How to "turn" a wedge on a lathe..

[blkcloud]

There is no telling how many wedges I have milled out in the past 35 years.. They are always a pain in the butt.. I often wondered if I could make one on the lathe.. I never could wrap my mind around how to hold it.. well I finally figured it out.. just weld it on a solid round stock at the appropriate angle and let her go!!

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[Todd W]

Wow, now that's something I'd not seen or though of before!!
Flying death blade beware, ha ha

 

[muddstopper]

Awful big bite your taking out of that thing for one pass. Kind of glad I hadnt thought of doing it that way, I doubt my lathe could take that big a bite without breaking something. Most of my wedge making I now do with my track torch. I set the torch up on a angle and cut from the edge back toward the metal. Hit it with a grinder and call it good.

 

[blkcloud]

Mud, I was taking .050 per pass.. not much of a bite..lol

 

[muddstopper]

Pic is deceptive, looked like you where taking a 1/2" off in one pass.

 

[loadthestove]

Like you idea,,going to try that myself

 

[Marshy]

I'm not sure I understand why... are you using the wedge for a splitter build?

 

[muddstopper]

theoretically my lathe will swing 14in, so I should be able to cut a 14in +/- long wedge. I havent figured out exactly how to balance the load so it doesnt vibrate wildly while spinning. Did you just center the flatbar when you welded it to the round bar, or have to off set it.

 

[Woos31]

There is no telling how many wedges I have milled out in the past 35 years.. They are always a pain in the butt.. I often wondered if I could make one on the lathe.. I never could wrap my mind around how to hold it.. well I finally figured it out.. just weld it on a solid round stock at the appropriate angle and let her go!!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's really neat sir! Seems like it would strike the bit awful hard with the space from end to end but it sure is cutting nicely. GOOD WORK

 

[blkcloud]

I'm not sure I understand why... are you using the wedge for a splitter build?

I have a 4 way wedge now, I'm making it a 6 way..

 

[blkcloud]

theoretically my lathe will swing 14in, so I should be able to cut a 14in +/- long wedge. I havent figured out exactly how to balance the load so it doesnt vibrate wildly while spinning. Did you just center the flatbar when you welded it to the round bar, or have to off set it.

I just eyeballed it to center it, my lathe is pretty ridged and it has to really be off center to vibrate