New bowl, still fighting it

[Jeff Horton]

I am not sure what kind of wood this is but it is giving me fits! Turns easy and appears sort of soft but I just can not get a smooth finish with the gouge no matter what I do. Yes I get nice long curlies off the gouge but I just can't get a really smooth cut. Always reminds me a old LP inside it with the little grooves.

I recut the inside 4 or 5 times and finally gave up and just sanded it the best I could. You can clearly see the grooves inside this on. I think this is where power sanding would really make a difference. Got to break down and buy something to sand with.

I just put a coat of tung oil on it. I love the shape and defects in the wood. Just wish I could figure out what is going on. I have several pieces of this stuff and I tempted to burn it! :(

[Bernie Weishapl]

I had the same problem Jeff and hope I have solved it. The biggest thing I have found is to take light cuts. I found that towards the last when the bowl is almost finished to keep taking heavy cuts just makes it worse. Also I had a e-mail from Mike Mahoney and he told me to get a standard bowl gouge with the traditional straight across cut. He said the get a 1/2" and 3/8". He said leave these gouges as they are and don't put fingernail grinds on them. He told me these straight grind gouges are easier to follow the form and contour of the bowl and if you take light cuts it will leave a smooth finish. I just bought the 3/8" and 1/2" P & N gouges. I had a walnut bowl I just could get right. I rechucked it and tried these gouges. All I can say is they worked for me. Mike said he uses three different gouges when turning bowls. He also told me to sand the tear out using power sanding with the lathe off and then sand with the lathe on. So I got a 3" and 2" velcro sanding discs that fit my electric drill. I sand a bowl while it was stopped with 80 grit and then turned the lathe on and finished sanding and that trick seemed to work to. I am relatively new at turning and these are just some of the things I have found. You will probably get better answer from others. Hope it helps.

[Reed Gray]

Sometimes I can identify the wood by the smell. What you have looks like elm to me. If it smelled sour, or like cat spray, it could be elm. Leaves and bark can confirm. I went to look at a 'walnut' tree last week, and knew that the color wasn't right, took a smell (yuck!) and saw some leaves just starting to bud out, and it was an elm. When dry, it smells nice, kind of like river bottoms areas.
robo hippy

[Barry Stratton]

That is some beautiful wood with a real nice shape. I'm sure I'm showing my "rookieness" but wouldn't a sharp scraper with light passes take care of those grooves left from the gouge? My new 1" round nose scraper has completely changed the inside of my bowls - for the better even....

[Tom Hintz]

Jeff,
I feel your pain!
That might be ambrosia maple which is a real pain to get fuzz free, particularly in two spots where the grain enters/exits the bowl.
I recently started using the Oneway Termite tool for finish cuts and it has reduced sanding on this wood (and other "sensitive" species) a bunch. Also, very sharp tools and light cuts helps, as mentioned earlier. I routinely freshen the edge on the tool being used for the final cuts, go light and make sure I have the brain fully engaged......
Of course, the best solution is practice followed by lots more practice. It is a long-time commitment, but a fun one. I'd like to write more but I am falling behind on my practice schedule!

[John Hart]

I'm with Bernie...Light cuts. And move in long sweeping motions. I would use a round-nose scraper at this point....'course, then again, I would use a round-nose scraper for the whole thing!:o
It's a great looking bowl Jeff, whatever it is. A lot going on in that piece of wood. Definitely worth the trouble.:)

[Mark Cothren]

Lookin' good, Jeff. I don't know if someone has already suggested, but you might look into a bowl scraper as well. I nearly always use either a round-nose scraper or a bowl scraper on the inside for my final cuts. Of course that's right before I set in with the power sanding...:D

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Jeff I like it, Yje natural holes give it a real unique appearence. I'm with John on the scraper. I'm learning to swear by them. Keep up the good work.;)

[Jeff Horton]

I am leaning towards the scraper too. Thats one tool I don't have.... well not a good one. I have a cheap one I picked up 10 years ago but it has an awful tendency to catch on the sides. I use it on the bottom only to to where it transitions into the sides. It's shape leaves a lot to be desired too.

I spent over an hour last night looking for a photo example of shear scraping with the bowl gouge. You would be amazed at how hard that was to find! Everyone talks about it but no how shows how it is done. Finally several pages into the Google search I found Bills G. photo of shear scraping. On SMC no less. :rolleyes:

Oh well. Not beaten, just bruised! ;)

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Jeff, care to share the location of said pic :D

[Jeff Horton]

Jeff, care to share the location of said pic :D

Glad to know I am not the only one that didn't know how to do this! :)

Bills shear scraping (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=7413&highlight=shear+scrape)