Also since when are submarine hulls round? I'm not sure of the exact
profile, but it tapers a bit towards the top I thought.

Since the 50s. USS Albacore. They may have the top flattened, but
surely it's easier to turn it round and then flatten the top if that's
what's called for.


I suspect that the pressure hull is of a circular cross-section and the
flat deck is built on top not unlike a deck one might build off of the
side
of a house.

--

FF

Homemade Lathe
 

Michael wrote:
Hi,

I need to turn a piece of wood thats 4m (12') long by 50cm (20") wide
(diameter). Would a piece of wood this size be suitable for turning on a
lathe, if I was to make one especially for this purpose?

The item I'll be turning will be a (model) submarine hull.

Does anyone have any better suggestions?


You could draw-knife it instead of turning it.

--

FF

Homemade Lathe
 

Homemade Lathe
 

"Michael" wrote in message
k...
Hi,

I need to turn a piece of wood thats 4m (12') long by 50cm (20") wide
(diameter). Would a piece of wood this size be suitable for turning on a
lathe, if I was to make one especially for this purpose?

The item I'll be turning will be a (model) submarine hull.

Does anyone have any better suggestions?

Thanks

Michael


Thanks for all the replies. The submaine will be used as a plug from which
I'll pull a fibreglass hull. Obviously becuase of this the wood doesn't have
to be very hard wearing and will only be used for a short time. I thinking
about glueing multiple strips (2" x 1" etc) together then turning that. The
hull will have to be a solid.

The submarine will be a R/c Akula class if anyone is interested. The main
shape of the hull is a teardrop shape, althought it does have a slightly
flat deck.

I thought about making it in multiple sections, but wondered how easy it
would be to get the all the same size.

With it being a oneoff, I don't really want to spend lots of money making
it. If I was to make my own, what sort of motor am I looking at needing, and
at what rpm will it have to turn?

Michael

Homemade Lathe
 

Michael wrote:

The item I'll be turning will be a (model) submarine hull.

Does anyone have any better suggestions?


Carve it from blue or pink foam, fiberglass it, and use solvent to melt
out the foam. This is also the way many flying model jets are built.

FWIW, I live 40 minutes from Electric Boat, fly my little airplane over
it, in and out of Groton airport, and subs don't look round. I've seen
a bunch of them in sections and in drydock, and they all look oval
shaped to me. G

Barry

Homemade Lathe
 

B a r r y wrote:
Michael wrote:

The item I'll be turning will be a (model) submarine hull.

Does anyone have any better suggestions?


Carve it from blue or pink foam, fiberglass it, and use solvent to melt
out the foam. This is also the way many flying model jets are built.

FWIW, I live 40 minutes from Electric Boat, fly my little airplane over
it, in and out of Groton airport, and subs don't look round. I've seen
a bunch of them in sections and in drydock, and they all look oval
shaped to me. G


I suspect that a second hull is built on the outside of the pressure
hull. The outer hull would be shaped for purposes of minimizing
drag and maximizing roll stability.

--

FF

Homemade Lathe
 

Paper mache?

Homemade Lathe
 

Isn't 4 meters more like 13 feet?

Homemade Lathe
 

Isn't 4 meters more like 13 feet?

Homemade Lathe
 

In article ,
"Michael" wrote:

Hi,

I need to turn a piece of wood thats 4m (12') long by 50cm (20") wide
(diameter). Would a piece of wood this size be suitable for turning on a
lathe, if I was to make one especially for this purpose?

The item I'll be turning will be a (model) submarine hull.

Does anyone have any better suggestions?


Micheal, is the group "The Sub Committee" still around? If so they
could point you to people that have done this. I have a co-worker that
(used) to build Subs and even powered torpedoes (which he used to sell).
I'd point you at him, but he would get grumpy with both of us.
I looked at adding this to my hobbies years ago, and had an attack of
sanity instead.

--
--------------------------------------------------------
Personal e-mail is the n7bsn but at amsat.org
This posting address is a spam-trap and seldom read
RV and Camping FAQ can be found at
http://www.ralphandellen.us/rv

Homemade Lathe
 

"Ralph E Lindberg" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Michael" wrote:

Hi,

I need to turn a piece of wood thats 4m (12') long by 50cm (20") wide
(diameter). Would a piece of wood this size be suitable for turning on a
lathe, if I was to make one especially for this purpose?

The item I'll be turning will be a (model) submarine hull.

Does anyone have any better suggestions?


Micheal, is the group "The Sub Committee" still around? If so they
could point you to people that have done this. I have a co-worker that
(used) to build Subs and even powered torpedoes (which he used to sell).
I'd point you at him, but he would get grumpy with both of us.
I looked at adding this to my hobbies years ago, and had an attack of
sanity instead.

--
--------------------------------------------------------
Personal e-mail is the n7bsn but at amsat.org
This posting address is a spam-trap and seldom read
RV and Camping FAQ can be found at
http://www.ralphandellen.us/rv

Ralph,

Yes, they're still around and I visit there boards frequently
(http://www.subcommittee.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi). Some germans are
building a BELUGA CLASS sub using wood (end bits only though) and a lathe
(http://projekt1710.borg-core.com/index_e.asp), however my hull is just too
big to fit on any of my lathes, so wondered about making my own. As this is
much larger than anyone else has attempted (excluding military research
vessels) I'm in a bit of a league of my own..

Michael

Homemade Lathe
 

George George@least wrote:

: "Michael" wrote in message
: k...
: Hi,
:
: I need to turn a piece of wood thats 4m (12') long by 50cm (20") wide
: (diameter). Would a piece of wood this size be suitable for turning on a
: lathe, if I was to make one especially for this purpose?
:
: The item I'll be turning will be a (model) submarine hull.
:
: Does anyone have any better suggestions?
:

: A lathe turns things between two points. You can take the ubiquitous old
: Delta 12" shop lathe, use the outboard thread and faceplate, mount the
: tailstock on a table screwed to the floor the appropriate distance away, and
: countershaft the beast to desired speed. As long as you have the two points
: fixed in line, you're good.


A cylinder of the size he's considering turning is going to end up being
close to 30 cubic feet. Suppose it was something light,
like poplar, which is around 40 lbs/cf. That's 1200 pounds of wood.
Now imagine it before it gets turned, with it not being
perfectly balanced. You would need one gigantic lathe for that --

You'd destroy the Delta 12", and everything within about fifteen feet as it
walks across the floor and comes apart.

Stave construction seems a much better bet to me.

-- Andy Barss

Homemade Lathe
 

"Andrew Barss" wrote in message
...

Stave construction seems a much better bet to me.

Me too, but if he can find a log of proper dimension, more power to him.

Having done both staved 9' and solid at 6'6" in the past on an old cast iron
delta, I assure you it works if you just say yes instead of no.

Homemade Lathe
 

Andrew Barss wrote:

A cylinder of the size he's considering turning is going to end up being
close to 30 cubic feet. Suppose it was something light,
like poplar, which is around 40 lbs/cf. That's 1200 pounds of wood.
Now imagine it before it gets turned, with it not being
perfectly balanced. You would need one gigantic lathe for that --

Jack up an old Chevy pickup, take one of the back wheels off, and use
the hub as your faceplate.

Oh, and don't forget to wear your safety glasses. ;-)

Ken Muldrew

(remove all letters after y in the alphabet)

Old Woodworking Machines
 

Probably many of you have already stumbled across this already, but
too much neat stuff to not share. Enjoy!

http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/ByType-Detail.asp?Type=8