How not to use a scraper

[robatman]

Its obvious I'm new to turning, read on!!!!
I got the hang of the roughing gouge and thought I'd give the scraper a go. Frightened the life out of me with a catch almost every time I touched the wood. Decided to give up on it for a few weeks. Came back to it tonight and for some reason thought it might work better without the bevel rubbing!!!!
What a surprise, it worked fine. Guess i have learnt not to angle the scraper up!

Robert

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

This is why I recommend beginners to find an experienced turner near them to at least give 'em a quick run through on what's what. But, of course, it's not always possible. [shrug]

But good on ya for working it out, especially as one of the most common pieces of advice I hear is "you should always bevel rub." :rolleyes:

[hughie]

Frightened the life out of me with a catch almost every time I touched the wood. Decided to give up on it for a few weeks.



I reckon it would :D still I buried my 3/8 gouge about 1/2" into green timber one time.....bit of a heart stopper :eek: kinda stood there and looked at it for time getting my arrhythmias in check...:D :D

[TTIT]

I reckon it would :D still I buried my 3/8 gouge about 1/2" into green timber one time.....bit of a heart stopper :eek: kinda stood there and looked at it for time getting my arrhythmias in check...:D :D

I actually snapped a 3/8 gouge off on the first non-spindle thing I tried turning :eek::eek::eek:- certainly got the heart pumping. Had to run off and actually ask how it's supposed to be used :o:o:o

Robatman - tilt it to about 45deg for some shear scraping if you really want to see what scrapers shine at!:D

[hughie]

.
Had to run off and actually ask how it's supposed to be used :o:o:o

Vern, ya never want to follow instrukshuns, just charge on regardless...yeehaaaaa....................:-)


Lost a 16" bowl at 2500 once, thought I was under attack from terrorists :D :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[robatman]

Robatman - tilt it to about 45deg for some shear scraping if you really want to see what scrapers shine at!:D[/quote]


TTIT, do you mean tilt the the scraper down form horizontal by 45', or keep the angle of the bevel at 45 from the point of contact with wood (from the vertical?)

thanks
robert

ps never tried to rub the bevel on a skew!!

30384

[cedar n silky]

I had a similar experience with the scraper! I was turning a camphor bowl yesterday (prezzy for my daughters birthday today!)Nice and thin, and i thought I'd just touch it up with the bowl scraper. I realised that the best place for such a tool is down in the bottom curve of the bowl, not up high near the rim!:eek: Heard a strange sound, and stopped the lathe, and found a nasty crack:( A bit of the old "cyno" fixed it, and I learnt a valuable lesson:rolleyes:
I think TTIT means what you indicated in your lower diagram. Tilt the handle up and make sure you have the tool firmly held down on the tool rest.:)

[TTIT]

TTIT, do you mean tilt the the scraper down form horizontal by 45', or keep the angle of the bevel at 45 from the point of contact with wood (from the vertical?)


Neither of the pics Rob. I'm absolutely useless at describing technical type stuff :o(Need help here Skew!!!) Shear scraping is rolling the scraper so that the blade is at 45deg to the work with the handle roughly level. Works best if the edge of your scraper is rounded over so it can slide along the rest - I usually use the Sorby hollower with a teardrop scraper attached. Shear scraping takes a very fine finishing cut and when you get it right, the shavings are so light they just about float on air! (I'm sure that'll help you understand how to do it :rolleyes: ) If Skew or someone doesn't describe it for you, I'll take some pics tonight and post them.

[TTIT]

Bit of Googling did the trick - go here (http://www.robert-sorby.co.uk/shear_scrapers.htm) and here (http://www.robert-sorby.co.uk/pdf/RS2000.pdf#search=%22shear%20scraping%22) to see how it's done.

[DanP]

I actually snapped a 3/8 gouge off

I snapped a 1" roughing gouge off at the tang on a 14" Red Gum Bowl (Yeah, Yeah, I know:rolleyes: ). The tool whizzed past one ear and the bowl whizzed past the other. :eek:

Dan

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Good doc on the basic bowl work, TTIT! http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon14.gif I've saved a copy of for my "starters kit."

As you said, shear scraping involves "rolling" the tool left or right by about 45°, so the cutting edge contacts the wood at a diagonal across the the grain.

As an aside: I prefer my home-made scrspers with round shanks (eg. ex-screwdrivers) for shear scraping as not only is it easier to slide, no sharp edge digging into the toolrest, but the tool's always supported in the centre of it's width. This means that in the case of a catch (yes, scrapers will still catch... they don't usually have catastrophic results when they do, though. ;) ) it won't slam the tool onto the rest and pinch your fingers.

[cedar n silky]

Robatman -

ps never tried to rub the bevel on a skew!!

30384
I got shown how to rub the bevel on a skew, finishing a cylinder between centres.
Set your tool rest slightly higher than the centre of your work (a bit of careful experimenting, as this depends on the size of the cylinder)Hold your skew at about 45 degrees to the work, with the bevel rubbing. (the bevel and edge should be pretty high on the work. Drop the cutting edge down carefully and only use a small portion of the cutting edge in the middle of the chisel. You can come at the cylinder form both sides as long as you maintain the 45. With a sharp skew, you hardly need to sand.:D

[OGYT]

TTIT, thanks for googling! Like Skew, I copied that material. Good stuff. I just never had the sense to ask. Now I know. Greenie your way! :o)

[baxter]

I snapped a 1" roughing gouge off at the tang on a 14" Red Gum Bowl (Yeah, Yeah, I know:rolleyes: ). The tool whizzed past one ear and the bowl whizzed past the other. :eek:

Dan

First rule of bowl turning "Don't use a roughing gouge"

If Rule One is ignored, "Duck immediately"

[robatman]

Thanks for the info guys,

Good links TTIT,

didnt even occur to me to google- just thought i'd ask here.
Its funny, I tend to check this forum out for any info i need, dont often go beyond into the www. If i cant find it in previous posts you can just ask!!

Inspired to look -i found this, a pretty comprehensive bit of advice for newbies

http://www.turningtools.co.uk/wtintro/wtintro.html

robert

[scooter]

Thanks Robert for posting :)

(Getting a lathe & starting turning soon :) )


Cheers.................Sean

[RETIRED]

I got shown how to rub the bevel on a skew, finishing a cylinder between centres.
Set your tool rest slightly higher than the centre of your work (a bit of careful experimenting, as this depends on the size of the cylinder)Hold your skew at about 45 degrees to the work, with the bevel rubbing. (the bevel and edge should be pretty high on the work. Drop the cutting edge down carefully and only use a small portion of the cutting edge in the middle of the chisel. You can come at the cylinder form both sides as long as you maintain the 45. With a sharp skew, you hardly need to sand.:DThis is the way I use the skew. Saves getting a sore arm from having the handle in your armpit.;) :D
http://www.turningtools.co.uk/wtintro/planing/planing.html#11.3

[weisyboy]

i had 2 skew chizels i was allways getting dig inns every time i got them out, after about the 15th dig in i decided that the small one must be broken so i tried the 1 " skew this dug in worse than the other and snaped it off at the tool rest half was stuck in the work and the other was still in my shaking hand.:mad: :eek: :mad:

all 1 1/2 of them have been in there box for the last 18 months.

i was presenting them straight up to the work scince then i have lerned that you present them so the handle is at 90* to the work and not the blade paralel:D

[hingston]

I got shown how to rub the bevel on a skew, finishing a cylinder between centres.
Set your tool rest slightly higher than the centre of your work (a bit of careful experimenting, as this depends on the size of the cylinder)Hold your skew at about 45 degrees to the work, with the bevel rubbing. (the bevel and edge should be pretty high on the work. Drop the cutting edge down carefully and only use a small portion of the cutting edge in the middle of the chisel. You can come at the cylinder form both sides as long as you maintain the 45. With a sharp skew, you hardly need to sand.:D

This is how I was shown as well. It works great, just takes a bit of practice and a sharp tool. The trick is to introduce the cutting edge to you just see a puff of dust then use this angle, then you will endup with a glass like finish. Actually I use the skew for a lot of my turning including finishing the dovetails for my mounting bowls on my chuck and it is also excellent for fine beads when spindle tunring.

Judging by the stories posted there is a few that would benifit from a bit of tutoring, I started by trying to teach myself. I ended up doing a 10week TAFE course for less than $200 and learnt more in those 10 weeks than I did in the 8 months of trying to teach myself (and stay in one peice at the same time.)

[cedar n silky]

Thanks for that link , it explains it much better than I did. I had a skew chisel years ago with my Record lathe, and after a few (a lot) dig inns i gave up on it, but now I have another lathe and resumed turning this year, i took some lessons. Best thing I ever did. Got shown how to plane a cylinder, cut beads and coves on a cylinder, and as Hingston said you learn so much, rather than trying to work it out as you go. The Skew is something that needs to be initially shown, as the movements are subtle, and the wrong tecknique/s can be disasterous. I still have the odd dig in!!:eek: :D

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

The Skew is something that needs to be initially shown, as the movements are subtle, and the wrong tecknique/s can be disasterous. I still have the odd dig in!!:eek: :D
The thing with a skew is that when it digs in it does a damned good job of it, no matter how much experience you have. Even the best turner will still have the occasional encounter, in the same way as they'll still encounter chatter, etc, etc. It's part'n'parcel of turning.

The real trick is reducing the frequency of mishaps... mastery is determined when you can starting count the bowls per curse instead of curses per minute. :D:D

[rsser]

Using the skew for peel cuts needs a very sharp, fresh honed edge, radiused.

The moment you feel the edge pull down you drop the handle a smidgin and bring the edge up a little higher.

[RETIRED]

Using the skew for peel cuts needs a very sharp, fresh honed edge, radiused.

The moment you feel the edge pull down you drop the handle a smidgin and bring the edge up a little higher.Define radiused Ern.

[rsser]

Cutting edge, looked at in plan (ie. shank flat on rest, looking straight down on it) is curved.

Make sense? (trying to dredge up terms not used since high school tech drawing).

[RETIRED]

Yes, similar to a Raffan type skew.

I disagree that that is the best shape for a peeling cut as it leaves a curved cut.

The best shape is actually ground straight across as in cutting edge at right angles to edge.

If you use a skew (as I do) for peeling cuts there is a tendency to form a slight angle at the shoulder however you can adjust for that.

We use peeling cuts for rapid timber removal to form tenons.

[rsser]

Yeah, I had in mind the outside of smallish (non-flexing!) bowls.