Hi, I am getting back into turning after 30 years (last done in high school). I am trying to master the skew chisel, I am finding it difficult to use it for turning beads and balls. The edge point digs in. It was suggest to me to slightly round the edges of the skew to make it easier to us. I would appreciate and comments on the advisability of doing this. Thanks in advance for your help.
Robert McKay
Maplewood Entterprises
If your’e not making SOME mistakes, your’e not trying hard enough.
Replies
hello, glad to see you're getting back into woodturning I am long term turner (usually a long term between turns) I did at one time have a curved cutting edge to the skew chisel, now since reground to straight angle. I would advise rounding the four long edges first as this saves ridging to the tool rest and makes for smoother movements.If you are then not happy with the cutting action of the skew try curving the cutting edge. Make shavings .
regards Teabag
As a turner, I can safely say we all have our quirks and preferences. Some turners prefer a spindle gouge for beading and others prefer a skew. For side by side Beads I'll use a skew, but from bead into a hollow or ogee I use a spindle gouge. My bead turning skew is rounded on the heel long edge, the toe long edge was left flat which works well for doing V's. I haven't played with my oval Sorbey enough to give it a fair chance or an opinion, but it does seem to give much better control when shearing a cylinder. The Business ends, heel to toe, are straight and not slightly rounded as a few turners prefer.
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Seems everyone has a preferred turning gouge or chisel along with a preferred grind for it. On the other hand, I'm betting that most turners who've been turning for more than a few months start building their turning tools arsenal.
I LOVE the skew! And thanks to Peter Pipe showing me how to grind a curved cutting edge, use my 1/2" and 3/4" for just about everything - beads, coves, "Vs", ogees, mushroom caps etc.. By having a curve on the cutting edge I don't often catch either the long point or the heel, especially on shearing/pealing cuts. Having the "long point" and the heel back away from the "sweet spot/area" of the skew - the middle 2/3rds of the cutting edge, I'm less apt to catch a point or corner.
Sharpening a curved edge skew is a little tricker than a straight edge - a "walking AND chewing gum at the same time" thing. You have to rotate along the long axis of the skew as you pivot the tool up and down (if you're sharpening on the sides of a wheel or sanding disk) or left/right if you're sharpeing on the outside of a wheel. By the time you've shaped the bevel you'll have it down and touch ups of the edge become second nature.
Have gotten into "turned lidded boxes" with attached finials - all done with a just two guoges/chisels - 1/2" and 3/4" curved edge skews. Used on its side, the skew acts like a scraper for hollowing.
The 1/2" is also nice for doing "loose rings".
Turn a narrow bead on the eges of a "washer" then undercut to free it from the surrounding wood. No need for another "special" tool.
Now some folks like to use almost all their chisels and gouges when turning their piece - reaching for each specialty tool when one of their cuts comes up. I've found that this approach interrupts the flow of things, perhaps because I Wing It with most of my woodworking. Idea - Do It not Idea - Pick a Tool - Do It - Put The Tool Away.
With the exception of roughing a blank to round and parting - everything else on this turned lidded box with interior bonus lid was done with a 3/4" skew. OK - so I did a bulk of the hollowing with a forstner bit - but the walls were cut down with a curved edge skew.
http://web.hypersurf.com/~charlie2/Turning/TurnedBoxes/NiceOne1.html
Get one of Raffan's videos and you'll see the advantages of a curved edge skew.
charlie b
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