Bowl turning Q's.

[Joe Tonich]

Seems no matter what I try, I cannot get away from tear-out. :( (See Bowl 002 - 2 ) I've tried gouges, scrapers, & 80grit. On this bowl I'm trying Velvit Oil to try to stiffen the fibers enough to hopefully scrape a clean sidewall. How do you sand the inside? By hand or by one of those bowl sanders? If the bowl sander, what kind & are they worth it? Any tips would be appreciated. One of these days I'm gonna be able to take some lessons ( I hope! ). This bowl is for my 70+yr. old Aunt for her birthday this month. Like contrasting woods, I sorta like the round/square combo also. Something you really don't see very often. Any help, advice, critique is most welcome.

Thanks,

Joe

[Chris Padilla]

Let that velvit oil dry for at least 24 hours in the warm house...preferably 48 if you can afford it. Nice to see someone else using vo on the Creek!

I recently had a boo-boo with my vo (left some on for too long) and had to sand it down but it gummed up my sandpaper pretty good so it wasn't totally cured. I'm not sure how it'll react to a metal edge but do let it cure well.

I like the square edges...very interesting but I must confess that I immediately thought of a dog dish! A friend of mine has Great Danes and all their dog dishes are raised up on a metal stand and they have flanges EXACTLY like your dish. :)

[Richard Allen]

Hi Joe

You have picked a tough design. Making such a sharp corner from the sidewall to the bottom is difficult to get a clean cut.

A gradual curve will be easier to control and to my astetic a more atractive shape.

Good Luck

[Steven Wilson]

I like to take a very light cut with a well sharpened shear scraper. By well sharpened I mean taking it from the Tormek and then hone it on some Shapton Stones. If it really wants to tear out then CA glue can be used to stiffen up the fibers so you can shear them off. Finally, I like to apply a coat of thin shellac, let it dry for an hour, and then finish the bowl.

[Wolf Kiessling]

Seems no matter what I try, I cannot get away from tear-out. :( (See Bowl 002 - 2 ) I've tried gouges, scrapers, & 80grit. On this bowl I'm trying Velvit Oil to try to stiffen the fibers enough to hopefully scrape a clean sidewall.

************************************************** **

As Steve mentioned, make sure that your tools are good and sharp and take light shearing cuts. If you're having a tear out problem, and you determine it is not caused by tool handling (even if it is), you're on the right track using the oil to stiffen the fibers. That may, or may not, work. I, personally, use that method myself with either danish oil or velvit oil (I use both). If that doesn't do the job, like Steve, I have used thin CA glue to stiffen the fibers. That, however, can get expensive (IMO anyhow). You can also try one of several brands of wood petrifiers/hardeners that are available. I forgot the brand that I use, I get it at ACE hardward, but it works pretty good and doesn't cost nearly as much as CA glue.

************************************************** ***
How do you sand the inside? By hand or by one of those bowl sanders? If the bowl sander, what kind & are they worth it? Any tips would be appreciated.

************************************************** ***

I sand the inside by hand, cordless drill using the 2" velcro discs (with or without an extension mandrel), or the Sorby angle sander. What particular method for each bowl is determined by the size of the opening and the depth of the bowl. I like using my hand but have sustained a lot of bruised/cut knuckles (especially on natural edge bowls) and had my wrist wrenched a few times. I use the cordless drill whenever I can but sometimes need to use the Sorby with the adjustable sanding head, particularly when I have an undercut rim. It works okay but is a PITA to use. There is also the Sioux sander which I understand works quite well but I can't comment on that because I don't have one.

************************************************** ***

One of these days I'm gonna be able to take some lessons ( I hope! ).

************************************************** ***

I, also, am thinking about taking some lessons. I am such a lousy tool handler. I have the Irish grind on my bowl gauge but I just can't leave my 1" Glaser scraper alone. I have a whole passel of different shaped scrapers for different applications. They are just cheap carbon steel tools that I reground to fit my particular needs.

************************************************** ***

This bowl is for my 70+yr. old Aunt for her birthday this month. Like contrasting woods, I sorta like the round/square combo also. Something you really don't see very often. Any help, advice, critique is most welcome.

Thanks,

Joe

************************************************** ***

I find the bowls with the square flanges interesting. I like the combination of round with something else but personally prefer irregular edges instead of the square look. I will also add my 2 cents to Rich's post about the very sharp transition that you made between the bottom of the bowl and the side wall. I actually like that a lot, have attempted it myself from time to time, but don't do it often because, again IMHO, it is difficult to do (for me at least). This is done a lot, I believe, by people who turn boxes.

[Joe Tonich]

Thanks for the suggestions. I lightly shear scraped with my Sorby multi-tool scraper after the Velvit Oil treatment and it went MUCH better! The small dia. of the round tip makes the tight transition from side to bottom much easier.

Thanks again,

Joe

[jim barter]

Joe / I have found that if you get tear out put a little tung oil on the tear out ,wait about 5 minuites.Then take 80 grit sandpaper(open coat garnet paper) and run the lathe in reverse.The tear out will vanish.The oil makes the fibers stand out and going in reverse allows the sandpaper to cut off the fibers.By the way only put the tung oil on the end grain as this is where the tear out will be located.

[Steve Inniss]

Joe,

I think Wolf partly answered you on sanding discs. I would add that it's WELL worth it, something like 20 or 30 bucks including quite a few discs. I use 3" velcro discs(2" on small pieces). It reduces sanding time by @ 80%. It'll go through that end grain tearout in that wood very quickly.

Unless you spend most of your time sharpening, and adding some sort of supplement to the wood, it's just not dense enough to avoid the endgrain effect you're getting. I don't worry about it, and just sand it away. It's important to run the Lathe at 1/2 the speed of your drill rpm.

That looks like red pine? -Steve

[Joe Tonich]

Joe / I have found that if you get tear out put a little tung oil on the tear out ,wait about 5 minuites.Then take 80 grit sandpaper(open coat garnet paper) and run the lathe in reverse.The tear out will vanish.The oil makes the fibers stand out and going in reverse allows the sandpaper to cut off the fibers.By the way only put the tung oil on the end grain as this is where the tear out will be located.

Jim,

My lathe is a JET 1236 that doesn't spin backwards. :( I don't think there's any way to get it to do that.

Thanks,

Joe

[Joe Tonich]

Joe,

I think Wolf partly answered you on sanding discs. I would add that it's WELL worth it, something like 20 or 30 bucks including quite a few discs. I use 3" velcro discs(2" on small pieces). It reduces sanding time by @ 80%. It'll go through that end grain tearout in that wood very quickly.

Unless you spend most of your time sharpening, and adding some sort of supplement to the wood, it's just not dense enough to avoid the endgrain effect you're getting. I don't worry about it, and just sand it away. It's important to run the Lathe at 1/2 the speed of your drill rpm.

That looks like red pine? -Steve

Steve,

Thanks. I'm gonna get the disks. It's gotta help. :D The bowl is curly maple.

Joe

[jim barter]

Jim,

My lathe is a JET 1236 that doesn't spin backwards. :( I don't think there's any way to get it to do that.

Thanks,

Joe
Joe / Any single phase motor can be reversed by interchanging the start winding only.If you purchase a reversing drum switch( Approx 40 dollars in Canadian money) this can be easily accomplished. There is a wiring diagram on the inside cover .Takes about ten minuites to do the wiring. I have also used the sanding velcro disc's and they work great. In fact I use them for all bowl sanding work.I have the 2 and 3 inch sizes. I use them in a variable speed electric drill.I have found that if the drill turns faster than the lathe you get a much better sanding job.I use between the 1 o'clock position and the 3 o'clock when sanding on the inside of the bowl and the 3 to 5 o'clock on the exterior .Good luck turning

[Joe Tonich]

Joe / Any single phase motor can be reversed by interchanging the start winding only.If you purchase a reversing drum switch( Approx 40 dollars in Canadian money) this can be easily accomplished. There is a wiring diagram on the inside cover .Takes about ten minuites to do the wiring. I have also used the sanding velcro disc's and they work great. In fact I use them for all bowl sanding work.I have the 2 and 3 inch sizes. I use them in a variable speed electric drill.I have found that if the drill turns faster than the lathe you get a much better sanding job.I use between the 1 o'clock position and the 3 o'clock when sanding on the inside of the bowl and the 3 to 5 o'clock on the exterior .Good luck turning

Jim,

Thanks for the help! Is this what your talking about?

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/productdetail.jsp?xi=xi&ItemId=1611674544

If so, I think it's the right specs. for the motor on my lathe? :confused: :( :confused:

Joe

[jim barter]

Hi Joe / I have not been on the site for a few days and just got your question.Normally on all nema wiried motors for North America The start winding is #5 and #8. You will see the numbers when you open the junction box on the motor.
1st you will require a 5 conductor cable to be run from the drum switch to the motor.The existing wire from the receptacle to the present switch will now be removed from the exisiting switch and installed into the drum switch,confused yet? Good,
2nd tie the black wire from the receptacle onto terminal #2 and the white wire to terminal#6 in the drum switch
3rd Tie the green conductor from the 5 wire cable and the cable from the receptacle to the ground screw on the cabinet of the drum switch.
4th tie the #5 wire in the motor to one of the wires in the 5 conductor cable
5th tie the #8 wire in the motor to one of the wires in the 5 conductor cable
6th tie #1 and 3 in the motor to one of the wires in the 5 conductor cable
7th tie #2 and 4 in the motor to one of the wires in the 5 conductor cable
8th put the cover back on the motor you are finished here
9th all work now will be in the drum switch
Tie the wire that is #5 from the motor to terminal #5 in the drum switch
Tie the wire that is #8 from the motor to terminal #2 in the drum switch
Tie the wire that is #1/3 from the motor to terminal #1 of the switch
Tie the wire that is #2/4 from the motor to terminal #4 of the switch
10 th you are now complete.It has taken me longer to write this then to do the work .Do not look at this as overwelming ,just do it step by step.By the way this is for a 120 volt motor.If yours is 240 volt then write back and I will advise on the wiring method.I wish that I knew how rto draw on this computer as it would be a lot easier to advise.If yopu go to electricians forum.com and click on wiring diagrams I believe that there is one there.This method I have described does work .I 'm an electrician and have done many of these. Good luck and let me know how you make out.To save wear and tear on the drum switch you can also feed the existing switch on your lathe then come from this switch to the drum switch and tie to terminal #2 and 6 .Same as step #2 above.This way you can set it either in forward or reverse leave it and turn the lathe on and off by the existing switch.