How to Turn a Taper

[oskar]

I want to turn a taper on the barrel of a miniature cannon (48 of them) and I’m looking for ideas on how to do this hobby job. The barrel will be approx.4” long by 1/2” OD and the material most likely hardwood or brass.

My manual lathe/mill combo has no attachment to do tapers and I don’t want to buy one either. I can probably do one free hand but to make all of them identical it’s impossible. I also have a 4” tilt rotary table in case it may help.

Thanks for the help

 

[martik777]

Can you rotate the head stock? Could also offset the tail stock center.

 

[richl]

Offset tailstock, or use the compound if your lathe has that much movement

 

[francist]

Here's a bit in the SouthBend lathe book on offsetting the tailstock to turn tapers. I'm thinking the travel on the hybrid Taig compound might not be enough to do it (although really you only need enough travel to turn between the barrel bands on the cannon, then you could reset the carriage position) so the tailstock might be the easiest repeatable option.

-frank

 

[oskar]

Here's a bit in the SouthBend lathe book on offsetting the tailstock to turn tapers. I'm thinking the travel on the hybrid Taig compound might not be enough to do it (although really you only need enough travel to turn between the barrel bands on the cannon, then you could reset the carriage position) so the tailstock might be the easiest repeatable option. -frank

Thanks Frank, could you please give me a better view of these 2 pages?

 

[ThinWoodsman]

Thanks Frank, could you please give me a better view of these 2 pages?

Vintage Machinery has a copy

 

[BtoVin83]

I thought about making sine bar on the back side of the lathe and then follow it as the saddle is traversed

 

[francist]

could you please give me a better view of these 2 pages?

 

[oskar]

Vintage Machinery has a copy

Thanks for your time Frank

 

[Ken from ontario]

I tried This Old Tony,s boring head trick and it worked out very well: