INSIDE OUT CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT QUESTION

if you had a chuck, that would be better…...... Jerry (in Tucson)

-- Jerry (in Tucson) www.woodturnerstools.com

Not enough info.

What species of wood are you using?

What tool(s) are you using?

Does this only happen when you present the tool to the wood?

Are your tools sharp?

-- Gerry -- "I don't plan to ever really grow up ... I'm just going to learn how to act in public!"

A glued block is no different than a solid one, it just has a glue line in it somewhere. It should behave just like all blanks do, and should mount the same way. If your drive spur is spinning, then you don’t have it set well enough. Getting them set, particularly in hard woods, usually means drilling a small pilot hole for the drive center, and possibly scoring an “X” across the end for the flutes to fit into easier.

Cheers,
Brad

-- Brad in FL - In Dog I trust... everything else is questionable

If paper glued joint is not coming apart the paper was not thick enough to prevent all sides becoming one! My wife still bring groceries in those brown paper bags which work well for paper joints! Today cannot always get those bags so turner resort to craft thicker craft paper.

Are you installing a dead center single point drive center, 2 or 4-prong drive center in the wood & headstock?

When using my 2 prong drive center the point will penetrate the wood deeper than those prongs. Always allow for waste on each end of the ornament so can use a parting tool to part from between centers. My waste allowance little bigger if using my chuck.

So try thicker paper, make sure you your prongs on your drive center penetrate wood too.

Good luck with!

-- Bill

I just wrap packing tape around the ends where I am not going to be turning to hold the pieces together when doing an inside out turning. I just don’t trust paper joints on the lathe.

Have you tried just drilling a slight pilot hole to help the spur center teeth to completely engage? You can also find spur centers with spring loaded center point so you don’t need to drill a hole. If you still cannot get it to grab, Try using a rubber or wood mallet before mounting on the lathe to tap the spur center into the end grain. I assume that you have the end squared up.

-- Nathan, TX -- Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.

You can also find spur centers with spring loaded center point so you don t need to drill a hole.

Look for “steb center” ... here is a listing from Packard Woodworks: https://www.packardwoodworks.com/lathes-acc-cent-steb.html

-- Gerry -- "I don't plan to ever really grow up ... I'm just going to learn how to act in public!"

Thanks everyone for all the great advice! I finally got it to work. I tried several of the pieces of advice and finally got it to work after cranking the hell out of the tail stock. I also ordered a steb center that is spring loaded. I still screwed it up by cutting it to deep, but at least the initial problem is fixed. Now I guess it will just take repetition and practice…v/r Brad