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#1
Posted to rec.woodworking
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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 |
#2
Posted to rec.woodworking
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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 |
#3
Posted to rec.woodworking
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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....) |
#4
Posted to rec.woodworking
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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 |
#5
Posted to rec.woodworking
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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 |
#6
Posted to rec.woodworking
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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 |
#7
Posted to rec.woodworking
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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. |
#8
Posted to rec.woodworking
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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. |
#9
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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 |
#10
Posted to rec.woodworking
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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.... |
#11
Posted to rec.woodworking
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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 |
#12
Posted to rec.woodworking
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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. |
#13
Posted to rec.woodworking
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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 |
#14
Posted to rec.woodworking
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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 |
#16
Posted to rec.woodworking
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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 |
#17
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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 |
#18
Posted to rec.woodworking
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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 |
#19
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Homemade Lathe
Paper mache?
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#21
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Homemade Lathe
Isn't 4 meters more like 13 feet?
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#22
Posted to rec.woodworking
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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 |
#23
Posted to rec.woodworking
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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 |
#24
Posted to rec.woodworking
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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 |
#25
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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. |
#26
Posted to rec.woodworking
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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) |
#27
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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 |
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