Indexing off the lathe

[Ted Pelfrey]

Read an article on how a basket illusion maker used a home built index system to do his indexing/line burning off the lathe. Can’t find the article, didn’t have plans anyway. Does anyone have a set up like this ? If so care to share? Be nice not tying up the lathe and possibly sit down to do the burning part of a basket illusion. Thanks

 

[John K Jordan]

Read an article on how a basket illusion maker used a home built index system to do his indexing/line burning off the lathe. Can’t find the article, didn’t have plans anyway. Does anyone have a set up like this ? If so care to share? Be nice not tying up the lathe and possibly sit down to do the burning part of a basket illusion. Thanks

Sorry, I haven't seen that. Do you remember what publication? Could it be this:

C

Thread 'Basket Illusion'

Mar 9, 2024

I've thought about documenting the steps of my style of basket illusion for a while and thought this would be a good a place to give it a try. Keep in mind that there are probably as many different ways to do this as there are people doing it and mine is only one of them. And I also need to give credit and thanks to those who taught me most of this. I was first inspired by Jim Adkins several years before I ever tried this myself. And to this day I still think his baskets are the most realistic I've seen. Steve Mawson has also been a huge inspiration to me and also become a good friend...

• Curt Fuller
• Replies: 65
• Forum: Tutorials and Tips

• 

From a quick glance it looks like Curt Fuller is using polar graph paper to define the divisions. Could you use some? (I think I have a stash of polar and nearly every other kind of graph paper made - anyone need some log-log?)

I do have a Alisam indexer for the wood lathe (on the advise of John Lucas) but I don't think it has enough divisions for the faux baskets.


Now for something way out in left field...
I use a precision rotary table for my milling machine and I've used it, not for illusive baskets but for laying out patterns for chip carving on round things. A bit pricey but extremely precise. Not something easily made at home!

A rotary table is extremely handy at the mill!
For example, I mounted a vise on it and used it to mill the precise angles for this logo on a chunk of bronze.
A friend wanted to make a branding iron for her dad's woodworking - with the family sheep farm logo.
A rotary table is one of those things that once you use it you can't live without it.



JKJ

 

[Paul Paukstelis]

If you hate having to do the indexing and burning the lines, there is always automation. It is shown "on the lathe" here, but can also be done off.

https://imgur.com/a/gZgai9n

 

[Ted Pelfrey]

If you hate having to do the indexing and burning the lines, there is always automation. It is shown "on the lathe" here, but can also be done off.

https://imgur.com/a/gZgai9n

Thanks Paul. Oh no I don’t hate it . Just would like to do it off the lathe. The guy I saw had a homemade indexing jig . I can bring it to work and possibly get my indexing done at work , and not tie up my lathe.

 

[Larry Copas]

A little off the wall but a dividing head or a spin indexer would work. Both are standard metalworking accessorizes. A lot of dividing heads have a 1-1/2"-8 spindle thread so you need an adapter to 1-1/4-8 to mount a chuck. The spin indexer is cheaper but only uses 5C collets. I often use the dividing head on my Bridgeport to flute bowls, slot Christmas ornaments, and spindle work.

Lathe chuck top left in the picture mounted on a dividing head so I can cut sliding dovetails in the center spindle for a Shaker candle stand. Last weeks work.

 

[Ted Pelfrey]

A little off the wall but a dividing head or a spin indexer would work. Both are standard metalworking accessorizes. A lot of dividing heads have a 1-1/2"-8 spindle thread so you need an adapter to 1-1/4-8 to mount a chuck. The spin indexer is cheaper but only uses 5C collets. I often use the dividing head on my Bridgeport to flute bowls, slot Christmas ornaments, and spindle work.View attachment 78009

Lathe chuck top left in the picture mounted on a dividing head so I can cut sliding dovetails in the center spindle for a Shaker candle stand. Last weeks work.

Thanks Larry . I need something small and light , portable.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

Sorry, I haven't seen that. Do you remember what publication? Could it be this:

C

Thread 'Basket Illusion'

Mar 9, 2024

I've thought about documenting the steps of my style of basket illusion for a while and thought this would be a good a place to give it a try. Keep in mind that there are probably as many different ways to do this as there are people doing it and mine is only one of them. And I also need to give credit and thanks to those who taught me most of this. I was first inspired by Jim Adkins several years before I ever tried this myself. And to this day I still think his baskets are the most realistic I've seen. Steve Mawson has also been a huge inspiration to me and also become a good friend...

• Curt Fuller
• Replies: 65
• Forum: Tutorials and Tips

• 

From a quick glance it looks like Curt Fuller is using polar graph paper to define the divisions. Could you use some? (I think I have a stash of polar and nearly every other kind of graph paper made - anyone need some log-log?)

I do have a Alisam indexer for the wood lathe (on the advise of John Lucas) but I don't think it has enough divisions for the faux baskets.


Now for something way out in left field...
I use a precision rotary table for my milling machine and I've used it, not for illusive baskets but for laying out patterns for chip carving on round things. A bit pricey but extremely precise. Not something easily made at home!

A rotary table is extremely handy at the mill!
For example, I mounted a vise on it and used it to mill the precise angles for this logo on a chunk of bronze.
A friend wanted to make a branding iron for her dad's woodworking - with the family sheep farm logo.
A rotary table is one of those things that once you use it you can't live without it.
View attachment 78000
View attachment 78001
View attachment 78002
JKJ

Wow. I bought a $600 CNC a few weeks ago. Haven't done much with it yet. It's got an 800w spindle capable of doing aluminum and brass. Anolex 3030 Max.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

If you hate having to do the indexing and burning the lines, there is always automation. It is shown "on the lathe" here, but can also be done off.

https://imgur.com/a/gZgai9n

That's the perfect use of a CNC, even for people who think CNCs don't belong in woodturning.

Some day, Paul. Some day.

 

[Rob Gabel]

If you hate having to do the indexing and burning the lines, there is always automation. It is shown "on the lathe" here, but can also be done off.

https://imgur.com/a/gZgai9n

Hmm... I have a rotary attachment for my laser that I can get a "chuck" for. I may need to try some experiments.

 

[john lucas]

Ted. Many years ago this is how I indexed to use my router. Just a screw in from the end held the piece in position

 

[Paul Paukstelis]

Hmm... I have a rotary attachment for my laser that I can get a "chuck" for. I may need to try some experiments.

It can work well on things that are more spindle-like. As you get to more bowl/plate pieces you end up having to make non-orthogonal lines, so you need a machine that can change tool position. In my video you might even notice the laser angle actually follows the profile of the piece.

 

[Doug Rasmussen]

I don't fully understand basket illusion. Is it just to provide a design or is it to make something that actually looks like a woven basket? First time I became aware of basket illusions my thought was why not actually weave a real basket?

The indexing shown in post #3 using a laser is not correct for segment spacing on a real woven basket. Each coil of a real basket should be divided into a different number of equal segments. That's fairly easily done on a programmable device like a CNC. Take the 360 degree length of a coil, divide by the segment spacing to come up with the number of segments for that particular coil.

CNC in woodturning... nothing at all wrong with it. Just another tool to achieve your designs.

 

[Paul Paukstelis]

The indexing shown in post #3 using a laser is not correct for segment spacing on a real woven basket. Each coil of a real basket should be divided into a different number of equal segments. That's fairly easily done on a programmable device like a CNC. Take the 360 degree length of a coil, divide by the segment spacing to come up with the number of segments for that particular coil.

This is just simple segmentation. My program can define how many segments are created over any particular length, so you can approximate a woven basket. Doing it over each coil would be be tedious and since by definition it is an illusion, there is no reason to make it exactly as a woven basket.

 

[Mark Fairchild]

Ted,
This is my indexing system set up on my lathe but I don’t see why you couldn’t make something with a Chuck to hold your work and it could sit on your kitchen table if need be. I usually use 48 or 72 divisions for my work. Takes me about an hour to index both sides of a 12” platter. I’ve never used anything to burn lines on the lathe. Easy enough sitting at my study desk at home.

 

[Gregg Zank]

Ted,
Mine is similar to Mark's but I enhanced the indexing with a wheel that I 3D printed. I use it on lathe like Mark and then burn in at my leisure. I am intrigued by the short video that Paul P. added to the conversation would like to know more about this - likely beyond my ability to fabricate but it sure looks slick.
Picks of my set-up below. The first one shows how I index the plate, the second drawing the lines and the third off lathe burning.