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jales4
28th October 2008, 01:47 PM
Hi Everyone,

Back with another question!!

I watched some videos of turning on Youtube, and saw two different ways of holding the chisel on the rest. One way, I'll call 'underhand', has my upside down thumb sliding along the rest, while the rest of my fingers are wrapped around the chisel, fingernails up.

This is a bit awkward for me, as my hands are very small.

The other way I'll call 'overhand'. The chisel is resting against the palm of my hand, and my baby finger slides along the rest.

I tried this way, and it felt more comfortable. Watching me, my husband (who has no experience turning either), said that it looked like I would have a harder time sliding evenly along the rest.

What method is generally thought the be the best, and the safest?

Thanks in advance for any and all replies!

Cheers, Jales

Red Gum
28th October 2008, 04:07 PM
Hello Jales

Your questin looks as though it has come through on the scroll forum and should be on the turners forum.

However I have been a turner for about 20 years but now I have taken up scrolling. As far as holding the gouge on the tool rest is concerned I have neaver used those fancy ways unless there is something special in the wind. I just put my left hand over the top of the gouge right at the tool rest position and that works well for me. I do change this a bit when using a scew.

At times you might even use tools one handed such as a parting tool while using calipers to measure at the same time. Realy the tool rest does the job on its own. The hand only keeps it steady and isn't all that important. After a while you will develop your own style.

By the way it doesn't take a lot of musle to turn. If you are then you need to free up and let the lathe and tools do the work.

Red Gum

Cliff Rogers
28th October 2008, 10:37 PM
I also put my hand over the tool most of the time.
If I am roughing out something dry & hard I will often change the left hand grip so the chips flying off the wood don't hit it.

Ed Reiss
28th October 2008, 11:32 PM
Jales...whichever way is more comfortable for you. There are no set rules, and quite often you will find yourself switching from overhand to underhand on the same turning.

ss_11000
28th October 2008, 11:52 PM
for larger stuff - 75mm and up, i usually go for the overhand approach while roughing out. everything else, i usually go underhand. I just feel i have more control with underhand.

Skew ChiDAMN!!
29th October 2008, 12:19 AM
Stirlo's got it. :)

I mainly use a hand on top when I'm removing a lot of material quickly. It's a good grip for long, sweeping cuts.

When I'm taking fine cuts or approaching areas that need delicate control (such as feeding in to cut the wings of a winged bowl) I prefer an underhand grip. This allows me to use my index finger along the tool-rest for fine adjustment of cutting depth and my thumb to guide the tool left/right by a small increment.

I suspect that most turners do the same, even if they're not aware of it.

Think of it as similar to holding a paint-brush when painting the house: you hold the brush one way while filling in the large blank areas, and another way when you're cutting in around doors and windows. You don't think about it, you just do it. :wink:

La truciolara
29th October 2008, 07:11 AM
Hello Jales
What an interesting question!
I think you could get 50% answers overhand and 50% answer underhand.
I only use overhand with the roughing gouge as, lifting the little finger as if I was drinking a cup of tee with her Majesty the Queen, i can stop the shavings to tickle my eyes.
Otherwise i am mostly underhand as i do not want that hand to contradict the movement of the hand holding the handle of the gouge. In fact that is the only hand giving direction and pressure to the gouge. The other hand is there for safety.
Quite often (please do not do it) in a class I show that the hand holding the handle is really the only one you need and I turn with one hand only, but I repeat... do not do it.

OGYT
31st October 2008, 09:30 AM
I kinda agree with Skew, Jales. Both ways are sometimes necessary. But I'm amazed that anyone can turn with only one hand on the handle. I'd screw up everything I put on the lathe, if I tried it. :D