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by
Shane Eagen
photo: Roger Yip |
RING HOLDER |
| Crucial
shop improvisations |
Workshops are very similar to kitchens: both rooms house limited
tool collections and woodworkers and chefs alike must improvise
if key tools are missing. This project is a great example of
this maxim. Don’t have a lathe? No problem—here’s
a technique for occasional small-scale wood turning.
Lathe Set-up
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| For
smaller projects like this ring holder, a drill
lathe works as well as a proper wood lathe |
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For smaller
projects such as this, a drill lathe works well so long as it’s
properly positioned. Place a 3/4" thick scrap onto the
left front corner of the workbench as a base. Then put a handscrew
clamp flat on top of this with the jaws opening to the right
to cradle the drill. Sit the drill on its back with the handle
sticking straight up and the chuck pointing to the right. Clamp
it down with a handscrew. Position the drill as close to the
front edge of the workbench as possible, leaving room for the
lathe tool rest. Clamp the woodscrew to the bench with both
clamps. Make sure the drill is angled to spin the ring holder
parallel to the tabletop. Chuck a bit into the drill and measure
the distance from the bit to the bench in two spots. Adjust
the drill until the bit is perfectly straight.
Grab a piece of scrap wood and
hold it against the drill chuck on top of the bench. Draw a
pencil line to match the chuck centre. Drive a finishing nail
smack into the mark and cut the nail head off, leaving an 8"
stub. Bull-nose or chamfer one edge of the scrap piece for the
tool rest.
Prepare the Blank
Begin by drilling a 3/8" hole into one end of the 3"
walnut piece approximately 3/4"-deep. Drill a matching
hole into the other piece of walnut and glue the pieces together
using 1 1/2" of a 3/8" dowel. Make sure the pieces
fit together tightly.
Once the dowel joint is dry, drill
a 3/8"-dia.x 3/4"-deep hole into the base. Glue a
1 1/2" dowel inside the hole. After the glue dries, remove
all the corners with a rasp.
Next, tightly wrap the dowel stub
with some electrical tape. Drill a hole into the ring holder
at the other end. The overall size and length of the finishing
nail stub in the tail stock determines the diametre and depth.
Use a matching finishing nail as a bit.
Chuck the ring holder into the
drill. Set the tail stock and screw it to your work surface.
Then set the tool rest the same way, making sure it is square
with the tail brace.
I wrapped a small piece of wire
around the drill trigger and handle to control the speed. Tighten
the wire one twist at a time until you get the right speed.
Also, it’s a good idea to plug the drill into an extension
bar with an on/off switch so you can easily control the power.
Turning
Turn the ring holder and slightly taper it. The base should
be a little wider than the rings it will eventually hold. Don’t
put your fingers between the spinning piece and the tool rest
because your fingers can get pulled into it.
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| BENCHTOP
DRILL LATHE |
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Finally,
measure and cut a small, 2 x 2 square base and chamfer the edges.
Attach it to the ring holder with glue or an embedded dowel.
Tools required: 1 3/8" variable
speed, reversible drill; 3/8" bit; a wooden hand screw;
two F-clamps; screws; hammer; pliers; saw; rasp; sandpaper;
a face shield; lathe tools.
Materials required: a 3"
piece of 1" x 1" walnut stock with the grain running
parallel to the length; a 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" x 3/4"
piece of walnut; a 3/4"-thick piece of scrap; a 4"-long
piece of scrap wide enough for a tool rest; two pieces of scrap
for the tail stock; approximately 4" of a 3/8" dowel;
a finishing nail; screws; beeswax or any finish of your choice.
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