Replies

1. 
   ron61 | Jan 06, 2003 05:51am | #1

   I cant see much difference I've heard the oval is easier. Only thing if your rest has some dings the oval would slide easier. The skew is one of the toughest to learn. Takes lots of practice to learn to cut beads, but nothing works like a skew nice  slick cuts. This is a pretty good link on using a skew to cut beads

   http://www.rtpnet.org/~aaw/basics/skewbead/

   Just takes practice " lots"

   Ron

   
   

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   Edited 1/5/2003 9:54:57 PM ET by ron61

2. 
   rkkelly36 | Jan 06, 2003 06:35pm | #2

   Still new to turning, but my experience with skews thus far is that the radius edge really makes a difference. I have two flat skews, 1" and 3/4"; the smaller of the two came with the radius edge and after using it, i re-ground the edge on the larger. I did take a stone and break the edges of both tools, which i may want to do again.

   As long as i really pay attention and don't lose my concentration, the skews really don't misbehave any more than the gouges do.

   kevin

3. 
   GeeSeaWhy | Jan 06, 2003 09:59pm | #3

   The flat skew is harder to use - the sharp corners catch on the tool rest. I ground all the corners off of my flat skews. The skew is harder to learn than the gouge. If you own the Raffan tape, what might help is to pick one cut he shows and try doing just that until you can make it work consistently.

   HTH

   Graeme

4. 
   crt2cu2 | Jan 10, 2003 01:15pm | #4

   ACORN,

   Regardless of flat or oval shaped (cross section) skews, with or without rounded edges, it has been my experience while turning with a skew chisel that the toolrest needs to be raised higher (above the lathe center) to get a better control of the skew thus better finishing cut.  Perhaps this situation may be unique given my lathe, style, and sharpening techniques, but while finishing long smooth surfaces, I raise the tool rest almost to the top of the stock and seem to usually achieve a finished surface. To this end, I examine the stock carefully and determine which direction the grain runs and maneuver the skew accordingly.

   To really confuse your question, I have had good success with a homemade skew shaped with an elliptical edge (a marked radius) instead of the straight grind typically sold by lathe tool companies.  For me, the oval working edge eliminates the occasional painful surprise of a point catching.  However, this oval edge type of skew shape requires frequent attentive sharpening and quite a bit of attention to achieve a desired profile. But it seems to work great for me in a varietal sort of slicing/planing/paring manner.

   Isn't it hard to describe verbally how to really use or for that matter describe a homemade tool?  I could show it to you much easier than I can describe it with words.  Maybe we all should stop posting and start loading digital videos and/or pictures.  But then I would have to spend money on cameras and not tools for the shop ;+(.

   sawick

1. 
   GeeSeaWhy | Jan 10, 2003 07:24pm | #5

   "Perhaps this situation may be unique given my lathe, style, and sharpening techniques, but while finishing long smooth surfaces, I raise the tool rest almost to the top of the stock"

   That's what I do too and from what I've read/seen it's the correct approach. Another reason for not switching back and forth between gouge and skew - you have to keep moving the toolrest. And I agree with you about watching the grain also - sometimes cutting in one direction tears out chunks while cutting in the other produces a nice smooth surface.

   Graeme

1. 
   tailsorpins | Jan 10, 2003 09:47pm | #6

   I agree that learning to safely use the skew is facilitated by elevating the tool rest, but as you become more efficient and comfortable, you will simply lower the handle and work more toward the front of the workpiece.

   Over 45 years ago, Grandad taught me that the toolrest must be very smooth and preferably polished.  I recall seeing him drawfile a new toolrest that had an as-cast top edge before letting one of his workmen have it.  I have been amazed at the poor finishes I see on new equipment!   I have found that one must remove every nick, for one day it will cause a stutter in your work.

   I recall a FWW article back in the early days:  "Taming of the skew", or somesuch, that put into words and pictures everything I was taught, but it deviated sooo far from the old scraping methods, that I have never been successful getting friends and associates to try it more than briefly.  Every time I stand the skew up on (rounded) edge, and sweep into the work, as in forming a ball, those watching step briskly backward as if expecting the chisel to be launched their way.  Yeah, maybe I was showing off!

   John

5. 
   DennisS | Jan 12, 2003 10:03am | #7

   I'm not an experienced turnner by any stretch of the imagination. But like you, I've been working on learning good skew technique.

   After watching Raffin's tape on making lided boxes, I tried his "peel/scrape/cut" technique. It's rather a rough cut but if I'm doing it correctly, it removes quite a bit of wood without (too many) catches spoiling the work. Beyond that, the best finish cuts I've achieved have been with an otherwise elevated tool rest as others have suggested.

   This is an aside from your question, but Raffin shows a 'back cut' technique for hollowing where a gouge is actually seen turned more or less upside down and is cutting on the upward turning side of the vessel. Does anyone practice this approach and if so, how is it best accomplished? Consistently that is. It seems to work favorably on green wood but is really difficult on dry hardwoods.

   Sharpening your skew to a curved edge is beneficial as well. I've tried both ways and prefer the curved profile for the edge. Also, as others have noted, be sure to file off the sharp square corners of the skew to avoid having it dig into the top of the tool rest. I made my own tool rests out of 1" stainless steel bar stock that's about as hard as the HSS tool steel used in the chisels. This help a lot in preventing the knicks in the tool rests but I still have to dress it from time to time.

   A jig for the grinding wheel to shape the edge profile is worth the investment to retain a consistent grind on the tool's edge.

   ...........

   Dennis in Bellevue WA

   [email protected]

1. 
   GeeSeaWhy | Jan 17, 2003 09:42pm | #8

   Dennis,

   "This is an aside from your question, but Raffin shows a 'back cut' technique for hollowing where a gouge is actually seen turned more or less upside down and is cutting on the upward turning side of the vessel. Does anyone practice this approach and if so, how is it best accomplished? Consistently that is. It seems to work favorably on green wood but is really difficult on dry hardwoods."

   I use that approach for hollowing boxes. Works best with a small, pointy-ground gouge. Orient the gouge so the flute points around 4-5 o'clock. Bring it into the work close to the lathe axis, around 2 o'clock. First you cut out a little cone, then open the gouge up by twisting anti-clockwise and push up/right. As it goes deeper the gouge will arc back to centre and stop cutting. What you get is a fairly shallow central hole to use as a starting point, I don't think you can do major hollowing this way. The main advantage, I think, is that it's harder to mess up in such a way that the gouge damages a finished area.

   Graeme