Sizing Tool

[Black Bear]

Does anyone know about the Robert Thorby Sizing tool?Q. Is there a half size one available, any maker?Not worried about the Parting chisel, can buy one or make one.ThanksBB

[Jim Carroll]

It only comes in the one size

[smiife]

Does anyone know about the Robert Thorby Sizing tool?Q. Is there a half size one available, any maker?Not worried about the Parting chisel, can buy one or make one.ThanksBB

hi BB,
sorry to ask a dumb question,but what does it size???
or is it like a pair of calipers??
cheers smiife:2tsup:

[issatree]

Hi Black Bear,
As Jim said, it only comes in 1 Size, & that is all you need, as you use either a Parting Tool in it or even maybe a Beading Tool. They work very well, but you have to be a little careful.

[Jim Carroll]

hi BB,
sorry to ask a dumb question,but what does it size???
or is it like a pair of calipers??
cheers smiife:2tsup:

It is used in spindle turning when you want the same size on parts.

You fit a parting tool into the jig and size to the diameter you want.
It works a bit different in that you actually pull the parting tool towards you as it is cutting so the other side rides on the cut edge.

If you push as per normal you will finish up undersize.

[smiife]

It is used in spindle turning when you want the same size on parts.

You fit a parting tool into the jig and size to the diameter you want.
It works a bit different in that you actually pull the parting tool towards you as it is cutting so the other side rides on the cut edge.

If you push as per normal you will finish up undersize.


thanks jim,i understand now,didn't realize you fitted a tool in it:doh:

cheers smiife:2tsup:

[Black Bear]

It is used in spindle turning when you want the same size on parts.

You fit a parting tool into the jig and size to the diameter you want.
It works a bit different in that you actually pull the parting tool towards you as it is cutting so the other side rides on the cut edge.

If you push as per normal you will finish up undersize.

I was talking to a group from the local Men's Shed and they said they use a sizing tool for pens. I must go have a look as I can't imagine being able to control the tool to that extent of smallness.

It can be tricky to use, as was said, as the normal tendency for lathe work is to push the tool into the wood. I am using it to achieve 25mm dia.

The usage is like this, you lather the wood down to somewhere near the size you want, then using the sizing tool you start at one end, or middle, matters not, and size down to say 25 mm, a bit over for sanding. If the original lathing is close to size all along the work, you can , carefully, move the tool sideways along the work for all the size of (25mm) you need to have.

The tool from Thorby opens to 75mm dia.

[Sturdee]

If the original lathing is close to size all along the work, you can , carefully, move the tool sideways along the work for all the size of (25 mm) you need to have.


If you use the Bedan, the other tool that this is designed for, you can slide it along easily as that tool is designed for side cutting as well.

Have never used it on a parting tool but only on the Bedans. Only use it infrequently as I have adapted open ended spanners for sizing and cutting at the same time. :U

Peter.

[Black Bear]

If you use the Bedan, the other tool that this is designed for, you can slide it along easily as that tool is designed for side cutting as well.

Have never used it on a parting tool but only on the Bedans. Only use it infrequently as I have adapted open ended spanners for sizing and cutting at the same time. :U

Peter.

Open ended spanners...Any pictures? and the Bedan, I was wondering why the sizing tool had the slots. The tightening screws don't seem to hold too well unless you really give them a tweak with a shifter or a pair of pliers.

[ian thorn]

A Bedan is like a parting tool but is thicker and about 10 mm wide the cutting point is shorter and stronger and because of the width it sites on the tool rest better as said hold it towards you and you can move it sideways. There is no way a good wood turner would use one to turn pens :no:

Ian

[BlackbuttWA]

A point with the "sizer" tool.

The chisel that comes with the "sizer" is tapered from top to bottom, this lessens the chance of binding or snagging .

I have had one for a few years, but couldn't geton with it. I now use it without the "sizer" as a bedan.
HTH

Col

[Sturdee]

There is no way a good wood turner would use one to turn pens :no:

Ian


That sounds like a load of codswallop to me, same as the phrase that good wood turners don't use sandpaper as the finish directly of their tools is more then adequate. :((

It also shows a lot of ignorance in what a Bedan looks like and what can be done with it. It is not square or rectangle but trapezoidal in shape as the top side is wider then the bottom and each side is at about 80 %.

With proper sharpening of the sides the tool can easily be used for side cutting as well as cutting tenons. With practice it can replace a roughing gouge as well as a skew and is used as a skew in large areas of continental Europe.

Whilst it may not be popular here because of the learning curve in using it correctly, I found that it was easier to learn to use then the dreaded skew which it can replace.

It also is great for use as a box scraper as you can cut a perfectly straight side when hollowing out the box.

Peter.

[ian thorn]

Sturdee

If you read Black Bears post he said on talking to the members of the shed. He stated they used a sizing tool for pens and that is what I was refering to .NOT the use of a bedan when the bedan is in the sizing frame it becomes a sizing tool ,when the bedan is not in the frame it is a bedan and can be used as you say.please read the whole list of posts before taking one out of context :;. And I do use sand paper how else do I get nice curves:o

Ian

[Sturdee]

Sturdee please read the whole list of posts before taking one out of context :;. And I do use sand paper how else do I get nice curves:o

Ian

and


A Bedan is like a parting tool but is thicker and about 10 mm wide the cutting point is shorter and stronger and because of the width it sites on the tool rest better as said hold it towards you and you can move it sideways. There is no way a good wood turner would use one to turn pens :no:

Ian


Actually I have read all the posts as I read the whole thread from the beginning. There is no reason why sizing tools are not used on pens, hence the OP queries.

But my specific rebuttal of your post, quoted above in full this time, which I still consider to be a load of codswallop, shows clearly that you were talking specifically about a Bedan.

Not a Bedan used in a manner of a sizing tool but as a Bedan. Then you followed that statement with that ......
There is no way a good wood turner would use one to turn pens :no:


Thus IMO I did not quote you out of context but maybe you failed to express in the post what you meant and then you criticize me for your failing. :~


Peter.

[ian thorn]

You may be right Peter may be it was not clear as to what I was refering to,I was not tyring to criticize just pointing out what i men't.

My apologies if I have offended you I will try to be more clear next time.

Ps I have a sizing tool but not the correct bedan for it.

Ian

[Sturdee]

No worries Ian. It's all okay.

A good thing out of this is that it has added more information on this subject. :2tsup:


Peter.

[stuffy]

The Sorby sizing tool is sold separately. It doesn't come with any specific parting tool or bedan.

I use mine with a diamond parting tool. I have found it useful for turning multiple tenons of the same diameter where the finish is not important, such as tool handle ferrule fitting or windsor chair leg and stretcher tenons.

The finish is poor in many timbers due to the scraping action of the final sizing cut. This could be improved by raising the sharpening angle of the tool and by carefully creeping up on the size, using a scraping cut for just the final very fine cut. For my use this would defeat the purpose of using the sizing tool which is primarily to save time.

The design of the Sorby sizing tool is not ideal as it limits the size and shape of tool it can clamp to. Most parting tools are suitable if they are long enough, not too wide, not too narrow, not too thick (deep) and have a top surface that the thumbscrews can tighten on. A bedan's top face may need protection from the thumbscrews as it eventually becomes the cutting edge. Most of my parting tools are too short.

For pen turning I think it would be difficult to get an acceptable finish on timber using the sizing tool, but with an appropriately shaped and sharpened cutting edge it may work on cast resins or stabilized wood blanks. Something like a 1/4" round nosed scraper honed to a sharp edge might be worth a try.

Best Wishes
Steve.

[pommyphil]

Thats interesting, I thought a bedan had two bevels like a skew, learning all the time.

[RETIRED]

Bedan Tools - Lee Valley Tools (http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=63557&cat=1,330,49233,43164)

[pommyphil]

Thank you for,once again,making everything clear. :U

[Sturdee]

A bedan's top face may need protection from the thumbscrews as it eventually becomes the cutting edge.



I presume you are referring to the wider side as being the top face that needs protection from the clamping screws.

If so you are using it upside down for the wider face, being the cutting face, rests on the tool bar and the wood making it a proper cut rather then scraping.


Here is a link to a Utube video of a 2 part demo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMDPE8i4LiQ) by Jean François Escoulen in using the bedan filmed by Stu in Tokyo that may be of interest. ( The second one is Bedan practice #2)



Peter.

[stuffy]

I presume you are referring to the wider side as being the top face that needs protection from the clamping screws.

If so you are using it upside down for the wider face, being the cutting face, rests on the tool bar and the wood making it a proper cut rather then scraping.


Thanks Peter, I was referring to the wider face. I realise a bedan could be mounted with the cutting edge down. I don't have a bedan suitable to use in the sizing tool but the problem I imagine with mounting it that way is in edge retention.

In either presentation the final sizing cut is a scraping cut and the edge needs support or it will quickly become blunt.

With the face up, the edge can be in a cutting presentation with bevel support for most of the cut.

:)
Steve

[ian thorn]

Thanks for the link Sturdee he is a great turner

Ian

[NCPaladin]

And other wrinkles... :U

Trapezoidal or not? This is from the Lee Valley link from .

Though made in England, this is the straight-sided French-style bedan intended for bevel-up use.

[Sturdee]

And other wrinkles... :U

Trapezoidal or not? This is from the Lee Valley link from .

Though made in England, this is the straight-sided French-style bedan intended for bevel-up use.

The Lee Valley link shows the Henry Taylor version, mine is the Sorby one which was recommended by The Woodsmith as the most suitable tool to go with Sorby's sizing tool, rather then a parting tool.


Peter.