28" Faceplate

Had an order for four column bases 31 1/2" at the base and 9" tall.  The first two steps were to build and outrigger for the tool rest and create a faceplate to hold the piece.  I used a 4" steel faceplate with two pieces of 3/8" Baltic Birch plywood as a base.  1" thick oak 10" square for mounting and as stiffener for the base.   Because the plywood was not perfectly flat and true 1.25" Mahogany was glued around the edge and the turned true and flat.  The first 4" thick ring was screwed in place.  Of course the piece was not balanced so I statically balanced it by mounting weights to the inside of the ring as can be seen in the right picture below.  Every time the lathe was stopped the static balance was rechecked.  As a result the piece turned with no vibration.