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Bluegum
18th August 2012, 02:35 PM
Hi All,

After my recent lathe purchase I have been going through the nova Cattle dog and I have come across their dovetail chisel and I was wondering is it worth buying? I am a novice turner and I was thinking it might be a good investment. I also so dont want to waste money because I am in need of buying a chuck as well and was thinking about the vicmarc 120. As much as its fun being a tool junkie I do have to watch my budget.
Thanks

Jim Carroll
18th August 2012, 03:00 PM
Waste of money.

Use your skew chisel to create the small dovetail at the top of the spigot.

RETIRED
18th August 2012, 04:14 PM
Waste of money.

Use your skew chisel to create the small dovetail at the top of the spigot.Second that.

artme
18th August 2012, 04:33 PM
Why do you want to put a dovetail there in the first place??

Jim Carroll
18th August 2012, 05:04 PM
The idea of the dovetail chisel is to create the spigot or recess on the bottom of your bowl etc.

One problem with the dovetail chisel is that it is not a true match for the nova jaws.

The nova jaws are actually a parralel jaw with a small dovetail at the end of the jaw.

So you create a parralell spigot or recess {not recommended in my opinion} then use the long point of the skew to make the small dovetail for the jaw to clamp into.

Now if Vicmarc had done this it would work as they have an 80 degree dovetail on their jaws, but still the easiest way is to reshape your 1/2" skew chisel to the 80 degrees and you have the right angle for the vicmarc jaws everytime.

dr4g0nfly
18th August 2012, 05:47 PM
Bluegum, good of you to ask the question sometimes people assume tool manufacturers (or other self appointed experts) know best.

I agree with Jim & but would argue it's easier to learn to use the skew with it's normal working angle and just hold it at a slightly different angle to the wood. The 70 degree angle gives you clearance at the bottom of an tenon hole.

Having said that I eventually used a small piece of HSS and ground my own it's an awful lot cheaper.

Paul39
19th August 2012, 12:19 PM
Bluegum, good of you to ask the question sometimes people assume tool manufacturers (or other self appointed experts) know best.

I agree with Jim & but would argue it's easier to learn to use the skew with it's normal working angle and just hold it at a slightly different angle to the wood. The 70 degree angle gives you clearance at the bottom of an tenon hole.

Having said that I eventually used a small piece of HSS and ground my own it's an awful lot cheaper.

I ground an old slot type screw driver to make dovetails for my chuck. A quick swipe on the grinder to freshen the edge and make the spigot.

I have also used an angled scraper.

Bluegum
19th August 2012, 09:28 PM
Guys thank you very much for your responses and I appreciate the answers. At least I now wont be wasting any money on one of them. I can put the cash towards my new chuck.

NCPaladin
22nd August 2012, 06:25 AM
One problem with the dovetail chisel is that it is not a true match for the nova jaws.

The nova jaws are actually a parralel jaw with a small dovetail at the end of the jaw.


It is a match for the Nova jaws for recesses.

The Nova 50mm jaws are parallel on the inside and have a small “lip”; the exterior has a true dovetail. Per the instructions the spigot should be cut straight and the lip will bite into the wood. The lip is about 1mm thick and 4 mm long… not very big. I always form mine straight as per the instructions. These are the only instruction section in all capital letters that I know of.
This is not the same on all of the Nova jaws sets such as the 100mm powergrips which has a true “reverse dovetail”; for a long spigot on the same jaws you do not cut a dovetail even when using contraction.
You will note the tool is dovetailed only on the side for forming a recess. They do sell the tool but the instructions for the chuck tell you how to cut the recess dovetail with a skew. If you make one from an old screwdriver (as Paul suggest) the dovetail should be 15* for recess mount. I would rather grind a $1 screwdriver than a perfectly good skew (if there is such a thing :D).
The following shows what may happen if you cut a dovetail on the spigot for 50mm jaws.

robo hippy
22nd August 2012, 09:23 AM
Well, it has been a while since I measured, but seems like the dove tail angle on the Vicmark was 7 degrees which is the standard for dove tail joints in hard woods. If you have a 14 inch thick scraper, it is fairly simple to grind that bevel angle on the side, and then just like the straight shaft of the tool up with the ways of the lathe, and plunge straight in. Because of the dove tail, it moves to the side all by itself. You can do it with a skew, which is fairly simple, or you can do it with a detail gouge which may take a bit more practice. I found it easier in the long run to have the specialized tool, but getting the chuck first might be priority #1.

robo hippy

Bluegum
22nd August 2012, 08:58 PM
I ground an old slot type screw driver to make dovetails for my chuck. A quick swipe on the grinder to freshen the edge and make the spigot.

I have also used an angled scraper.

As I had said I am a novice so when you talk about grinding a flat screw driver what sort of shape should I be looking at? I am off for a few days and I would like to have a go at it.

I agree withyou roo hippy I will be looking for a chuck as my next purchase.

Paul39
26th August 2012, 01:10 PM
As I had said I am a novice so when you talk about grinding a flat screw driver what sort of shape should I be looking at? I am off for a few days and I would like to have a go at it.

In the first photo we have on left for making a spigot and right for making a recess. I normally have a bit more angle on the left, like the one on the right.

Second are left and right skew scrapers, they do quite nicely and have mostly replaced the screwdrivers.

Third is the scraper set. I bought them barely used for $40.

Fourth and Fifth are my 50 cent parting tool. Note how the knife is tapered which keeps it from binding. If going deep, make alternate cuts side by side to have more room.

Look for a thread "Junk tools and fixtures". While I had the camera in the shop I photographed a bunch of stuff.