Fe-Wood Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Thought I would share a piece I made today. I've been working at learning metal spinning for the last year. Finally, I am close to being able to make what I want.... The way I want it:D This piece is about 5 1/2" tall, Copper cup, Mahogany base. Always looking for feedback! What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewOC Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Nice! Great proportions and patina on the copper, how'd u do that? I rotate my pics when they are saved on computer, after extracting from camera; so the pic file is right way round when shot of to iforge. regs AndrewOC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy k Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Fe-wood - What are you using for spinning equipement? Is it a commercial machine or something you fabricated? - JK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan W Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Exactly what is metal spinning? I am not familiar with this technique. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chyancarrek Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Very nicely done Fe!! Looking forward to seeing how this progresses for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 (edited) Metal spinning - Wikipedia a reasonable description of the process. Probably could be improved. Phil I think this reads wrong, the wiki can be improved. That is a nice piece of metal work Phil Edited November 25, 2009 by pkrankow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted November 25, 2009 Author Share Posted November 25, 2009 Thanks for all the complements! Andrew- I think what you are seeing is a flash hot spot. The copper is polished with tripoli on the lathe so its pretty shiny. Jeremy- my lathe is a 12" variable speed Rockwell from the fifties. I have upgraded the tool post system to handle the tork and made a stop for the tail stock so it doesn't move under pressure. For the last six months, I have been looking for a 20 to 24" lathe made for spinning. They all seem to be on the east coast or somewhere in the middle and shipping is a killer. Jafo- Take a look at this video for good description: YouTube - Metal Spinning I wish I was as good as this guy... Chyancarrek- Thanks! As I do good works I will post them... My pile of rejects is sizable... Nice benefit though, I always have a dish or cup to hold parts or mix things in:) Who ever did the rotation for me- please tell me how you did it. I rotate them in my files but when I post them the come out in original orientation. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving All!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Could have been a bell for I all know but I guessed it to be a goblet. Very nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shipto Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 I am always expecting the metal to crinkle as its being formed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted November 30, 2009 Author Share Posted November 30, 2009 Shipto- The metal, for me often does crinkle,.... stretch,.... and crack. As they say- Practice, practice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triw Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Beatiful work Fe-Wood, I like the cobination of wood and metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted December 7, 2009 Author Share Posted December 7, 2009 Thanks triw! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Nice effort. Were you able to find someone to help you learn or did you have to figure it out yourself? Metal spinning is a craft I do NOT recommend someone try and figure out themselves, it can be lethally dangerous. My Father was a metal spinner and I grew up in his shop. Being a full blast commercial operation we did very little hand spinning, it was virtuyally all scissor spinning. In fact even though I was a competent metal spinner by time I was 12yrs old I've never hand spun anything. I have a couple lathes that will get set up in my shop when I'm back up to speed and a little spinning will happen then and there. Well done all round. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted December 10, 2009 Author Share Posted December 10, 2009 Thanks Frosty- First off- WELCOME BACK!!!!!!!! I was shocked to hear what had happened to you. I am so glad you are on your way to a full recovery!! From you, that is high praise indeed:D I have been learning on my own and yes it IS very dangerous! I am working with scissor tools and hand tools, all made by me. I have endeavored to learn many trades and crafts in my life and spinning is by far and hands down the hardest one I have tried to learn. I'm sure it would help immensely to have someone show me some tips and techniques. Not many metal spinners around Grass Valley though. Finding a suitable spinning lathe has been hard too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinton Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 thanks for that link to the video now it all makes sense that guy is good and is he strapped to the machine? guess hes not afraid of that thing coming loose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted December 10, 2009 Author Share Posted December 10, 2009 I've not had one come loose yet (knock on wood). Strapping to the machine helps maintane control and balance as you swing through the stroke. I don't do it. It is said that that is a european style of spinning.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 (edited) Thanks, glad to be on the road back. Heck, if you haven't checked out the free for all roast my "Buds" are laying on me you aught to check out "Great White Birch Jokes" under "Everything else." There used to be a metal spinner presence online but I lost track of them, one guy stopped hosting the forum and the other isn't someone I'd recommend lightly. It's a bummer really. You might have better luck farther south, Dad's shop was in the San Fernando valley till it grew significantly, then moved to Burbank to save on shipping. Anyway, there may still be some old timey spinning shops in the southland. Okay, if that worked the two pics are of Dad spinning. One is named "Capitol Sphere" but that's not what it is, he's spinning a radar dish. He spun the capitol spheres for the Washington state capitol buildings shortly after WWII and Mother thought this was a pic of one but it's not. The pic was taken in the daylight basement of a place we lived in Washington, prior to 1955 when we moved to S. Cal. The pic with two people in it is in Dad's shop in the San Fernando Valley, McClay Canyon area, circa mid 60's The gal holding torch for Dad is Sherrie, Dad's partner's wife. Dad is spinning and holding torch was one of my jobs when he didn't have me spinning, cutting blanks, punching blanks, sweeping floors and oiling machines, or whatever needed doing.The part is something aerospace related and either jet/rocket engine alloy stainless or perhaps Titanium. I don't think it's TI because of the color it is under the torch, TI liked to turn incadescent white at spinning temps while most SS alloys were good Forging temp yellow at spinning temp.Thanks Frosty- First off- WELCOME BACK!!!!!!!! I was shocked to hear what had happened to you. I am so glad you are on your way to a full recovery!! From you, that is high praise indeed:D I have been learning on my own and yes it IS very dangerous! I am working with scissor tools and hand tools, all made by me. I have endeavored to learn many trades and crafts in my life and spinning is by far and hands down the hardest one I have tried to learn. I'm sure it would help immensely to have someone show me some tips and techniques. Not many metal spinners around Grass Valley though. Finding a suitable spinning lathe has been hard too. Edited December 16, 2009 by Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 Strapping to the machine? Sorry, I have no idea what that means. In Father's shop and most commercial spinning shops you didn't turn the lathe off to put a bresh blank in or remove the finished part. Removing the finished part is no biggy, simply open the tail stock and it drops onto the ways and slides down a wood ramp into a box behind the lathe. Putting a fresh blank in on the other hand cn be a major pucker facter event. Basically we'd eyeball the center of the blank and hold it just touching the center of the die. Eyeballing the center of a spinning die is very easy . . . Still. Anyway, when you had the blank centered on the die you slam the tailstock closed on it and use the centering stick to center the blank by loosening the tailstock slowly and allowing the blank to ride against the stick. You simply coax the blank into a position on the die that is applyig constant pressure and sound on the stick then retighten the tailstock. After that spinning wasn't so scary. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted December 16, 2009 Author Share Posted December 16, 2009 Strapping to the machine? Sorry, I have no idea what that means. There used to be a metal spinner presence online but I lost track of them, one guy stopped hosting the forum and the other isn't someone I'd recommend lightly. It's a bummer really. In some of the utube clips I watch, the spinner is wearing a belt with a hook on it that is clipped around the tool rest post. As he pivots through the stroke, it keeps him close to the lathe. I can see how this may help with pressure, balance and a nice even stroke. It may also be a little easier on the back to have the additional support. I've tried a few other sites for spinning info, yeh, not much out there. It seems there are several people interested in learning... Lots of beginner questions out there and not so many expert answers. There was a shop in Palo Alto, Ca. that went up for auction last February and I didn't go because I am a bonehead:rolleyes: Many hand lathes and tools and they went cheep! I was just getting into it then so I did'nt know:mad: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 In some of the utube clips I watch, the spinner is wearing a belt with a hook on it that is clipped around the tool rest post. As he pivots through the stroke, it keeps him close to the lathe. I can see how this may help with pressure, balance and a nice even stroke. It may also be a little easier on the back to have the additional support. I've tried a few other sites for spinning info, yeh, not much out there. It seems there are several people interested in learning... Lots of beginner questions out there and not so many expert answers. There was a shop in Palo Alto, Ca. that went up for auction last February and I didn't go because I am a bonehead:rolleyes: Many hand lathes and tools and they went cheep! I was just getting into it then so I did'nt know:mad: I've never heard of anyone tying themselves to a spinning lathe like that and you wouldn't catch me doing it. If a person isn't physically up to metal spinning then they should either get in shape or pick another pursuit. This strapping business seems like something someone who doesn't really know what they're doing figured out. I'd be interested in seeing how he's suppsed to get out of the way if a blank starts going south on him. Bummer about missing the auction, I didn't get ay of Dad's old equipment and I could've had it for the asking. I'd love to have a proper spinning lathe but will probably have to build one. It's not that big a deal building a spinning lathe, Dad build several. No hand lathes though, all real deal production lathes. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinton Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 fewood-check your private message I am going to be in grass valley tomarrow maybe stop by if you are around gonna be a quick trip up and back one day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leenco12 Posted September 12, 2010 Share Posted September 12, 2010 I am always expecting the metal to crinkle as its being formed. Shipto- The metal, for me often does crinkle,.... stretch,.... and crack. As they say- Practice, practice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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