RE: metal spinning on DIY

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Rich" <rdjmgmt@xxxxxxxxxx>

I worked in a research and test lab for McDonnell aircraft for 40 years
and have done a little of everything. If you have a lathe, spinning alum
is not hard to do. You just must start out with "O" type alum, dead
soft. It will work harden as you go and can be softened with a torch,
like copper. You would need to make a wood pattern for a backing when
you form in inner radius and be very careful of the outer rotating edge,
it can take off a finger in the blink of an eye.

Rich

Subject: Re: metal spinning on DIY

Original poster: Ben McMillen <spoonman534@xxxxxxxxx>

Mark,
    I tried this once with some sheet copper. I made lots of
'hat-looking' plates, since that's all the further I
managed to get before the metal sheet separated form the
half-formed sphere.. I never quite got the technique down,
although I imagine that aluminum might be a bit more
forgiving..

Coiling In Pittsburgh
Ben McMillen



 > Original poster: "Mark Broker" <mbroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
 >
 > I was watching the Do It Yourself network last Saturday
 > evening.  The "Wood
 > Turning Techniques" show last week was on metal spinning.
 >  Dave, the master
 > turner, and his apprentice spun a small aluminum bowl,
 > but I kept seeing
 > toploads! :o)
 >