needle question please?

[Raven]

i just got an arm load of (new) dark maple flooring most of which i'll burn tonight as kindling...to start up some overnight logs in my fireplace......but i wondered if it was too thin to start out with to make some needles. after i cut some sticks on the table saw i was thinking of making some end blocks for bigger ends to acomodate my lathe.
dont have a jet mini lathe yet......but someday i will tho...................oops ->3/4's of an inch thick as is

[capesams]

3/4 x 3/4 is fine....old sharpies on block use to make needle's out of bic pen's.

[Raven]

that the jet mini lathes have a much smaller X- point on each end....
i have a delta 700 ....and i was thinking i couldnt turn needles with it unless i had a bigger diameter stock to begin with...but perhaps i'm mistaken?

[Slipknot]

A 1/2" Stebcenter will allow you to turn 3/4 x 3/4 stock no problem.
If the florring has relief cuts on the backside, you will have to rip then according to where the thicker parts are so you might only get 2 pieces per width for 2-1/4" wide flooring, but you already knew that.

[Raven]

pre- drill the ends first to have a better seat....

so they are slightly concave to begin with or

do you start with flat ends and crank them in tight....

after you determine where the exact center is...?

drilling the center hole is first i'd imagine too...

sorry if these are newbie questions ....i made allot of plugs mostly poppers as a teenager but in those days i just glued in long shank
screws......prolly why i had numerous times of plugs flying back
and smacking the boat...(1969) a friend of mine has a 100,000 dollar wood shop with every tool you could imagine where i can do some proceedures that i cannot do in my own man cave for lack of
certain tools like a mini -drill press for example.... but these items are on my wish list.

[numbskull]

I've been considering a Steb center as well. Will the 1/2 inch one suffice to turn larger plugs (like maple darters) or will it slip too much and do I need to buy two?

[Raven]

read up on the needles : step by step......i plan too ! yeppers..
i saved all that maple stock....getting more tomorrow too.

weird: i downloaded an extension for firefox that tabs all my searches,,,so at the top of my browser i have:

right now: editing posts;needlequestion;something different;the coldest beer;editing posts;needle question;needle question;striper talk message boards... all of my travels at s-b in the last hour or so...

so i can just click a tab and be there.... hmmmm

[Slipknot]

Originally Posted by numbskull

I've been considering a Steb center as well. Will the 1/2 inch one suffice to turn larger plugs (like maple darters) or will it slip too much and do I need to buy two?

Maple is very difficult on the stebcenter in my experience, the 1/2" is good for 3/4" stock but if you use 1" or larger stock, then definately go with the 1" stebcenter or use the center that came with your lathe.


Raven, I mark the center with an awl in square stock, that is enough of an impression to crank it in the lathe. If the wood is hard as opposed to cedar, then I may take the center out of the lathe and hammer it into the block of wood, then reinsert in the lathe. I drill thru after turning for several reasons.

[jkswimmer]

needles can be made from that stock or you could make balistic missles