Ornamental
Turning
by TD Walshaw
Softcover
155 x 230mm
208pp
Published by Special Interest Model Books, Dorset, England
R.R.P.$39.90
ISBN 978-1-85486-108-5
As reviewed in The Australian Woodworker Issue 65
Ornamental Turning is a comprehensive study of the history and fundamental techniques of ornamental turning, which the book defines as (spindle) turning other than between centres.
The art apparently evolved from the demands of the European Royal courts and Church on the skill and expertise of the court turners who strove over the years to excel in areas of complexity and design, attempting to produce objects that seemed impossible to make. These works were not intended to be practical but were purely made for secular decoration and religious worship.
Ornamental Turning starts with the evolution of the ornamental lathe and its accessories such as spherical, elliptical and rectilinear chucks. Ornamental drills, face plates with indexing facility, cutting frames and drill spindles, and a variety of ingenious drives for the cutting frames are examined in detail.
Then the book looks at the various types of cutters, how they are made and how to sharpen them. In a treatise on the principles of surface decoration, designs such as the 'Barleycorn' and other combinations of eccentricity, and linear groupings of circles, 'diamond' pattern and 'fish' pattern are covered. Mathematical and geometric data and formulae are included where relevant.
Genuine ornamental turning lathes are likely to be over 100 years old and are considered scarce. However, the book does give valuable information on how to set one up and operate it, as well as adapting an engineer's lathe to perform ornamental turning.
Because ornamental turning is a fascinating but comparatively little known art, Ornamental Turning is a rare and important publication which should be of great benefit to anyone seriously interested in this field.
Photos: Black & White
Contents
List of Illustrations
Introduction
Ornamental Lathes and their Equipment
Cutting Tools and Materials
Principles and Practice of Surface Decoration
Setting up the Machine
Manipulation of the Equipment
A Fex Examples
Ornamental Turning on Engineers' Lathes
The Geometric Chuck
Conclusion
Appendix I - Holtzapffel Screw Threads
Appendix II - Neatsfoot Oil
Appendix III - Construction of Curvelinear
Templates
Index