Turning soft woods

[Deimos]

It has been many years since I used to do wood turning and am now (this autumn) going to try and get back into it again). As starting to mess around (and as I have not yet found a source of hard wood) I have been messing around with rubbish timber (off cuts of new joist mainly).

I'm having great problems stopping the grain tearing. Problem is mainly where the "shape" crosses the grain (i.e. cutting the end grain). Most of what I'm playing around with is fairly narrow diameter stuff (less than a couple of inches). Anything up to about 45 degrees across the grain can tear badly. This happens even when I use a sharp skew chisel or gouge and the shavings come of perfectly (like you should get a good finish. However, stop the lathe and a lot of the grain is torn.

Maybe the wood is not helping but I'm sure its me but and suggestions about what I might be doing wrong. Speed to fast/slow, inexperienced operator (I know this is true), just keep trying, etc.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Ian

[Jonzjob]

Hi Ian, I am not an expert by any means, but pine shouldn't tear out as you describe. When you are cutting into the grain, shaping, are you cutting from thick to thin, i.e. down the grain? If you are cutting up the grain then you can/will get it tearing out.  That's the only reason I can think of... It is the same as trying to plane up the grain, it don't work.

The scew chisel is one of the hardest tools to master and to work it MUST be razor sharp. It is also my favorite, but it still bites if you take liberties!

What lathe do you have? Mine is a Record CL1 with a 36 inch bed and swivel head. Fairly cheap, but good and quite stable, until I put a 10 inch unbalanced log on it! I was never going to get involved with turning, but now I love it and my workshop here is fantastic. Where are you living?

I hope that this helps?

[Chris Head]

Ian, you'd weep when you saw my offcut pile, if you can get yourself to the Creuse you can fill your car for free, well, maybe a wee bit of liquid nourishment wouldn't go amiss.

You turners are going to love this little story, I went to see a project last week and the clients had cut down to ground level what they considered to be a nuisance 'bush', my heart stopped when got a little closer, yep. you guessed it...Buxus Sempivirons (sp?)....Box, and one of the most mature ones I've ever seen, yep, it broke my heart. Luckily it's not been put on the fire yet & I'll rescue it next week. If it anyone can do justice to this magnificent timber it's for free also....well, almost!

Chris 

[Cassis]

Offer him a pint and Chris'll deliver to the other end of the country.  [:D]

I've been watching you chaps talking about wood turning because it's something that's always appealed to me and I'm thinking of the long, cold winter when we'll be snowbound and cut off from the world for weeks on end with only a pile of logs for entertainment.

Any tips on how to start out re initial equipment and good self-teach guides?

Phil

[Chris Head]

What do you want to make Phil?

Chris

[Jonzjob]

Hi Cassis, how often do you get back to Engand? If you could make it you could do a course with Axminster Power Tools. You could have a look at the kit they sell while you are there, they sell a load under their own banner. Not expensive, but good for the amature. They also cater for the professional and you can spend £4000 or more on a lathe. The lathe is not the end though. It will come with a couple of live and tail stock (motor and other end) bits and that will get you started. Your gouges and chisels will work out at about £15/18 apeice and you will only need about 4 maybe 5 of those. In the main that is all I use. If you want to do some bowl work (not legal in publik [blink]) you will need a chuck to mount the work (not sure if that's the same as before [8-)]?) and a good quality one is not cheap. Have a look at www.axminster.co.uk at the turning section and courses.

I started by teaching myself, but I didn't 'arf improve after I had done a weekend course in Herefordshire. It really does make it so much easier. My 1st lathe was driven by my drill and was it ever noisey. It didn't take long to get a 'proper' one. That did me for several years, but I outgrew it and the one I have now was just over £300, still a cheapie, but not bad!

If I can help any more then e-mail me with your number and we can chat... Beware though,    it is infectious [:-))]!

[Cassis]

I love turned wooden bowls and plates.  Nothing enormous.  That's all I had in mind.

I have been back to England once since 2004 and that was for 4 days so I don't think I can do a course over there, unfortunately, even if we had the spare.

I'm not desperate to spend a fortune on equipment as we don't have that much cash to splash out on what Jude would call a toy.  She has a different point of view on these things!

[Jonzjob]

You have to try to remember that the femail mind has a different 'chip set' to the rest of the world (duck or grouse [:-))]). But if you are down this way anytime give me a yell and if I can I will show you the basics of the kit and the method. Not free, though it'll cost you a beer! Chris ain't the only freemonger around here!

Seriously though, it is something that you can start for not toooo much, but if you are not carefull it can get expensive. I am very, very lucky because Frances, my lovely OH, just sais that if I want it and it helps what I am doing then get it. Our adventure here is out ski adventure. We are Spending the Kids Inheritance!!! And we are doing it with their blessing!

[Chris Head]

Ahh Herefordshire....lovely place I hear?

Glad you're spending the kids inheritance, I wish Dad would do the same!!

Chris

[Jonzjob]

Some VERY strange people in Herefordshire though! I was lucky, the guy who I did the course with was an ex R.A.F. navigator, so with me being ex too we got on like a house on fire. Very clever man!

My ambition is to leave my lot exactly the same as my old man left me,,,,,   nowt! Difficult, but we must try these things.

Godago, dindin calls and I have a 'little starvation' (Mikkie Thomas)

[Deimos]

I have no idea what my lathe is. I

"inherited" it when I moved to France as one of my brothers

was moving to Australia and did not want to take it with him (used to

be my father's). The bed is one of those "rod type" ones

with a grove keep the tailstock lined-up. Not great access for bowls

(opposite end to "bed") but it turns the wood, has 5

different pulley sizes/speed, standard taper fittings. More than

enough to get me started again. Worst aspecxt is that my workshop is

in next "room" to the mill wheel (and river) and the door

allows plenty of ventelation - thus everything has a tendency to

rust.

I used to do a lot of wood turning when

I was younger but then jobs, work, offices and dull stuff like that

meant not enough time left.

Thing I'm most proud of (and pride is

not something I'm proud of !!):

[IMG]http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c90/ib72/08-09-06_2108.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c90/ib72/08-09-06_2109.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c90/ib72/08-09-06_2112.jpg[/IMG]

However, that was many years ago.

I've never had too much problem with

skew chisels digging-up once I learnt (maybe incorrectly) that you

only use the bottom half of the blade. Once the top part starts

cutting then risk of digging-in. Definitely cutting "down"

the grain. I actually have more of a problem with gouges digging in

when the sides start to cut too high (particularly inside bowls

(which I never was any good at).

I'll persist. Sure its operator issues

but you never know what daft things one might be doing and somebody

else can often say ... and it immediately all starts working.

Many thanks

Ian

[ianl]

I have enjoyed reading the threads on Woodturning, but you all sound so much like me, once you start it gets a hold and will not let go.

I still live in the UK, but have not done a great deal of turning for the past year. I now have a Myford Mystro Lathe(not sure if you can still get them) but started off with a B&D Drill lathe, then progressed to a chinese one, then a Coronent(now Record). I think I progressed to the Myford because I like faceplate turning more and I can get up to 22 inches on this, bit Scary though.

If you are turning Softwood, I find that it will tear a little with the gouge, whichever way you are cutting, because you will always cut across the grain somewhere.Use a high a speed as possible too. If it tears very badly, then it's just a bit of poor wood and needs to be put onto the fire without delay(this give great satisfaction too after an hours worth of futile work)

The best bowl gouge you can buy is a Superflute,(mines a Record copy), which is amazingly strong. This reduces the vibration and gives you alot more confidance.I always grind my gouges in a fingernail pattern which I saw on a set of Video's by an old turner, Dennis White I think( he must have passed away now). Get them if you can.

Ian

[Chris Head]

Hi Ian, looks like the woodturners are growing in number! Is there a term for a collection of turners? I'm a sort of a turner too, but my wood stays still & I turn around it! One day you lot will have to teach me how to sharpen my gouges, I use the Tormek for normal chisels & thicknesser blades but dont want to kernacker the stone.

Good weekend all.

Chris

[Deimos]

ianl commented: "but started off with a B&D Drill lathe, ..."

Me too. The things that were either a vertical drill or could be mounted horizontally as a "lathe" (though with tiny special centres and a max. 6" ish diam on anything. lath bed/stand was two thin rods (thin compared to lathe bets these days and I seem to remember that due to its dual use (vertical drill as well), the tailstock was fixed and the headstock (the drill) moved.

I remember using a special speed controller thing that plugged inline with the cable (as this was pre. variable speed drills) and I kept burning the boxes out. Thinking to back them makes what we have today seem real luxury.

I will try increasing the speed as I generally leave the speed on its medium setting and only go slower if rough turning or larger diameter. Its more of a re-learning the technique question I had as the wood is poor and boring - but if its difficult and I can get it right them its good practice.

Ian

[Jonzjob]

[quote user="ianl"]

I have enjoyed reading the threads on Woodturning, but you all sound so much like me, once you start it gets a hold and will not let go.

I still live in the UK, but have not done a great deal of turning for the past year. I now have a Myford Mystro Lathe(not sure if you can still get them) but started off with a B&D Drill lathe, then progressed to a chinese one, then a Coronent(now Record). I think I progressed to the Myford because I like faceplate turning more and I can get up to 22 inches on this, bit Scary though.

The best bowl gouge you can buy is a Superflute,(mines a Record copy), which is amazingly strong. This reduces the vibration and gives you alot more confidance.I always grind my gouges in a fingernail pattern which I saw on a set of Video's by an old turner, Dennis White I think( he must have passed away now). Get them if you can.

Ian

[/quote]

Your lathe sounds nice Ian. I do a mixture that's the part of reason for having the likes of a Record CL1. The other is that I couldn't afford a Myford....

Most of my gouges are Crown tools, with the big bowl gouges being Record. The 2 3/8 spindle gouges are both ground to the 'fingernail' pattern as it allows for much more variety of cutting. I also have a 1/16th spindle gouge and that is VERY interesting to use. The tool rest almost touches to work for that one not to rattle!!! It's part of a miniture set of gouges I have...

Axminster Tools do videos about sharpening and they are worth having a look at. Chris, have you tried a 'white' stone in your bench grinder and then finish with a diamond whet stone. The gouges won't knak yer stone and if it gets a bit uneven it's dead easy too true it with a stone dresser. It tends to run cooler than the normal stones so the tools don't get so hot and it is quite fine too.

I use a small diamond whet stone to sharpen my router cutters. It just brings them back from dull and takes hardly anything off. If you send them to be sharpened they take several thou off and they won't last long that way. I even sharpen my scalpel blades on the diamond stone and hone them on a leather strop. The only turning tools that get the stone treatment are the scew chisels because they need to be really sharp. The gouges go on the white wheel and straight back to the tool rest of the lathe. My grinder is on a stand next to my lathe.