Bed in the way

[Lawrence Tarnoff]

Newbie question: I have a Rikon lathe with a 10" swing and I'm turning an 8" bowl. I'm uncomfortable presenting the gouge to the bowl as I'm hollowing as the end of the handle wants to hang up on the ways. My tool rest is about 3/4" below the centerline and I'm finding it difficult to put the bevel to the bowl. Obviously, I'm doing something wrong. Short of buying a lathe with a 16" swing :), any suggestions?

TIA

Larry

[robert baccus]

Piece of cake--hang on to your lathe for a few more weeks at least. Put your gouge? handle in your belly and cut toward the middle and the bevel will be happy. Before I made a hollowing tool I would sit on the ways and turn in reverse--like a cowboy yeah. Take all precautions.

[Dennis Ford]

You may need a different angle to the grind. You do need to roll the gouge over to the right, this will allow the bevel to make contact behind the cut instead of under the cut.

[Thomas Canfield]

I just bought a Nova Comet II 12" lathe to compliment my Powermatic 3520B and am remembering some of the problems of the smaller diameter lathes (Jet 1014) that I had in the past. I even removed the handle from a 1/4" bowl gouge to be able to clear the bed and a tool stand behind the lathe. I usually will have the tool rest almost at center and the gouge level and at right angle making the entry cut on some bowls with steeper sides. My local turning club, Hill Country Turners in Kerrville, has a Oneway 1236 and a plexiglass shield that limits a level gouge at right angle to the work. Dennis is also right that you might need to have a second gouge with a different angle for some of the work, usually the botom on deeper or steeper bowls.

[robert baccus]

Roger that--many years ago I found? a 1/2" u flute deep bowl gouge reground to 75 deg was a natural bottom feeder. Used mostly for the curve and bottom of bowls but makes good finish cuts just about anywhere.

[John Spitters]

Well first off if the top of your toolrest is 3/4" below center then right off you have it too low unless you are turning with a 1 1/2" gouge. this alone ( with the rest being too low) will cause you to hold the end of the handle low so that you are able to cut at the center line, thus hitting the bed of your lathe.
Most all of your cuts should be done cutting at or slightly above center, if you watch a proficient turner hollow out a bowl you will see that the cutting end of their gouge travels in a bit of an upward arc from the start of the cut but as the tool closes in on the center of the bowl the handle will be raised and the cutting tip will move closer in to center. Like wise the cut will initially start with the flute of the gouge in a more closed possition and as the tool moves towards center the flute of the gouge is rolled slightly so that it is presented a bit more in the open possition.
For starters if you are using a 5/8" or 1/2" gouge then place your rest apx. 1/2 the gouges diameter below center, this will allow you to finish your cut at center with the tool handle at a level possition but will also safely and efficiently allow you to cut slightly above center.
If you are a beginner turner then it is highly advised that you seek the help of an experienced turner to show you the proper way(s) What may take you months if not years of struggling on your own can often be achieved with only a few hands on lessons.

John

[Lawrence Tarnoff]

Thank you, turners, for your good counsel. I'm starting to get a feel for how to present the gouge to the wood and I've taken advantage of the experience of a couple of turners for some hands on instruction. I've been using a half-inch bowl gouge with swept back wings and I've been playing with a Hunter 5 carbide gouge. I turned the outside of this bowl with the Hunter and with your advice have now successfully hollowed. I only managed to kick it off the lathe three times due to catches:(, but I think I know what I did wrong each time. Boy, that happens fast.

Larry

[Jeff Gilfor]

+1 to what John said. Inside bowls, tool should approach wood from above center. Below center on outside. Good article by Lyle Jamieson in one of the AAW Journals from 2005 I think (google "fear factor and woodturning").

Also, I learned that my gouge hollows much better with the flute angle much more upwards that I would be comfortable angling it on a standard bevel rubbing approach. Just make sure that the tool is overall angled downward slightly, and let the tool do the work. Hold,onto that handle too.

[Reed Gray]

Lawrence,
You have discovered part of why the outside of a bowl is easier to turn than the inside of a bowl. You need to slightly change your technique to finish the inside of the bowl. Mostly, I hold my tools more level rather than the dropped handle, and rotate them more over on their sides. Otherwise, the bed of the lathe, your tool rest, and the rim of the bowl can get in the way. Here is a short clip on me turning a bowl with gouges. Pictures work better than explanations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0qkpDBcgfg

robo hippy