Skews and Bowls

[Prashun Patel]

Does anyone use an oval or skew chisel when turning bowls? I asked this question at a turners meeting in NJ last fall, and the resounding answer was "Yes, stupid people".

However, I will say that I've had good luck using mine on the outsides of bowls. For me, the long edge does a good job of evening out bumps and leaving a smooth finish.

Is there a better tool than this? I've tried scrapers and gouges. Does there exist a safer alternative than my skew? Even though I roundover the corners, I'm still nervous using it...

[Scott Hackler]

I will use my skew as a scraper to clean up tool marks and for smoothing the curve a bit. But, of course, only on the outside of a regular shaped bowl. I don't use my skew as a skew. My skew and I have a terrible relationship. :)

Unless your either turning smaller bowls or using a very large skew, I would hesitate "skewing" a bowl from scratch. To me, it would be very hard to maintain the correct cutting line throughout the curve. Plus that duty is why we have gouges!

[Roger Chandler]

Prashun,

You are a braver man than I! :eek: I think the advice you got from your turners meeting in NJ is valid..;).........

I'm thinking that a shear scrape with a freshly sharpened bowl gouge will do the same thing with not near as much danger........I'm just sayin' and want all us turners to stay safe! :)

[David E Keller]

If you're using it as a scraper on the exterior surface, I think you're fine. If you're riding the bevel, you've got some serious skew skills! I generally use a long grind bowl gouge for the type of blending and smoothing you describe.

[Robert McGowen]

I don't normally use a skew on a bowl or vase. I use a round nose scraper that I have extended the bevel on around to the side. Fresh off of the grinder and held at a 45 degree angle, it will take little whispy cuts with no problem at all and it is really hard to get a catch.

I even up any bumps, ridges, etc. with the scraper, a pencil, and a sanding pad (originally used to sand drywall) that holds a half sheet of sandpaper. When it LOOKS smooth, turn the speed down to about 200 rpm and run the pencil up and down the outside. Bump the speed up to 500 rpm and run the sanding pad evenly across the surface for a few seconds. Any place that has the pencil marks sanded away is a high spot and I hit it with the scraper and then run the pencil around it again. After a couple of tries, you should be able to sand of ALL of the pencil marks off just running the sanding pad across it for a few seconds. Just the way I do it, but YMMV.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

What's a skew?

You have my admiration! I can't use a skew to save my life.

[Chris Burgess]

What's a skew?

You have my admiration! I can't use a skew to save my life.

A Skew is what you use to make shish-kabobs or firewood.

[Jamie Donaldson]

Any tool is safer than a skew, but then a skew is also a negative rake scraper!

[mickey cassiba]

I'm retarded...the skew is the only tool that I can reliably use. I just bought a bowl gouge, and I cannot figger it out.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Al Stirt did a demo on balancing the grain at the national symposium. When he wanted to clean up the outside of the bowl, he first sprayed it with water, then he put a fresh burr on his scraper with a diamond hone. With the scraper tilted both on it side at 45 degrees and the handle raised slightly he kissed the scraper to the ridges left by the gouge. He like water better than other means, cheap and environmentally green. He sure made a lot of techniques look easy. Amazing turner.

[Jim Burr]

Skews really excel at spindle work...pens and the like. Using a scraper would be a safer idea but remember...handle up!! Move the tool rest closer and get the handle up! The burr is on top of the tool and that's your cutting surface. It's backward from a gouge, but that's the proper way to use it. I use a skew several days a week and you couldn't pay me enough to use it on a bowl, unless it's flat and used as a scraper as Scott mentioned.

[Prashun Patel]

Don't get me wrong; I use gouges to cut. I'm just talking about using a skew like a final scraper - in lieu of sandpaper. The 'cut' is extremely light, with the rpms way down. It's that long flat edge that I like. It acts like a plane. Does there exist such a scraper?

[Scott J Taylor]

Skews can either make your work look great or alternatively, gouge and destroy that lovely piece of burl you were nearly finished with! I generally look at my skew from the corner of my eye and spit.

However, I generally use the gouge for 'gross' shaping and a round scraper to finish. With the scraper, the more 'horizontal' the more cut you are going to take. Angle the scraper more to 45 deg's and you will get a much finer finish.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I use my skew at times as a negative rake scraper just on the outside. I have seen a lot of demo's and have seen the pro's using them. Since I got the Ci0 and Ci1 haven't needed to use it.

[Steve Kubien]

If you are doing end-grain bowls, sure, use a skew. After all, it's just a spindle at that point, right? I am not saying I would do it because I quite like my bowl gouges but there is no good reason not to use a skew if you know how to.

[Scott Hackler]

Don't get me wrong; I use gouges to cut. I'm just talking about using a skew like a final scraper - in lieu of sandpaper. The 'cut' is extremely light, with the rpms way down. It's that long flat edge that I like. It acts like a plane. Does there exist such a scraper?

You don't know how relieved I am to hear this! :)

[Michelle Rich]

interesting discussion.. i use skews as scrapers all the time on any shape..and I've hollowed a bowl with one just to say I could...One can also cut in a slot on spindles with one...skews are very useful tools...

[Jerry Rhoads]

The SKEW is a great negative rake scraper. Use on outside of bowls at an angle, use on straight wing bowls laying flat (I use a regular grind, flat skew for this). It works great.
Also my Alan Laser 1-1/2" negative rake scraper (he sells it as a skew) works great on bottom of bowls and part way up the sides, if I feal like I need to scrape. Flat across bottom then change angle as I come up the sides, but I almost always just use the gouge in hand for the insides.

Jerry

[Prashun Patel]

Reading between the not so subtle lines here: I think I just need a better gouge... Is there a preferred grind that's optimal for blending and smoothing? I dislike using the coarser sandpaper more than I need to.

[Jamie Donaldson]

Prashun- I have been kidded that I use my Oneway M4 bowl gouges for only about 90% of my turning, so when do I use the Sorby M2, 2030, M42, A11, and others in my collection? My favored grind is about half an Ellsworth and half a Jordan, 60 degree bevel like Ellsworth but flatter and shorter wings like Jordan. Learn to use that "instrument" well and sanding starts at 220!

[Prashun Patel]

Here's another question (possible thread hijack alert): What grit are the wheels that you sharpen with? I'm using a Norton 80x, but have been hearing a lot about CBN's. People seem to sharpen at 180. Could THAT be my problem? The gouge just isn't sharp enough?

[Scott Hackler]

Prashun,

I only really use the 120 white aluminum oxide wheel that came on the slow speed grinder and then I hone a micro bevel using a 600 grit diamond stone. I like my edges to be as sharp or sharper than a new box cutter blade. Now I am very close to ordering the 180 CBN wheel, because the edge off this MAY eliminate the need I feel to hone after the grinder.

[Jamie Donaldson]

I use a Norton 120 SG wheel on a slow speed grinder, and only hone more precision cutting tools like detail and spindle gouges with a 600 diamond hone. I am a fanatic about sharp tools, but specific applications dictate requirements, or sharpening just becomes another hobby!

[Roger Chandler]

Here's another question (possible thread hijack alert): What grit are the wheels that you sharpen with? I'm using a Norton 80x, but have been hearing a lot about CBN's. People seem to sharpen at 180. Could THAT be my problem? The gouge just isn't sharp enough?

Prashun.........I am one of the ones that just got a CBN wheel...........I did use a 120 grit Norton 3x wheel..........the edge coming off the CBN wheel is superior...........several of us have called it "scary sharp" ........I am not trying to sell you on getting one....they are expensive........but if I had to make the decision again.......well I would jump on getting the CBN with both feet again............I like no dust when grinding, almost no sparks and the wheel should last a lifetime......saving money in the long haul. Just my $0.02!

[David E Keller]

I think you should be fine with that Norton wheel. There may be better wheels, but I don't think they'd be considered a necessity. If the tools is fresh from the grinder, you should be able to get a really nice cut in most woods with that tool. I'd guess that your trouble may be technique rather than tool driven.

Another tools that's great for finishing cuts on the outside of the bowl... Detail gouge. I use my 3/8 detail gouge for lots of finishing cuts, and I think the final surface is superior to what I often get from a bowl gouge. My impression has been that a smaller tool with a sharp edge gives me a better result... YMMV.

[Jim Burr]

I use a Grizzly sharpening system that is stupid sharp...in other words...don't get stupid cuz it's that sharp! It's the difference between 180 and 600 grit. I still won't use my skew on a bowl.