Skewchigouge

[tashammer]

Alan Beecham Skewchigouge


Honestly, who amongst us ought to have the above tool? I mean really, the skewchigouge has its owner right on this site don't you all think?

http://www.crownhandtools.ltd.uk/products/alanbeechamskewchigouge.asp

Couldn't see any socketed mortise chisels mind you.

Serious question: how long do the ring tools last, as in cost/performance/life span.

Well, if they won't let me have an ordinary lathe i wonder how i would go with a bodgers lathe - maybe, with the lack of dust it might be ok. Seems to me that going back to hand tools only means not much by way of dust and if i take it really slowly i might get a toothpick finished by Octember the 32nd.

It is hard yakka watching you lot making all this wonderful stuff without being able to make some stuff of my own.

Ah well, mustn't grumble. Each day we wake is another blessing.:)

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

http://www.crownhandtools.ltd.uk/products/alanbeechamskewchigouge.asp

:oo: Egads!


Serious question: how long do the ring tools last, as in cost/performance/life span.

Personally, I don't consider these "fancy tools" to be real value for money. I've yet to see one that can do a job that can't be done equally as well by more traditional (& cheaper) tools. [shrug]


Well, if they won't let me have an ordinary lathe i wonder how i would go with a bodgers lathe - maybe, with the lack of dust it might be ok. Seems to me that going back to hand tools only means not much by way of dust and if i take it really slowly i might get a toothpick finished by Octember the 32nd.

It is hard yakka watching you lot making all this wonderful stuff without being able to make some stuff of my own.

And it's not hard yakka to use a pole lathe? :D I'll stick to my treadly, thank you. :wink: Now, if only I can find a belt for it...

[tashammer]

well it was either pole, sapling, or the deadly treadly. The idea is to work slow and build up strength again. Hmmm, maybe convert a Singer treadle into a Singer pen lathe.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

well it was either pole, sapling, or the deadly treadly. The idea is to work slow and build up strength again. Hmmm, maybe convert a Singer treadle into a Singer pen lathe.

The problem there is that the fly-wheel is on the RH side, meaning the tailstock has to go to the left. So, if you plan on adding a small chuck or faceplate it'll have to be custom-made with a LH thread.

It'd be simple enough to set one up as a "dedicated" pen lathe with a permanent mandrel though. Another possibility would be to add a xfer shaft, to another belt on the LH side but that's not exactly a simple lathe.

Still, 'tis something I've given considerable thought to in the past... and may knock together one day. :p

You can't manage a Triton respirator? I hate wearing the things, but when needs must...

[dai sensei]

When I first saw this thread title I thought someone was selling a tool Skew invented.:p

Seriously though, I was watching the Woodworking Channel the other day and the guy demonstrating used a tool like this and I was impressed how well it worked. He used it like a combination roughing gouge, bowl gouge and skew. Been thinking of making one to see if it was as good as it looked.

As for ring tools, I have a Rolly Munro Hollowing tool and it's a beaut:2tsup:, worth every cent.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

When I first saw this thread title I thought someone was selling a tool Skew invented.:p

The silly thing is, I've been making & using tools like that for quite some time and have posted several pix here in the past. I had no idea someone was marketing 'em commercially though.

Can't help but love the name! :D


Seriously though, I was watching the Woodworking Channel the other day and the guy demonstrating used a tool like this and I was impressed how well it worked. He used it like a combination roughing gouge, bowl gouge and skew. Been thinking of making one to see if it was as good as it looked.

They take a bit of getting used to, but they're soooo versatile. I use mine mainly as a round shear scraper but it can certainly do a lot more. My 'travelling kit" contains a roughing gouge, one of these, a small bowl gouge, a square bedan and a parting tool. That's all.

Although I do like more choice when I'm in my own shed. :wink:

[SawDustSniffer]

looks like the tool skew calls " the sharpened screwdriver "

[Terry B]

Why would you want a pack of 6 of them? Do they have a very finite life?

[TTIT]

Anyone got a closeup of the tip??? I can't figure how it's shaped/sharpened............... or used?????:B

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

A bit of snooping, and... http://www2.woodcraft.com/pdf/77B87.pdf

[TTIT]

A bit of snooping, and... http://www2.woodcraft.com/pdf/77B87.pdfThanks Skew - might grind one up tomorrow and see what damage I can do with it :;

[baxter]

Around the New Year I was playing around with a piece of round 10mm HSS. My intention was to shape up a three edged sharp pointed gouge. I was trying to replicate the shape of a gouge that I used during a course but I was having a bit of difficulty remembering the shape:doh: .

Anyhow what I ended up with was a gouge very close to the shape of this Beecham Skewchigouge. It was coincidence and I had never seen that shape before.

My shape is rounded at the tip but squarer on the shoulders. The face is concaved and probably longer in cross-section that the one on the Woodcraft site. The bevel on mine is curved longitudinally but rounded in cross-section, with the bevel not being as long as the face.

I have only used it between centres on some soft timber and have been very happy with the results - similar coves and beads as on the Woodcraft site example. I found that it was a good shape to round down some square section and think that the smaller diameter is probably better than using a roughing or bowl gouge for that purpose - would be good design for rounding pen blanks. In testing I was able to point and push the round tip into the timber without major kickback.

Shaping probably needs refining, but I am sure that it will get used.:2tsup:

Last night I actually finished shaping a three edged single point gouge out of 12mm HSS. Each edge is a different length. It seems to work well on one of the faces, but the others probably need some refinement. I had previously used this type of gouge to cut a V shape on the tips/side of a square bowl and will put it to that use before I change anything.


Why would you want a pack of 6 of them? Do they have a very finite life?

Terry I think you will find that the Crown Tools site was aimed at the wholesale market and not the retail market and the reference to pack of 6 is how the retailer would buy them.:D