zebra wood?

[david brooks1]

Im new to turning, 2 years in and I only realty work with walnut and mahogany on the norm.

So my first time turning zebra wood as I dont like to pay for wood if i can help it.

The 3x3x12 blank I got for x-mus is very chippy? Is this normal ? Im keeping everything sharp but very chippy.

Thanks for any help

David

[John K Jordan]

Im new to turning, 2 years in and I only realty work with walnut and mahogany on the norm.
So my first time turning zebra wood as I dont like to pay for wood if i can help it.
The 3x3x12 blank I got for x-mus is very chippy? Is this normal ? Im keeping everything sharp but very chippy.

Zebrano can tearout a bit but different pieces behave differently. I think the wood has interlocked grain so it changes direction a lot. I've turned quite a bit.

What tools are you using and in what mode skews or gouges in bevel-rubbing mode, scrapers, negative rake scrapers, ???

Is the chipping worse with one than another? The reason I ask is I have had blanks of another species (osage orange) that threw a lot of chips (actually longish splinters) with any skew chisel or roughing gouge but not with any spindle gouge. These pieces did not chip when using a gouge with a smaller diameter tip or better, one of the Hunter tools like the Hercules in the bevel-rubbing mode. Other pieces of osage from a different tree behaved a little differently.

Are the chips in any particular places on the blanks, say where the grain is wild? I'm assuming your 3" square block has the grain running lengthwise and you are turning something in spindle orientation such as a pepper grinder.

The same chips if turning in both directions? What about the speed - I tend to crank the lathe wide open for pieces that size. Also extremely light cuts with the tool moving as slow as you can move it may help.

Sometimes you can paint on a coat of thinned lacquer or shellac-based sander sealer, let dry, then turn. Occasionally I have had to soak the surface with thin CA glue, turn a bit, then use more CA.

You say sharp, but are the tools hair-shaving sharp? Did you try honing the skew?

Do you have a turner nearby with experience who could try your wood, your tool, and watch how you operate? Turning club member? If you live near here stop and visit and you can try another piece of zebra as well to compare.

JKJ

[david brooks1]

Zebrano can tearout a bit but different pieces behave differently. I think the wood has interlocked grain so it changes direction a lot. I've turned quite a bit.

What tools are you using and in what mode skews or gouges in bevel-rubbing mode, scrapers, negative rake scrapers, ???

Is the chipping worse with one than another? The reason I ask is I have had blanks of another species (osage orange) that threw a lot of chips (actually longish splinters) with any skew chisel or roughing gouge but not with any spindle gouge. These pieces did not chip when using a gouge with a smaller diameter tip or better, one of the Hunter tools like the Hercules in the bevel-rubbing mode. Other pieces of osage from a different tree behaved a little differently.

Are the chips in any particular places on the blanks, say where the grain is wild? I'm assuming your 3" square block has the grain running lengthwise and you are turning something in spindle orientation such as a pepper grinder.

The same chips if turning in both directions? What about the speed - I tend to crank the lathe wide open for pieces that size. Also extremely light cuts with the tool moving as slow as you can move it may help.

Sometimes you can paint on a coat of thinned lacquer or shellac-based sander sealer, let dry, then turn. Occasionally I have had to soak the surface with thin CA glue, turn a bit, then use more CA.

You say sharp, but are the tools hair-shaving sharp? Did you try honing the skew?

Do you have a turner nearby with experience who could try your wood, your tool, and watch how you operate? Turning club member? If you live near here stop and visit and you can try another piece of zebra as well to compare.

JKJ

Thanks for the help

I am honing my tools but I dont use a spindle gouge . I have one but have not got the hang of it yet. ill brake it out and give it a try. I use sorby easy tools (round) most of the time or roughing gouge and scraper, parting tool. I have been using the parting tool a lot as I can get it very sharp fast. I like it a lot and it is a go it lol. My speed my be another problem . Im new and like things to go fast.

skew chisel I have 2 one 1/2" and one 1 1/2" . I try all the time on new round wood. There is a lot of learning with them. CRAZY TOOL LOL and we get it back round LOL.

I will keep in mind all the things above and give it another shoot this weekend.

[JohnC Lucas]

Do not use the roughing gouge. I'm assuming you might want to turn a bowl from that size blank. We now call a roughing gouge a spindle roughing gouge because it should never be used for platters or bowls. https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=IOhHeyoZLaY The round easy wood tool should do the job but you will have to cut downhill with the grain. On the outside of the bowl cut from the foot toward the lip. ON the inside cut from the lip down toward the middle. As you get the shape close take much lighter cuts. Take your time. No one is in a hurry. don't use the spindle gouge. If the bowl was flat enough that might work. If not it will get huge catches and tear up your bowl. The parting tool is for rough shaping. Watch some bowl turning videos but watch some good ones. There are a lot of bad ones out there. The only way I know of finding good ones is to join the American Association of Woodturners. On their website they have a list of videos that have been reviewed and are safe. This one should be OK. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhBHM0TsS6I

[John K Jordan]

I'm assuming you might want to turn a bowl from that size blank.

Hey John, I think he said the blank was 3"x3" square and 12" long, not a bowl blank. The first time I read it I thought it said 3" by 12x12" (the dyslexia kicking in) until I read it again. Sounds like a peppermill blank or a couple of small box blanks.

Dave, we need to get you hooked up with a skew chisel teacher! I teach the skew as the first tool for 1st time turners and it usually becomes their favorite tool. I have an older turner coming this week for a skew lesson. The spindle gouge is actually harder to master since you have to coordinate 3 or 4 motions at once.

The 1/2" skew is a little small to use on a 3" round.

If you are using scrapers on the side grain of a zebra wood spindle turning the chipping/tearout is not surprising.

JKJ