Help with a finial

[keithbyrd]

Ok - I am stumped! I have made several finials to replace the knock out on the Jr Stateman, Retro and Jr Gent. I swear I used CA to glue the blank to a disassembly punch. I think I even used Epoxy before. It has been about 3 months since I have done one. SO I was ready to make 2 finials - I glued one with Epoxy and the other with CA - I out them in my collet chuck - and started VERY light passes. Within 10 seconds both came loose. I just reglued with CA.
Any ideas?

 

[nava1uni]

I just put the piece in my collet chuck and turn it, then part it off. It is easier then gluing it to anything, at least for me. I have stock that I use for finials and I turn it down to 3/4 to fit into my collet chuck or use it in my pin jaws on my chuck.

 

[azamiryou]

I also turn it before parting it off. I also leave a little "stem" on the back to go through the hole in the finial and provide more gluing surface.

To use the punch as a mandrel, maybe double-sided tape would work? If I didn't have enough material to use my collet directly, though, I'd probably CA the "button" to some waste wood.

 

[juteck]

Instead of using the steel punch as a glue block, try turning a piece of scrap maple or other close-grained hardwood as a dowel, and use it as a glue block instead - I've had good luck with CA using wood glue blocks - just make sure you give it enough cure time.

I usually put medium or thick CA on the small piece I want to hold, and spritz the face of the glue block with accelerator, then attached the piece to the glue block, hold for a few seconds, and spritz any glue squeeze out with accelerator.

Make sure the face of your glue block is trued up - no high or low spots.

Also, to help center your "button" on the waste wood, I usully draw a series of concentric circles on the face after I true is up. You can also bring your tailstock center up to the other end of the button and use it to "clamp" your button to the glue block while you wait for the CA to cure.

Another option is to make a dedicated glue block that fits directly into your headstock spindle, instead of using a collet chuck to hold a dowel. Check out this link: http://www.woodturner.org/community/youth/projects/MorseTaper_1.pdf or here: http://www.syzygywoodworks.com/news/2010/08/30/turning-a-morse-taper/

 

[BSea]

Normally I turn it before I part it off too, but I've done it your way, except I glue it to a 3/4" round piece of wood, or a round PR blank if the finial is also PR. I've never tried to glue a piece to a metal punch. Is the punch clean? If it has any oil on it, that may be the problem.

 

[keithbyrd]

I generally make the finial "button" from the left over 1 inch or so piece that is cut off when I drill and glue the tubes. Kind of small to get in a collet chuck and have any room to turn. I did several before with both CA and epoxy but for some reason neither of these held when I just touchthe tool to the blank! Wil try again tonight! Ifthat doesn't work will try it on a dowel!
Thanks for the responses!

 

[gingerwood]

Are you using your tailstock? I always use the livecenter in the tailstock to keep the glued piece stable until I have it rounded and nearly down to size, then I back off the tailstock and round it off. I also glue the finial piece to a piece of dowel before putting it in the collet chuck.

 

[BSea]

I generally make the finial "button" from the left over 1 inch or so piece that is cut off when I drill and glue the tubes. Kind of small to get in a collet chuck and have any room to turn. I did several before with both CA and epoxy but for some reason neither of these held when I just touchthe tool to the blank! Wil try again tonight! Ifthat doesn't work will try it on a dowel!
Thanks for the responses!

I usually do the finial with the piece I use for the cap. That way the grain can line up. After I part off the finial, I use the rest for the cap. That way I can use my collet check. The only time I use a dowel is when I have a short blank. It takes more to do it my regular way.

 

[keithbyrd]

OK -I used CA and glued them to the disassembly punch and it worked fine - not sure what happened before!
Thanks for your comments and suggestions!