New Forum, new questions

[jnewlonjr]

Well, I was just looking for something along these lines.

Let me start by saying that the woodworking show was just here in town last weekend. While we were there, yes Stacey went with me, she bought me one of the Zyliss vice and lathe packages. She also bought me a set of miniature turning tools to go with it. But of course, I just had to try them out.

The lathe works like this:

1) Clamp to workbench.
2) Clamp drill onto one end.
3) Begin project.

This tool is really cool! But, as I have never done any turning, until I got to play Sunday and a little on Monday, let the questions begin.

A) Which way should the stock be turning?
B) What is the best way to sharpen gouges or roundnose scrapers? The skew chisel should take the scary sharp method.
C) Does the parting tool need to be sharpened? If so which edges/faces hit the paper?
D) Is there any cure for the disease/addiction that I have cought?
E) Any direction on which tools have a specific purpose? Like what's the diference between a spindle gouge and a roughing gouge?
F) Is it OK to use regular bench chisels as flatnosed scrapers?

I think that should about do it. Now, when is the next turning class at Woodcraft? ;-)

Jerry
:D
"rookie firewood specialist"

God bless you richly and abundantly!

[volleyheads]

Let me see if I can help here

A) Which way should the stock be turning?

With the drill to your left, looking at the drill it will be turning counter clockwise. You want the rotation of he wood to put force on the tool into the tool rest.


B) What is the best way to sharpen gouges or round nose scrapers?

There are lots of ways, I personally use a grinder with a jig. The other options include a freehand sharpening of the tool on the grinder (some learning curve there) or to go by hand using a grinding stone freehand. For me it was a simple choice, I wanted to learn to turn and not lose the first few hours/days learning to sharpen.

C) Does the parting tool need to be sharpened?

Yes, sharpen the two edges that make the point.

D) Is there any cure for the disease/addiction that I have caught?

Nope, not a chance. The rumor is I have a Cabinet saw under these chips here, but I can't confirm that at the present time.

E) Any direction on which tools have a specific purpose?

spindle gouges: mostly used for spindles but can be used for bowls, but they do have a tendency to catch in the wood more than bowl gouges
roughing gouge: I was told and experienced that you use this to rough down a spindle, but don't use on a bowl to rough it down.

Other tools likely to be useful are parting tool, skew (hard to use, but cuts a very smooth surface) and bowl gouges. Let me know if you have others of need any more info on others you may have.

F) Is it OK to use regular bench chisels as flat nosed scrapers?

A definite maybe. It depends on the grind of the chisels. I don't know what type of metal your chisels are made of, but they would need to be reground for use as a scraper.


Turning class at Woodcraft, was how I got addicted, a Fathers day gift :)


Best Regards,

Bill

"If it is worth doing, it's worth overdoing"

[TWS]

Volley,
To what angle do you grind and then hone your turning chisels?
Have you found the 25-30 degree angle to be the best for overall turning or have you found a better angle for your edges?

Thanks,
Tom

[volleyheads]

Tom,

Sorry this took so long, I had problems getting into the forum all weekend, but today poof it appeared. Anyway, for a scrapers, I like to use a fairly blunt angle of 11 degrees (or 79 degrees for the metal of the scraper) I think it is much more important than the angle is that the scraper be sharp and with minimal faceting of the face. Some people recommend not to hone the scraper since they beleive the cutting is done by the burr from grinding. I personally don't know for sure. I do know it cuts well straight off the stone (I use a Tormek or a 8" bench grinder (100-120 grit Norton White) and I personally don't hone my scrapers.

Best Regards,

Bill

"If it is worth doing, it's worth overdoing"

[jnewlonjr]

OK Bill,

Let me see if I have this correct.....

With the stock mounted on the drill/lathe, the drill should atcually be turning in a tightening direction (forward). Alright, well I'll try anything once. Maybe that's why things were a little rough on the pieces that I played with. However, it didn't feel right when I tried it this way. But, as I mentioned, I have never done this before. I can't wait to get back out and try it again, the correct way.

Before I can start, I think that I should sharpen the tools that I can easily (skew chisel, parting tool, and maybe roundnose scraper). I don't think that I am quite ready to handle the gouges just yet as far as sharpening is concerned. Which, by the way, brings up another question: When using the gouges and roundnose scraper, how should they be positioned against the workpiece?

Now, where did I put those pen blanks? Oh yeah, that's right, I don't have any yet. :-( I guess that I will have to work on that right after I get the basics down.:P:D

Jerry
:D
"rookie firewood specialist"

God bless you richly and abundantly!

[Lou_williams]

Jerry,

My first lathe was the one you bought. I gave up but then I was trying to do something much too hard for that tool. For Small stuff if should work.

I bought a Tormek just to be able to sharpen gouges, so you might have a hard time with those. The straight stuff is ok with lots of methods. You want a nice flat bevel on your tools with a very sharp edge. To start the cut, place the tool on the rest with the tool above the work. Raise the handle so that the bevel ride on the work, and adjust the position of the tool on the rest so that the edge comes into play. With a sharp tool you will see nice shavings comming off the edge.

[volleyheads]

Jerry,

Sharpening the chisels is more than half the battle in the beginning of turning. The one best piece of advice I received and followed up on was to get together with a turning group from the AAW that meets in your area. I have recently joined 2 that are fairly close to me. To learn hands on from people who know what they are doing and can give you input on what you are doing and ways to improve it will save you many hours of practice.

As a general rule, the old saying about rubbing the bevel comes to mind, but there are so many instances of when you do this, do it this way..... that I don't want to steer you wrong as far as tool use.

Let me know where you are I can find which groups may be closest to you if you are interested. Another option you may want to look into are some of the videos available now, they have really helped me a lot. I could recommend some, depending on what area(s) of turning you are interested in.

Best Regards,

Bill

"If it is worth doing, it's worth overdoing"

[jnewlonjr]

Thanks for the input Bill.

I am in Charlotte, NC. The Charlotte Woodworkers Association meets at Klingspor's the third Monday of every month. If I remember correctly, they do a lot of turning.

I am beginning to look into classes that are offered by Klingspor's and Woodcraft.

Lou,

I think that I will eventually get a mini at some point in the future. I am thinking that I might like to do some bowls and platters that this unit will not handle. However, I don't see very many problems using it for pens, ornaments, and maybe even table or chair legs. If you have one, you know the capacities that it has.

Have to run for now. I did not get a chance to get into the paper on the job hunt yesterday. That's alright though because I had an interview instead.

I'll be back!

Jerry
:D
"rookie firewood specialist"

God bless you richly and abundantly!

[volleyheads]

I did a little looking around and found the following clubs for wood turning that are sort of in your area. Piedmont Triad Woodturners in Greensboro they meet on the first Tuesday of every month and have a web site http://journalnow.koz.com/wsj/PTWA . The other one is in Cary, which I can't remember how far from Charlotte it is, but it is Triangle Woodturners of NC and they meet the 2nd Thursday of every month. The chapter web site is http://rtpnet.org/twnc/

There are also some in the western area, nearer to the mountains, but I wasn't sure which would be closer. Say hi to Carowinds for me. I still miss living down there sometimes.

Best Regards,

Bill

"If it is worth doing, it's worth overdoing"

[jnewlonjr]

Thanks Bill!

Both Greensboro and Cary are at least two, and as many as four, hours away. I'll keep looking. Like I said, there's the Charlotte Woodworkers Assoc. I think they are a diversified group covering lots of different aspects. Concord, or is it Cornelius, has a carving group as well. I wonder what there might be in Hickory.

When were you last in this area? I live about 5 miles from Carowinds. If you were to come back, you would not recognize the place. Oh well, I guess banking has its downfalls as well as advantages.

I'll keep in touch. The lathe is down right now waiting on a replacement part to get here. Good warranty on the package though. Lifetime replacement, not many questions.

Jerry
:D
"rookie firewood specialist"

God bless you richly and abundantly!