Nice candle holder. What jig are you using to get that effect on the lathe? Is the jig similar to the pendant making one sold on the forum?
Wow! That's great! When it's on the lathe, do you have to spin it slow so it doesn't vibrate to pieces?
No jig used on this, it is just turned between centers with a spindle gouge, parting tool and a skew.
To turn this, I first turned it round, and faced each end. (3" diameter 9" long)
Then using the indexing feature of my lathe drew lines every 60 degrees around the cylinder. now I drew lines across each end, connecting opposite lines.
Using a compass I drew one circle 1" in diameter and one circle 2" in diameter on each end with the point in the dent caused by the centers I turned between.
One one end I center punched three dimples 120 degrees apart at the intersection of the lines and the circle. Did the same thing for the opposite end with the dimples 60 degrees out of phase.
On the end with the 2" circle, I drew arcs opposite the dimples, connecting the points where the lines hit the edge. These arcs were a reference for what the base of the candle holder would end up at.
Now put the piece back on the lathe between the original centers and marked a spot 3" down from the end with the 1" circle and using a parting tool cut to form a cylinder just over 1" in diameter. This is the reference for the neck of the holder.
Now using a spindle gouge and skew I formed a cone from the 1" circle end to the neck.
Next I began using the excentric dimples.
Started at 750 RPM
With the 2" circle end driven by a Steb center with point in the dimple and the live center in a dimple 180 degrees out of phase, I turned a taper from the base to the neck using a spindle gouge and skew.
Requires great tool control due to the interrupted cuts
This taper was slightly larger then final shape to allow me to refine it later.
Cranked up to 1500 RPM now that some mass had been removed
Remounted through each pair of 180 degree out of phase points and repeated the process.
Remount is critical to get the Steb drive back in the same holes (both the center point and the teeth) as before to avoid shifting the axis of rotation slightly.
Now I repeated the process through all three dimple pairs, making much lighter cuts this time to refine each side and edge.
Next I remounted on the central axis and turned a slight tenon on the base to mount in in a scroll chuck. Now with a 7/8" Forstner bit in the tail stock bored the candle hole.
Next I turned a plug between centers that fit the candle hole, and used it to support the work while I cleaned up the top.
Removed the plug, and using the spindle gouge I then made a shallow mortise and radius to the hole to accommodate the metal part. Had to do this very gently as the piece was unsupported (A spindle steady would have helped!)
Put plug back in and remounted between centers.
Faced bottom down to a tiny spigot
Carved off spigot with a bench chisel and cleaned up tooling marks with sandpaper
Done!
