Help guys and gals,
I need some general advice on turning and how to keep the endgrain from tearing. It seems that I have sharp chisels, although the angles might not be perfect they are pretty close, but I consistenly have a problem with the endgrain not being smooth. My usual method is grinding on a fine grit wheel.
It also doesn’t matter what the wood is .. cedar, maple, walnut.. I’m getting the same thing. I cut my blanks in a fashion that there is no pith in the blank… imaging a cylinder cut in half from the top.. that’s my usual blank. So basically on the resulting bowl there are two sides that have endgrain exposed.
What am I doing wrong? The wood is shaving off when it’s green and when it’s not it seems less suceptible to this problem but still exists.
Suggestions, comments? Help!
Thanks,
Fred
Replies
I'd try raising the rpms.
-mbl-
It's probably a case of scrapping tearout. Are you using a scraper or gouge? We recently hosted Soren Berger at our turning club. He had the best analigy for how to turn. Always imagine that you are trying to sharpen a pencil. Where does that pencil reside in the bowl blank and how would I sharpen a pencil if it was held that way. In other words, would you try to sharpen a pencil by using a cabinet scraper and move it across the end grain, or would you use a knife and cut the wood, from the outside of the pencil in? The scraper would tear every time. I suggest you watch the video by David Elsworth on his signature gouge. This will tell you how to sharpen the gouge and produce fine work. If you are reluctant to spend the money on this gouge and video, better buy a sanding pad for the end of you drill. All scrapers will tear the end grain.
The grit of the grinding wheel makes no difference. I use a 60 grit to do my sharpening.
Rich
I use a scraper all the time.. I guess that the wrong tool for this. I'm heading to woodcraft tonight to check out the video.. thanks.
Fred
Freddie You should not be using chisels at all .Use a bowl gouge, start off with a fairly short grind to get the feel of it ,before grinding a longer shape i.e. cutting the wings back, as that can make it more difficult to handle.More prone to catch.Secondly ensure that when scraping the cutting edge is ,below centre ,and lower than the handle.Thirdly investigate shear scraping .Lastly I hope you are not using a skew chisel at all face plate turning
Above all have fun turning!
Edited 11/7/2003 9:10:19 AM ET by jako
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