Platter-reversing device

[Les Symonds]

One of the challenges that I enjoy most of all, with my woodturning, is devising the ways and means of supporting unusually shaped work-pieces. I've been working on some large platters lately and have been deliberately designing them such that they fit the various bowl-reversing jaws that I have, one of which is a 16" Ellesworth chuck. However, I wanted to make a 20" platter, but had no means of reversing anything this big, so I had to come up with an alternative. This very simple device is 24" diameter , 3/4" plywood and is mounted on the largest faceplate that I own. Once mounted, I marked its centre, an drew circles on it 1cm apart, to help to centre my platters onto it. To hold the platters down, I have cut a dozen blocks, shaped such that they press down onto the back of the platter's rim, although I found that a half dozen was ample when I first used it. The blocks are held in place with a dome-headed bolt and a thumb screw (thumb screws are at the back, so that they are less likely to catch anything).







Les

[seventhdevil]

thats a cracking looking bit of kit there gwyntog. it works very well for methods not using the tailstock which is my current method squeezing it up against a small round friction plate to turn the underside once its been roughturned.

i'll need something like that though if i want to do larger than 20" as my jet 3520b only has 20" swing and although i can turn off the end of the bed the tailstock must be taken off to do so.

[Les Symonds]

Hi there, seventhdevil (my name is Les, by the way)...that's exactly the reason why I built the jig....this platter was capable of swinging over the bed, but with only a few mm clearance and I dreaded the thought of it shifting slightly and scuffing the bed bars. I must admit, that not having the tailstock in the way and not having to clean off the little 'nib' that the tailstock leaves, was a bit of a bonus.
I somehow think that I'll be getting a fair bit of use out of this for my larger bowls and platters.

Les

[julcle]

Hi Les  --  Interesting little jig you have there, Do you have the outrigger attachment for the lathe or have you manufactured something to hold the tool rest ? can't quite see from the picture.  --   Julian

[edbanger]

Great idea so simple and it look's like it works a treat!!!

[Les Symonds]

Hi Julian...yep, I have the outrigger.

...and ed....it sure does....the platter centred up to within less than a mm and was quite solid to turn out the old chuck recess.

Les

[Bryan Milham]

What was that old expression?
Necessity is the mother of invention.
Nice solution to a problem.

[Eric Harvey]

great idea Les, I have a jet 3520B which has the same swing as your lathe and with my Jet free standing tool support your idea will work very well for reverse chucking,as at the moment its grind it off with a belt sander then smooth things with sanding arbours in an electric drill,regards,

Eric.