Offset- How to?

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by nightfighter

I watched PNG demonstrate this at Plugfest in 2006 or 2007. But I just can't recall the step to make the offset, after getting the round shaping done..... (Of course I haven't turned since then either) Couldn't find anything in search mode... Any pics or video?
Offsets seem to have dropped off the radar in recent years. A fad, or just another option?

Difficult. Turn the nose and tail on center (otherwise it is easy to cut through them as you do an off center spin). Move your centers to one side, using a template turn one side, move your centers to the other side and turn the other side. Guys who are really good (PNG and John come to mind) may turn off several other centers (I think one of John's plugs used 5 center positions and started with a block about 3" wide). It helps a ton to use Steb centers both on the drive and tail stock. Wear a face shield and don't let anyone else stand nearby.

Although it can be done, I don't advise trying this freehand. I did and the results were exciting to say the least

[Diggin Jiggin]

I messed around with off center swimmers a few years ago.

Like George said, turn the basic shape on center but leave a lot of extra material around the nose and tail as it will wobble a lot when its mounted off center. Then when you are done with the off center turning, you can mount it back on center and clean up the nose and tail.

I don't use a duplicator so I just did mine free hand. I ended up slowing down the lathe quite a bit, the off center vibration makes the whole lathe 'walk' on the table so I ended up putting mine on a router matt and that worked pretty well. Doing it free hand it's tough to get the 2 opposite sides perfectly symetrical. Easiest way to get them close was to just make the same number of passes with the chisel on each off center side.