A few questions on turning

[sachbvn]

So - I am working on riding the bevel - it's going well.

Something I've noticed on a couple pen blanks and a piece of pine I was wearing away to nothing on.

I kinda notice.... one side is staying "square" longer than the other sides.... like - 3 sides are getting rounded, the fourth takes much longer. Is this because the pieces may not be totally square - in some cases I know they aren't, they aren't way different, but visibly not square (pen blanks) - or is it more an issue of maybe not being mounted by their dead-centers?

I don't have a center marker yet - going to get one, I've been mostly eye balling and marking the diagnals....using the intersecting line point.


Oh btw - I was messing around making profiles with my gouges and what not - I broke out the parting tool - made some 90 degree "profiles" ?? - made some decorative lines.... wow - so many neat things and I've just started!!!!

Get the spray - I've got the bug....the turning bug - not any other kinda bugs!!

Zac

[TDHofstetter]

Y' oughtta' see the big ol' grin on my face here...

When you notice one side not going round as soon as the others... that's either because it wasn't quite square to begin with or because it was mounted slightly off-center. When it's spinning, it's hard to see, isn't it?

Here's another trick for your kit... when you're not sure if something's completely round yet, pick your choice of turning tools - it can be nearly ANY turning tool, as long as the steel's longer than the workpiece is wide. Just set the side of the tool down on top of the spinning workpiece, with all cutting edges well away from it. No need to touch the toolrest in this one special case.

If the wood's completely round, the tool will just like there quietly as the workpiece spins under it. If there's still a flat spot, the tool will bounce when it hits that spot. By sliding the tool left & right, you can even tell just where that flat spot is, and get a fairly good idea how big it is... all without shutting down the lathe. It's next-best thing to a strobe light (which might have some use here, too, but would be WICKEDLY dangerous 'cause you'd forget the workpiece was turning & stick your hand into it.

Turnin's GOOD, ain't it?

[sachbvn]

Turnin' good indeed!!!!

Funny how, when spinning, things look baby butt smooth - when you shut the lathe off - it looks like hell! I will get my grinder out and leave it out when I am turning - no reason not to touch up the tools frequently when you have something as easy as the Wolverine jig.


Thanks Timmer - more questions to come!!

[Ruffnek]

Nov 10, 2009 16:53:15 GMT -6 TDHofstetter said:

Here's another trick for your kit... when you're not sure if something's completely round yet, pick your choice of turning tools - it can be nearly ANY turning tool, as long as the steel's longer than the workpiece is wide. Just set the side of the tool down on top of the spinning workpiece, with all cutting edges well away from it. No need to touch the toolrest in this one special case.

If the wood's completely round, the tool will just like there quietly as the workpiece spins under it. If there's still a flat spot, the tool will bounce when it hits that spot. By sliding the tool left & right, you can even tell just where that flat spot is, and get a fairly good idea how big it is... all without shutting down the lathe.

I learned that tip at Monty's shop from ol' Dick-do. It works and it's as handy as a pocket on a shirt.

[TDHofstetter]

I'm pretty sure it was Limey who showed me that one, years ago.

[Doug B]

I don't remember who showed me that method of knowing when the blank has been turned completely round. It is kind of nice knowing, but why is it important guys?

By the way Zac, do not worry too much about getting the blank drilled exactly in the center...I frequently drill a blank off center to avoid something in the blank I don't like (like a crack or void) or to take advantage of something in the blank I want to make sure does not get turned off, like a knot or spalting or unusual grain or contrasting color in the wood.

There are times when you really want to drill right down the center such as when you really want to get the grain to match as close as possible in the 2 barrels.

Just make sure you leave enough for the pen profile if you drill off center. A neat trick is to use your bushings to outline how much of the pen blank you have to keep and then drill to make sure you have enough left so you won't have a flat spot once you are done turning down to the bushing

[sachbvn]

That tip about the bushings is a swell idea!


Zac

[Ruffnek]

Nov 10, 2009 19:18:46 GMT -6 Doug B said:

I don't remember who showed me that method of knowing when the blank has been turned completely round. It is kind of nice knowing, but why is it important guys?

I don't know that it's important as much as just a timesaver. It's a quick way to check for roundness without stopping the lathe...or feeling with your hand while the piece is spinning.

[TDHofstetter]

Nov 10, 2009 19:18:46 GMT -6 Doug B said:

I don't remember who showed me that method of knowing when the blank has been turned completely round. It is kind of nice knowing, but why is it important guys?

It's more, probably, for bowls & such than anything else. If you rough out a bowl & THINKING it's round, proceed to shape it... only to find out when you turn off the lathe that it's got a 1" deep flat spot still on one side... that can get pretty irritating. Then you have to chase that flat spot down, stopping the lathe again & again to be sure you've got it all. The bouncing-tool thing lets you do that entirely without stopping the lathe - no need to wait for that big blank to wind down six times.

[Doug B]

Thanks guys. It's a lot more clear now.

I do it all the time...and wonder why the heck I do it. I like to know when it's completely rounded, but usually I turn close to final size using a gouge before switching to a skew - strictly talking about spindle turning here. I did not even think about using that method on bowl turning (but I will now ).