Newbie Needs advise

[Larry Feltner]

I've only turned a couple of things ever. So very low experience here. I'm in the process of making a sugar chest for a charity auction at my church. I'm beginning to wonder if it will be worth buying once I'm finished with it. Lets just say its been one of those days, haha. Anyway, the legs on the chest are turned legs. It's a pretty simple design. I made 5 legs so I would have one to practice on. I was reasonably happy with most of what I turned on the practice leg except for the shoulders. Where the leg transitions from square to round, I had trouble keeping the gouge in the same place to create a nice uniform shoulder. The gouge bounced around and I had wood removed from the part that I wanted to keep square. In other words, when I reached the point where I wanted to stop my cut with the gouge, it would bounce a little and continue further up the leg than I wanted. So what technique is used to create that sloped shoulder on legs where they transition from square to round. I don't want to make the same mistake when I start working on the ones that count.

[Bill Bulloch]

I use a Roughing Gouge, it is heavier than a spindle gouge and easier to control. The higher speed your lathe is running the easier the cut.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Larry - you don't list your location - but I would suggest getting with your local turning club and have someone show you the proper way to make the cut. Then you can practice on some pine or something scrap until you are ready for the real thing.

Good luck! Be sure to post some photos when you are finished!

[David E Keller]

Couple of thoughts in addition to the above:

1. Always cut downhill relative to the grain... In this case, you'd be cutting from square to round to create the pommel.
2. If you're using a spindle gouge, start the gouge on it's side(flute 90 degrees away from the ceiling) with the flute faced in the direction of the cut... This will allow you to get the cut started and bevel rubbing before opening the gouge up.
3. You can never go wrong with 'light cuts and sharp tools'... That fits pretty much every situation.
4. Some photos of your intended form may yield more specific suggestions

Best of luck!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Larry - I just remembered this video that may help answer some of your questions regarding a pummel cut. Hope it helps!

http://www.turningtools.co.uk/videos/videos.html#pummel

[Roger Chandler]

To cut a pummel on a leg [the transition from square to round] you need to use the skew chisel......it needs to be really sharp, and you have your tool rest up from the center of your spindle blank to about 3/4 the way to the top. You use the long point of the skew chisel, and you make a plunge cut.....pressing in lightly and raising the handle as you go.

To deepen the cut to the desired amount, you will need to go back to the edge of the cut and start your "V" cut trimming the sides of your plunge cut ever so slightly as you go........then back to your plunge cut till you get the desired depth of the cut.

Then just roll your skew away from the squared top and begin the transition to the round part of the leg......usually that starts with a parting cut for a shoulder and then a cove, another parting cut for a shoulder on the other side of the cove.......sometimes you can place a bead next to the cove and shoulder and proceed with whatever leg design you wish.

You got good info from Steve above..........it is better seeing it done so you understand the technique.

[Larry Feltner]

Thanks guys. Very helpful, especially the video. I'll get out my practice leg tonight and do a little experimenting with the skew and see how it goes.

[Dennis Ford]

Several different opinions have been offered on which tool to use, none of them are wrong. It is more technique than tool choice. The video should help, a mentor would be better. I like to use a spindle gouge for this cut but could not write a description on how to do it (a least not one that would be easy to understand).

[Larry Feltner]

No doubt about it that technique is critical. I took a beginning turning class. It helped but not with this particular question. I tried the skew tonight. I could make a clean straight cut, but had a lot of trouble turning it into a V. I have a V parting tool. I tried it and it did a perfect job. These legs are only 1 7/8" square. The V parting tool cut the shoulder perfectly and it was pretty easy to control. I think when I do the real legs, that's the approach I will use.