Replies

1. 
   Midnight | Jan 06, 2005 12:54am | #1

   Try a centre finder like one of these....

   http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?SID=&ccurrency=1&page=32596&category=1,42936,42940

   Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

2. 
   forestgirl | Jan 06, 2005 01:49am | #2

   Bodgerman, keep in mind this suggestion is coming from someone who never used a lathe in her life, but if no other tips are given, it might work.  Can you find the center by trying various balancing points until the piece holds fairly steady??  Using a balancing surface such as the end of a dowel, maybe 1/2"???

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
   Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   Bodgerman | Jan 06, 2005 03:01am | #4

   I'm runnin' right out and try the dowel thing.  Will letcha know what happens.......Thank you very much.

    

    

3. 
   BG | Jan 06, 2005 02:09am | #3

   Bodgerman,

   For bowls, etc. I've seen most take a burl, establish a center and turn the burl into the bandsaw to round up the workpiece....which then is placed on the lathe.  Woodturners I know have big bandsaws and go through blades quickly....

    

    

4. 
   koikid | Jan 06, 2005 06:12am | #5

   Well you don't give much description of the wood to start with, is it cut in a slab? Like 4" thick and just irregular sized in diameter?   For most blanks I cut out before mounting on the lathe I take a plywood circle cut out of some old wall paneling  I have an assortment of them of all different sizes. They have a small hole in the center that I use a small nail and nail it to what I want to be the center of my blank and cut the excess off around the plywood circle off on the bandsaw. If you don't have a band saw use a home made compass with a point on one end at the center and chalk in the other end to mark your outline and take the chain saw to it. Then once you mount on your lathe start the lathe at the slowest speed to rough cut the blank to try to get in balance, and make sure you have the tail stock and live center snugged up against the end the whole time.   If you don't have a very heavy duty lathe it's going to be hard trying to turn any thing out of balance till you get it trued up. Be careful, good luck hope this helps. KK