A new spindle needed.

[Bryan Milham]

Last night the doorbell rang and it was one of the villagers who knows I turn. He's bought a rocking chair from a car boot sale and it's missing a small spindle 'Could I help?'

Yeah, it's the sort of thing I enjoy, until I looked at it. It had to have been made in the far east out of Ramin or somesuch, on a home-made lathe with blunt tools (or flint ones). I could not turn that badly if I tried.

So I spun it up this morning, attacked it with some 180 to knock off the crispness and blend it as best I could to look like the one he gave me as a template.

Then I gave it a splash of Rosewood stain (he can varnish it himself) and gave it to him when he called around a little later, he seemed very happy.

[Graham]

Well, thats quirky, having to dumb things down to blend in 
Good job though.

[Rlewisrlou666]

The one from his chair looks like it has seen better days.

Nice job on upgrade I'm sure he'll be coming back for the rest to be done now.

[georg]

       A fine job you have made on that one Bryan. That's one down how many more was it.
        Tony di

[Bryan Milham]

       A fine job you have made on that one Bryan. That's one down how many more was it.
        Tony di

Thankfully just the one... (so far!)

[woodndesign]

Last night the doorbell rang and it was one of the villagers who knows I turn. He's bought a rocking chair from a car boot sale and it's missing a small spindle 'Could I help?'

Yeah, it's the sort of thing I enjoy, until I looked at it. It had to have been made in the far east out of Ramin or somesuch, on a home-made lathe with blunt tools (or flint ones). I could not turn that badly if I tried.

So I spun it up this morning, attacked it with some 180 to knock off the crispness and blend it as best I could to look like the one he gave me as a template.

Then I gave it a splash of Rosewood stain (he can varnish it himself) and gave it to him when he called around a little later, he seemed very happy.

You make it sound like an Hobbit called .. .. one off it looks a good match, maybe to have widen and deepen the coves, lessen the fillets and what you'd made as a bead.. like said good match... its what turning is all about.

The original .. without seeing the chair, difficult to make a call on its origins, from the part it could be modern and been very well distressed or from the detailing it might just old, could then if English have a makers make/name.

Cheers  David

[Rlewisrlou666]

You make it sound like an Hobbit called

I'm glad I'm not the only one to who thinks like this.

[Graham]

Nah. He has curly shaving feet not hairy ones.

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

looks like a good job Bryan, well done.

[edbanger]

You could go in to production turning and make old chairs 

Ed

[Rlewisrlou666]

About making chairs, How much wood would you need to make one?

I mean if I wanted to make a complete chair from a single log how big am I looking for?

[seventhdevil]

unlikely you would use a single log for it but if you are looking at a solid seat then one that is at least 24"+.

length will be dictated by the size of you chair. usually components will add up to about 2ft3.

[Rlewisrlou666]

Thanks Devil,

I'm thinking long time turning and general woodworking project. My ideal chair to build would be a rocking chair or something comfy for the kids.

[Eric Harvey]

It must be very hard to make it look as bad as the original ,never attempted something like that yet,I get asked to make exotic stuff,then they hear the price,faint  ;Dand then go away when recovered,cheers,


Eric.

[Bryan Milham]

The guy has been back and shown me a picture if the now repaired chair and something similar he found on the internet. The something similar is quite a valuable antique item, don't thing what he's got is anything more than a cheap nasty imitation going by the wood the spindle he gave me to copy is made from.
So if you see an antique American rocking chair on eBay, best you give that one a miss!