Some different pens that I've done...& a question.

[David Cramer]

(http://www.shutterfly.com/lightbox/view.sfly?fid=9270d1798fc0994c26cd1d30d33b21f1#125 8115704679)



Here are some pens that I turned. The rattlesnake skin, snakewood and money pens were both turned with my Lacer Skew. All of the acrylic pens were turned with my roughing gouge (the one in the picture) and turned from square to the bushings in about 5 minutes (yes I timed a few just out of curiousity:)). None of them blew out and to date I have turned well over 100 pens with at least 90 of them acrylics, sharpening about every 10 pens or so.

I say the above not to brag, far from it, but more out of being puzzled. When I was taught, not too long ago, I was using a skew. I went back to my humble shop & midi lathe & used the roughing gouge as a test. It worked fine, no chipping or cracks or blow outs, none. I did a wood blank last night, Indian Rosewood I believe, and used my roughing gouge to get it close and then I just put light pressure and kinda "carve" the final shape to the bushings leaving a smooth finish over the wood. I go 220, 400, 600 and then onto the micro mesh, 1500-12,000.

I make this post because I am blown away that so many turners use their skews to turn acrylics when a roughing gouge will get you there quicker without making it a race. The blank that I turned with my instructor took "forever in a day" taking light pass after light pass after light pass, etc......you get the picture. Again, compared to some of the guys on this site, I feel smaller than a snakewood shaving:D when it comes to knowledge and talent, which I readily admit it.

So then, how many turners use a roughing gouge to rip down an acrylic to the bushings? Thanks!

David


Sorry, the pictures didn't show, I am working on it so please be patient.

[David Cramer]

http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=e5b57cd166b43d5d&sid=0EZNWblsxasnTg

I hope they show up:).

David


Sorry, I realize that I messed up and didn't put the picture of my roughing gouge in. It is a Wood River and I bought it from Woodcraft.

[Gordon Thompson]

i exclusively use a roughing gouge for all my pens - wood and acrylic.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I say use what works for you.

My preference when turning pens is the skew. I have used a roughing gouge.

But then again, recently a fellow turner wanted to test drive my lathe and use my Lacer skews. We put a rectangular piece between centers and I broke out a skew to rough it. He said "You use a skew for roughing?" I said "sometimes".

Use what you are comfortable with and don't be afraid to try other tools at times. You can never be too experienced or skilled with any tool IMHO.

[Dennis McGarry]

I use my roughing gouge for most all of it, I do however use the skew for finishing the last couple tunrs, I have found that it leaves a very very smooth surface and sanding then starts at 600 grit to MM the rest.

[Steve Mawson]

Agree with Ken, use what works. A peeling cut with a skew will make a square spindle round very fast but I would probably not use that cut on anything but wood blanks. I first saw the peeling cut in Alan Lacers video.

[David Walser]

David,

I, too, have found that my roughing gouge works very well on plastics. Frequently, I'll turn the entire pen with the roughing gouge. Note: I love using the skew and it's my go to tool for wooden pen blanks, but the roughing gouge is faster and leaves a better surface for me on most, but not all, plastics. I've wondered if this is because the plastics don't have "grain" they don't care about the direction of the cut?

[David E Keller]

I also use a roughing gouge for a little more than just roughing pens. I also use a skew at times, and I often use a round nose scraper. The scraper is actually my favorite tool for difficult materials.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I guess as Ken knows I love my skews. I very seldom use a roughing gouge on pens. I don't think it makes much difference which tool you use as long as you are comfortable with it. As far as taking forever and a day I don't worry about that as I am not in a race to finish whatever I am turning.

[Jim McFarland]

When I started turning acrylics, it took me 30-45 minutes using SRG, spindle gouge and 80 grit sandpaper and I blew up 2 or 3 out of every 10 I did. I finally developed a comfort level with a skew and now turn acrylics in <10 minutes: round with SRG or carbide insert tool, take it to finish with a skew and start sanding at 400g -- blowing out 1 blank in the last 100+ pens.

Point is I don't think it matters what tool we use -- just whatever we're comfortable with that gives us the results we want. I won't talk you out of using a SRG and you won't talk me out of using a skew -- and neither of us is wrong! Actually, I'm wrong about a lot of other things but I can't imagine giving up my skews!

[ron hossack]

I say use what works for you.

My preference when turning pens is the skew. I have used a roughing gouge.

But then again, recently a fellow turner wanted to test drive my lathe and use my Lacer skews. We put a rectangular piece between centers and I broke out a skew to rough it. He said "You use a skew for roughing?" I said "sometimes".

Use what you are comfortable with and don't be afraid to try other tools at times. You can never be too experienced or skilled with any tool IMHO.
I can't figure out the way to use a skew ... need a vid or something to steer me in the right direction.

[Jim McFarland]

I can't figure out the way to use a skew ... need a vid or something to steer me in the right direction.

If all else has failed, try using it like a scraper. Likely not proper technique, but I set tool rest top at center of the blank. Lay skew flat on the tool rest and make left-to-right cuts at or just below the center line of the blank. I prefer a curved grind cutting edge like the Lacer skew.

Cut some blanks from scraps and practice -- don't be hesitant with your cuts. I came close to re-grinding my 1 skew as a scraper until I read about this technique on the IAP forum. 4 months later and now have 5 skews so I don't have to stop turning to sharpen as often -- including one I re-ground from a thin scraper :).

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I can't figure out the way to use a skew ... need a vid or something to steer me in the right direction.

Ron,

There is no secret to using a skew. Bernie Weishapl and I decided a couple of years ago to learn to use a skew......Bernie in Kansas and I in Idaho. So we learned together, at different times, in different states, in different time zones!;):rolleyes: I plan on meeting Bernie some day.

3 rules to using a skew:

1. Sharp...sharp...sharp....did I mention Sharp? I grind and then use a diamond hone. Once sharpened on the grinder I can hone for weeks before it has to go back to the grinder.

2. Practice, practice, practice. I spent a couple of weekends doing nothing using a skew on scrap wood. 5-6 hours per day for a couple of weekends.

3. Chant the skew mantra "Ride the bevel.....Ride the bevel.....Ride the bevel".

The bevel angle IMHO is important. IMHO if that angle is too shallow it results in a lot more catches. I use the angle recommended by Alan Lacer in his video. The length of the bevel is 1 1/2 times the measured thickness of the blade.

I HIGHLY recommend Alan Lacers video "The Skew - The Dark Side - The Sweet Side". In it Lacer recommends one start with a straight edged skew........

If I'm away from turning for a few weeks, I often need to reacquaint myself to my skew before beginning a project.

A year ago, Brian Brown and his lovely wife Tamara were in the area and dropped in for visit. We turned several pens that day. After a quick lesson, they both turned pens using nothing but a skew. Tamara wasn't interested in turning pens as I remember it.

Nothing magical to using a skew Ron. Sharp, practice, ride the bevel, right bevel length and practice.

BTW...I do on occasion use it as a scraper.

[Greg Just]

I say use what works for you.

My preference when turning pens is the skew. I have used a roughing gouge.

But then again, recently a fellow turner wanted to test drive my lathe and use my Lacer skews. We put a rectangular piece between centers and I broke out a skew to rough it. He said "You use a skew for roughing?" I said "sometimes".

Use what you are comfortable with and don't be afraid to try other tools at times. You can never be too experienced or skilled with any tool IMHO.


I agree with Ken. I use a skew for most roughing now. I was fortunate to take a class last summer with Alan Lacer and really learned how to use the skew. I spent 45 minutes re-grinding my 1.5 inch skew to the curved grind that Alan uses and what a big difference. I still get a catch every once in awhile, but not like in the past.

[Billy Tallant]

I think the biggest thing here, is just feel comfortable with your method of turning. This month makes my 1st year of turning. I've only been turning pens. So I don't know anything about what it would take to turn a bowl or a HF. Used to be when I first started, I would just take a gouge & turn blank down to size. Then sand away... Now I like to rough it out & then grab my skew & put finishing touches on it. I have not read anything about using the skew. Use to be I would try it & think this is an impossible tool to use. Finally I decided to start getting serious about using it. As Bernie said, "Practice, practice, practice, & more practice". Now I really enjoy using the skew.

Biggest thing I've learned is to use what you have & learn as you go along. I don't have a nice slow 8" grinder to sharpen my tools on. I don't even use HSS tools. Cheaper set of tools but they work for me. So I use a belt sander to do all of my sharpening with. I wear my belts out quicker, but it works... 100 pens later, I'm happy with my results...