# large finials



## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

These are test pieces for some large finials for a customer. I need to turn 16 of them but the wood he left isn't dry and much of it has a radial crack running down through it. They are 11" tall and 5 1/2" in diameter. 
The one on the right was the test piece out of the worst log. Even with CA glue in the crack I still lost the top and it has a huge crack in the back. The bottom started to check overnight.
The one on the left was the best piece of wood and still had small surface checkes by morning. the wood also tears out terribly and requires a fresh sharpening of the tool before the final pass in most cases. This also means you have to move the tool much more slowly and smaller cuts which increases the time it takes to make each one.


----------



## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

I don't think wet wood is going to work for this John. I think you are going to really fight it. Are these a painted pieces once you are done ? If so I would definitely go with a glued up block of thinner dry pieces. That is too much work to have it all bust, and chances are they will turned wet.


----------



## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

Daren They are supposed to be stained so I can't even fill the cracks with anything harder than wood putty and I can't justify the time to do that. Mostly I don't want to turn them because of the danger of the wood coming apart at that radial crack.


----------



## Paul01 (Mar 17, 2008)

yeah, you could get seriously hurt if a piece that size breaks out on you. I hope your client is understanding that you have good reason not to use these logs.


----------



## littlebuddha (Aug 25, 2007)

John tell the guy not to be so mean and buy some wood, its only 5 1/2" stuff at the end of the day you must be able to get 6x6 min dry over there, you say staining them, as in a mahogany coloring or something, beach hemlock stuff like that is around the colout you are useing can't be that hard to get and not going to cost an arm and leg, and better than a smack in the mouth by flying wood.
Always get my own wood for jobs have had people come with stuff that is only fit for the bin or completely no good for perticular job.
My way or they go eles where, and im always biz. So much for being retired, still get to many jobs to do, although can take my own sweet time in getting them finished no rush work anymore. LB..Hey its my birthday tommorow 25th all round mine im getting the beers in:laughing: :thumbsup: and before you all ask im 21.:yes:


----------



## Paul01 (Mar 17, 2008)

How do you make those vertical grooves?


----------



## littlebuddha (Aug 25, 2007)

The groves are put in with a router, placed on a sled, in conjunction with an index wheel. There are a few diff sleds around the net, not much to make and the straight flutes are the simplest. LB.


----------



## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

Thanks LB, you are correct in how I routed the grooves. That's another problem. The wood he chose is pine and it doesn't route cleanly but since these will be mounted on the ceiling it probably won't show.


----------



## fanback (Mar 9, 2008)

How about Basswood.? It's $2.50 a bd.ft. around here. I buy in 8/4 in widths around 10". I find it to be very stable despite being so light.

Michael


----------



## Paul01 (Mar 17, 2008)

a router sounds like the practical way to do it, I couldn't think of one but i was hoping there was some sort of rotary way to do such features, kind of like a knurling set on a metal lathe.


----------



## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

Paul There are several ways to create a texture on a turning without using the router. Only one will make it look similar and that is an ornamental lathe. There were plans to build one in the last 2 issues of American Woodturner.
rober Sorby makes a spiraling/texturing tool. It produces some interesting patterns my nothing like the fluting on my finials.
You can take different cutters in an angle grinder and run them so the rotation of the cutter is the same as the turning. this will give you some unusual textures but nothing like the fluting.


----------

