SNIP

Eric said:

 

If you google elliptical turning, you will find things like https://www
.youtube.com/watch?v=LX12OFJHQlg">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX12OFJHQlg (David Springett) and ht
tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5I2Yph57FI (American Woodworker) that show
the elliptical chuck. You can make your own, but it is a but of a specialty
item. If not turning a lot with it for income, you really need to want it.

 

From what I have seen in the wild, better and worse, the width of flutes looks
best when, as you say, follows the general profile, being wider when the section
is wider. The other thing is that flutes look horrible if they are not uniform,
within reason, at each section. For an elliptical section, equal angle will make
the flutes visibly narrower at the minor axis, and wider at the major. Unless
you are going for the modern (mid century modern), op-art, unsettling look, you
want roughly equal width at each section, so the layout should be done around
the circumference.

 

 

For layout, if you mount the elliptical part in the lathe, premark where you
want the flutes at one section (points around the circumference), you can use
the carriage to guide your markout. Use the flat top of the compound to guide,
and space up a mechanical pencil to put the lead on center line. Manually move
the carriage and trace, like scribing in a  countertop or baseboard to a wall or
uneven floor, respectively.

 

Or, as I mentioned, mark around t both ends and use a flexible straightedge. A
third set of marks in the middle will help. I have never done this for fluting,
but have done it for single details, like removing a quarter section to fit a
corner.

END SNIP

 

 

 

Eric, very interesting.  I had not thought of layout at the center.  I think
I’ll make up a couple of dummies (just cut so they have even curve and swell of
no particular shape in front, flat back) and practice both layout and cutting.

 

J 

 

 

Joseph Sullivan