Egg Turning and Finish

Re: Egg Turning and Finish

Mike Schwing from Md.

>Tony, I'm new to turning as well. I found a fascination with the egg shape after realizing they were much more forgiving than spheres.

Ripply? That can come from moving the tool too quickly across the surface, or from the workpiece moving slightly from its axis as you exert force on it with the cutting tool. Some of the more experienced folks can help you or correct me if I'm off base. Is your lathe vibrating with this workpiece in rotation? That could cause the rippling as your tool doesn't quite stay put in relation to the surface it is cutting. Most of the turners I've come into contact with, here and in mags/videos use roughing cuts that don't concern them with the uneven surface, then move to finishing cuts which smooth out the surface, and then maybe onto a shearing cut to prep the surface further for sanding. Some folks just start with 60 grit sandpaper and go from there. Both work fine, its personal pref at this point.

I made a bunch of eggs for Christmas out of curly maple. I finshed these by sanding to 12000 grit, coating with mylands cellulose sanding sealer, and then buffing out on the 3 wheel system many other folks use here. The shape is not perfect but the receipients enjoyed them just the same. Don't mean to hijack your thread just show you an example of a finish on an egg.

Another egg turner!!!

Tony - Memphis

>Pardon the poor humor there! Those look nice. I was pressing pretty hard. That could be part of it. No vibration that I have notices. What is a shearing cut excactly?

Tony

Re: Another egg turner!!!

Mike Schwing from Md.

>Check the archives here and search for the word "shearing", better yet, buy a turning book.

As for pressing too hard, the nice folks here pounded in my head to "let the tool do the work", meaning take it easy, a sharp tool will cut properly without much pressure on it - and no tool is ever too sharp.

If you have your workpiece/spindle chucked up from one end and unsupported from the other, as is pretty normal for turning shapes like eggs (but not the only way to do it), its easy to press the piece off balance temporarily as wood is flexible and a long spindle will respond to tool pressure by flexing.

Many folks turn their eggs on a spindle supported by both ends, then part them off and finish them in a friction or vacuum chuck. I've not found this necessary or productive for me, and turn the fat end first, then the center, and then "top" till its about 1/4" from finished. Then I sand the whole thing, part it off, and finish the top by hand shaping and sanding.

Re: Another egg turner!!!

Tony - Memphis

>Well, that may very well be part of my problem. I was pressing way hard. I took the time to sharpen everything last week and I could tell a difference in how well I did.

What I did was turn the majority of the egg shape with one end chucked and the other end in the 60� center point. I trimmed where I would cut it off a pretty good bit with my parting tool first. When I got close to the shape I wanted, I went ahead and cut the top off and finished it. I then sanded and finished on the lathe.

Thanks for the help. I'd really like to take some turning lessons someday. I think I've made progress, but its slow going. PLus, I only mess with it once in a while. Mainly when something is drying or I just need to do something else than my main project for a bit.

Tony

My wife turns eggs . . .

Fred L. - North Carolina

>with mushrooms inside, and I finish them ! mmm Delicious...

Re: My wife turns eggs . . .

Tony - Memphis

>Ya got me. What part of NC? I'm a Tarheel by birth. Born in Goldsboro. Family in High Point and Charlotte too.

Tony - is it a spatula or a egg turner?!?

Really like your table top!

chungky

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