oak and tearout.

[jason lambert]

I am trying to make a bowl but have had no sucess. I keep getting common wood to praxtice on like pine, didn't work out, Now I got some oak and I am getting the same thing a ton of tearout and catches no matter what my speed is. Is oak just no good?

[Ron Ainge]

Jason

You have just mentioned two of hardest woods for me to turn. I do turn quite a bit of Pine but it is trees that was standing dead when I harvested them off of my own property. This pine is very dry and will not gum up my tool like fresh pine will do. I keep my tools scary sharp and I rub the bevel when possibel. if you are getting tear out in the bottom of your bowls, stop the lathe and put some furniture wax in the bottom of the bowl and then take light cuts until you get the tear out cut away. This will also work on Oak. Oak is not a wood for a beginner but if that is what you have and you get it for free turn it and you will eventually find a way to turn it with little tear out. I would not suggest you use more speed on the oak because it is hard enough to be non forgining and if you get a catch it could be real problems. I turn at fast speeds but that is someithing I have gradually over a long time turning.

[Wilbur Pan]

I've been told that over 90% of tear out issues can be solved with resharpening and taking a lighter cut. I haven't run across the situation yet that contradicted this.

The first bowl I ever made was out of a piece of white oak, so even beginners can do well with it.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Jason - tear out can be caused by a number of different things and all of the suggestions so far cover have been right on the money. If possible, it would be a big help to everyone here if we could see a photo or two of one of the bowls you are having problems with (such that we can see the tear out), as well as a photo of whatever gouge you are using (so we can see the grind). Once we can see the actual problems - you'll get specific info that should help you out!

[Allen Neighbors]

When I get tear out, I usually just re-sharpen the tools, and speed up the lathe, and very carefully take light cuts. The wax thing will work, and also a lacquer wash (65%Thinner/35%Lacquer - give or take a little).
Sometimes I have to use a really sharp scraper, very lightly, at an angle, and re-sharpen after every couple of passes.
And as Steve suggested, pictures will help! :D

[Bernie Weishapl]

Jason you have gotten some good advice. The only thing I would add is on the tear out rub some mineral oil on it and take a couple of light passes with a freshly sharpened bowl gouge. I don't turn pine and I don't turn oak. To me they are more trouble than they are worth. Kinda like turning willow.

[jason lambert]

Ok I am just going to give up on it I haven't even gotten it ruffed out. The trouble is it catches and the screw chuck stripped.

I am using a new Tomson 5/8" or 1/2" u bowl guage. I have just touched it up with a stone I haven't even sharpned it once still feels pretty sharp.

[Nathan Hawkes]

One more vote for sharpening. I've made a few oak bowls, sorry no pics, but I found that I had to sharpen VERY frequently. I've turned red & white oak, and white was definitely harder on the tools. Even compared to dry mulberry, which is pretty darn hard, green white oak dulls my gouge pretty quickly. Like, say, 1-2 minutes of cutting with a P&N 5/8 gouge, or 5-6 minutes with a powder metal gouge. It makes a HUGE difference to have very sharp tools. For what its worth, a gouge that still feels pretty sharp still might do with a touch up on a grinder, no matter how good the steel is. Those thompson gouges are great, as are the hamlet and packard 2060 tools. Just my $0.02

[Al Wasser]

I also will tell you to look at your technique and don't blame the wood. Pine turns well if it is solid and not too pitchy. Oak is not hard to turn but the shavings stick to everything so I don't like it. They won't fall off a vertical surface -- if you use your hand to brush them off they stick to your hand. Maybe that is due to the low humidity here.

[Nathan Hawkes]

The only thing I have a hard time with is that my hands turn black from all the tannic acid. I can't feel anything when wearing gloves, so I don't use them. I agree about the stickiness though. PITA. Sorry to thread-hijack.

[Allen Neighbors]

Jason, what Al Wasser said about your technique wasn't meant to belittle you. Just wanted to clear that up. :D
Make sure you just touch the piece with the bevel first, then rotate the tool along it's axis until the edge just starts to cut... very lightly... should do it. Sometimes my U-flute is a little squirrely for light cuts... but that may just be a flaw in my technique, too. :)
I can understand about the screw chuck stripping out. I've never been able to use one, so I finally just gave mine away.