Pole lathe: Turning a Simple Wooden Plate

I've wanted to turn some plates for a long time, but I finally decided to give it a go. The wood you start with needs to be close to perfect quatersawn grain. In this video I'm turning Jacaranda.
I'm sure there are other ways, this is just the method I've come up with after a couple of tries.
#greenwoodworking #polelathe

[@rickschuman2926]

Well done. It has been quite some time since l have watched a whole video on this subject, let alone actually enjoying it. You had me completely hooked (yes, l said that))at the grain orientation of the blank. You have spent enough time developing the whole process before presenting; most do not go throuugh the trouble. In the middle ages guild system, plate turning was a trade unto itself. The test to be a master was to produce a dozen plates of the same design and specificatios through which the light of the noonday sucn would sow equally. You are on line to do this. Well done.

[@jones_trees_and_treen]

Thanks for the thoughtful comment. Interesting point about the guild. I was very chuffed with myself for turning two plates the same, a dozen feels like a good challenge though!
I love hearing about how focused pre-industrial trades were. It's an interesting comparison to the kind of rural joiners/ woodworkers who did a bit of everything.

[@Thespoonpeddler]

Nice plates!. Did you glue the mandrel to the blank? if so what glue did you use?

[@jones_trees_and_treen]

Thanks! Yes, with super glue. It's easy enough to break the bond with some heat if you don't use too much glue.
For my bowls I use tenon mandrels but that's not possible for a plate without wasting material just to turn it away.

[@ricos1497]

Nicely done, I really should make myself a lathe! Do you have plans for your one?

[@jones_trees_and_treen]

I loosely followed plans by Owen Thomas. Available for free on his website as well as a video series on RUclips. @owenthomaswoodcraft

[@ricos1497]

@@jones_trees_and_treen ah, brilliant. Thank you very much. I'll get building soon! I'm sure my wife will love the new plates she didn't ask for!

[@tarbucktransom]

Why bury the plate in shavings afterwards, something to do with slowing the drying process?

[@schnipsikabel]

Exactly, to prevent the wood from splitting

[@tarbucktransom]

@@schnipsikabel Is that because it's green, or would anything that's at like 20% moisture split? I'm trying to gauge how dry is dry enough to not worry about it.

[@schnipsikabel]

@@tarbucktransom In general, i don't think 20% moisture wood will still be prone to cracking... but it is also dependent on air temperature and humidity (eg if you put it close to an oven or in the sun), wood thickness (thicker parts drying more unevenly and thereby developing cracks) or closeness to the center of the tree (the parts 1-2cm around the pulp somehow being very prone to cracking).