I have a post with a square cross section that I want to turn down. The photo of the post in the lathe and the image that I want to turn it to is attached. I find that sometimes I can get a clean cut of the taper from the square to the round section and sometimes I chip the squared part in trying to turn it down. I find that it sometimes catches the gouge and throws it up the taper toward the squared portion, chipping the edge of the squared section. Can someone talk me through where I might be going wrong? Maybe reviewing the height of the roughing gouge to the turning, the profile of the sharpened gouge, how the gouge should be presented to the work, etc.
Replies
I use a hand saw to cut a kerf in the corners so that there is a clean break between the rounded section and the square.
Jim
Thanks Jim. I will try that.
Another way to turn a pommel is to nick the corners with a skew ,on edge, long point at the bottom .Keep the handle low and slowly raise it nicking the corners.Then use a parting tool to turn the diameter at the bottom of the cove. Take a spindle gouge on edge flute inwards.Start with the handle low and raise it GENTLY till it starts to cut microscopicly.Swing the handle outwards,raising it whilst rotating the gouge, to flute up, at the bottom of the cut.Practice on some pine. If you can do it on pine then go for the oak.Remember practice is the secret to turning.
A gouge is the wrong tool to use to go from the square section to round. Like the other poster said, you can use a saw the make the notches(a saw can be used at slow speeds while the lathe is running). Or a skew chisel with the long point down can make the cut. Or, and this is the way I do it the most, a fluted parting tool can make the cut easily and cleanly.
A gouge is the wrong tool to use to go from the square section to round. Like the other poster said, you can use a saw the make the notches(a saw can be used at slow speeds while the lathe is running). Or a skew chisel with the long point down can make the cut. Or, and this is the way I do it the most, a fluted parting tool can make the cut easily and cleanly.
I don't know why my post
I don't know why my post showed up twice, and I can't figure out how to delete one of them with this new format. Sorry about that.
I always use the skew as mentioned in a previous reply, I prefer it to the saw as I have used both in the past.
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