I Think I Have Forgotten How To Turn

[Dick Wilson]

:mad::mad::mad: A friend gave me a chunk of Red Cedar for a HF I am supposed to turn for a donation. Unbelievable!!!! It has knots and bark enclusions. I CA glued the knots plus other areas to keep them in place. As it turns out, I have shapened every dang gouge I own trying to turn the OUTSIDE. I have a ways to go. I put a scary sharp edge on a gouge and go two inches on a pass and can feel the gouge turn into a butter knife:mad::mad::mad:. Gouges, scrapers, skews.......doesn't make any difference. The only tool I haven't tryed is my roughing gouge....for good reason. What have I forgotten how to do:confused::confused::confused::confused:.

[John Keeton]

Dick, as soft as cedar is, there isn't much that is more hard than a pitch filled cedar knot! I recall that experience from flatwork days. It will even nick a planer blade - quickly!

I know you are stuck with this task, but the trash can would be a better answer! If you switched for a decent piece of cedar would it matter??

[David E Keller]

What have I forgotten how to do:confused::confused::confused::confused:.

You've forgotten how to say, 'NO'! As in, 'No, I will not turn that chunk of knots for the auction in question'. I'd call and see if you can spin a chunk of something friendlier!

[curtis rosche]

make your own bedan tool out of a 15% or higher cobalt cutter. should slice through it pretty good. or order a couple easy rougher cutters?

[Bob Hamilton]

Eastern red cedar frequently has a fairly high silica content that is hard on cutting edges. http://www.thewoodexplorer.com/maindata/we675.html

If that is the case it will probably be just as bad hollowing the inside.

Good Luck!
Bob

[Dick Wilson]

Eastern red cedar frequently has a fairly high silica content that is hard on cutting edges. http://www.thewoodexplorer.com/maindata/we675.html

If that is the case it will probably be just as bad hollowing the inside.

Good Luck!
Bob
Bob, don't think I haven't thought about that ordeal. :(

[Michelle Rich]

you haven't forgotten..you just have a horrible piece of wood. Relax.

[Chris Colman]

For roughing those blanks which seem to have so many inclusions or the grain is turned all the wrong way to use a gouge, I end up using my boring bar with a 1/4 inch bit to rough and balance it. It will bite and cut when the gouge just wants to bounce off!

You still have to sharpen the tip fairly often, but that is easier for me than sharpening my gouge every couple of inches.

[Nate Davey]

If you have forgotten everything, now is the time to relearn without all the bad habits :D.