Coring a bracelet

[shortcast]

I've been turning a lot of wooden bracelets lately. Initially I would turn the blank down to a cylinder approx 3.5" diameter. Then I used a thin kerf parting tool to core the center out. I saved the cores to turn nic naks later. There was a couple of issues with this. First of all, it was difficult to keep the inside diameter parrallel to the outside. Don't know if it was my inadequate skill or the tool following grain. Second and worse was that the tool would bind in the kerf. Eventually I snapped my HSS parting tool in two.

Now I core the center with a large diameter forstner bit. Seems like a waste of good wood, but it is a lot easier on my nerves!

Anyway, were these problems due to a lack of time behind the gouge? Is there a better suited tool for what I was trying to accomplish? Should I turn out the light and just go fishing?

[RETIRED]

I've been turning a lot of wooden bracelets lately. Initially I would turn the blank down to a cylinder approx 3.5" diameter. Then I used a thin kerf parting tool to core the center out. I saved the cores to turn nic naks later. There was a couple of issues with this. First of all, it was difficult to keep the inside diameter parrallel to the outside. The reason for this is that as the Parting tool goes in, the width of it forces the tool to the inside of the cut resulting in a taper..

Don't know if it was my inadequate skill or the tool following grain. Neither. Second and worse was that the tool would bind in the kerf. Eventually I snapped my HSS parting tool in two.

Now I core the center with a large diameter forstner bit. Seems like a waste of good wood, but it is a lot easier on my nerves!

Anyway, were these problems due to a lack of time behind the gouge? Is there a better suited tool for what I was trying to accomplish? Should I turn out the light and just go fishing?

You can use a hole saw with the centre drill removed if you drill with the tail stock.

[turnerted]

I always use a holesaw as described .I have four different sizes of saw .
Ted

[nalmo]

I turned a number of bracelets recently for gifts. The easiest way was to use the forstner type bit to cut through flat boards, roughly cut the outside and the bandsaw, then use a jamb chuck to hold the piece while turning the outside.

Might be slightly wasteful of material, but you can always get plenty of 19mm flooring or decking offcuts free at most timber yards. Using the drill bits is quick, gives consistent size and a reasonably neat cut on the inside.

[rodent]

A V shaped parting tool 2 cuts side by side and on the final cut (the one that finishes the inside of the bracelet ) angle the tool top to the left slightly , after giving the tool a touch up on the grinder . This should give you clearance and a good finishing cut .

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

What Rod said.

I always make a double width cut with a parting tool anyway... mainly to avoid binding. And having the wider kerf means I can adjust the tool angle that little bit more to keep it tracking true.

It also helps to stand so that you can see that the "outward" side of the parting tool is parallel with the lathe ways. If it is, then so long as no gap appears between that side and the entry point in the timber, you're cutting a nice, parallel-to-the-axis plunge cut.

If a gap appears, then you're tapering in towards the axis and need to shave more off.

This way, the only way to take too much off is either by not keeping the tool in line with the bed or the tool itself is actually bending.