Turning - tearout question

[Tom Sweeney]

Hey everyone,
I got my lathe back together from an incident a few days ago.
I turned my 1st 2 pieces from "green wood" over the weekend
The first I'm pretty sure was Oak & I think the second was some kind of willow tree. I got pretty serious tearout on both pieces, especially the end grain.
They were both pretty open grained woods.

So is tearout more of a problem with green wood than already dry wood or is it just my same old problem of tools not being sharp enough?
No I haven't bought a wolverine jig yet - but I am getting better at freehand sharpening - I actually was able to get some nice fluffy shavings flying off at one point- but there was still tearout right after that.

Any thoughts??

[Jim Becker]

Your tools need to be sharp, sharp, sharp, sharp...did I happen to mention, "sharp"? How you present them to the wood also will affect the tear-out quotient. Practice rubbing the bevel of your gouges on some scrap blanks to get a feel of when you go from rubbing to cutting. Controling the tool is the key as even a very sharp edge with catch if it is attacking the wood, rather than cutting it.

It's also a good idea to have an experience turner watch you do this exercise at first as they will see things you will not. Your friendly local AAW chapter is a great place to get that help...and Bill Sarver, who teaches turning at the Woodcraft in Downingtown, also does a nice job with basics as well as advanced techniques.

[Tom Sweeney]

my tools have to be sharp - right :rolleyes:

Thanks Jim - I figured that was it - but at the point where I was getting real nice shavings flying off - I turned off the lathe to check & sure enought there was still tearout - though not as bad.

I'm going to ask LOML for a class at woodcraft for my B'day next month - I'll check the schedule & see if Bill has any turning classes. You had mentioned him before & I didn't forget - just haven't gotten roundtoit.

I blew my tool budget for the next month or 3 on an engine hoist & a few other odds & ends so I'm going to try to make one of the shop built grinding jigs that are basically a knock off of the Wolverine system. I might try to sneak in the woodcraft(?) slow speed grinder to upgrade the old junky one I have now - but that might be pushing my luck :eek: .

[Eric Apple - Central IN]

Also be sure to cut the right direction, smaller to bigger on the outside of face work, and bigger to smaller inside face work (usually). Spindle work is usually cut best bigger to smaller.