"Turning" Spars

[HR]

I’m finally back at work on my (almost finished) Eun Mara. Faced with the prospect of sanding seven spars, I decided to make the spar lathe described in Wooden Boat 176. It wasn’t hard to make and works like a charm.

Here it is...
http://www.malolo.ca/images/forumimages/DSCF1315-1.jpg

The head and tail are clamped to a 2 x 6 which serves as the "bed". Alignment isn't critical (as long as it's reasonable) because the sander rests on the spar, not on a tool rest. That means it moves with the spar if the spar isn't perfectly centered or aligned.

Here’s the head...
http://www.malolo.ca/images/forumimages/DSCF1313-1.jpg

The small pulley on the motor and the large plywood wheel result in the spar spinning quite slowly. The spar is held to the faceplate with angle brackets covered in plastic hose. A hose clamp (or 2) hold in on securely. Because of the give in the hose and angle brackets a single setting can handle a range of diameters. If it's not close enough, just move the angle irons.

And the tail (those are rollerblade wheels)...
http://www.malolo.ca/images/forumimages/DSCF1314-1.jpg


And a short clip of it in operation... (http://www.malolo.ca/images/forumimages/SparLathe.wmv)(wmv file)

(http://www.malolo.ca/images/forumimages/Spar%20Lathe.flv)

[mmd]

Cool set-up Howard. Welcome home! I trust that everything in Stonehurst East fared well over the winter during your absence.

[StevenBauer]

Very cool Howard. I like it. Mary just helped me sand some oar shafts the old way with the inside out belt and we really would've liked to use your setup instead.

For the final sanding where you would want to sand with the grain I saw a cool setup during the Classic Yacht Symposium at Stonington Boatworks. You make a three sided box, leaving out the ends and the bottom and loosely attach a section of belt sander belt across the bottom of the sides. Mount some handles on top if you want:

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r241/bauerdad/IMG_1789.jpg

If this isn't clear ask away and I'll try to explain better.


While I have you here check out this pic I took for you in Mystic, not part of the Show but on a dock in town:


http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r241/bauerdad/WoodenBoat%20Show%202008/IMG_2301.jpg

Maybe Malolo's little cousin? :):)

Steven

[Dale H]

Now how can I say that's really cool, when the other guys both did?

Glad to hear you're back and working on your Eun Mara, Howard. Is it just the spars to finish up, or are there other things?

Nice work.

Dale

www.alistego.com

[erster]

Now thats just :cool:. The boat will not know what to do with the new parts.

[HR]

Thanks for the comments. It really wasn't much work to put together and made the sanding (at least the rough sanding) almost enjoyable.

Steven, thanks for the tip about the hand sanding jig - that looks like a great idea. That boat does have a bit of a resemblance to Malolo - anybody know anything about her?

Dale, finishing the spars and figuring out the rigging are the biggest jobs left. Most everything else is just trim and reasonably small stuff. Hopefully she'll be in the water by the end of this month or early August.

Hey Mike, I guess you'll have to come up here and show the boat what to do!