Fight to the End

[Alex Cam]

Between work, vacation, and life it's been a few weeks since I've roughed out any bowls, so I was pretty excited to get a couple of hours last night on the ol' lathe. I selected a piece of red maple that had some incredible curl to it and set my jaw for a good time. Boy was I wrong! It fought me the entire way. From roughing on, nothing went easy. I couldn't get a clean, smooth pass to save my life, and wrestling it to the form that I wanted was an uphill battle.

Problems:
Small shavings instead of long curls
Gouge kept "running" away from me
While hollowing, the gouge kept dancing back and forth at the bottom

Any advice from the pro's? I'm a rank amateur, so I don't know -- maybe that's just the way it is sometimes. I sharpened, change speeds, changed angles, stepped away. Nothing. I suppose I could have just lost my feel after a few weeks off, but who knows.

It's my first NE and it' soaking in DNA now, though, so I can at least celebrate a small victory.;)

[George Guadiane]

Between work, vacation, and life it's been a few weeks since I've roughed out any bowls, I sharpened, change speeds, changed angles, stepped away. Nothing. I suppose I could have just lost my feel after a few weeks off, but who knows.

It's my first NE and it' soaking in DNA now, though, so I can at least celebrate a small victory.;)
Try putting a spindle blank on the lathe and practice your cuts on that. My guess is that you just "lost your touch." I did that, not long ago with my fingernail grind gouge... Couldn't get it to do ANYTHING right... Even met with another turner to get my mojo back. That seemed to get me over the hump. I was addressing the work incorrectly and couldn't step back far enough to see what I needed to change.
Good luck and keep working, it will come back.

[Don Orr]

Alex, I can agree with George that practice is important. Also, since this is Natural Edge work, they are very "bumpy" until you get down into solid wood. Contacting the wood in the correct orientation is also important. If you are using a normal bowl gouge, start with the tool securely on the tool rest and the flute facing 3 o'clock and lightly touch the wood to make a small groove. Then rotate the tool a few degrees counterclockwise, flute facing about 2 o'clock, to expose more cutting edge. Only rotate the tool about 5-10 degrees-too much and a catch will occur. Keep the bevel rubbing all the way through the cut. Try and slow down the cut as you approach the bottom of the bowl and it should help recduce the bouncing around. Use the waste wood removal to practice this movement. Go through each step every time you approach the work piece. I often tell people to make a bunch of mini bowls by starting near the center of the blank and going through the series of actions. Then move a LITTLE farther out toward the rim and do it again, and again, and again. By the time you get to the rim, you have learned the movements and practiced a lot. No substitute for practice-just like music, sports, anything. Also try to find a turning club near you if have not already done so. Watching someone else do it can be a real eye-opener.

The other key element is sharp tools-you said you sharpened but did you do it effectively. Sharpening is an entirely different skill-set but is critical to success. Again some hands-on help may make a huge difference.

Good luck and have fun,

[Harvey M. Taylor]

Hey Don, were you talking to me too? sure seemed like it. Thanks a bunch. Will have to practice this practice, practice thing a time or two. Max

[Rich Stewart]

I started having some problems like you have described and then realized I had been turning too slow. You don't mention what speed you were at but is it possible you were turning too slow? I have always heard to turn as fast as is safe. Turn fast, sand slow.

[Mike Vickery]

A while ago I could not get my big bowl gouge to work to save my life. I switched to a different gouge and the shaving were flying off. I ended up checking the angle on my main gouge that was not working and it was up around 60 degrees. I know that may work for many but the way I cut it seems to work best between 50 and 55. Changed the angle and I was back in business.

A trick I sometimes use when I am having trouble is I lay the gouge against the wood and rotate the piece by hand. Move it around until it is cutting good and then I have a reference point for my tool presentation.

[Alex Cam]

Hey this is all great information. I appreciate everyone's willingness to "share the wealth".

I'd say I was spinning the blank at around 500rpm. I have a suspicion that a lot of my problems had to do with tool presentation as it would either make sawdust or peel off a deep cut that was almost spiraled down the bowl.

I guess, all things considered, I'd rather be strong-arming at the lathe than having a good day at work!