>Just shy of completion I caught my gouge on a rough spot and poof! There goes another one. The piece was shaped like a goblet but the stem and walls of the cup wire fairly thick as it was to be used as a pencil holder. The cup was about 5" deep and 3" round. I believe the wood was green mulberry. Very figured and terriffic looking. I came to the conclusion gouges aren't the best choice here. I think a hollowing tool or berger tool would have been better. Am I right?
You were not clear. Were you using the gouge on the outside of the stem at the time it broke, or hollowing the inside of the cup?
Before working on the stem, the inside should be completely cut, sanded, and finished. Then shape the outside of the cup, then the stem. For straight stems, a shallow (spindle) gouge or skew chisel should work. Stems with coves can be cut with a shallow gouge. If you use a skew chisel on the outside of the cup where the diameter is larger, it had better be a wide chisel or catches are likely.
If the stem is thin, I almost always support it by the fingers of the left hand while cutting. If it starts to vibrate, any tool will probably catch and cause it to break.
If you are new to spindle turning, you might benefit from the turning exercises in several books, for example by Raffan or Darlow. A goblet is not the easiest thing to make.
>Ken, I noticed from your previous posts that you classified yourself as a "newbie." That can sometimes mean anything from "been turning 40 years and still learning" to "this is the first time I have ever turned." If you fall into the later category, I would suggest you find someone locally who turns that can mentor you if possible. Get some good books and videos and take a class if you can. If you are luckier than I, there is a turning club near you. If so, take advantage of it. As someone else said, a goblet is probably not necessarily the best thing to start with. You might start practicing on spindles to improve your touch and presentation and learn the different cuts that can be made with the various tools. Turn some pens. Then turn a bowl or ten.
If you are in the first category, my apologies! I am a newbie (4 Months), and probably should just keep my mouth shut. LOL Just thought I would share the things that have helped me along for what that's worth. I'll go back to my corner now. :)
>The Termite tool is one answer for hollowing end grain. A spindle gouge is another. If you are saving the hollowing for last, don't do that. Hollow before you do your stem.
>Good spindle gouge end grain hollowing technique on Raffan's box turning video, as well as Bonnie Klein's series (don't remember which tape in the series). I think Chris Stott also has a video that shows this.
In a nutshell, you can use the gouge almost on its side, cutting toward yourself from a hole drilled at the center, by pivoting the tool on the rest, and pushing the handle away from you.
You can also learn Raffan's "back-hollowing" technique, which is a little trickier, but a good technique to master -- too many details to go into here.
Termite and other ring tools, as well as hook tools are also very good for this, but again, there's a lot to learning these tools -- best taught one-on-one with a turning mentor, or by studying various turning videos available.
>I have watched Raffan's DVD I don't know how mant times and I sometimes make a good cut and sometimes The tool starts to shudder about halfway up the cut. It dosen't get grabby, just vibrates for a while then cuts the rest of the way. On a rare cut every thing goes fine and I wonder what I did different. I would love to master this technique because it leaves a very smooth surface and is very fast when it works.
