Pendant Backer Plate Howto/Mini-review

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alphageek

alphageek

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OK... Lots of pictures, some text.. Hopefully this will help.
My Setup... Mini lathe, Ruth Niles stopper Mandrel, Deluxe Backer plate.

See Thumbnails for closeups...
Picture 1 - backer plate on mandrel, sacrificial wood double stick taped to the plate.
Picture 2 - Material double stuck to the wood block. (in this case corian)... I suggest you have turned the wood block round and smaller than the pendant size desired.
Picture 3 - Tail stock brought up to support material during rounding (optional, but makes it more stable for me) .... Lathe set fairly fast.
Picture 4 - Rounded off, thinned out to desired thickness.. Note rounded both front and back, which is why the smaller wood block rounded.
Picture 5 - After decorative cuts made, moved to offset whole and drill brought up to drill starter hole. ... Lathe set much slower for this and next steps.
Picture 6 - whole rounded out and smoothed as desired.
Picture 7 - Final product
Picture 8 - This is the next one I made and the reason for the 'deluxe' model over the basic. After all the above steps were done, rotate the front part of the plate to different positions and make other 'offset' cuts. The deluxe model is what will allow MUCH more variation in patterns.

This is a great little addon... The ways of mounting this are varied, but the tools works GREAT. I'm quickly getting the knack of this offset turning and looking forward to trying other things with it.

One last comment... As you are playing, I suggest WRITING down the settings you used. As you find variations you like, you'll want to remember how you did it!
 

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I have not looked at this very closely yet. I am assuming there are several holes in the back for the mandril offset. Is the glueblock just taped to the faceplace? What are all the holes for on the face? Are the holes the difference between the regular model and the newer plate?

The pictures help. Thanks
 
Hopefully these 2 pictures will help again (Richards post has some too, but I figured this will be easier than finding that thread in the future)...
Picture 1 shows the "mandrel side" with one screw removed.
Picture 2 shows the pieces apart (main part, 4 screws and face plate)

There is 7 offset holes in addition to the center one on the main piece.
The 24 holes are so you can easily rotate the part to different angles. For example, the 2 'arcs' in the 2nd pendant above are from the same offset hole, but rotated by a couple of holes.

And yes, the wood block is just double sided tape stuck to the 2nd plate. I've done multiple pendants with the same block so far.

The difference between the basic and the deluxe is the 4 additional holes, the screws and the extra plate with the 24 holes.
 

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Last edited:
beck3906 said:
What are you using to hold the backer plate in the lathe?
Click to expand...

As stated at the top I'm using a Ruth Niles bottle stopper madrel. However any way that you can get a 3/8-16 bolt to spin would work. See Johns picture in the main thread or see ruths site. She has some other cheap ways to do this for bottle stoppers and any of those would work too.
 
i am woundering how the back is handled.
is it done first? if so, is finished at that time?
if it is finished after the front , will the tape hold it? and
would the tape ruin the finish?
thanks for your help, victor
 
mokol said:
i am woundering how the back is handled.
is it done first? if so, is finished at that time?
if it is finished after the front , will the tape hold it? and
would the tape ruin the finish?
thanks for your help, victor
Click to expand...


Victor, this is the area I'm most curious about others replies. For the corian ones, nothing really is needed. The back can be buffed out if desired, but I find it looks fine natural, maybe just a little had polishing.

Wood on the other hand it tougher. So far, I finish the back first then flip it. The tape doesn't ruin the finish, but it doesn't seem to stick as well for me. I'm still working on perfecting this and I hope others chime in with their tips.
 
I remembered the Arizona Silhouette site and thought of the mandrels and the buffing handle.

http://www.arizonasilhouette.com/Bottle_Stopper_Kits.htm

You could take the backer plate off the mandrel and attach it to the buffing handle to buff on a wheel. It would get the pendant far enough from your hands and also allow a better grasp so the pendant doesn't get pulled out of your fingers and slammed against the floor.
 
Great write-up Brother

Perfect timing, Richard called me last night and asked me to do the same thing.

For those of you who didn't catch the first thread, Richard (sailing away) designed and sent these out to be manufactured . I think he is still selling his introductory run of these at a great price, I would get one while the getting good.

I plan to do some segmented off-set pendants this week and will post pictures ASAP.

Can't wait to see what other people do with this new tool.
 
Just remember when segmenting you want a solid piece of wood behind the segmenting so it does not blow apart.
 
alphageek said:
Victor, this is the area I'm most curious about others replies. For the corian ones, nothing really is needed. The back can be buffed out if desired, but I find it looks fine natural, maybe just a little had polishing.

Wood on the other hand it tougher. So far, I finish the back first then flip it. The tape doesn't ruin the finish, but it doesn't seem to stick as well for me. I'm still working on perfecting this and I hope others chime in with their tips.
Click to expand...

I send the backs by hand. I find a little vigorous use of sand paper does fine up to 600 and then I move to the buffer.

-Barry
 
CSUSA carries a small eccentric "chuck" that could be used for this process..same idea..it fits in standard 2" jaws of any chuck...just another option
 
mickr said:
CSUSA carries a small eccentric "chuck" that could be used for this process..same idea..it fits in standard 2" jaws of any chuck...just another option
Click to expand...

Thats true, but at 3x the cost of the unit Richard is sellng. Now for all I know that one from CSUSA may be better, but I don't know its features.
 
Update! I've switched over to using a PSI mandrel that screws on the headstock. I highly recommend this... I still like the Ruth mandrel for my bottle stoppers, but the PSI one is more stable when used with the pendant backer plate.
 
When using one of the off-center holes. do you remove the thumb screw if it's in the way?

Also, my double sided tape seems to not hold the waste block well enough. Are you using the tail stock to hold the pendant piece in place?
 
beck3906 said:
When using one of the off-center holes. do you remove the thumb screw if it's in the way?

Also, my double sided tape seems to not hold the waste block well enough. Are you using the tail stock to hold the pendant piece in place?
Click to expand...

Yep.. There is a few holes that require using only 3 thumbscrews.

In picture 3 you can see I tend to bring up the tailstock just while rounding. This isn't always necessary, but helps with the harder materials.

Also - for waste block, I have been using a hole saw to cut pieces out of an old laminate shelf. The waste block doesn't budge at all and the face works great until I use too many of the different holes, then I replace it.
 
Are you drilling the through hole with the tailstock or using a drill? I still haven't had much chance to try mine, I guess I started off wrong by rounding my blank using the center hole didn't think ahead enough, Geez I've worked with indexing heads for years but this has me bum fuzzled.
 
bitshird said:
Are you drilling the through hole with the tailstock or using a drill? I still haven't had much chance to try mine, I guess I started off wrong by rounding my blank using the center hole didn't think ahead enough, Geez I've worked with indexing heads for years but this has me bum fuzzled.
Click to expand...


I do the same as you by rounding and shaping the blank using the center hole. Then I move to a different "drive hole" connected to the headstock to drill and use the tail stock with a drill chuck and bit. Be sure to slow it down a bunch to eliminate the vibration. I then shape the hole I drilled and sand. You can then move back to your center drive hole for any finish sanding or shaping or any other drive hole for other artistic effects.

Thanks for the heads-up on the wally world tape!! I have some old "stuff" that works but not the best.

Any recommendations on cord or chain for the pendant?

Thanks,

john
 
o.k. I'm befuddled by the shaping of the hole after drilling. I get the part about moving it to an off center hole for the drilling but shaping the hole don't click...
thanks.
 
Ok.. Answering some questions:
The bails (the clips) were found at michaels as was the leather cord. Still looking for improved versions of both, so if anyone gets some online please give feedback.

As for the hole, a skew works... But I often expand/taper the hole with a really small gouge that I have. (REALLY small - like 1/4" in diameter).
 
pentex said:
Dean, one more question, please. What size are these pendants?
Click to expand...

Mine tend to end up around 1 1/2" to 1 3/4" in diameter (but I have made a few smaller) and I aim for about 1/4" thick when done at the thickest part..

Here is a few more for ideas for others:
 

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Alphageek, The one in the top right corner - did you shape it that way because of the grain pattern? They match up just perfect, I think. With that said, the one to its left is my favorite. Gotta get some money for one of these plates.:redface:
 
sefali said:
Alphageek, The one in the top right corner - did you shape it that way because of the grain pattern? They match up just perfect, I think. With that said, the one to its left is my favorite. Gotta get some money for one of these plates.:redface:
Click to expand...

The top right was a slice of a BOW bottle stopper.. I have a round one with almost the same grain... Looks great both ways. The one next to it is corian with a strip of yellowheart & purple heart scraps. And the one next to that has blue chip acrylic and looks WAY better in person.
 
alphageek said:
The top right was a slice of a BOW bottle stopper.. I have a round one with almost the same grain... Looks great both ways. The one next to it is corian with a strip of yellowheart & purple heart scraps. And the one next to that has blue chip acrylic and looks WAY better in person.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Would you mind posting a pic of the other BOW pendant? I'd like to see how the shape change the overall look.
 
Thanks. I like that one too, but the other I like better. The odd shape suites the crazy circle grain better.
 
BobBurt said:
How is the back of the Pendant finished????? or Is it?????

Thanks
Click to expand...

Depends on the material, but I pretty much finish the back by hand... Sand them on a piece of glass and hand finish. The backs don't end up looking quite as nice as the front, but the look ok enough.
 
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alphageek said:
Depends on the material, but I pretty much finish the back by hand... Sand them on a piece of glass and hand finish. The backs don't end up looking quite as nice as the front, but the look ok enough.
Click to expand...

Sorry....Do you turn the back side???? or Do you just leave it????? I understand you have to finish it by hand

Can you explain how the back is done???? PLEASE

Thanks
 
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