ST1008 Mini Wood Lathe
-23-
Spindle Turning
Figure 27. Typical spindle turning operation.
Workpiece
Center
Pencil Lines
Marked Diagonally
Across Corners
Workpiece
Figure 28. Workpiece marked diagonally from
corner to corner to determine the center.
Spindle turning (Figure 27) is the operation per-
formed when a workpiece is mounted between cen-
ters in the headstock and tailstock.
To set up a spindle turning operation:
1. Mark both ends of your workpiece by drawing
diagonal lines from corner to corner. The inter-
section point of these lines will show you the
center of your workpiece. See Figure 28 for
details.
2. Using a wood mallet, tap the point of the spur
center into the center of the workpiece, so that
it leave a center mark, then remove the spur
center.
3. Using a
1
⁄
8
" drill bit, drill a
3
⁄
16
" deep hole at the
center mark.
4. Cut the corners off your workpiece if it is over 2"
x 2" to make turning safer and easier.
5. Drive the spur center into the center of the
workpiece with a wood mallet to embed it at
least
1
⁄
4
", as shown in Figure 29.
1
/
4
"
Figure 29. Spur center properly embedded.
6. With the workpiece still attached, insert the spur
center into the headstock spindle.
7. With the live center installed in the tailstock,
slide the tailstock toward the workpiece until
the live center touches the workpiece center-
point, then lock the tailstock in this position.
8. Use the quill handwheel to push the live center
into the workpiece at least a
1
⁄
4
".
Workpiece
Center Line
Distances
Tool Rest
1
/
8
"
1
/
4
"
Figure 30. Tool rest set
1
/
8
" above the
center line and
1
/
4
" away from workpiece.
9. Position the tool rest approximately
1
⁄
4
" away
from the workpiece and approximately
1
⁄
8
"
above the center line, as shown in Figure 30.
Do not press the workpiece too firmly with the
tailstock or the bearings will bind and over-
heat. Likewise, do not adjust too loosely or
the workpiece will spin off the lathe. Use good
judgment. Serious personal injury could result
if care is not taken.
10. Test the setup by hand turning the workpiece to
make sure there is enough clearance all the way
around before starting.
