Anyone know about Metal Spinning?

[SgtFang]

Does anyone know what all is involved with this? It's kind of like lathing but it's done with a flat disk of metal that gets spun and formed over a pattern rather than cut out of a solid cylinder. Can it be done on a normal metal lathe? I've got something I want to do if I can't snag an original.

Thanks.

-Sarge

 

[cheech9898]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SgtFang @ Feb 13 2007, 03:00 AM) [snapback]1417694[/snapback]</div>

Does anyone know what all is involved with this? It's kind of like lathing but it's done with a flat disk of metal that gets spun and formed over a pattern rather than cut out of a solid cylinder. Can it be done on a normal metal lathe? I've got something I want to do if I can't snag an original.

Thanks.

-Sarge
[/b]

Places to start looking for info on it are:

http://www.metalspinningworkshop.com/

& if you can find the back issues of The Home Shop Machinist:

1) Riser, James P., Getting Started in Metal Spinning - Part 1, Home Shop Machinist, 2002 July-August, pp. 12-19, Village Press, MI, 2000

2) Riser, James P., Getting Started in Metal Spinning - Part 2, Home Shop Machinist, 2002 September-October, pp. 14-20, Village Press, MI, 2000

3) Riser, James P., Getting Started in Metal Spinning - Part 3, Home Shop Machinist, 2002 November-December, pp. 28-38, Village Press, MI, 2000

 

[micdavis]

The R2 domes from the Builders Club are done using this method.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

They have a show on the Discovery Channel called "How It's Made" which is on at 5-6pm EST. They have one show where they show how they make bowls and they use this technique. They've been rerunning it so keep an eye out if you're interested.

 

[Serafino]

What do you mean by 'normal' lathe??

Discussions of the technique often say that a heavy duty (metal) lathe is needed, but a lot depends on how tough the material you're spinning is.

 

[SgtFang]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(micdavis @ Feb 12 2007, 11:17 PM) [snapback]1417738[/snapback]</div>

The R2 domes from the Builders Club are done using this method.
[/b]

Any idea what the cost is like? Minimum orders, etc? These would be a lot smaller then R2 heads.

-Sarge

 

[Serafino]

Send a drawing to a spinner and find out.

I'm guessing $500-$1500 for the first one (and the mandrel/form) and $20-$60 each thereafter, but I'm blowing smoke.

'Minimum orders' are usually just built-in to the fact that few people want to pay $1000 for a piece.

 

[SgtFang]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Serafino @ Feb 19 2007, 09:17 PM) [snapback]1422326[/snapback]</div>

Send a drawing to a spinner and find out.

I'm guessing $500-$1500 for the first one (and the mandrel/form) and $20-$60 each thereafter, but I'm blowing smoke.

'Minimum orders' are usually just built-in to the fact that few people want to pay $1000 for a piece.
[/b]

Weeeeell... If I can keep, production costs down, doing these in metal would rock, but I don't know how many people would pay very much for one. I'd just planned to get one and do them in resin, but who knows.

Let me see if I can find a good pic of one.

-Sarge

 

[SgtFang]

Here you go, it's the ribbed cup on the table-

I'm trying to find an original one for accurate measurements, but the price if I can might be prohibitive- These are ancient as props go- they've been around at least since Cecil B. DeMille's original silent, "Ten Commandments" and "The Egyptian". You can also see a couple debauchees run by with these in the Charlton Heston "Ten Commandments" when he comes down off Mt. Sinai and finds everyone debauching, fornicating and all that good stuff.

-Sarge

 

[cheech9898]

someone posted this to the r2builders group this last week or so

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3ZWu9IURW4

not sure if it helps you much at all Sarge, but shows the process in action. If its a low run or 1 off and the buck can be made of a hardwood you may get a decent price. But if its more complex or more than a few pieces and the buck needs to be metal then the machining cost of the buck becomes cost prohibitive