A new trick?

[robo hippy]

I do watch too much You Tube. Anyway. I have seen a couple of turners use this trick, tried it and liked it. The turner, to mark out a tenon or recess would use the dividers. like I always do, but they would make the divider to be the radius rather than the diameter. This means you cut the measure in half, and then one point goes dead center, and the other point marks the line. No more worrying about touching the other edge into the up moving other side of the spinning bowl. It works really well! No idea who first thought of this.

robo hippy

 

[Greg Lease]

Thanks for sharing this, Reed! I was just using your sharpening platform yesterday!

 

[John Torchick]

Reed, those were my thoughts and cautions...divide the diameter in half. Put one point in the area (not on) of the center and the other to mark the outer edge of the tenon. I have a compass that has a pencil and sharp point on one end. I use this to mark tenons; turn the headstock by hand.

 

[Mark Jundanian]

You do not need to have the lathe running to use this technique. If the center point is accessible, put one leg of the compass/caliper on center. Then rotating the spindle by hand marking out the desired circle.

 

[Julianne Holzschuh]

If you're measuring off something with a clear center mark, yes that works.

If you're trying to match something with a hollowed center point, it's not precise.

 

[John Torchick]

One can get the center of a piece by advancing the 60 degree live center on the tailstock. Done it before.

 

[Tom Albrecht]

I do watch too much You Tube. Anyway. I have seen a couple of turners use this trick, tried it and liked it. The turner, to mark out a tenon or recess would use the dividers. like I always do, but they would make the divider to be the radius rather than the diameter. This means you cut the measure in half, and then one point goes dead center, and the other point marks the line. No more worrying about touching the other edge into the up moving other side of the spinning bowl. It works really well! No idea who first thought of this.

robo hippy

I thought of it first! Obviously it's a real not brainer, and we'll never know who thought it up, but I always did it using the "radius method". Then I started copying Raffan and can't figure out why he does that "full diameter" bit. I suppose he thinks his is a no brainer too... no need to calculate the radius.

 

[WH Seelinger]

When I learned, years ago to turn, I was taught to layout the tendons by the radius method. I have a diamond point carbide bit that I use as a detail tool, I mark the center with it. you can easily remove the little nub and make an accurate center divot for the compass point.

Question, why do turners hand rotate the lathe when using a pencil for layout?

I was taught to mark / layout lines with the lathe running. I also do this laying out spindles. If you use the pencil like you would a scraper, ie, slightly below center, you won't get a catch.

WH