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Knowledge You Can Build On — Est. 1998

Various bowl turning questions

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Various bowl turning questions

#1

Various bowl turning questions

Mk

>This weekend was a big learning experience. I hope some can give some light into some problems I encountered.

First, I received my bowl gouge and can see how much of a difference it is compared to a spindle gouge. Much beefier. Anyway, I seated the tool in my new handle and all went well. The tang didn't quite go all the way in, but about 90% of it is seated.

Then I proceeded to re-grind the bevel to a ellsworth grind. Unfortunatly, after I grinded most of the tool, I realizes the bevel was way too low. So, I had to fix it and, while it was a quick fix, one side of the tool the wing is not perfect. It worked ok, and I am sure after a few more grindings/sharpening it will go back to normal.

Now, onto the questions. My first blank was a very dry 6" mrytle blank. I got about half way in roughing the outside when I had a catch that not only completely stopped the blank from moving, but it cracked my cheapo aluminum face plate. I can only think that if the speed was higher (I was turning it at 450 RPM) it would have turned out worst. Anyway, as I was thinking about this catch, I know I wasn't taking very hard cuts...most were light to medium. Is it possible that I had the tool too horizontal in presenting it to the blank (or the tool rest was too high?)

Is it usually more difficult to turn dry bowl blank than green blanks?

Re: Various bowl turning questions

#2

Re: Various bowl turning questions

Duane C.Leach

>MK

Once the blank is balanced,or rounded I set speed up to 800 to 1000 rpm Or higher for a 6" bowl. It cuts more smothly at higher speeds.

The tool rest should be adjusted so that the cutting edge is at center with tool handle down. How much down depends on the angle you ground the gouge to.

Untill you become confident with your skills. try to use only the 1/8" to 1/4" at the very end of tool. Point the flutes in the direction of tool travel. And most important when something bad happens. Stop. Try to remember what casued the catch. Usualy It's the wings that contact the wood in the wrong angle that casue the catch.

Good luck.

Duane

Re: Various bowl turning questions

#3

Re: Various bowl turning questions *LINK*

Tom Mullane

>MK... I would suggest you get the DVD below... it will be a big help.. Bill is one of the best teachers out there on bowl turning... some of the members here have had the opportunity to take one on one lessons with Bill and this video is the second best thing... he describes the complete process from cutting your blank from the log to finishing... it is a long dvd over 2hrs and well worth the money...


Bill Grumbine DVD

Re: Various bowl turning questions

#4

Re: Various bowl turning questions

TD

>If you had a catch on the outside of a bowl it is something that you did wrong; you should never have a catch on the outside of a bowl. Check our "grinds" library for several good profiles. Turn your flute to 10 o'clock which will be in the direction of travel, work the tool from right to left and be careful on the return and don't bump into your turning wood. Keep the handle low and use the left side of the tool end. If you raise the tool to level there is no "give" and a catch will be multiplied because the tool cannot "back out" of the cut. When the tool is resting against the toolrest instead of being supported by the rest the tool merely slides back a 64th of an inch when you hit tough grain whereas with the handle level the tough grain would produce a catch. Sharp tools greatly lesson the chance of a catch since a catch is normally caused by the tools inablility to cut through a section of wood (for whatever the reason ). Watch the direction of your tool travel and keep the flute turned in the direction you are moving and practice, practice, practice.

TD PS. Get a sharpening jig.

Re: Various bowl turning questions

#5

Re: Various bowl turning questions

Mk

>Ok, this is what I was looking for. I think this is exactly what I did wrong, and like you said the catch was magnified! I do have a grinding jig that I made myself. It puts a near-perfect edge on tool. My problem was I set it at the wrong level cause I was too lazy to make sure it was correct before I started grinding.

After the catch, I was a little nervous to go back to it since I wasn't sure what happened. Then I used a 1/2" round nose scraper to continue to shape the bowl until I noticed the crack in the threads of the faceplate. The scraper worked surprisingly well, but maybe that was because I had a good deal of the shape already done. Anyone ever use a sraper for the outside? Is it safe to do? It definitely felt very safe!