You asked for lathe stuff

[Smallpatch]

When I turn I go back and forth from a regular lathe to the Legacy and not excelling in either.

 

 

This is where I started doing tea pots. Wife has been collection tea pots for a while and I thought why not add my little brainy thoughts. Just like hers, they don't do nothing but just sit there needing to be dusted......The tea pot I made her for our 50 th anniversary I accidently sold it at her yearly sale. I felt bad but money talks. So since then I made her a few more hoping she forget about it???

  I don't especially like red stain but I still got lots of it from more than 50 years ago and need to use up. A few drops of this stuff goes a long ways. Some of the bottles the lids were not on real tight and in all those years the liquid has turned to dust.

[Gene Howe]

Those tea pots are very creative. Looks to me like you've mastered the Legacy mill.

[Gerald]

They never forget. Love your work. Just thought do you hollow these ?

[Smallpatch]

Gerald I almost have more wood lathes than I have knives, three lathes, and all being worth a hundred or two. Each time I bought a lathe the guys threw in their old knives but every time they were repeats of what I already had. So I sharpened some metal files and they hold a good edge for what I do. I think I have 4 different store bought knives and none seem to do the inside very well.

  My best bargain on a lathe, at a garage same in Monte Vista, Colo. some time ago we were tooling down the road and up popped a garage sale sign. This guy had just bought a new Harbor Freight wood lathe and his old Monkey Wards lathe was laying out in the horse stalls. I gave 7 bucks for it but that was with out a motor. It looks like new now and it is the one I use the most for it is the first one I can get to.

I make the shape with the lathe then take it to the Legacy for the fancy shapes. The handles, spouts and feet take way longer than the bodies.

[Smallpatch]

I didn't answer your question, no, none are hollowed out.

[HandyDan]

I remember a few of those from when you made them.  They really are nice.  The smallest one on the left is still my favorite.

[Smallpatch]

Gene, there are so many stops that have to be set, it takes me many many double checks before I flip the router on.

Like I can make four legs using multi number of router bits. But a person should make the same cut on all four legs before changing the bit. The hardest thing on the Legacy is locking the router bit down the exact same depth as you had done before. Yes micrometers can be used to set the dept but hey a few thousandths difference will show up. 

  Its easy to make spirals going different directions like on a bed post but don't forget that set of gears are mounted on the machine. And just turning the hand crank can be mind boggling, right hand or left hand turning can be a disaster causing tear out where the other direction can make beautiful cuts with no damage whats so ever!!

  I found long ago a radio can be a distraction or a football game can make kindling real fast. Much the same results as a person texting while driving....

Turning the hand crank clockwise with the right set of gears installed the wood will turn clockwise, where a different set of gears will turn the wood counterclockwise. 

  If a certain set of stops are not engaged you can run your router bit into metal.

Its a machine that will make a person appear to be a better woodworker than he might be....

[Gene Howe]

There are a good number of orders (non paying) that need completed. When those are done, I plan to build a router mill similar to the Legacy. Don't think it will do as many things as the Legacy. Plans are to make some canes for my local VA clinic. But, in addition to spindles, it'll do spirals and straight grooving at intervals. I believe it'll do curved grooving, like your pots, by using templates. 

The gears are different sized bicycle gears. I've collected most of the metal hardware. Just need the time. 

It will be fun.

Edited September 23, 2016 by Gene Howe

[Steve Krumanaker]

Those are still as impressive as the first time I saw one, just outstanding!

 

Steve

[Smallpatch]

Good for you I like guys to do their own thing.  

You might go to Legacy.com and take a look, if you haven't already at all their gears and aids .  I like the part where a person can make a spiral three inches long or can space it out to extend three feet.

 

 

[Gene Howe]

Thanks for the tip, Jesse.

[Kevin Beitz]

I made a gearless spiral lathe.

I used a Zero-max gearbox instead.

No gears to change.

I make twisted squares and twisted octagons porch post 8 ft. long.