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Thread: New turner question (technique)

  1. #1

    Question New turner question (technique)

    Am new to turning - a friend loaned me his Delta lathe (for a loooong time). the one with about a 3-foot bed. Have started practicing with some 4x4 spindles, and the $40 HF lathe tool set.

    Am having a problem trying to turn beads on a spindle. Using the smaller gouge (~3/8" ) -- and starting with a raised rectangular section, as I turn the flat spot into a bead, the wood tends to grab the gouge and pull it back into the bead. I am using the technique recommended in Conover's book, keeping the gouge bevel perpendicular to the bead surface.

    As I turn from the peak of the bead over to the left, the left side of the gouge grabs the wood it's turning and pulls the gouge back to the right (into the just-cut bead, messing it up). Similarly rollling off the right side of the bead pulls the gouge left. In watching some videos, seems like the guys have a light touch on the work end of the tool. I am unable to prevent the gouge from being jerked sideways even with a strong grip.

    I built a sharpening jig (similar to Wolverine style) and have sharpened and honed the gouge, the bevel angle is about 30 degrees. No change to the profile as shipped by HF, but a lot sharper. Have the tool rest set at the height of the center of the spindle, and about 1/4" away from it.

    Obviously I have some fundamental mistake in my technique. Any advice as to what this might be (or is it impossible to tell from a written description?).

    -- Tom

  2. #2
    Tom,
    I think we all have had your same experience at the bead training center.
    Some of us use a gouge, some use a skew. I like to use a pyramid tool to do it but can do it with a skew or gouge. With a gouge I use a 1/4". I leave enough room so I do not come in contact with the part of the spindle that will not need fancy marks in it. I then start slow and just nip off the very edge of what will be the bead. I then work slowly at enlarging that nip. As I come to the inside edge I roll the gouge slowly clockwise thus keeping the bevel to the work.

    I hope that makes sense

    Good luck
    Keith
    _________________________
    Still burning and turning
    the candle from both ends.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Myrtle Creek Oregon
    Posts
    425
    A couple of sugguestions if I may. None of which is an attempt to tell you what to do about turning beads. Not that I can't do beads. I can. they just look funny
    My sugguestions would be to first see if there is a woodturning club near you (I drive 40 miles to get to our local club). There you will find a wealth of free information and demos, etc.
    The next is if you have DIYnet on your cable or satelite...tune into the woodturning show with Dave Hout. Excelent!
    The next would be to either invest in some woodturning dvd's or even check out "woodworking at home" DVD's. most of the last is flatwork but Dick Sing does chapters on each disk. I have Disk #8 where he talks about using gouges and it's great!
    They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, if that's true, then a video is worth a million.
    Just my 2 cents.
    Last edited by Pat Salter; 07-29-2005 at 11:15 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Eastport, ME
    Posts
    21

    Try this link

    http://www.turningtools.co.uk/

    Center column bottom of the home page. Clifford has videos of various cuts including making a bead. Looks like he is using a 3/8" parting tool. I use a skew.
    HTH

  5. #5
    I turn beads using the skew, learned from an excellent video on the skew by Alan Lacer. The skew is an evil tool that will drive you nuts... but if you conquer it, it is probably the most useful tool for spindle turning. You can often borrow/rent the video from a woodworking library, or see www.alanlacer.com for the "Skew Chisel: The Darkside & The Sweet Side" It covers the MANY uses for the skew, and demonstrates all the ways things can go wrong while you are learning to use it.

    Lacer's techniques are similar to those demonstrated in the videos in the link in the other reply. Start with a V-cut on either side. I prefer a wider skew than the skew or parting tool used in the video, and cut the v-cuts by pivoting the long point (it must be very sharp) into the spindle. Note that the bevel will limit the depth of each v-cut, so you alternate sides and repeat the cut to go deeper. To make the bead, round the area between the v cuts. You can use the middle of the skew ALWAYS keeping the bevel against the wood, or you can continue the technique perfected for the v-cut, but curving it as you go. Large beads are far easier than small beads, so start large.

    A neighbor/turner "warms up" each day by cutting numerous beads on a cheap piece of 2x2 by about 8 inches. This is something you need to practice constantly - it does not come automatically

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    Arlington, Texas
    Posts
    174
    I too have the HF tools set and one thing I notice about the edges is that they tend to be fairly square across the cutting edge. You might do better if you put more of a fingernail grind on the ~3/8 gouge. It may be that when you roll the tool you are catching the corners of the gouge because it is not swept back enough.
    Randy
    Much Work Remains To Be Done Before We Can Announce Our Total Failure to Make Any Progress

  7. #7
    Thanks for the link, Tom. Those videos quickly led me to my problem:

    1) The turning speed was too slow, and
    2) I was using the gouge too far up the side, rather than keeping the cutting closer to the point of the gouge.

    With that, am now cutting much cleaner and smoother beads. Many thanks for the help, guys!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Texas, ILL.
    Posts
    1,202
    Quote Originally Posted by Tom McDermott

    Am having a problem trying to turn beads on a spindle. . I am unable to prevent the gouge from being jerked sideways even with a strong grip.

    Obviously I have some fundamental mistake in my technique. Any advice as to what this might be (or is it impossible to tell from a written description?).

    -- Tom

    Hi Tom,

    Loosen up, RELAX, slow and easy. Keep your eye on the point.

    Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Peshtigo, WI (~50 miles N of Green Bay)
    Posts
    1,403

    Beads!

    Tom,
    I bought a set of the HF chisels for my mini-lathe up at the cabin and am very impressed with them. My home shop has a number of tools which cost a lot more, individually, than did the whole HF set!

    Whatever, I don't use gouges to turn beads. A skew, ground to the "Raffan Radius" works much better for me. Using the long point of the skew gives you a lot more tool control than you will get with a gouge. Remember that the bevel of ANY tool must lay on the wood immediately following the cutting edge. Practice is the key and DON'T GIVE UP!!

    I've read where most turners give up for one of two reasons: Sharpening and the "cursed" skew!! My skew caused me to walk away from the lathe for almost five years. Now it is my best "buddy". Unless I am turning coves, my spindle turning involves a "roughing" gouge, my radiused skew and a parting tool.

    Tom, you can take this information from a guy who has NEVER experienced a major "catch" or even a minor one. YEAH RIGHT!! I'm also the guy whose cat never bit or even scratched me when I teased her!!

    Dale T.
    I am so busy REMAKING my projects that I don't have time to make them the FIRST time!

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