Easy Wood Tools Rant

[Bret Leishman]

Be forewarned I am just teaching myself this wood turning thing, but I do know quality. Having prepared with various turning books, Bill Grumbine's DVD, and Richard Rafan's DVD, I turned my first rough bowls and finished one. I am learning on probably a little tougher wood since what was available to me was black walnut stumps much of which is crotch. I purchased Thompson V-shape bowl gouge 3/8" and started. Not comfortable with my initial cuts, a little research led me to Easy Wood Tools and their Easy Rougher. The review on the Thompson gouge will have to wait. The learning curve for the Easy Rougher was almost none. I was able to obtain acceptable results for roughing all the way thru the finished bowl, all I used was the Easy Rougher. Serious catches are almost non existant. I was so pleased I purchased an additional handle so I could have one with the straight insert and the other with the 2" radius insert. I vote with my dollars and just purchased their new Easy Finisher which has a round carbide insert. I will learn to use my bowl gouges and Sorby scraper, but I can do it at my pace and still be able to turn bowls with confidence. I must add an order change after the fact by me was reponded to above and beyond by Donna who shipped the longer handle the next day and included return postage sticker. You wont find better customer service. Very much recommend giving the Easy Rougher a try, especially newbies like me. By the way I am happy with how the Great Lakes stabilizing casters are working on my lathe. I was warned against using them by some on this forum, but being bull headed I did anyway. After experiencing some slight movement with large rough bowl blanks, I took them off. The lathe would then try to walk with these type of blanks. I put the casters back on and actually like the slight movement when doing the initial roughing. The lathe doesn't try to walk and the slight movement is feedback to me which soon disappears when the blank becomes roughly rounded. Wood chips flying everywhere was controlled very effectively with some hospital curtains I purchased on line from a company called COVOC. Now that I am on a roll, I continue to be very satisfied with how well the capacity of my Grizzly G0636X (ie 17") bandsaw works with the large bowl blanks I am cutting, love the trimaster carbide blade. Positive tool rant over!!
Note: the gouge marks I didn't quite get out of the finished bowl in front are there because of my first attempt and catch with my Sorby finish scraper, not the Easy Rougher. But this is how you learn, right?

[alex carey]

looking good, looks like you have under control.

If I were you I would save that wood, especially the crotches, use it for when you get better unless you have a long supply of good wood.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Always good to hear when someone finds a tool(s) that works for them! Looks like you have the bowl thing figured out! Have fun turning!

[Burt Alcantara]

Bret,
You are on your way doing all of the right things. Be careful about the Trimaster. I'd advise against cutting green wood with any blade not made for green wood.

When I got my 0514X2 I mounted a Lennox bimetal blade to do a bit of resawing on flat boards. When I got back to cutting up logs, I forgot about the blade. After cutting a few logs the cuts became noticably more difficult. Finally, I found myself pushing the logs into the blades with such force that my hand slipped off the log and just kissed the blade. Fortunately, the cut was minor but terrifying none the less.

The blade was clogged to the point that there were no teeth visible.

The blade I use for green wood is a Timberwolf 1/2x2 AS.

Just a note to keep safe at the bandsaw.

Burt

[sascha gast]

always good to see another stubby. keep it going, looks good so far

[charlie knighton]

congratulations, you seem to be proceding at a good clip, what is Woodland, CA close to??? there are many clubs in california from which you can pick up some pointers. enjoy

[Brian McInturff]

Yep,
You picked the right lathe to start out on. Remember practice makes perfect! Looking really good so far.

[Reed Gray]

Burt,
I don't know which Lennox blade you were using, but I have been using them for 15 years and not had that problem. There are blades for resawing dry lumber, and blades for sawing green wood. The bimetal are the best for durability. You can cut through a nail, and it doesn't bother the blade.
robo hippy

[George Clark]

Bert,

After ruining a $180 Trimaster blade because a green blank got away from me I decided there might be a better (cheaper) choice for cutting green wood. A professional woodworker and turner friend recommended a Lenox 3/8" .035 4tooth Diemaster. Considerably less expensive than the Trimaster and works better on green wood.

I ordered from these folks and got a discount on my first order and prompt service.

www.bandsawbladesdirect.com (http://www.bandsawbladesdirect.com)

George

[Bret Leishman]

Have had no problems in either green or dry lumber with the blade clogging. The lenox trimaster cuts through 15" plus black walnut with almost no effort needed to push whether dry or green. The carbide blade has saved me when I hit nails embedded in wood. Have since purchased a metal detector, but still like not worrying if I hit any metal. Woodland is near Sacrmento. The stubby was a pre-empty nest gift to myself, as has been most of the other new tools I put in my newly reclaimed garage (bikes, motorcycles, etc are moved out). Last son will be a high school senior next year. Black walnut is readily available here, but I am very much looking forward to more straight grained pieces to begin learning the traditional turning tools on.

[Reed Gray]

My Lennox dealer here told me that the carbide blades are for resawing and cutting veneers. Another advantage to the bimetal blades is that they can be resharpened, but the Diemaster can't. My 150 inch blades for my Laguna cost about $75, and the carbide about $180.

Bret, I will be down at the UC Davis Whole Earth Festival Fri, Sat, and Sunday next weekend, come by and see me.

robo hippy

[Burt Alcantara]

The blade in question is a Diemaster 2 B X 1/2 .025 6/10. Perhaps, too many teeth? works great on dry wood. I'd like to get something better then Timberwolf as I seem to dull them pretty quickly. I'm open to any suggestion for a good green wood blade.

Burt

[Reed Gray]

My bowl blank blade is 1 1/4 with teeth about 3/4 inch apart. No clogging problems. For cutting green blanks, bimetal, the heavier/thicker ones (sorry, don't know numbers), with 3 tpi and they have to have a set to them. You may have some one in Boise who can do blades for you, I have heard of others on the internet. Here in Eugene, Oregon Industrial Supply, ask for Duke. www.gooregonindustrial.com 541-505-5268. They can make any size you need.
robo hippy

[Burt Alcantara]

Lennox has a Diemaster 2 with 3 tpi on a hook. Would that be sufficient for a green wood blade?