Thread: Getting nasty catches on a bowl

CAMERON, I suggest that you get yourself some lessons,I don't mean that lightly but as a favour to yourself get involved either with a woodturning club...there's bound to be be one somewhere or get yourself off to TAFE to pick up some pointers.

There are also plenty of accomplished woodturners around that are only willing to give lesson merely from the point of stopping someone from causing themselves grief.

Also if you've a library real handy grab yourself some books/video's and have a look at what you're doing if you want to do it all on your own.

When I started out I went first to a woodturning club to see if I would go on and was lucky to find a bunch of folk willing to help me out not only with tecniques but all manner of advice on tooling costing etc which I will forever be grateful for.

HOPE you are fortunate in finding the love of the craft as I have done.

Cheers

Because of the way they're used, a scraper is the only "basic" tool that's immune to dig-in type catches. Unless you're misusing it, of course. They're the only tool that's held pointing downhill with the tip lower than the end of the handle, so any catch throws it "away" from the wood instead of digging in. Oddly enough, the parting tool isn't a scraper and should not be used like a scraper when parting... but they do work damned well as a scraper in other situations.

Many hobbyist turners don't progress beyond using scrapers, as they can cut almost any form that any other tool can do. They often won't leave as clean a cut off the tool nor cut as quickly as other more specialised gouges but the 80-grit gouge works miracles. There are turners who'll poo-poo the use of scrapers but that's just tool snobbery. Scrapers have a definite place in any turners toolkit and really are the best tools to start learning with.

Once you start encountering the scrapers shortcomings' (ie. any flaws really are the tools' fault and not just your technique. ) you'll probably have enough practice with other things (selecting the wood, correctly mounting & balancing the blank, sharpening your tools, etc) that you can concentrate more on improving your technique with other tools. It's hard to get better if you're screwing up something basic such as selecting correct RPM, bad mounting of the blank, etc, etc.

ALL other cutting tools are chisels and are used as such, so are prone to dig in should they catch. Of them all, I believe the skew chisel has the least "error of margin" between using them safely and disaster and very rightly deserves the honour of being considered "the most difficult tool to master." It's also, IMHO, the most dangerous. I rarely use one for final finishes on "important jobs" even though they're perfect for it. One catch and it's back to the cutting board.

If I were you, I'd put it aside temporarily and settle on your detail and bowl gouges. Detail gouges & scrapers on the outside of the bowl, bowl gouges and scrapers inside. Leave the skew until you're doing some more spindle turning or you have someone on hand to show you the finer points.

Thanks for the replies, but they don't really answer my question sorry.

As for joining a club, it was the first thing I tried to do, but I lead a very busy life and my nights and weekends are rarely free (as it happened the nights the club met didn't coincide with the nights I was free).

Same deal with Adult Ed.

Same deal with TAFE.

I did get out about 3 DVDs on turning and I have read more books than I care to mention. My spindle technique seems fine, but when I progress to a bowl it seems to have problems.

With regards to scrapers, I only used it for hollowing, not on the outside.

As for selecting wood - well, maybe I got that wrong, this is the first piece of leatherwood I have worked with. Up until now it was either black wattle or tas oak.

As for mounting and balancing the blank, I don't think that I have a problem there.

As for sharpening, I made myself a little jig for my belt sander and I find sharpening really very easy (I come from the background of having made a few knives before). The chisels are nice and sharp as if I manually hand turn the lathe I get nice long shavings.

As for the parting tool, I wasn't using that as a scraper, I was using it properly and it worked a treat.

Also, as I have said, I have got to the stage where I can do spindle turning for hours without any kind of catch, but I can't seem to even start with the bowl. As soon as I introduce anything more than a point to the work - BANG.

I thought about it last night and I suspect that it might have something to do the height of the tool rest...

Hmmm.

Anyway, thanks again for the replies.

Cam

Originally Posted by CameronPotter

I thought about it last night and I suspect that it might have something to do the height of the tool rest...

Hmmm.

Anyway, thanks again for the replies.

Cam

Hmmm possibly, I have spent many hours getting the tool rest just right - now only takes a little while.

One day I was doing a very special piece and spent about an hour ensuring I got it just right. Nathan - my then 4yo (now 5) was 'helping me' and I went to the toilet and my son proudly came in saying he had fixxed the tool... Any woody with kids cringe at these statements - he not only loosened my tool rest which was only finger tight but also as many other bolts that he could find on the lathe!

Thanks Andraax,

I actually wasn't sure how important the tool rest height was exactly. You see the pros just seem to stick to whatever height, but I suppose that they are good enough to adjust (and probably get it right anyway).

As for "tool adjustment", it must be very handy having someone there to help you out!

hi cameron to cut bowls correctly you need a bowlgouge this is a deep section gouge. either 3/8'" or 1/2"work well . the skewchisel is really only designed for spindle work , several books videos ,available .much cheaper than plastic surgery rebuilding face after a good catch . best wishes bob

Thanks Bob.

I have a Triton Respirator (so I am kind of in armour) - well at least my face is...

I have checked out as many books and DVDs as I could find, but the best ones seem to be by Richard Raffan and than man is mad for a skew chisel...

I may well need a few more gouges.

Cheers

Cam

Originally Posted by CameronPotter

Thanks Bob.

I have a Triton Respirator (so I am kind of in armour) - well at least my face is...

I have checked out as many books and DVDs as I could find, but the best ones seem to be by Richard Raffan and than man is mad for a skew chisel...

I may well need a few more gouges.

Hi

Richard is mad about the skew chisel but only for between centers work. For bowl work he uses a combination of both shallow ie spindle and "bowl" gouges. I use bowl gouges for the outside and most of the hollowing and use a bowl scraper for the bottom of the bowl when appropriate. The techniques are very different for centre work and bowl, a shallow gouge can catch really easily if it is rolled to take a heavy cut on the inside of a bowl or you attempt a back cut.

:mad:

I am trying to come to terms as well with bowl turning for the same reasons. I am privilaged to be a member of the local Woodies Group and am learning to use a scraper with some success.
Using a Bowl gouge changing from a natural 'Leftie' [ for over 60 years]
is a lesson to be learned. Talk about 'dig ins' I am an expert
But once the Bug bites anything is possible.

You learn something new every day

Cameron,
Seeing that you have a busy life, try this link for a free ebook on wood turning. It will help in steering you in the right direction

http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/15460

also:
http://www3.sympatico.ca/3jdw8/
http://www.laymar-crafts.co.uk/linkt.htm this last site has a lot of hints and tips, this should get you started with some flair.
hughie

Cameron, if you have watched 3 dvd's and read so many books where in the hell did you get the idea that a roughing gouge and a skew chisel were used for bowl turning? Sorry if that seems a bit strong but I am self taught and nothing I read or watched mentioned used a skew or roughing gouge for bowls. I do use a skew for bowls but only for the recess for chuck jaws. For the outside of a bowl try a 12 or 16mm spindle gouge and a shear scraper, for the inside a 12 or 16mm bowl gouge and a round nose scraper.
Cheers
Barry

G'day Cameron,
I've got to agree with Baz in regards to the roughing gouge & skew chisel.
They are used for spindle work, the only exception being as Baz stated - using the skew as a scraper for cutting the recess for the chuck jaws.
When turning the outside of a bowl, use a bowl gouge, set the tool post just below centre height & position the gouge to cut at centre height & "let the bevel rub" as you cut. This tends to support the cutting edge of the gouge as you cut - well, thats the theory. Start your cut near the centre of your bowl blank & move the gouge outwards & forwards towards the headstock as Richard Raffan recommends in his books & demos. Don't force the tool, let it cut at its own speed. Give it a go - the more you do, the better you'll get.
I would approach a local woodturnig club & enquire if there is a member that would be prepared to come to your workshop to give you a demonstration on bowl turning techniques at a time to suit you. Put on a barbie & some liquid refreshments after to thank the person for his / her time & efforts.
I hope that this of some help Cameron.
Regards,
Barry. ( the other Baz? )

Cameron, I know jack about turning, but the latest Aust Woodworker (has a professional rocking horse maker on the cover) has an article on bowl work that may be worth a look.


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

I'm with Baz.

If you can't get it from Videos & books, you are going to have to find time to get even a short lesson from some body.

I made 2 things on a lathe at high school & then, 7 years later, I bought a lathe & all the books about it.
Jeeze I made a mess.... I stopped using it.
About 12 years later I went & got some lessons at a TAFE night course.
It was only a couple of hours a night, one night a week for 6 weeks but it was realy worth it. I have been a hobby turner for 15 years now, I sell some of my stuff at markets & I even get the odd commision job.

Now all I need is time to practice.