Shaker-Style Bench Seat: Episode 2
Posted 13 August 2014
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Paul finishes of shaping the leg, showing a few more techniques that can be used. He then shows how to lay out the rail and spindle which can be shaped using the same method. The shaping of the spindle will also be covered in a later episode. This episode finishes of with the fitting of the legs to the seat.
great episode, why would anyone use a lathe for such a task? you wouldn’t be getting a feel for grain direction not to mention the mess or risk
Well, turning is a lot of fun and can be a very creative form of woodworking.
While it is noisier than working with spokeshaves and draw knives it is also much faster and easier once you get the hang of it.
There is actually a lot of skill involved in turning unlike let’s say using a table saw.
I think its good to explore all methods that intrest you but it’s not always nesessary to turn to power methods ( pun intended). There are many ways to make spindles, with the method shown there is no need to purchase an expensive lathe and you learn to use other tools. I agree its quiet and not as hazardous with no dust and saftey equipment needed.
hi thomas i didn’t intend to be dismissive of anyone else’ methods i also have a lathe but i enjoy hand tools more than machines my lathe was inherited from my dad and ive never been shown how to use it .needless to say it scares the beejeesus out of me .
Hi Eddy
If you don’t have some base training don’t touch!!
Lathes are great a VERY free form of woodworking . I have two mach. And I have made more than 20 tools in the past 30
Years. I have taught a lot of people to turn. .but the unit is very dangerous . And things happen very fast. The things Paul is teaching are just as good in someway better
I can make all four legs with a skew inabout 30 min. But Pauls way is a lot more fun. That’s why I am here,
Enjoy the craft .
I consider the lathe possibly the safest power tool in the woodshop. It is the one power tool where the wood moves and the blade is stationary, making it inherently safer. As with any machine, the danger of injury is always there, but despite many catches and thrown wood, I have never been hurt. That said, even though turning was my intro to woodworking and have been turning for years, I shy away from it now due to the copious amount of sawdust (from the tools) and dust from sanding that goes EVERYWHERE. I find Paul’s method fascinating.
I just wanted to add a voice supporting @FRANKJ. If you don’t know the dangers associated with a lathe, you should have someone train you. Lathe accidents don’t happen as often as table saw accidents, but when they do, they can be bad: loss of limb or loss of life rather than loss of finger. Aside from thrown wood, you can be caught and drawn in. This is particularly bad if you are caught on the spindle or a spindle attachment such as a chuck rather than on the wood, which has some chance of coming free for small spindle turning. For bowls bolted to a faceplate or large spindle work, though, the work is unlikely to break free. This is one reason I like Steb drives.
I did own an entry level lathe for about a month. I soon learn that to buy chucks, lathe chisels, and all the other upgrades was going to be a huge rabbit hole to throw money down. One lathe forum member stated, “The lathe is the cheap part…”
I sold it quickly and never looked back. This project and videos just reassure me I will be just fine without a lathe. Thanks again Mr. Sellers and the rest of the crew.
Paul I am so happy to see this being done without a lathe, this is going to be fun. I do own a shop-smith but do not own any chucks or lathe tools, and being retired now these tools are not in my budget. You have given some excellent tips on what to do without the expensive tools.
Thanks for this !
Steve
Although I do have some big power tools a lathe has never been one of them. Never wanted to invest in it. Good to see this method being used. Thanks to Paul and the rest of the guys. This is good stuff.
Paul,
I’m really enjoying your classes and I like the idea of the spokeshave kit. It would give me the opportunity to customize it for my hands. I looked at Veritas and they sell a large and small spokeshave kit. Which size is the one your using?
Todd
Hi Todd
Do a search (making spokeshave) there are a lot of plans on the web. For a blade look for an old table saw blade at a flemart they are ,made from good steel, if you cut and grind carefully you will not need to temper. The blades are good for planes also. Find a old pre 60s they are flat at 3/16 to 1/8 . Look at Cornish woodworker if I recall she had a nice one and a lot on shooting boards also I have made a few they are easy and fun to make…
Frankj
Looking forward to giving this a try. You’ve given plenty of tool options already, but would you also consider using a rasp or even a #4 plane for shaping the spindles? Thanks.
Martin,
From what I’ve seen of Paul he’d take a shot at making pudding with a #4 Stanley!
-Seb
When the spindle is fit to the hole, will we have made a cylinder at the end of the spindle that matches the bore, or is it slightly tapering through the hole (and we’ll splay it back out with a wedge)?
Interesting comments about usage of lathes. I just wondered if anyone on here had used a pole lathe, or had even made their own?
I have made and used two pole lathes. One was a hack on a large antique lathe that lacked its belt-drive and motor. The other was an ‘in the woods’ model bolted together from rough 2x 6 and using a real ash pole. Both worked a treat for me.
The key was to use green wood or air-dried, and to split and roughly shave the blanks instead of using sawn or kiln-dried material. No dust, just lovely ribbons of wood. Beech and birch are a joy to turn green, on a powered or pole lathe.
No fear and no issue with the lathe throwing the wood – if there is a dig, the string slips. No great spiral gouge in the wood, and no baseball bat whizzing past your ear.
I have a midi lathe now, and still relish turning green wood.
Hi Paul, Question, you must have started with longer leg blanks than 17 inches, as shown in your notes, to compensate for the leg angles in order to end up with a finished height of 17 inches. Correct?
Hi John,
Paul says:
Yes, I did. Generally that is standard practice for all parts.
Izzy