Fe-Wood Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 Hi all- I spent some time in the shop these last couple days and put in some time just doing simple projects. After all the great feedback I got about inspiration... Definalty helped me clear my head:) Thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 Have you been spinning copper? Nice pieces, Deb would like the bird. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted April 11, 2009 Author Share Posted April 11, 2009 Yes! I've been trying to teach myself.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 Looking pretty good. What kind of spinning set up are you using? Got pics? This is a pic of Dad in our basement sometime in the early-mid 50's. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted April 11, 2009 Author Share Posted April 11, 2009 Sorry, no pics as of yet... You wouldn't believe it but I'm using a retrofitted 12" Rockwell wood lathe. I've made the tooling too, only four tool so far.... Can't spin anything near as big as what your dad is... My lathe is too small and so is my ability. Only size I can spin with any consistantly is about 8" Dia. Kinda fun now that I'm having a little success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 Wood lathe works just fine even though they're not rigid enough for heavy spinning. Spinning is as special as blacksmithing, better in many ways. I've never worked metal in a way that lets you feel it move like spinning does. Of course saying it can be dangerous is a laughably understated. Off to bed. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob JS Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 Nice, I like the way you used the differect profiles of the stock for the bird - looks like you twisted it to get more detail on the head. I like simple designs like your trivet more than fancy stuff see if you can find a model steam club in your area - they would go nuts from spun copper chimney tops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andgott Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 Very nice... I like the copper- It works so well with the iron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 Fe-Wood, that looks very nice. The copper base for the bird really sets it off. Keep up the good work. Frosty, got any idea what your dad was spinning? Man that's a big piece!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinbender Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 Looks like a million bucks:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 (edited) George: Mother said it was the Capitol dome sphere for the Washington state capitol building but there is already a bead rolled on the rim of this piece and it's far from being a half sphere. My guess is it's a radar dish of some sort. Father did spin the finial sphere on the Wa. state capitol building, some time in the late 30's or early 40's. It's from Monel and should hold it's polish another couple hundred years or so. Dad spun a lot of stuff in his 40+ years as a spinner and this part isn't even close to the largest he spun. The largest blank I know of personally was 19'+ across and 7/8" thick, Jet/rocket engine (classified) Ti alloy. He spun several more for that job in different sizes and configs. 8or10 ea. as I recall. They were engine parts for the SR-71. OOps! That was the XB-70 he did the huge Ti engine parts for, not the SR-71. Frosty Edited April 11, 2009 by Frosty Wrong plane! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted April 11, 2009 Author Share Posted April 11, 2009 :)Thanks guys, always nice to get good feedback:) Frosty- do you do any spinning now? Your right about the manipulation... I can stretch it but haven't learned how to shrink it.... yet! Proper lubrication has never ment so much to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 No, I won't be doing any spinning till get the machine room built and the shop wired. After I shake the rust off I have a couple projects in mind but don't intend to do any serious spinning, I got my fill in Father's shop a LONG time ago. Life just isn't a happy thing without the right lube, only one thing is worse than galling your tool and that's having your piece come apart! Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted April 11, 2009 Author Share Posted April 11, 2009 Amen brother!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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