Replies

1. 
   danmart | Oct 28, 2007 02:48am | #1

   Your gauges are catching? Say a little more about what you're doing?? Cutting coves? Hopefully not when you are roughing out a blank.

   Send more

1. 
   genecoder | Oct 28, 2007 06:26am | #2

   I'm just roughing out blanks with my gouge and cleaning it with my skew. Any Ideas.

1. 
   danmart | Oct 28, 2007 02:57pm | #3

   I'm going to assume you are just starting out on the lathe. I would look over at Ernie Conover's section and direct some questions to him. He has done just about all turning for as long as I can remember. Having said that he has taught students on the lathe for many years and therefore he has seen most things.

   I don't think a forum is the place to hone your skills on the lathe. Of all of the woodworking specialties, lathe work is the only time the object is moving and the craftsman is relatively still. This might sound funny but it is very serious as you go about learning the art.

   Read everything you can find on turning.

   good luck

   dan

1. 
   WillGeorge | Oct 28, 2007 04:08pm | #5

   I don't think a forum is the place to hone your skills on the lathe. ??OK so punch me in the nose.. Please don't!Why not as long as you do not take everything said at face value and you think you may get hurt. Sorry but 'I had to!'I'm a skilled mechanic and a reasonably skilled woodworker (not a wood turner though.. Metal, I did a lot of it. Turning and Forming).I for one think a form is a great place to 'ASK' ouestions BUT NOT THE ONLY PLACE..No fight here.. Just my humble opinion...

   Edited 10/28/2007 9:09 am by WillGeorge

2. 
   Curtis | Oct 28, 2007 03:35pm | #4

   What type of cut are you trying to make? (scraping,cutting, or shearing)

   I like the use a shearing cut when ever possible, just as long as you can keep the bezel of the chisel rubbing on the wood,and the tool on the rest while edge is cutting,nothing ever can go wrong. ;-)

   I would suggest to try to adjust your rest to a different height. and to try a different type of cutting action.

   Scraping is done on the center line.(cutting edge on the center line,or the horizontal plane.)

   Cutting is done at appx.the 10 o'clock position. ( bezel up flat edge down on the steady rest, handle appx. 45 deg. to the work)

   Shearing is done at the 11 o'clock (I think of it as having three points of contact at all times. )

   make light cuts and don't try to take off to much wood at one time, (Just because you can,doesn't mean you should.) When all else fails,always fall back on the basics.

   Good luck. and please let us know how everything turns out.C.A.G.

2. 
   Napie | Oct 28, 2007 04:12pm | #6

   The number one thing you need to learn to do is “rub the bevel”.  That is what makes the too cut properly and prevents catching.  Hold your gouge so the bevel is on the surface of the stock and rotate the wood by hand as you raise the tool edge to the wood and you’ll see just where it starts to cut.  This is difficult to describe in words only, but there are lots of woodturning videos on YouTube.  Also any of Richard Raffan’s books and videos are well worth the price.  Once you learn to do this you will greatly reduce the number of catches you experience.

3. 
   mike4244 | Oct 28, 2007 06:54pm | #7

   Buy a book on turning,a dvd too  will help. The advice your given in the other posts is sound. You need some experience on scrap along with the book. Knowing how to sharpen the tools is as important as using them. The skew is usually the hardest turning tool to master. If not properly used it will dig in and ruin the work.To say nothing of scaring the heck out of yourself. The skew action is similar to handplaning,learn the skew after learning the basics. Then you can use the skew for roughing,when you get good at it. This is not the tool for roughing but some people use the skew for roughing to hone their skill at it. Not for the beginner though.

   I won't get into the basics of the gouge,rubbing the bevel etc. Better illustrated in a book or dvd,same for sharpening. When you get a bit more profecient, practice coves,beads ,fillets etc.With scrap lumber or firewood ,make a lot of chips.You will get better after each hour.

   mike

4. 
   BruceS | Oct 28, 2007 08:05pm | #8

   Being brutal here,  But what is thought to be right is not always so.  You may not be riding bevel as much as you think, or trying to remove more material than the bevel can support.

   A tip,  Put the tip of the gouge about 3" behind and above the stock, lower the back of the gouge till it clicks on the tool rest then raise the hand thats holding the wood handle till the back of the gouge is just bumping on the rough stock.  Then very slowly pull the whole tool twords you.  When the tip of the gouge just starts to cut, ever so slightly raise the butt end of the gouge till it cuts a little deeper and then traverse the gouge in the direction the U is pointing.  Some where about a 45 degree angle of the gouge will work.  NEVER come on to end of the piece, always work from the middle out.

   Try viewing http://www.thewoodworkingchannel.com  they have many programs on turning,  seeing is always a big help,  explaining in print is not so easy.

   Work Safe,  Count to 10 when your done for the day !!

   Bruce S. 

    

5. 
   Cincinnati | Nov 14, 2007 04:59pm | #9

   Have you solved your problem yet?

   What types of wood are you turning? Are you running the proper speed for the piece?

   In a previous thread, experienced turners recommended learning on green woods since they are easier to turn. I have never tried this.

   What you describe, I experienced twenty-two years ago when I started turning. I was practicing with pine. Strangely I could turn Maple (straight grained not burled or curly) easier than hardwoods.

   I took about twenty years off and picked up turning again when my son wanted to learn to turn. After a few hours of practice, it was like riding a bicycle. Soon I could handle the skew and gouge.

   Here's what I discovered was the difference:

   1. I thought my tools were sharpened, but they were not. When they got dull, they grabbed because I would have to force them into the wood.

   2. Bevel angle to the wood is critical. The advice others have given you on riding the bevel is crucial to success.

   3. I can feel the tool cut the wood. This is hard to describe, but I never remember being able to do this before. I don't recommend closing your eyes, but I go more by the feel of the tool than by sight. I have learned to make adjustments to tool position so that I don't need any more than a light grip on the tool as I cut. When I am doing everything correctly, I don't need a death grip on the tool handle; vibration is a minimum and the force required is minimal because the tool edge is doing most of the work.

   Greg

   •••••••

   Exo 35:30-35

1. 
   genecoder | Nov 14, 2007 08:18pm | #10

   Thank you very much greg I'm getting better with turning I also am turning pine. I live in Montana wich that is all we have. Thank you for the advice.