Turning project: Architectural columns

I recently accepted a project to turn 3 columns for a house in Seattle that was more than 100-years old.  The surviving column was of red cedar, and measured 5.5” by 5.5” by 60 inches long.  Fortunately, my lathe can turn 24-inches by 66-inches long.

I contacted a local lumber dealer that specializes in red cedar and they agreed to cut some logs to the dimensions I needed…for $175.00. 

 

columns-project

 

I set the timber up on the lathe, located the exact center on both ends and marked the centers.  On one end I screwed on a 4-inch diameter face plate using 8 screws, and used a center punch to mark the other end for a live center. 

Silvia and I mounted the timber on the lathe between the spindle and the tailstock, adjusted the speed to 800 RPM (no vibration) and adjusted the tool rest.

 

columns-project-2

 

Accuracy is critical because I am making a reproduction…so I transferred dimensions (distance and diameters) from the sample (old) column to the timber in increments .  I go for one feature at a time, turning a band,  bead or on ovulo as we go. 

Because Cedar is a soft wood, I had to be very careful not to tear away any of the wood with an aggressive or uncontrolled cut.  Even a sharp gouge left a very rough surface….arrgh!!  So what to do?  The best tool for this occasion was my 1 3/8” Alan Lacer skew.

Red Cedar is a very abrasive wood, which demanded frequent sharpening.  Many many many checks with tape measure, 6-“ rule and calipers allowed me to create 3 reproduction columns in 9-hours. 

Putting them side-by-side, any slight differences are negligible, and when installed 8-feet apart they look identical !!!

 

columns-project-1

 

A demanding, and very satisfying project. 

The customer was happy and I was happy for a difficult job that turned out well, keeping in mind that only one mistake means that the valuable wood was useless….we can’t put the wood back!!!

Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter to receive special member offers directly to your email.

Capt. Jack Wayne 

Related Posts

Spindle Nomenclature - Shapes and Individual Features to Create Spindle Work
Spindle Nomenclature - Shapes and Individual Features to Create Spindle Work
We have all chucked up a turning square of one kind or another and, with the set of tools common to most, roughed-out, p...
Read More
Boiling Madrone
Boiling Madrone
A recent post shows the Woodwhirled Crew boiling Madrone…and why do we do this? Madrone is a tree that only grows in a n...
Read More
Wood Sources and Preparation
Wood Sources and Preparation
As a beginning woodturner, one of your first anxieties is finding a source of material.  If there is a store nearby that...
Read More

500 comments

Annelie Scherf

Two months ago, I became the victim of a highly convincing online scam that cost me $180,000 worth of Bitcoin. It started with what looked like a legitimate crypto investment platform, professional branding, fake success stories, and even fake chat support that responded in real time. Everything appeared real, until it wasn’t, I invested slowly at first, but as I saw fake  profits showing up on the dashboard, I sent more Bitcoin believing I was making a smart move. When I finally tried to withdraw some funds, everything changed. They demanded more deposits to unlock withdrawals, then stopped responding altogether. Eventually, the site disappeared. I was devastated. My wallet had been drained, and every attempt to recover the funds led to dead ends, until someone mentioned Dexdert Net Recovery. I contacted them out of desperation, not expecting much. But from the very first call, I felt like I had found people who actually understood the blockchain, fraud patterns, and recovery process. Dexdert’s team got to work immediately, launching a forensic investigation into the wallet addresses and transaction trail. To my surprise, they identified the scammer’s laundering network and traced the stolen Bitcoin through various exchanges and wallets. With their partnerships and legal network, Dexdert initiated a recovery operation, After weeks of consistent work, verification, and negotiations. Dexdert successfully reclaimed my lost BTC. That’s over $180,000 back in my hands, something I had written off as impossible. If you’ve lost crypto to fraud, don’t give up. There are real professionals out there who can help and for me, that was Dexdert Net Recovery. For me, Dexdert Net Recovery didn’t just recover my Bitcoin, they helped me reclaim peace of mind.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Telegram: (Dexdertprorecovery) Email: (DexdertNetPromail.com) WhatsApp: (+1 (859) 609‑4156)

Anna Torres

Swift Assets Recovery helped me recover $450,000 I lost to a fake crypto investment scam. I was devastated and thought the money was gone for good, but their team was professional, supportive, and incredibly skilled. They guided me through the entire process and successfully recovered my funds. I’m beyond grateful for their help and highly recommend them to anyone who’s been a victim of online fraud.Reach them on email:(swiftrecoveryservice006 (@)gmail . com) or WhatsApp number: +1 (352) 436-7955 Or Telegram @SWIFT_HACKING Website https://swiftspyassetsrecovery.com

์MMMMM

https://patcharapdiamond168.graphy.com/courses/DiamondRray789168
https://diamondfoodballno1.graphy.com/courses/glokMessiDiamond
https://watsonkelly6784.graphy.com/courses/DiamondHiloThaiSeo1
https://gizmodouoldmcom.graphy.com/courses/dmdm168diamond-682d59e3d6e1a7472ca9dc19
https://gizmodopg.graphy.com/courses/gizmodopgdiamond168v1

https://t.co/2bq4VL2j4n
https://t.co/fHPmDDjkki
https://t.co/4uvuGbrCKE
https://t.co/7KMvV4IePq
https://t.co/pEBnBc0xNg

https://raindrop.io/bluerocker-non/dzvb000-55571216
https://x.com/NP5230322012050/status/1925780447629304061
https://cliqueaqui.bio/grgdh
https://multy.me/c2YF
https://abrir.link/UWNbZ
https://www.TwosApp.com/68302166a53a42318b4c2047
https://flipboard.com/@np4tch5/suwanpit1688-kgtbareuz

์MMMMM

https://patcharapdiamond168.graphy.com/courses/DiamondRray789168
https://diamondfoodballno1.graphy.com/courses/glokMessiDiamond
https://watsonkelly6784.graphy.com/courses/DiamondHiloThaiSeo1
https://gizmodouoldmcom.graphy.com/courses/dmdm168diamond-682d59e3d6e1a7472ca9dc19
https://gizmodopg.graphy.com/courses/gizmodopgdiamond168v1

https://t.co/2bq4VL2j4n
https://t.co/fHPmDDjkki
https://t.co/4uvuGbrCKE
https://t.co/7KMvV4IePq
https://t.co/pEBnBc0xNg

https://raindrop.io/bluerocker-non/dzvb000-55571216
https://x.com/NP5230322012050/status/1925780447629304061
https://cliqueaqui.bio/grgdh
https://multy.me/c2YF
https://abrir.link/UWNbZ
https://www.TwosApp.com/68302166a53a42318b4c2047
https://flipboard.com/@np4tch5/suwanpit1688-kgtbareuz

์MMMMM

https://patcharapdiamond168.graphy.com/courses/DiamondRray789168
https://diamondfoodballno1.graphy.com/courses/glokMessiDiamond
https://watsonkelly6784.graphy.com/courses/DiamondHiloThaiSeo1
https://gizmodouoldmcom.graphy.com/courses/dmdm168diamond-682d59e3d6e1a7472ca9dc19
https://gizmodopg.graphy.com/courses/gizmodopgdiamond168v1

https://t.co/2bq4VL2j4n
https://t.co/fHPmDDjkki
https://t.co/4uvuGbrCKE
https://t.co/7KMvV4IePq
https://t.co/pEBnBc0xNg

https://raindrop.io/bluerocker-non/dzvb000-55571216
https://x.com/NP5230322012050/status/1925780447629304061
https://cliqueaqui.bio/grgdh
https://multy.me/c2YF
https://abrir.link/UWNbZ
https://www.TwosApp.com/68302166a53a42318b4c2047
https://flipboard.com/@np4tch5/suwanpit1688-kgtbareuz

Leave a comment