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Barley twists and spirals

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merlin777

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I was confined to a wheelchair a few years ago and had to give up my woodworking workshop which I miss immensely. Just recently I had the idea of rebuilding my workshop in miniature with things like the dremel tools and accessories and I’m looking for a way to cut small wooden spirals and barley twists for dolls house furniture and ornamental wooden clocks.

I thought as you guys are expert miniature turners you might be the best people to go to for advice...

I've seen the pen wizard but, i've seen mixed reviews, it might not take big enough stock (1.5" diameter by 6" long) and it probably does a lot more than I need.

Please could I have the benefit of your wisdom? At the end of the day I just want to make small wooden spirals and barley twists including hollow ones. Limited mobility rules out hand carving....
 
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Gregory Hardy

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I am a poor machinist, but would a threading screw on a miniature metal lathe accomplish this? (This was to the listening audience - guys who are better machinists than me). I wish you luck on your search. If you need anything, reach out via PM.
 
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merlin777

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Gregory Hardy said:
I am a poor machinist, but would a threading screw on a miniature metal lathe accomplish this? (This was to the listening audience - guys who are better machinists than me). I wish you luck on your search. If you need anything, reach out via PM.
Click to expand...

It would sound like it but you can't get a large pitch so you'd end up with a thread rather than a rope/barleytwist. You also need a very low turning speed which I don't think they have (not sure what but its probably around 10 rpm)
 
Penpal

Penpal

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Welcome you sure want to jump into the deep end. The Pen Wizard is not that friendly. Take care and enjoy the straight to get familiar with your lathe etc. If it was easy to do so every second pen would be. I have two Taig Lathes and they have whole groups as devotees including me.

Peter.
 
Phil Dart

Phil Dart

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My barley twist days are well behind me and I would struggle to remember how to set one out the old fashioned way these day without a bit of revision. Beyond mounting your dremel on some kind of ratchet which could sync laterally with rotational movement of a spindle (which is the pen wizard approach in any case) I have no useful suggestions for you I'm afraid, but I do want to say welcome to the Forum.
 
Penpal

Penpal

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Thimple thanks Mark.Now it depends how badly we want to utilise these functions ,a young man has shown us how to give spiral twists.

Peter..
 
Penpal

Penpal

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Depending on your computer knowledge the two units currently on the IAP front page has some answers the second unit is a pen wizard type device on steroids. What is needed is a method of rotating the blank on a mandrel,a cutting method such as a Dremel etc with bits,means of travel along in sync with the operation. Depending on your own motor skills these things can take place manually. Two strong considerations are motive and money initially. Lathe choices come next with access to the machine,be it angle mounted for convenience of operation or height adjustable, whether seated or standing to use it.

There is no such thing as a free lunch applied to the two operations you seek. Have success in your chosen way.

Peter.
 
Penpal

Penpal

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Not on there now.

Perhaps Pierre referred to on a post you commented on the IAP who with Don (its Virgil) co authered an article on methods in a magazine?

The good thing is Pierre is a member on this forum,he may come forward and link with you.

Peter.
 
Dalboy

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Barley twists are done normally by hand for the hobbyist which means marking out a grid type pattern around the item and cutting by hand from one intersection to the next in a diagonal direction. Spirals can be done with a turning hand tool made for the purpose.
The goblet was done with a full sized tool but there is a smaller version but if it is small enough is another thing.
The part finished candle sticks are done by hand but for barley twist you would not drill through as I did but carve it.
 

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P

Pierre---

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Did someone call me? Welcome on board, Merlin!

I love barley twists, I made several with as little machinery as possible. Some of them are sort of sculpted, which you dislike, but really it is not Hercules's works.
This one I made by drawing, drilling and sanding :
100_3731 bis.jpg

This one by drawing, filing and sanding :
100_8266.jpg

Maybe an easy way would be to use the Sorby spriraling tool (Crown makes the same or nearly), it is much quicker than the above methods. But you are never sure of the result though, there is a part of luck, for me at least. When everything works fine - more than often happily - that's what can be obtained:
100_6317.jpg

With a little fancy, you can have some variety in the results:
100_6301 bis.jpg

I made some opened spirals by drilling axially, slipping a dowel in the hole, spiralling with the Sorby tool until you see the dowel, then taking off the dowel:
100_3382.jpg

You can break one spiral every two to open the design a bit. Once, I turned a decorative dowel to put back, it adds strength to colours display:
100_8263.jpg

Feel free to ask if you have questions.
Hope it helps!
 
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