Walking Cane

[HandyDan]

Got the cane I've been working on done this week.  This is the first one I made in two pieces.  I started out with two brass bushings.

 

 

Threaded them to a 3/8" coarse thread.  Turned them down to 5/8" and turned notches into the outside so the epoxy had something extra to grab onto.

 

Took a couple 3/8" bolts and drilled a chamfer in the heads to give them a true center point to ride the live center.  Did this to make sure they met well when screwed together later.

 

 

Took a 36" x 1 1/4" birch dowel and cut it in half.  Found the centers and drilled a 5/8" hole in one end of each piece and epoxied the bushings in.  Drilled the holes using the lathe.

 

 

Mounted them in the lathe and turned them to a gentle taper and smoothed them out.  Even at 18" long they want to chatter.  I find a two wheel steady is all that is needed for this.

 

 

I made it to fit the banjo from another lathe and is easily adjusted for height and closeness.

 

 

Looked online at Google images for cane handles and decided on which one I liked.  Drew it out on a piece of Purpleheart cut it out on the band saw and used the spindle sander to shape it from there.  Lots of hand sanding after that but worth it.

 

 

 

While turning the shafts I added some small beads under the handle and again at the joint to conceal it.  Burned lines between the beads too.

 

 

 

I used the lathe as a sculpting vise for the handle.  Here is some pictures of that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Danl]

I like it, especially the small beads.  If I were in need of one, I would put my order in.  Thanks for sharing.  Danl

[Gene Howe]

Really nice, Dan.  Thanks for the ride along. 

[Ron Altier]

That is nice. I never thought about making them in 2 pieces  with brass connector pieces. I made a couple and made them long so I could cut to length, each cane is as individual as the person using it. 

Made them for my lady and me.......so far we have not needed them.

 

Great work, look great.

[lew]

Sweet looking cane. I especially like your  use of the lathe as a vice. 

 

Here’s a web site of a lady who does this for a living. I’ve followed her for a long time on another wood working site 

http://www.bigstickcanes.com/

Edited June 13, 2019 by lew

[Ron Altier]

That is nice. I never thought about making them in 2 pieces  with brass connector pieces. I made a couple and made them long so I could cut to length, each cane is as individual as the person using it. 

Made them for my lady and me.......so far we have not needed them.

 

Great work, look great.

[Ron Altier]

Great idea of the two wheel steady rest! Gonna hafta try that!!

[HandyDan]

I tried to make the handle incorporating off-set turning.  It didn't work out but I think it can be done.  Will have to work on that.

[Smallpatch]

Mighty fine work there young man...It beats the first cane I started building on and the first attempt I started carving about 3 years ago...I thought I was carving a likeness of a young heifer and since there are a lots of cowboys around here I thought it would sell fast at the yearly craft fair we use to go to every year...Anyway the first guy who looked it over said that's a good likeness of a scotty dog.. After he left I took it back out to the pickup and slid it under the seat and I just found it as I was doing a not too often wash job which the last one was about three years ago just three or four days ago. It hardly ever gets moved out of the garage..

 

Hey, what happened to that great app or what ever for I went to eat and clicked off of this comp. and when I came back to finish it before I posted it,,,, it was gone...and I had to do this whole post again. Curses!!

Edited June 14, 2019 by Smallpatch

[Gerald]

Dan that is a nice job. Now you and Steve have set the bar high for the rest of us.

 

Hey patch that is a every nice carving job.

 

Dan how did you mount the steady?

[Steve Krumanaker]

Beautiful nice work Dan. I really enjoy it when you break down the process on your creations. Is the cane for anyone in particular?

[Pauley]

Beautiful cane.  Well done and well made.

[HandyDan]

2 hours ago, Steve Krumanaker said:

Is the cane for anyone in particular?

 

A friend of mine had some complications with Diabetes.  She hasn't walked for about six months but is now ready to start.  She was fitted with a shoe and I supplied the cane.  Got a feeling she will need a walker to begin with.  She loves the cane.

[HandyDan]

13 hours ago, Ron Altier said:

I made a couple and made them long so I could cut to length

I thought of that too.  With her standing I measured from the floor to the palm of her hand with her hand in a position of holding the cane.  I then added two inches to that length and left room at the bottom of the cane to cut off if necessary.

 

[HandyDan]

14 hours ago, Gerald said:

Dan how did you mount the steady?

 

I used a banjo from an older Delta lathe.  Makes it nice and easy to adjust.  I've only used it on 2" and below spindles.  Works well for me.  Here is a few pictures.

 

 

 

[Gerald]

I have everything but the banjo, but I can make that. Thanks for the pics

[Jim L]

Just beautiful