Has anyone ever tried to turn their own wooden cups for the cups & balls on a wood lathe? I've asked my (retired) dad to turn me a set, and have provided him with links to a few websites so he can get an idea of what metal cups look like. But I was wondering if anyone had ever tried doing this themselves, and if they might have any tips or specs to share.

Greetings Croft; I take it that your Dad is a wood turner? So with that in mind I'll describe the procedure I use in wording that he will understand. Turn your wood to a smooth cylinder about 1/4 inch more in diameter than your finished cup needs to be.
Measure in about 3/8ths inch from the headstock and with a beading tool cut a band that will need to be checked as you go to allow a set of split rings to be inserted.
I use a 6 in 1 chuck for this purpose. Test for fit, the rings must close completely with a snug fit. The object of the split rings is not to grip the work by compressing the rings together, but when you add the clamping ring it will pull the work back into the chuck body clamping it to the face.
I find it best to assemble the work hand tight in the chuck, and then bring up the tailstock with a light push to align & then tighten the chuck with your C spanners. Excessive force really is not needed. You can now withdraw the tailstock and using a skew long corner down, alternating with a scraper using light cuts, do not try heavy cuts for any reason, remove the waste leaving about an eighth on an inch more inside than is needed. Once you have done this to the cup, you go back and remove more waste slowly and carefully a little at a time constantly checking with your calipers to make sure that the walls are of a constant thickness.
Once the work of the scraper is completed, you now need to sand and polish the inside of the cup. This must be done at this stage to avoid the work piece giving way at its weakest points later. You must also remember that your waste removal is not straight sided, the inside surface starts wide at the bottom or mouth of the cup, comes up slightly straight and then reduces to a smaller diameter inside. All of this depends on the style of cups that you are turning.
With the inside done, measure and pencil line the outside of the cup to show where the finish shaping needs to be, This is done very slowly taking ever so little at a time while shaping the cups outer surface. Bring the top of the cup to a flat surface with a small connection by using a parting tool slowly and carefully. Sand and polish the cup while it is on the lathe. When you remove the finished cup, use a handsaw to cut away the top waste leaving you with a flat top and a small post sticking out. Cut this small post as close to the top as you can.
Now you have two options here, You can use a jig to hold the cup while you turn the indent on the top of the cup, but I have found that using a jig to hold it clamped in a drill press, a ball bit mounted in the chuck and lightly brought down on top cuts slowly and just enough to hold the ball without it rolling off. After you cut this indent with a ball bit, chuck into the drill press a flap ball sanding bit and sand it smooth. You can do this by hand also but it will take some time, and then polish it.
I prefer to finish and polish my turnings on the lathe when turning something that is going to stay natural wood or stained wood. If it is to be painted, then I just seal it and polish it on the lathe and spray it when it comes off.
This may have sounded a bit Greek to you, but your Dad certainly will understand it if he does lathe turnings.
I hope this helps you out. We turners are becoming a thing of the past with modern technology and that is a shame.
All the Best
Marty

What's that you say?

MAJIC BRAND

Marty,

I very much enjoyed you post here. Not often is one able to find someone who understands both the craftsman skills and magic at the same time.

I have owned a lathe for about a year now, and have used it mostly for spindle turning (wands), and bases for card stars, etc. I have studied books on bowl turning and soon will attempt to do one possibly for a Benson bowl routine before moving up to a cup with a straighter, deeper interior.

Some of your post went straight over my head (mostly concerning the split rings and later the polishing of the inside to avoid breakage). I feel I have the capability to learn just about anything, so hopefully it will make itself clear with a bit of research.

Can you steer me in the right direction for information?

Check back issues and books by Fine Woodworking. It has been several years since I have turned, but there is good material out there. (20 years ago you would have to apprentice to get that kind of information.) Also check out Woodcrafters, Grizzly, etc. for the types of chucks Marty was talking about. If you can find a woodworker in your area that is turning bowls, they might be a good source as well.

Check out James Riser's site:

http://www.JamesRiser.com/Cups/WoodenCups.html

Thanks to all who responded!

Hello All

It took me over 2. 1/2 years to Finally locate a Master Craftsman who could Spin 'The Michael Lee Millennium Cups' to my sastifaction !

Having a Vision & Turning (Pun intended) into a Reality are 2 entirely different worlds.

Well I finally have what I envisioned! & they can Now be seen on the worlds Foremost Cup & Ball website under Selecting a set of cups. As follows http://www.JamesRiser.com

Keep up the great work all.

MICHAEL LEE

Cool post... problem would be getting the three cups to look similar (by hand). =)
Haven't done a bowl before either.

Its not impossible, just go slow and keep checking your measurements. I have had a few cups made for me with good results. The only problem that I had was the weight of the cup due to the thickness of the wall. Play with wall thickness's to match your durability and final load size of the cup.

MM