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Paul39
4th October 2012, 10:07 AM
Check out the first few seconds of this:

The Tool Handle Making Process - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2gY_-OQsew&feature=endscreen&NR=1)

pommyphil
4th October 2012, 11:38 AM
Not nice when a corner splinters off !

Phil.

RETIRED
4th October 2012, 11:48 AM
:no: Using it as a scraper except in the first bit and then just doing peeling cuts.:shrug:

Paul39
5th October 2012, 01:23 AM
And other Skewmeisters.

It is my understanding that using an accursed skew as a scraper dulls it quickly. Those I have with the original grind I only hone on a 600 grit diamond pad to keep the edge razor sharp and the corners very close to original.

Some I got that were abused and look to be sharpened on the curb stone or sidewalk, I have ground and sharpened on the diamond pad.

For scraping I have scrapers, and for roughing I have a small roughing gouge and my lawn mower blade.

Am I barking up the right tree, or am I missing something.

About all I do with an accursed skew is make tool handles for myself.

RETIRED
5th October 2012, 06:08 AM
And other Skewmeisters.

It is my understanding that using an accursed skew as a scraper dulls it quickly.Yes. Those I have with the original grind I only hone on a 600 grit diamond pad to keep the edge razor sharp and the corners very close to original.

Some I got that were abused and look to be sharpened on the curb stone or sidewalk, I have seen a few like that.:wink: I have ground and sharpened on the diamond pad.

For scraping I have scrapers, and for roughing I have a small roughing gouge and my lawn mower blade. That is the way it should be.

Am I barking up the right tree, or am I missing something. Nope.:)

About all I do with an accursed skew is make tool handles for myself. The skew is a finishing tool.

It has its little foibles but once understood and used properly your whole tool use and turning ability goes to a new level.

dr4g0nfly
5th October 2012, 06:26 AM
I have a 1" Carbon Steel Skew I use as a roughing out tool bit not on such large sections and I use it as a skew not a peeler. I do also use the skew as a scraper in certain circumstances.

But I also keep a diamond home very close at hand and touch up my edges very regularly.

Paul39
5th October 2012, 12:10 PM
Th accursed skew:


It has its little foibles but once understood and used properly your whole tool use and turning ability goes to a new level.

Some time ago I was digging out my dirt floored basement that is my turning shed. I had piled everything in that end on the wood lathe and benches.

I was digging with an pre WW2 entrenching tool in a small space between the wall and a 1000 pound metal lathe and broke the handle.

I got a chunk of oak off the wood pile, hacked the end more or less round with an ax and put it in the 3 jaw chuck of the metal lathe and ran the live center in the other end. All that were not buried in the way of tools was a $20 set of Chinese mystery metal with small short handles.

I roughed the stick a bit with the small roughing gouge, only bending it a little. The accursed skew was 5/8 inch wide and maybe 3/16 in thick. I sharpened it a bit on a piece of 220 grit paper and had a go.

With frequent stops to sharpen the accursed skew and to put the flat belt back on the proper step of the pulley I made a beautiful handle, with no spiral grooves and no random chunks taken out.

I had done this one other time before with a "good" HSS accursed skew on the wood lathe. I have many times made a really nice handle, slick as a greased eel, and close to the last finishing stroke, groink, or zzipp, a chunk out or a nice spiral.

This usually happens right after I think; look at that nice finish, I'm really getting to like the skew.

I know the answer is more practice with the a. skew. Meanwhile if I want a nice handle I use a bowl gouge with a fingernail grind.

Beautiful handle on metal lathe.235607

Old Croc
8th October 2012, 02:51 PM
Th accursed skew:
I got a chunk of oak off the wood pile, hacked the end more or less round with an ax and put it in the 3 jaw chuck of the metal lathe and ran the live center in the other end. All that were not buried in the way of tools was a $20 set of Chinese mystery metal with small short handles.


What, from the land of the Pecan tree, and you used Oak for the handle?
I would give anything for a good supply of Hickory, and SHMBO would devour the nuts. Paul, back in 86 we did a tour of a nuclear power station in South Carolina, and while we were waiting for it to open, a gent was picking up the nuts from the trees in the car park, and showed us how to pick good ones, so we filled the rent a car up with them, and she was still eating them all the way back to LA.
rgds,
Crocy

tea lady
8th October 2012, 04:20 PM
:no: Using it as a scraper except in the first bit and then just doing peeling cuts.:shrug:Not sure its quite scraping. Its so curved that it can skew in both directions.

But why oh why does he have to turn off the lathe to put the pencil marks on. Could have finished it already in the time he faffed about marking it out. :doh:

Cliff Rogers
8th October 2012, 05:23 PM
Skews make good bottle openers. :think:

RETIRED
8th October 2012, 05:26 PM
Ya heathen!:D

A Duke
8th October 2012, 05:33 PM
Ya heathen!:D

Now, now play nicely, we don't call each other names here.


:wink:
Regards

RETIRED
8th October 2012, 05:37 PM
I shall have to slap myself. :D

Cliff Rogers
8th October 2012, 05:51 PM
Put the skew down first. :wink:

Christopha
8th October 2012, 06:20 PM
Now, now play nicely, we don't call each other names here.


:wink:
Regards




PIGS BUM we don't! Name calling is all some of us have left ya goose! :;

Oh, And Cliff, go jump off one ya banana bending, pickle pussed prawn! Maaaaate........ :;

Paul39
9th October 2012, 01:59 AM
What, from the land of the Pecan tree, and you used Oak for the handle?
I would give anything for a good supply of Hickory, and SHMBO would devour the nuts. Paul, back in 86 we did a tour of a nuclear power station in South Carolina, and while we were waiting for it to open, a gent was picking up the nuts from the trees in the car park, and showed us how to pick good ones, so we filled the rent a car up with them, and she was still eating them all the way back to LA.
rgds,
Crocy


Old Croc,

I have lived in Western North Carolina for 45 years and have never seen a Pecan tree locally. We are at an altitude of 2500 feet and up here.

A friend had a Hickory blow over in his yard some months ago, taking down a 14,400 volt power line, along with cable TV and telephone lines. The power company cut off and removed the small stuff. He has offered for me to take as much of the trunk as I want. It is about 30 feet long and tapers from almost 3 feet to 2 feet in diameter. It is hung on the stump about 6 feet in the air with the top on the ground. It will take some calculation and careful cutting to get that without being hurt.

Cliff Rogers
9th October 2012, 04:07 AM
PIGS BUM we don't! Name calling is all some of us have left ya goose! :;

Oh, And Cliff, go jump off one ya banana bending, pickle pussed prawn! Maaaaate........ :;

OK, open yer own beer then, see if I care. :D

Old Croc
9th October 2012, 08:03 AM
Old Croc,

I have lived in Western North Carolina for 45 years and have never seen a Pecan tree locally. We are at an altitude of 2500 feet and up here.

A friend had a Hickory blow over in his yard some months ago, taking down a 14,400 volt power line, along with cable TV and telephone lines. The power company cut off and removed the small stuff. He has offered for me to take as much of the trunk as I want. It is about 30 feet long and tapers from almost 3 feet to 2 feet in diameter. It is hung on the stump about 6 feet in the air with the top on the ground. It will take some calculation and careful cutting to get that without being hurt.

Paul, you cant see the drool all over my keyboard reading this, I am soooo jealous.:2tsup: If i was doing the job, I would secure the log to a truck from one side, and work from the other side up from the top to the stump, or if your not confident get help.
rgds,
Crocy.

brendan stemp
9th October 2012, 03:24 PM
But why oh why does he have to turn off the lathe to put the pencil marks on. Could have finished it already in the time he faffed about marking it out. :doh:

Perhaps he wants to enjoy his woodturning:) Unlike not everyone wants to go a million mph when turning:D

RETIRED
9th October 2012, 04:34 PM
Perhaps he wants to enjoy his woodturning:) Unlike not everyone wants to go a million mph when turning:DI turn at the speed commiserate with the conditions and timber being turned to obtain the best end result from use of the tools.

Christopha
9th October 2012, 05:28 PM
I turn at the speed commiserate with the conditions and timber being turned to obtain the best end result from use of the tools.


I think the word you are looking for is "commensurate" ​(maybe). If I knew him I would commiserate with your English teacher....

Cliff Rogers
9th October 2012, 05:43 PM
... If I knew him I would commiserate with your English teacher....Don't ask about his French teacher unless you have some spare time. :wink:
Good listen if you have the time.

RETIRED
9th October 2012, 06:11 PM
I think the word you are looking for is "commensurate" ​(maybe). If I knew him I would commiserate with your English teacher....No i meant commiserate, in sympathy with the wood and conditions.

tea lady
9th October 2012, 06:53 PM
Perhaps he wants to enjoy his woodturning:) Unlike not everyone wants to go a million mph when turning:DIts not a question of speed. Its a question of doing the job well. If you do it well you just go faster by accident. :cool:

Tim the Timber Turner
9th October 2012, 08:05 PM
I have lived in Western North Carolina for 45 years and have never seen a Pecan tree locally.

Funny about that.

I've crossed the Nullarbor heaps of times and I've never seen a Pecan tree there either.

Cheers

Tim:)

issatree
9th October 2012, 08:08 PM
Hi All,
Thought I had replied to this Thread.
Yes, I'm one of the " Dangerous People " who rough down with a Skew, & most of the time.
" You should never rough down with a Skew ", they are Newbies & have read to many Books.
As I have said in past Threads, I mainly Turn Small Stuff, & Rough Down with My 25 x 8mm. McJing Steel Rectangular Skew, & on 3000 RPM. ?? with no Tailstock as well.

Never in My wildest dreams have I considered it Dangerous, & have just got on with it.

I do use either 35 or 45mm. Spigot Jaws on My Nova's. Therefore they hang onto the Wood far better than the 50mm. Bowl Jaws. I would never attempt to R/D with a Skew on 50mm. Jaws, the way I do it.

brendan stemp
10th October 2012, 09:03 AM
Its not a question of speed. Its a question of doing the job well. If you do it well you just go faster by accident. :cool:

So TL, given your first comment was about turning off the lathe to mark pencil lines, (which is what my comment was responding to) I can only conclude from the above comment you are suggesting a pencil line will be marked better on a spinning piece of wood as opposed to a static one. I cannot agree with this. There are times I need to turn the lathe off to mark a line to get it accurately in the position I need it.


Actually, I'm guessing you aren't suggesting this and your comment was in response to something you thought I was inferring rather than something I actually said.

I understand perfectly well the relevance of speed and the quality of cut and the efficiencies gained from it, particularly if you are trying to earn a dollar from turning wood. I also understand that the turner in the video probably didn't need to turn the lathe off to mark the lines (he may have been doing this for the sake of beginners) and that he would have done the job quicker if he had've left the lathe running. But my point was that not everyone is trying to get the job done quickly and by turning the lathe off to mark lines has no bearing on how well the lines were marked. I mentioned because I can only assume (having never seen him in his work environment) that he works as quickly as possible because, as a pro turner, time is money. My comment had nothing to do with the rate at which the wood needs to spin to turn well.