Ring turning - and lathe advice request

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Joined
Jun 17, 2019
Messages
7
Location
Florida
I have a question. I was challenged by a priest friend to make a decade rosary ring. I love how it came out, and I want to make more. However, to do I had to use my dad's Jet lathe, which has an indexing feature, because my Excelsior does not. Does anyone have any tips on how to do this without the indexing? The spacing I'm not too worried about, since I can figure that out with a protractor or some such. But using a dremmel to make the grooves without the lathe being locked would be impossible, and I don't want to use his lathe every time I make one of these.
Thanks for your help!
(The ring is Bethlehem olivewood with a titanium core. Cross is burned in. Sanded to about 2000 with abranet. Two coats of BLO followed by two of mineral oil.)
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magpens

Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2011
Messages
15,911
Location
Canada
Excelsior lathe ... from Rockler ?

Hmmmm .... by my count (3 times), you have 11 grooves .... and they appear to be not uniformly spaced. . I think we can manage that, or better.

If that is what you want, then you need only a crude indexing "system" which you can make up with some clamps and scrap materials.

I would think something like this would work. . Get a piece of ABS pipe that will fit over your headstock wheel (cut some slots in the part that goes over the wheel). . Clamp it to the wheel using a large hose clamp, or, if necessary, two smaller hose clamps interconnected to make a larger one.
The slots will allow some compression of the pipe when the hose clamp is tightened up, in order to grip the wheel.
You will need to drill some holes around the circumference of the pipe, and try to make them uniformly spaced .... say 12 holes at 30 degree intervals. . Then make up a flexible arm with a pointed end that fits in the holes. . The non-pointed end of the arm should be fastened or clamped to your lathe bench/table/stand. . I am sure you can work out some way to do that. . And I guess you are going to find a way to mount your Dremel on the lathe tool rest. . That's just about it ! . A Home Depot store (or similar) will have the ABS pipe and the hose clamps.

I assume that you already have a mandrel on which to mount the ring. . They are available at several pen-making supply places.

Feel free to ask any questions.
 
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