Masts

[learner johnParticipant @learnerjohn78074]

   Any tips on how to chamber dowling for masts as I don’t have a lathe,or is there anything new out there to use?

[Tony Bell 2Participant @tonybell2]

I made a crude lathe putting my electric drill in a horizontal stand and then making a tail stock out of a block of wood. My mast tapered (chamfered) from 19 to 10mm over 50cm. The difficulty was to hold a chisel in the correct position. It worked after a fashion but the pine splintered. I finished it off with  a small plane and "Glass paper" No good for thin stuff ie 10mm dia, it bends. 

10-8mm bowsprit took 1/2 hour by hand using plane and glass paper.

Tony

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

I used the same idea but on a pillar drill and the results were excellent.

Paul

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

the simplest way is to use an electric hand drill as the other two gents have said, but you can tape it, using gaffer tape to a chair/stool seat so long as it is solid and doesn’t move, and of course the switch is available to hand. preferably use a variable speed drill. using one hand use a towel twisted around the end of the mast to steady( there is no heat generated in the hand if the towel is damp).and turn the drill on at its low speed with the other hand.

use your other hand with garnet(sanding ) paper folded into three layers to stop it slipping and wrap this around the mast and hold in the palm of your hand until the mast is basically enclosed in your hand.

one hand is keeping the mast from whipping whilst the other is sanding.

this is by far the easiest method, doesn’t need the setting up of a head and tail stock and virtually most diameters of dowel upto 3/4 inch can be sanded to a taper.

I have done this many times, even prefering it to using my Myford ml7 laithe/  its the cheepest way too as you don’t need cutting chisels either.

[TelstarParticipant @telstar]

Hi Gents     When useing your electric drill as a "lathe"   I thing I have made is an electrical "extension lead" with a plug on one end and a socket on the other,,,,,,,,   Nothing special you say!!!    but in the middle I have a foot switch, It allows me to set the drill and fasten the trigger ‘on’  then I can use both hands for the job and stop the drill by lifting my foot off if things get a bit hairy. I use the same lead with my Dremel (especially with the flexidrive) it gives me the emergency OFF if things go wrong and both hands are full.

cheers Tom

[Len OchiltreeParticipant @lenochiltree67043]

I do hope Health n Safety arn’t reading this they would have a fit!

Len

[TelstarParticipant @telstar]

Len   I/we had to fit foot swiches similar to the one I use to the pillar drills in the workshop so the idiots(sorry the students) could hold on to the workpiece with both hands when starting and useing the drilling machine, this was a requirement of the H & S inspector.  I use it now because I like to be able to stop the power without needing to let go of the workpiece that has just ‘snatched’ the sandpaper and jammed.

When you are holding the job with one hand and the tool with the other how do you stop the drill

cheers Tom

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

STUFF HEALTH AND SAFETY, LEN we are hobby modellers  who believe in enjoying ourselves. whats a broken finger or two between friends. all adds a new  level to the term "built with blood sweat and tears" lol.

never was one  for political correctness anyway?

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Neil

Now here is a man after my own heart  if safety was an issue them my shed would have been condemned years ago.

Paul

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

paul,

the roof on my converted garage lifted in the storms 3 years ago, but because I had notified my insurers that i had made the conversion to a hobby workshop, they had to fix it.

the first firm came along to fix it, took one look inside and left a note pinned to the door, (as I was out) that it WAS a health and safety hazard for their workmen to even enter into the building because of all the tools, solvents etc and that they would not be repairing any part of the building!

After calming down with a few quick snifters, my two young daughter who often come into the workshop to make their little creations, just looked at me and said.Daddy who are these whimps?

Just about sums them up"!

complete t*****s

[Kevin BellmanParticipant @kevinbellman86047]

Hi Guys,

Got to say some of your methods sound a bit dodgy re H&S. I have in the past seen comments on this forum about the level of common sense being a variable among our readers!

I recently had to make up the masts, spars etc for a 1/16th scale pilot cutter and I dont have a lathe.

Checking as many references as possible the following seemed the best suggestions.

 First dowel available from major outlets will be prone to warping and splitting.

Try and find a piece of well seasoned close grained wood. Mine came from a cupboard built 50 years ago. Cut down to the square measurement of the mast and leave it over long. Find the centre on each end and draw the required diameter with a compass. Clamp to worktop and plane/rasp/sand the corners off, keeping an eye on your end diameters. You now have a tapering eight sided piece of wood. Repeat the process with the newly formed eight corners and you should now be close enough to sand to final shape.

I must admit I didnt think I could do it but was really chuffed with the results. I reckon I made the next one in less time than its taken me to write this. Give it a try.

I apologise if I have put anyone’s nose out of joint with my earlier comments but a good few years ago I did something stupid with a piece of wood in a drill and finished up with a large splinter 1/16" from my eye. Fingers mend eyes dont.

Cheers Kevin

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

haven’t put my nose out, Kevin.mind you i take a risk in life as soon as i get out of bed in a morning, trust me, so turning down a dowel in an electric hand drill is the least of my worries.

adds a bit of excitement to life.

Saying that I seldom use dowel these days, prefaring to go down to my local fishing tackle shop and releiving them from all the old busted tips of hollow carbon fishing rods. i then piece them together with the correct tapers, and can run electric lighting wire down the centre. works a treat.

[learner johnParticipant @learnerjohn78074]

 many thanks guys…..will study the various options…but have just remembered that I’ve got a couple of old fishing rods up in the loft!!!!

[Len OchiltreeParticipant @lenochiltree67043]

Most towns have a " Pound Shop " and they sell wooden handled artist brushes at around 10 for £1 all different sizes and about 12" long,cut off the brush and you are left with a tapered mast!.

Len 

[learner johnParticipant @learnerjohn78074]

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