Thread: The tamed skew

The tamed skew. Bah.

The skew lets you get pretty good, and one day you are happily slicing off lots of wood, the piece is smooth as silk, and zoink!! a beautiful free form spiral, 5 mm deep. With fuzzy edges.

Indeed. Just to have a taste of the difference, I tried cutting a finial of radiata pine, with the skew because this wood is too soft for the TC insert. I know that my technique is not wonderful, but I wonder whether the gods of turning would have done much better or just accepted, like I do, that radiata is not worth using for this purpose?

F&E, it's obvious that you feel about your Ci1 & Ci2 Rougher type tools as I do about Olands.

But I most definitely do not plan to replace my whole tool kit with a couple of Olands, because although they can do something well doesn't mean that they're the best tool for the job.

Helllooo Skew, long time no see!

I see that you have not seen that a couple of posts ago I said that
a) my tool is not the same as the C1 and its ilk
b) I know that is not the best for hardly any job, but it can do many
c) for those like you who are good with the skew my tool would be a step backwards. But I believe you would appreciate the $$$ it saves.

So, because of c), pray tell: would you bother making radiata finials?

Today I also photographed another test: turning without steady a walking stick 855mm long (QLD stringbark) tapered from 21 to 19mm. No problem with my tool but I could not do it with the roughing gouge. Do you think it is because a) my tool is awesome or b) I am hopeless with the roughing gouge?

O dear, I am profoundly ashamed of myself. I had not realised that my my humour is too vulgar for this forum, so much so that my latest post had to be edited. However, replacing symbols with ??? is the accepted forum practice, therefore I can now express my humblest apologies to all those who would have been offended by my writing "@#???&" in full. I have learnt my lesson and next time I will write "bl???y" instead.

Of course, I will also write "expl???ve del???d" when appropriate.

Bloody is not censored.

Sarcasm is wasted on me.

Seeing that I've finally managed to read the original word document ( computer problems) I would firstly like to thank F&E for a very informative post and document. Well laid out and covering the theory behind it. Well done.

As I am a relative newcomer to turning, having only become interested after last years WWW show, I do not have preconceived ideas about which tool is best and neither am I much concerned about making small beads and V cuts in small finials.

Mainly because I still don't have those skills, but also I believe that many a good turning is spoiled by excessive use of finials. So debates about V cuts between better turners is wasted on me and no doubt many other inexperienced turners, so lets stay on topic.

Whilst still assimilating the full details of this new tool, in particular the difference between the Bedan and this, I would like to hear if more experienced turners would have bought this kind of tool, if it was available, when they first started out before they gained their experience with a skew.

Also F & E what is the normally expected life of the insert, is it really only 6-10 hours turning time and the availability, within Australia, of the inserts and the cost for the ongoing cost is a big part of the decision making for a poor pensioner, like me.


Peter.

I am hopeless with the roughing gouge?


Probably more to do with your technique than the tool.
The skew would be the tool of choice on a turning this diameter or rotate your roughing gouge to act like a skew instead of square on.

Use your fingers as a steady rest in eith the overhand or underhand method whichever is easier for you. if your hand gets hot you are pushing the tool too hard or the tool is not sharp enough.

Originally Posted by

Bloody is not censored.

Sarcasm is wasted on me.

Not totally wasted, you answered... thank you. Sincerely. No sarcasm here.

But I am still unable to understand why bloody is not censored but @#$%^& is.

Originally Posted by Sturdee

Seeing that I've finally managed to read the original word document ( computer problems) I would firstly like to thank F&E for a very informative post and document. Well laid out and covering the theory behind it. Well done.

As I am a relative newcomer to turning, having only become interested after last years WWW show, I do not have preconceived ideas about which tool is best and neither am I much concerned about making small beads and V cuts in small finials.

Mainly because I still don't have those skills, but also I believe that many a good turning is spoiled by excessive use of finials. So debates about V cuts between better turners is wasted on me and no doubt many other inexperienced turners, so lets stay on topic.

Whilst still assimilating the full details of this new tool, in particular the difference between the Bedan and this, I would like to hear if more experienced turners would have bought this kind of tool, if it was available, when they first started out before they gained their experience with a skew.

Also F & E what is the normally expected life of the insert, is it really only 6-10 hours turning time and the availability, within Australia, of the inserts and the cost for the ongoing cost is a big part of the decision making for a poor pensioner, like me.


Peter.

Hi Peter, I'll try to explain off the cuff, please excuse if I'm not clear. The main difference of this tool with the bedan and the skew is that the side is sharp, not blunt, so the corner, which is the point where the blade meets the wood, acts as the vertex of an acute detail gouge the "wings" of which (the front and side edge of the square cutter) are also engaged without the problems of engaging the wing of a gouge too far from the vertex. (clear as mud? Now you know why I need more time to edit what I write). This means that when appropriate the tool can be pushed virtually parallel to the rotation axis, in an action similar to that of a metal cutting lathe.

Actual turning time: I have not measured it objectively in standardised test conditions, that was just an educated guess based on more than one year of erratic use. It all depends also on the individual tolerance for the progressively worsening finish, which is more difficult to measure objectively. I found that the biggest problem for me, with any tool, is not the wear, is dropping them on the floor. )

Availability of the cutters is not a problem: I buy them from Leuco and they have quite a few suitable cutters. At the moment I have settled on # 182443 (14.3x14.3x2.5), current cost $88 for a box of 10. They bring them in from Germany, so it takes a week or two to get them from the time you order them. If you live in a country area the additional P&H cost could be relatively high for such a small order, maybe you can arrange for a friend to pick them up in town.

I have not yet experimented with sharpening them, on the assumption that it was not worth it; keeping two tools and squeezing a few more hours of roughing out of a worn cutter while using a fresh one on the other tool for finishing seems a better solution to me.

Hope it helps.

Originally Posted by Jim Carroll

I am hopeless with the roughing gouge?


Probably more to do with your technique than the tool.
The skew would be the tool of choice on a turning this diameter or rotate your roughing gouge to act like a skew instead of square on.

Use your fingers as a steady rest in eith the overhand or underhand method whichever is easier for you. if your hand gets hot you are pushing the tool too hard or the tool is not sharp enough.

Thanks Jim, I suspected that it would be mainly that. You seem to confirm that with traditional tools a steady (albeit made by fingers) could/would be required, though. Which was the answer I also got from a skew guru whom I had challenged to do it without.

Originally Posted by Frank&Earnest

The main difference of this tool with the bedan and the skew is that the side is sharp, not blunt, so the corner, which is the point where the blade meets the wood, acts as the vertex of an acute detail gouge the "wings" of which (the front and side edge of the square cutter) are also engaged without the problems of engaging the wing of a gouge too far from the vertex. (clear as mud? Now you know why I need more time to edit what I write). This means that when appropriate the tool can be pushed virtually parallel to the rotation axis, in an action similar to that of a metal cutting lathe.

Actually I understand this.

From a long standing habit I used to polish the backs of my woodworking chisels by rubbing them along the various grades of sandpaper glued onto a glass sheet a la scary sharp method. This I did up to 2000 grit in order to have a sharp edge .

When I took up turning I automatically polished all sides of my tools to get a sharp edge. With the bedan, skews, parting tools and scrapers that means all sides (not just the one) were polished prior to sharpening and with gouges the inside hollow section where possible. Hence my bedan two sides are sharpened similar to yours.

I still have a board near the lathe with a sheet of 600 grit glued on to quickly clean up the sides when they need resharpening. Just a few rubs up and down is all that is needed.

BTW I use the bedan for a lot of cuts, eg roughing out the shape of a bowl (both inside and outside) rather than a bowl gouge, for hollowing out little boxes and making spigots etc.

I find that this tool is not widely used and misunderstood, yet it is a very useful tool. Maybe because it is a European development and not English or American.

Peter.

Thanks Peter, with your experience you would find the advantage of the 60 degrees lateral bevel/shaft as a natural progression from what you are already familiar with. Any chance of seeing a photo of how you sharpen the bedan? I find difficult to visualize how you get a cutting edge out of the square side.

Originally Posted by Sturdee

BTW I use the bedan for a lot of cuts, eg roughing out the shape of a bowl (both inside and outside) rather than a bowl gouge, for hollowing out little boxes and making spigots etc.

I find that this tool is not widely used and misunderstood, yet it is a very useful tool. Maybe because it is a European development and not English or American.

Peter.

I'd really like to see you using the bedan. I quite like using one of Robbos 8mm parting tools like a skew,and imagine that the bedan might be similar. I have been threatening a turn-on at my new house for a while now. Maybe a bedan demo could be one of the things there. Dunno when though. My calender is full till mid November. (Of course I also need to move all my wood and tools and stuff from the old shed. )