Templates anyone?

[Jamie Straw]

Do any of you hot turners out there still use templates (specifically, spindle projects)?? If so, what material do you use? I tried some mat-board I had, pretty hard to cut in the detail, even with an Exacto knife.

 

[hockenbery]

Do any of you hot turners out there still use templates (specifically, spindle projects)?? If so, what material do you use? I tried some mat-board I had, pretty hard to cut in the detail, even with an Exacto knife.

I use a story board with a bandsaw notch to mark all the elements on the the spindle.
As long as the diameters are close and the vertical lines a near perfect alignment 4 legs will appear identical.

I have a couple profile gauges.
One plastic and one really old one with metal fingers.
The fingers slide through the handle when you press them against something.
I use it make a profile of something I want to copy or sometimes when I want to pieces to fit together.
I can hold profile close to what I am turning withnthe lathe off and see where I how close I am.

Al

 

[robo hippy]

Yup, story pole or stick, pencil, and different calipers for dimensions. If I need 3, I make 4 or 5.

robo hippy

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Only done it a couple of times. Not to make copies of existing , but to make duplicate legs. I used masonite for one and 1/4 inch ply for the other. Draw out what you want then cut close to the line. Sand to th line with drum sander and files. Almost forgot then when turning mount the template in back of the turning so you can see and measure to match profile. The profile gauge Al mentioned can be used against the template and then against the turning to check progress.

 

[Jamie Straw]

Thanks, everyone. I forgot I had one of those profile gauges hiding in a drawer, pulled it out and cleaned and WD-40'd it so the pins would slide. Handy! I had been using measurements for various touch-points (coves, etc.) but there were a couple curves that had to be "just so" and I was having trouble just eyeballing them. I'm sure it'll come easier with practice -- it's been hard to settle down and focus on spindle-turning, the green bowls are just too dramatically fun. But need to get a spindle-routine going.

Could still need actual templates for some things. Might be a good excuse to get the RBI Hawk scroll saw running.

 

[John K Jordan]

Do any of you hot turners out there still use templates (specifically, spindle projects)?? If so, what material do you use? I tried some mat-board I had, pretty hard to cut in the detail, even with an Exacto knife.

I usually make a story stick for spindles that need to be the same or just measure and mark and set some calipers if the complexity is low. (I have a drawer full of very inexpensive calipers for this.) Mark the appropriate diameter, cut each one to a bit oversized diameter with a parting tool, then turn the profile by hand with the matching piece placed behind the lathe for reference. (I recently discovered the PM3520b comes with brackets and centers to hold the reference piece. The manual calls it a comparator. I've never seen anyone use it.)

I use a detailed profile cut from thin flexible plastic or paper card stock if I want a more precise profile:



The precise profile method doesn't work too well for me for long spindles since it is too hard to fit it against the wood all at once. The story stick or measured mark method is easier.

JKJ

 

[robo hippy]

One genius method I saw, and can't remember when, was a bar set up over the spindle. Dangling from the bar were wire pieces of different lengths and spaces along the bar, that would rub on the wood till you took the spindle down to proper size, then they would swing through. I think the bar was set back a bit rather than directly above the piece.

robo hippy

 

[Jamie Straw]

One genius method I saw, and can't remember when, was a bar set up over the spindle. Dangling from the bar were wire pieces of different lengths and spaces along the bar, that would rub on the wood till you took the spindle down to proper size, then they would swing through. I think the bar was set back a bit rather than directly above the piece.

robo hippy

Oooo, I like that idea! Might be overkill for wine-stoppers but definitely an idea to remember.

 

[Joe Greiner]

One genius method I saw, and can't remember when, was a bar set up over the spindle. Dangling from the bar were wire pieces of different lengths and spaces along the bar, that would rub on the wood till you took the spindle down to proper size, then they would swing through. I think the bar was set back a bit rather than directly above the piece.

robo hippy

Saw one like that at a garage sale. I think it was a Craftsman tube lathe. No luck on a quick search of owwm.

I use a lot of templates, usually printed from CAD, and spray adhesive on pizza-box cardboard. Slightly stiffer along the cores. Cuts very easy with X-acto knife. On curves, cut clockwise so that it tightens the collet instead of loosening.

 

[Bill Boehme]

its a pretty old technique, but too much set up time if you aren't a production turner.

 

[Don Bunce]

Here's a video that shows the indicator fingers in use.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYB1vWswqLk