How to make wood cylinder?

[Matt Redmond]

Hi All,

I would like to make a small wood cylinder for use as a clock case. I need it to be 7" OD, 6" ID and about 2.5" deep - completely smooth, round walls inside and out.

Any idea how I might go about doing this? I am a beginner but my selection of tools is good.

I am looking for a method that will produce excellent results (i.e., no freehand work with a saw!). Perhaps a method for rounding a hexagon?

Thanks!

-matt redmond

[WoodMangler]

Do you have a lathe? Make a segmented circle (you'll need more than a hexagon...maybe 12 sided {dodecahedron??} will work) then turn the outside and inside smooth.
No lathe?...we'll need to yak some more.
Marc

[Matt Redmond]

Marc,

Thanks for your reply.

I don't have a lathe (I wish). I've got router/good table, table saw, radial arm saw, scroll saw, drill press.

-matt

[WaMan]

Use your drill press with a fly cutter. Make 4 3/4" thick circles and glue together.

[WaMan]

You could also use a router.

[MadMark]

Got a table of stave tapers for various radius and number of staves. Build basic shape and then knock off corners.

Conversely get a *THICK* piece of stock and just cut it out. Router or bandsaw will work for outside. Router will work for inside.

http://www.netexperts.cc/~lambertm/Wood/staves.html

M

[Matt Redmond]

Okay, all. Thanks for your help.

Sounds like the best way is to use a chamfer bit on my router, make 16 staves and glue them up - then route the thing round.

Now to figure out how to do that... I guess build some sort of jig.

-matt

[Eustus]

Check out woodcraft's "FASTTRACK Circle Cutting Attachment". It costs about $30 USD and is, well, basically it's a bandsaw jig that lets you cut perfect circles. If you go to the woodcraft web site (http://www.woodcraft.com), you can just search for "FASTTRACK". Alternatively, you can click on the URL below:


http://shop.woodcraft.com/woodcraft/product_family.asp?family%5Fid=1984&pf%5Fid=&mscssid=11PGTRDSS0TU9MKN7E06P0JPHJKA7FDF