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badgaz
21st October 2008, 11:04 PM
Howdy folks

I am a new member to this forum and a recent convert to woodturning. I think I have more questions than space permits in this forum so I appologise for the length of this post, but I’m at least having a go and I’ve included a couple of pics of my first three attempts; two pens and a cedar handle for a small mattock head I dug up out of the garden at a former residence (best weeding tool I’ve ever used).
<O:p
To begin, a work colleague was selling an old lathe he had cluttering up his shed cheaply enough to spark my interest so on a whim I bought it.
It’s an old Ryobi 12” ½ HP lathe and it sure is a piece of work. It’s set on a meter long section of aluminium square tube ( I’ve already figured this is not the best kind of rail for the tailstock but I’ll live with it until I’m good enough for something better). The whole lathe is fixed to a lump of timber not dissimilar in size, shape and weight to a dressed railway sleeper. Anyway I dusted it off; set it up and have it firmly fixed to my bench. It’s actually quite solid in its performance but then again I don’t have a lot of experience (read none whatsoever) so I am yet to experience a pro or semi pro lathe. In the end, it can spin a lump of wood pretty steadily and has yielded encouraging results so far despite it’s less than elegant appointments.
<O:p
Firstly, I have googled a number of plans for a simple yet solid free standing lathe bench and have found a couple of adequate designs I can knock together. Apart from a flat floor, the right height and stable construction are there any other elements to a lathe bench I should consider before I start making one; such as choice of timber; method of construction eg. glued, screwed, dovetailed etc, additional handy fittings?
<O:p
Secondly, I already have a pretty fair idea after my third turning session the tools that were thrown in with the lathe are cheap, nasty and the wrong size for my hands (I have guitar players hands …long fingers) is it worth re-handling these cheapies as a project and how would I go about removing the old handles (chopping them off and burning them comes to mind ). Someone with experience told me to practice with the cheapies as it’s far better to make a mistake (read: ruin) these as a novice than to destroy expensive ones…are there better alternatives e.g. the basic carbatec set for a little over 100 bucks …at least the handles are broad and long?
<O:p
Thirdly, after turning the mattock handle on the weekend (reduced from 2” square cedar stock) my right hand became quite numb. This affliction lasted the best part of a day, is this due to the small tool handles, the set up of the lathe (I turned at 850 rpm and admit the lathe is set a little too high in its current position), a condition experienced by novice wood turners due to lack of match practice with a lathe, or do I need to see a doctor?
<O:p
Any guidance would be of great assistance to me.
<O:p
Regards
Gazza

tea lady
21st October 2008, 11:18 PM
Sore hands? Maybe just gripping a bit toooooo hard. Maybe if you don't usually work with your hands you do have topbuild up strength. :shrug: I forget, 'cause I work with my hands. There are efficient ways to hold tools and minimize the load that your hands have to ....uuuum.....handle.:rolleyes: My advice? Get thee to a Canberra turning group, of which I'm sure I've seen talk of on here somewhere. Look like you've made some nice things anyway.:2tsup:

BTW, Welcome to the forum.:cool:

Manuka Jock
21st October 2008, 11:36 PM
Nice looking work there Gazza .
You're doing something right mate :2tsup:

Cheap tools have a place , for practising sharpening and turning .
Also they come in handy for turning handles for themselves , and for better tools too .
Plus , you now know that you want longer and thicker timber to hold on to :U

Post a few pics of the lathe and the tools , someone may have advice for improving it a bit .

My first one was pressed steel , light steel at that , and alloy head and tail stocks , and a dead center :D it was fun too .

Jock

Skew ChiDAMN!!
21st October 2008, 11:51 PM
I am a new member to this forum and a recent convert to woodturning. I think I have more questions than space permits in this forum so I appologise for the length of this post

Welcome to the madhouse. :) Long post? Nar... not compared to some! :rolleyes:


It’s actually quite solid in its performance but then again I don’t have a lot of experience (read none whatsoever) so I am yet to experience a pro or semi pro lathe. In the end, it can spin a lump of wood pretty steadily and has yielded encouraging results so far despite it’s less than elegant appointments.

:yes: It's a bit underpowered but so long as it spins the wood and the tool rest is fairly solid, then it will probably be a while before your skills will exceed the lathe's abilities. And underpowered means you need to practice good tool skills.


Apart from a flat floor, the right height and stable construction are there any other elements to a lathe bench I should consider before I start making one; such as choice of timber; method of construction eg. glued, screwed, dovetailed etc, additional handy fittings?

Like anything, lathe stands are very personal things. The important thing is that it's solid. It's no good bolting it to the floor if the whole thing wobbles like a jelly. :U personally I'd use coach bolts to hold it together, for a couple of reasons.

The bench sees a lot of strain & vibration, so glue joints tend to seperate, as do nails. With coach bolts you can always give them a bit of a tighten should things seem to come loose, plus you can possibly strip the bench down to more easily relocate it to a more appropriate position. (This happens as your workshop evolves. And it will.)

A shelf on the bottom is a handy feature, but be warned that anything built in below the lathe will quickly end up full of shavings. I stack small logs under there to weigh mine down, as it's not bolted to the floor, but rarely put anything else there.


Secondly, I already have a pretty fair idea after my third turning session the tools that were thrown in with the lathe are cheap, nasty and the wrong size for my hands (I have guitar players hands …long fingers) is it worth re-handling these cheapies as a project and how would I go about removing the old handles (chopping them off and burning them comes to mind

Got a bench vice? Clamp the metal in the vice, rest a piece of wood against the end of the ferrule and hit it with a mallet to drive the handle off the end. The reason for the block of wood isn't to prevent damage to the old handle, but to give you a larger area to whack without hitting something else.... :;


Someone with experience told me to practice with the cheapies as it’s far better to make a mistake (read: ruin) these as a novice than to destroy expensive ones…are there better alternatives e.g. the basic carbatec set for a little over 100 bucks …at least the handles are broad and long?

The CT ones may not be better quality, but at least you'll know that the profiles they're sharpened in are pretty much "correct."

One of the problems with inheriting someone else's old tools is that you get all the sharpening mistakes made by that person. Until the tools are reground "properly" they're not ideal. And as a novice, I bet you have little or no idea what the right profiles & bevel angles are! :)

Apart from that, cheap tools are great for learning sharpening on (once you do know what to sharpen them to) and for regrinding into rarely used tools for special jobs. eg. ring tools, etc.


Thirdly, after turning the mattock handle on the weekend (reduced from 2” square cedar stock) my right hand became quite numb. This affliction lasted the best part of a day, is this due to the small tool handles, the set up of the lathe (I turned at 850 rpm and admit the lathe is set a little too high in its current position), a condition experienced by novice wood turners due to lack of match practice with a lathe, or do I need to see a doctor?

I'd say Tea Lady has a major part of it. You're gripping too tightly. Almost all beginners do, until the adrenaline levels begin to drop. The fact that you find the tool handles uncomfortable will certainly exacerbate this.


Go on! Replace the tool handles. It'll be good spindle turning practice and I'm sure that by the time you've finished rehandling 'em all you'll have loosened up a bit.

The height of the lathe could also be a factor; most of us like turning axis of the lathe to be about elbow level, while others like it higher or lower... although not by much. Using the lathe should be a pleasure, not an endurance trial.

Hope this helps! And enjoy! (I like your mattock handle, BTW. :) )

Rum Pig
22nd October 2008, 12:25 PM
Welcome Gazza
I do not think I can add any more but just reconfirm some points:D

I am still a beginner (I think so anyway) and I still find myself every now and then gripping the handles to hard. as Skew said it is normally when I first start a session.

Also I am still using and buying cheap tools because I am still not confidant in my regrinds to waste on good tools so a $30 tool is good enough for me for now.

For your first attempt and turning you have done very well:2tsup::2tsup:

badgaz
22nd October 2008, 11:25 PM
I appreciate your sage advice.
My other hobby is scale modelling so time, patience and attention to detail are no stranger to me.

Skew, rum pig and tea lady, I think you summed up the problem with adrenaline and an overzealous grip. I guess the problem is confidence, as I don't have the feel for stripping larger amounts of material off the stock with the roughing gouge just yet. I go slow and this leads to more time on the tool.

Skew, I will take your advice on the bench and will employ a bolted construction, thanks for that! Some of the profiles on the cheap tools are okay but the roughing gouge is shallow and even though I've tried to put a keen bevel on it, the shape seems wrong and it consequently couldn't rip the skin off a rice custard. I hate the skew (perhaps it's just the fact that this tool has a steep learning curve associated with it) I do like the idea of an oval skew which this set does not have. The parting tool is okay and so is the round scraper so they will get re-handled. Maybe I'm better off buying the tools I actually think I need individually rather than doubling up on some of the tools that are still quite serviceable in a freshman's hands.

Jock, I intend on making more sawdust this weekend in the form of handles, I can only hope my fourth turning session is as successful as the first three. I've included a pic of my humble set-up and a few of the tools. You can see the difficult size of the tools (obviously not meant for grown ups). I left the tool rest off as it would only entice giggles from the gallery.

Rum Pig, I doubt the whole set I have is worth 30 bucks, but they do sharpen and I haven't broken one yet..touch wood (I have belt sander...a new grinder is coming as my dad somehow inherited my Abbot and Ashby bench grinder and wild horses won't drag that bit of kit off him now). The tool rest is very short as well and it looks hand made out of round steel bar and is great for pens but on bigger sections like the mattock handle is a bugger...any ideas on where I can source something bigger, better, not neccessarily newer?

To all thanks very much for the encouragement and taking an interest.

Regards
Gazza

joe greiner
22nd October 2008, 11:35 PM
Welcome aboard, Gazza.

Nothing but good advice and assessment already given. The only thing I'd reinforce is finding a WT club. Google ["woodturning club" canberra] found 10 hits. Your work colleague, or folks at Carbatec, could give you another steer if you need it. As you've already found (I hope), woodturners are some of the friendliest folks you'll ever meet; seems to be something about the shared terror, I guess.

Joe

Manuka Jock
23rd October 2008, 12:25 AM
Gazza ,
is it possible to either reinforce the alloy bed of the lathe by telescoping a length of hardwood ,
or , replacing the alloy with a steel box section .

And , is that a light mounted onto the tailstock ?

badgaz
23rd October 2008, 12:42 AM
Wow! You guys are fast on the reply button...:D It is feesible to firm up the tube alloy that way. Someone suggested filling it with concrete. Either way it is something I will do...maybe even fill it with sand?
The light is fixed to the table well behind the lathe, the pic is a little off putting in that respect, the only thing that gets mounted to the tailstock is wood.:;

G'day Joe,

You got the terror bit right for sure...in time I'll become imune to it, but I'm sure none of the old hands take the physics for granted. Once I have my confidence up I would dearly like to learn from the experts and eventually contribute.

All the best Gazza

RETIRED
23rd October 2008, 06:55 AM
The handles are about the right length for spindle tools.

As you know with model making: Patience and practise will win in the end.

Ed Reiss
23rd October 2008, 07:24 AM
Gazza...have nothing more to add to the advice already given by the experts:wts:.

Glad to see your using a most important tool....the face shield:2tsup:

Ashes
23rd October 2008, 01:03 PM
Numb hands can also be caused by lots of vibration which might be fixed to some extent by filling the aluminum bed with sand/cement. You could also try damping vibration by putting some rubber (about 8-10mm) thick under the wood.
As the others have said, maybe a bit tight on the grip. I'm sure Woodwork Wally would want you to check if you are "white knuckle" turning!!

Welcome!!

nalmo
23rd October 2008, 10:35 PM
When I first started turning I used to hold on to the tools so tight thatly I got tired hands too. What I've found that makes turning much easier on the hands is to make sure the tools are sharp and let them do the cutting, not your arms. If I feel that I am gripping a tool too tightly, it reminds me that it must be time for a touch up on the grinder.

Alastair
24th October 2008, 10:56 AM
I appreciate your sage advice.
My other hobby is scale modelling so time, patience and attention to detail are no stranger to me.

Skew, rum pig and tea lady, I think you summed up the problem with adrenaline and an overzealous grip. I guess the problem is confidence, as I don't have the feel for stripping larger amounts of material off the stock with the roughing gouge just yet. I go slow and this leads to more time on the tool.

Skew, I will take your advice on the bench and will employ a bolted construction, thanks for that! Some of the profiles on the cheap tools are okay but the roughing gouge is shallow and even though I've tried to put a keen bevel on it, the shape seems wrong and it consequently couldn't rip the skin off a rice custard. I hate the skew (perhaps it's just the fact that this tool has a steep learning curve associated with it) I do like the idea of an oval skew which this set does not have. The parting tool is okay and so is the round scraper so they will get re-handled. Maybe I'm better off buying the tools I actually think I need individually rather than doubling up on some of the tools that are still quite serviceable in a freshman's hands.

Jock, I intend on making more sawdust this weekend in the form of handles, I can only hope my fourth turning session is as successful as the first three. I've included a pic of my humble set-up and a few of the tools. You can see the difficult size of the tools (obviously not meant for grown ups). I left the tool rest off as it would only entice giggles from the gallery.

Rum Pig, I doubt the whole set I have is worth 30 bucks, but they do sharpen and I haven't broken one yet..touch wood (I have belt sander...a new grinder is coming as my dad somehow inherited my Abbot and Ashby bench grinder and wild horses won't drag that bit of kit off him now). The tool rest is very short as well and it looks hand made out of round steel bar and is great for pens but on bigger sections like the mattock handle is a bugger...any ideas on where I can source something bigger, better, not neccessarily newer?

To all thanks very much for the encouragement and taking an interest.

Regards
Gazza

While you can never have too many lathe tools, and many turners seem to spend more time buying tools than turning, the basics are easily filled.

Shown is my whole set, after some 12 years of turning, and completing the 3 year TAFE woodturning diploma. I actually don't use all of them that often.

In fact, for the first 5 years, all I had was:

Roughing (1")
Spindle (1/2") (also used for bowl turning, but not recommended)
Skew (1")
Parting
Scraper (1")

Of the set shown below, the tools are: (from left):the frequently used tools are marked (*)

30mm Roughing gouge. (Chinese, ex McJing) (*) (#)
12mm spindle gouge (RECORD) (*) (#)
8mm detail gouge (P&N) (*)
25mm Skew (P&N) (*) (#)
10mm square skew (homemade) (*)
16mm bowl gouge (P&N) (*) (#)
8mm bowl gouge (h'made) (never)
1" skew scraper (ex mortising chisel) (chuck recesses only)
30mm scraper (P&N) (occasionally) (#?)
10mm square parting/sizing (h'made) (*)
3 x 20mm parting (h'made) (*) (#)
Endgrain hollower (h'made) (seldom, boxes only)
Experiment! (never)
Swan neck hollower (h'made) (seldom)


I would say that the minimum essentials are (#)

regards

badgaz
25th October 2008, 08:51 PM
Alastair
That list is a good baseline to work from and a nice selection of tools. I noticed in your pic the variety of handle sizes and shapes (they're all about twice as long as the handles on my cheapies, so I'm determined to right this wrong) are they held up in the cabinet with magnets?
I found a good length of white ash today and I will start re-handling some of the tools that are worth keeping. I'll source the rest as and when the opportunity arrises starting with a decent roughing gouge, spindle gouge and an oval skew.
I'm currently building a lathe bench out of aussie hardwood, it will probably weigh a ton by the time it's bolted together. Then it's back to the "whiteknuckle" turning.

All the best and thanks again for everyone's input.
Gazza

tea lady
25th October 2008, 11:18 PM
I wouldn't get an oval skew. I got one in my starter set but it can't double very well as a scraper because it wobbles on the tool rest when on its side. (Handy for doing under cuts to go on the chuck. )Also would feel much more secure with a nice wide side when it is upright. (IMHO of course.:) )

madcraft
26th October 2008, 12:57 PM
I wouldn't get an oval skew. I got one in my starter set but it can't double very well as a scraper because it wobbles on the tool rest when on its side.


TL

I do a lot of shear cuts so I like the oval Skew { personal choice really }

Badgaz

I applaud your thoughts on rehandling but I wouldn't bother with the cheapies , buy some P & N handleless tools from Jim Carroll and do some good tools for yourself , in the meantime get a cheap set of HSS from CT or Ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/HSS-8-pc-wood-turning-lathe-chisel-carving-set_W0QQitemZ130264430126QQihZ003QQcategoryZ84012QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262)

badgaz
26th October 2008, 09:53 PM
I guess I'll need to try a lot of variations in time, some I'll buy and use once, some will get used many times over. I'm prepared for that, it happens in every hobby or interest worth pursuing. The CT set will at least give me the right starting point and so I'm determined to have this set in my hands (literally) very soon.

Cheers

Gazza

Alastair
27th October 2008, 11:08 AM
Alastair
That list is a good baseline to work from and a nice selection of tools. I noticed in your pic the variety of handle sizes and shapes (they're all about twice as long as the handles on my cheapies, so I'm determined to right this wrong) are they held up in the cabinet with magnets?
I found a good length of white ash today and I will start re-handling some of the tools that are worth keeping. I'll source the rest as and when the opportunity arrises starting with a decent roughing gouge, spindle gouge and an oval skew.
I'm currently building a lathe bench out of aussie hardwood, it will probably weigh a ton by the time it's bolted together. Then it's back to the "whiteknuckle" turning.

All the best and thanks again for everyone's input.
Gazza

Hi Gazza,

Handles are all based on that of my first purchased tool, the 1/2" spindle from Record. I got used to that, and have used since. Size has varied depending on size of timber available, as well as duty of tool. Light/detail, smaller; larger, heavy use, longer and thicker. Basically what feels right.

Yes, held in by magnets. There is some controversy about this, as you get a small degree of magnetisation, and some purists complain that it "sticks" the tool to the toolrest. IMO this is insignificant. Convenience suits me.

A comment on oval skews:

I dont like. I have one square, and one flat. 1" flat has one round edge, and I find it a pain, as it "nips" your left hand on toolrest when rolling beads. I would stick to the traditional flat. Oval is also harder to sharpen accurately, as no surface to register on grinder rest. Each to his preference tho'

regards

badgaz
27th October 2008, 08:03 PM
I actually have no quanitative opinion about anything at the moment other than my handles need to be somewhat longer than 240mm and a lot fatter. I saw a video on youtube of someone using an oval skew, naturally they were expert and made it look easy; this in relation the bugger of a time I have with the double bevelled 1" skew I presently have (yes, it is sharp)...chalk that up to a steep learning curve. Positioning of the cutting surface and comfort are major players here. Dig-ins are not nice even at the slow speeds I am turning at and would like to avoid them if I can.
I like the idea of magnets for the simple practicality of it.

regards
Gazza

Alastair
28th October 2008, 11:50 AM
Hi Gazza,

While it is 'reely reely' difficult to coach woodturning by email, and the best is to have hands-on instruction, I can try and give you some skew advice, which works for me.

Firstly, the grind. It is essential that this is symmetrical, ie holding the skew point on, and looking down the blade towards the handle, the cutting edge is parallel to the upper and lower surfaces, and not twisted. otherwise the tool will perform differently to the left and right. Second, the 'skew' angle about 70deg, (ie straighter rather than skewer). The bevel angle, (ie included angle between the 2 bevels) ~25deg. There are advocates of making this larger with the aim of making the tool less aggressive, but it makes it less functional. Bevels need to be 'single', and not facetted, as the key to control is being able to rub the flat (or slightly hollow ground) bevel on the workpiece, before engaging the cutting edge. The edge must be straight, with clearly defined and sharp and 'square' long point and short point, otherwise cutting with the point, or turning beads becomes more difficult. Another reason for avoiding the oval tool, as well as the fashion in some quarters to grind with a curved edge.

A large contributor to problems is to have the toolrest too high. Have top of toolrest at the centerline of the workpiece. In fact it is probably the best position for all between centres turning, with all tools.

The larger the diameter of workpiece, the more difficult to control. stick to ~ 20-30 mm while learning.

Three main cuts made with the skew, and each has its individual pitfalls:

Planing cut: Used for cleaning up the surface of a roughed cylinder, or planing down a shallow cone, or even turning long sweeping curves. Biggest advantage is on most timbers, the shearing cut, and burnishing from the bevel give an excellent finish off the tool. Start to the right of the workpiece, with the skew angled to the left ~ 30deg or a tad less, and with the short point leading the cut, (to the left). With the tool high on the job, and the handle low, bring the bevel down to the job until rubbing with the edge clear of the timber. Slightly rotate the tool to the left, and then, keeping the bevel rubbing, slide the bevel downwards, until the edge just contacts the job. Adjust position (height, handle and rotation) so that cutting will happen about 1/3 up from the short point. Traverse to left while maintaining the controlled cut. (love saying that, makes it all seem so simple). Two major pitfalls:- 1 If you raise the handle too far, so that the bevel lifts off the job, you will get an agressive cut which will rapidly become uncontrollable. 2 As the skew is rotated to the left, it is supported on the toolrest only on the left edge, the right is in the air. If you allow the cut to move along the edge towards the long point, it becomes progressively more unstable. If the cut then becomes more aggressive, there is a tendency to bite in, and slam the tool down flat onto the rest, compounding into a spiral catch to the right.

Vcut, (and cutting endgrain): Start with the tool at right angles to the workpiece, and with the long point down. Start with the handle low, and the tool high on the job. Bring the long point down to the lob, and make the first cut by raising the handle, and plunging the long point into the job. Cut only as deep as goes easily, then lower the handle and withdraw. Now move the tool slightly to the right, pivot the handle slightly to the right, and rotate the tool a smidgen to the left. Starting a mm or 2 to the right of the first cut, repeat the plunging action, to make a slightly angled cut to the left, aiming at the bottom of the first cut. The rotation mentioned above is to give clearance between the edge above the long point and the side of the cut. Reverse the instructions, and make the corresponding cut from left to create the v-cut. Repeat alternating sides, until deep enough. Cutting endgrain is really only doing a steep half vee!. Critical is to ensure the cut remains on the long point, and does not move onto the full edge. Do this by 1 Pivoting the handle out (to the right eg) until the LH bevel is parallel to the surface you want. 2 Rotate the tool slightly to the right (clockwise), to provide clearance from the edge, and to ensure cutting takes place on the long point. 3 Pivot the long point on an arc starting high on the job, and ending on centre. Resist the temptation to 'push' the cut in on the level, as this heightens the tendency to 'slice' and catch. 4 Take light cuts, to allow waste to peel away, and avoid 'bogging' into a blind v.

Rolling Beads: Start with a V-cut (or 2), as deep as half the width of the desired bead. To cut the left half bead, start with the tool handle at rt angles to the job, flat on the toolrest, and with the short point leading, (to the left). Start high on the job, with the bevel rubbing. Ride the bevel downwards on the job, and rotate slightly to the left, so that the very corner of the short point contacts the job, about 1/3 in from the v-cut. Once you have picked up the shaving on the short point, you then "roll" the bead by rotating the tool to the left, and down into the v-cut, but this is a gross simplification for a complex process, as a number of things have to take place similtaneously: 1 The short point has to move to the left along the toolrest. 2 The tool has to rotate to the left to the vertical. 3 The handle has to pivot to the left, to allow the RH bevel to end up perpendicular to the job. 4 The handle has to lift, to allow the short point to descend into the v-cut. More importantly, all have to be co-ordinated such that the bevel rubs the whole way, and the cut remains right on the short point. As soon as the cut moves up the edge, away from the short point, (seen as shavings or dust appearing off the edge) you are out of the safe zone, and in imminent danger of starting a spectacular "spiral decoration" from left to right. To reduce the risk, it is far better to turn the bead in a series of passes, first just removing the corner, then taking a bit more, for more control.

Finally, rather remain cautious, and leave the bead "square", rather than "pointed", by taking off too much of the corner, too straight. A convenient 'cheat' is to adjust shoulders which are a bit too full with a touch of sandpaper. There is no way you can put timber back onto a pointy bead.


Hoping this longwinded post is helpful,

regards

badgaz
28th October 2008, 10:33 PM
I expect each woodturner has his own technique, honed and developed out of a solid understanding of the basics. I also expect some members may have different styles. But I am grateful that you have taken the time to explain the concepts in simple terms.

So to clarifiy...no "bevel" to the bevel. Maintain around a 25 deg angle and no facets. Appart from the soon to be gone handle, my skew measures up about right....so it's not entirely the cutting edge to blame for my terror.

Planing,
Cut using lower third of skew edge, upward of short point. Maintaining the correct position and sustaining it through the length of the piece is critical. I think I may need a ton of practice until I figure out where my hands should be in relation to my body. The tendency for me is to tense up and just move my arms along the job as if pushing something nasty and hurtful away from me.:doh: Common sense says to move in one fluid motion.... hands and body.

V cut
Cut using long point; cut down through the piece. The natural tendency would be to push the point straight in at the centre line, so I won't be making that mistake (still too green to have even attempted a v cut).

Rolling beads
This one had me stumped until I mentally transferred the concept from "dead on" to the workpiece to top down and into the v cut.

I have saved your guidance into a text file onto my pc and aim to make a few "dry" runs before hacking into a rapidly spinning piece of wood. I studied fine art at UNI many years ago and fondly remember the howls of protest from the "wannabies" when on the first day we were issued pencils and sat in front of an apple and told to draw it..for days on end. I got the point (no pun intended) whilst others demanded to be given brushes, canvasses, oil paints and a nude model without the basics of sound drafting skills behind them.
You gotta learn to walk before you can run.


Kindst regards and many thanks

Gazza

Skew ChiDAMN!!
29th October 2008, 12:52 AM
The tendency for me is to tense up and just move my arms along the job as if pushing something nasty and hurtful away from me.:doh: Common sense says to move in one fluid motion.... hands and body.

Try not to use your hands for planing cuts at all, except to hold the tool. Practice doing this:

Mount a cylinder of wood between centres. With the lathe OFF place the chisel on the wood, heel of the bevel touching first, then lightly roll it until the bevel is flat to the wood and the chisel is in cutting position. Keep your elbows tucked in close to your body.

Now, lock your arms in position and practice sliding the chisel along the wood by simply swaying on your legs, keeping your upper body upright and at the same angle to the lathe for the whole sweep. (Imagine that your hips are simply mounted on a rail that runs the entire length of the lathe bed.) With your body angle "locked to the lathe," so are your arms, the tool and the cutting edge.

This avoids the whole problem that people have of swinging the body around when moving the chisel with their arms and thus changing the angle the skew is cutting at and losing the support of the bevel rub.

Finally, turn the lathe ON and practice your new dance step. It's the well-known Turner's Tango. :)

Alastair
29th October 2008, 11:27 AM
Further to what Skew sed:

If you do this with the lathe off, and you get the combination of tool position, bevel, rotation etc right, you should (theoretically anyway) be able to pare away a shaving with the cutting edge, in the right position, (1/3 up).

Haven't tried this yet , but will have a look tonite to confirm.

regards

Alastair
29th October 2008, 11:35 AM
Further, regarding control on the bevel, and the "death grip", Bruce Leadbeatter has given demos at our Guild group a couple of times. One of his more spectacular shows is to take a roughing gouge, or bowl gouge, and holding it in one hand, by the very end of the handle, apply it to a revolving spindle workpiece.

He places it on the toolrest, and brings it into contact, with the bevel rubbing.

Then with the litany: "Raise the handle until it starts to cut.......... turn it until it WANTS to cut................" he then proceeds to take a cut the length of the cylinder like that.

regards