# Cube spinning



## gman2431 (Nov 9, 2016)

I've always wanted to try one of these. 

To start I don't think my cube was square or I misaligned it. One wing is Not the same as the others and at an off angle. 

Wood is curly spalted maple. 

Soooo... Help me where I went wrong!!!

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 11 | +Karma 1


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## Tony (Nov 9, 2016)

It still looks cool! It might be that the ends weren't exactly perfectly parallel when you started. Tony

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | EyeCandy! 1


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## Schroedc (Nov 9, 2016)

One wing off or not, looks like you nailed it! I've done square platters and one wing off usually happens because it wasn't a perfect square. If you hadn't said anything nobody would have noticed

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 5


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## gman2431 (Nov 9, 2016)

Schroedc said:


> One wing off or not, looks like you nailed it! I've done square platters and one wing off usually happens because it wasn't a perfect square. If you hadn't said anything nobody would have noticed



Lol It's the little stuff that will drive me nuts.


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## Sprung (Nov 9, 2016)

Very cool, Cody!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## CWS (Nov 9, 2016)

Looks like Curly maple to me.


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## NYWoodturner (Nov 9, 2016)

Who cares man... it's awesome. Nice job

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## Jim Beam (Nov 9, 2016)

Nicely Done! That one is on my list also.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## gman2431 (Nov 9, 2016)

CWS said:


> Looks like Curly maple to me.



It is I said it in the original post if I understand ya correctly you must have missed it?


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## gman2431 (Nov 9, 2016)

Jim Beam said:


> Nicely Done! That one is on my list also.



I honestly had a blast making it and would highly suggest try One. 

Do be careful tho... It was one of the sketchier things I've turned. Roughing it out is interesting to say the least and so is sanding.


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## Tony (Nov 9, 2016)

How big is it Cody? Tony


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## kweinert (Nov 9, 2016)

If you want to practice these I've found that 4x4s from the home stores provide a large number of practice blanks that you won't mind if you screw it up :) You all already know how I know that.

Nice job on this one.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## gman2431 (Nov 9, 2016)

Tony said:


> How big is it Cody? Tony



Not sure of final dimension but I started with a 5 by 5 blank.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Kevin (Nov 9, 2016)

Cody that's fantastic looking. Beautiful man.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## duncsuss (Nov 9, 2016)

Nicely done!

IMO it's really easy to get the cube mounted slightly off-true, and a slight angle is all it takes for the wings to be assymetrical. Thing is, the person who made it is likely to be the only one who really notices (or cares) about it

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## gman2431 (Nov 9, 2016)

duncsuss said:


> Nicely done!
> 
> IMO it's really easy to get the cube mounted slightly off-true, and a slight angle is all it takes for the wings to be assymetrical. Thing is, the person who made it is likely to be the only one who really notices (or cares) about it



I've been thinking all day on how to correct it... Lol! I think a little jig is in order. Might have to weld something up.


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## duncsuss (Nov 9, 2016)

gman2431 said:


> I've been thinking all day on how to correct it... Lol! I think a little jig is in order. Might have to weld something up.




A jig would probably help. I simply put one corner into the hole in my headstock spindle (where a MT spur drive would normally go) and the opposite corner into a live center with a hole (in the tailstock). Cranked it until it didn't slip any more, and turned a tenon at each eand so I could chuck it both ways.

I expect any little variation in the grain would allow one end to crush a little differently than the other -- enough to cause asymmetry later.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Informative 1


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## Tony (Nov 10, 2016)

duncsuss said:


> A jig would probably help. I simply put one corner into the hole in my headstock spindle (where a MT spur drive would normally go) and the opposite corner into a live center with a hole (in the tailstock). Cranked it until it didn't slip any more, and turned a tenon at each eand so I could chuck it both ways.
> 
> I expect any little variation in the grain would allow one end to crush a little differently than the other -- enough to cause asymmetry later.



Duncan, could post a picture of that? I can't picture it with my pea brain. Tony


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## duncsuss (Nov 10, 2016)

Tony said:


> Duncan, could post a picture of that? I can't picture it with my pea brain. Tony


I'll try to remember to take a pic next time I'm near the lathe, not sure if I have anything that's a proper cube though. Maybe I have a box that's close.


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## Tony (Nov 10, 2016)

duncsuss said:


> I'll try to remember to take a pic next time I'm near the lathe, not sure if I have anything that's a proper cube though. Maybe I have a box that's close.



No hurries Duncan. I'm not at a point where I would try this now anyway, just for the future I'd like to see how you do it. Tony


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## kweinert (Nov 10, 2016)

Or even your cube not being entirely cubish. 

As an add-on to my earlier post I will note that redwood 4x4s turn much better than cedar ones. At least that's been my experience.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## gman2431 (Nov 10, 2016)

Well We have determined lots of variables to get this thing off balance!! 

My guess is my cube wasn't a PERFECT cube, it probably crushed weird since it was soft maple into the head and tailstock (i did mine the same as duncan). 

Now to make the perfect holder and mill a perfect cube.


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## duncsuss (Nov 10, 2016)

gman2431 said:


> Now to make the perfect holder and mill a perfect cube.


Strange as it may sound, you can turn a cube on the lathe -- one of our club members did it. (You are left with a couple of nubbins in 2 faces, but they are easy to remove with a saw or chisel.)

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with for a jig

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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## gman2431 (Nov 10, 2016)

duncsuss said:


> Strange as it may sound, you can turn a cube on the lathe -- one of our club members did it. (You are left with a couple of nubbins in 2 faces, but they are easy to remove with a saw or chisel.)
> 
> Looking forward to seeing what you come up with for a jig



I start envisioning doing that then my mind wanders... That's gotta be a lot of rechecking around. Lol

I'll stick to the ram it in and go method!

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Palaswood (Nov 10, 2016)

kweinert said:


> Or even your cube not being entirely cubish.
> 
> As an add-on to my earlier post I will note that redwood 4x4s turn much better than cedar ones. At least that's been my experience.


I was going to mention not to try turning Douglas Fir from a cube. The endgrain tends to rip out something awful, and I wouldn't trust it. But you already explained you were thinking redwood. Cedar would be better than doug fir or pine, but redwood turns like butter, especially with a sharp tool.

Great practice wood. If you can get 6 x6 that's even better


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## gman2431 (Nov 11, 2016)

Tony said:


> Duncan, could post a picture of that? I can't picture it with my pea brain. Tony



Here you Tony I snapped a pic for Duncan. It's not a true cube but will give you an idea.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Tony (Nov 11, 2016)

gman2431 said:


> Here you Tony I snapped a pic for Duncan. It's not a true cube but will give you an idea.
> 
> View attachment 116791



I'm not understanding how you turn a tenon on it, that's where I was getting lost.


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## manbuckwal (Nov 11, 2016)

Cody that thing is cool regardless if it's not "perfect". As stated, most ppl won't know and I actually think it gives it character . This is something I've been wanting to do myself .......

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## duncsuss (Nov 11, 2016)

Tony said:


> I'm not understanding how you turn a tenon on it, that's where I was getting lost.


The same way you'd turn a tenon on any piece of wood -- just turn away the corners till you've made it round.

In this case, it would be about a third of the way between the point in the headstock and the first set of pointy corners before there's enough thickness to get a good solid tenon. To the left of that, there would be round/flat/round/flat/round/flat.

You might be thinking too hard about this, if you've got a piece of junk wood the right size just give it a spin.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## kweinert (Nov 11, 2016)

Tony said:


> I'm not understanding how you turn a tenon on it, that's where I was getting lost.



Well, I usually start on the drive side and just start pushing in with a square carbide cutter. You'll have to start a lot closer to the middle than you think, but start towards the headstock and work your way to the middle.

I don't know how others do it, but once you have the tenon turned so it will fit your chuck you'll have a long tail on it. I usually take it over to the 12" disk sander and sand off the extra. You can, of course, reduce the size of the stock to the left of the tenon before you take if off the lathe - but I definitely don't part it off. You could use a saw and cut the tenon tail off as well.

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## gman2431 (Nov 11, 2016)

I started at the tailstock and made a tenon to reverse it into some jaws. Then a jam chuck to turn it mostly off after it was hollowed out.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## DKMD (Nov 11, 2016)

Too cool! I love turning stuff like this where there's a little excitement/fear involved.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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