Discussion before the meeting about containing chips in the shop when turning: A dust collector is helpful. Overhead air filters cycle through filtering the air. Hanging a shower curtain could be helpful but avoid plastic due to static electricity.
Humidity in the shop: Low humidity makes static electricity worse. Two members said that static shock took out the control on one lathe and the circuit board on another lathe. Adding a mist to the shop wouldn’t help though since it would rust tools and the lathe.
Discussion about “Chips and Grits”: One more session is scheduled at night (Apr. 27th 7pm). Attendees suggested that most preferred the morning session but Ken will get opinions from members. Now that Covid risks have lessened due to immunizations, more people are attending Tuesday breakfasts (7:30 show up, 8:00 breakfast at Backburner). However, members said they want to continue with this discussion group since it serves a different purpose as a skill development session with comments from beginners to advanced turners.
Suggested topics for future sessions: Wood moisture—how to measure, meters or other methods, methods for drying wood; How to approach a piece of wood—styles of design, choosing the top, bottom or side of a piece; Choices and methods for mounting a project on the lathe; Maintaining the lathe and other woodturning tools to keep them working well; Sharpening—adjustable or consistent grinds; Online woodturning videos and information sites which are good and which are best avoided.
Carbide and traditional tools, comparison and uses
- Carbide tools can cut wood quickly. They usually act as a scraper but can give a sheer cut by changing the angle of the cut. Carbide works extremely well for roughing out a shape since it doesn’t require frequent sharpening. A sharp tool for finishing should follow.
- For spindle turning, the roughing gouge works best but carbides may also be used to rounding.
- After the general shape is formed, a sharp tool is required for finishing.
- There are three camps: only carbides, only traditional gouges, use some of each depending on the project.
- The Wolverine Varigrind jig works well for sharpening fingernail grinds on bowl gouges. One member marked out distances on the Varigrind support to have a consistent angle when sharpening. Another member uses a Tormek sharpening system.
- One member likes the Hunter #5 carbide tool with a round cutter bit. On this, and all carbide tools with round bits, the attachment screw can be loosened and the bit can be rotated to keep the cutting area fresh. It doesn’t tend to lock up when it’s turned frequently.
- Roughing with carbide tools works well with resin when wood is next to the resin. Then use high speed steel (HSS) for finishing.
- Woods like maple and walnut do better than soft woods when finishing them with carbides.
- Brands to buy: cost is one concern. One member started with Benjamin Best tools when learning and progressed to better steel that required less sharpening as he gained experience. Before spending too much, ask other turners in the club about their experience with different brands.
- Robert Sorby makes a good quality midgrade tool. Henry Taylor has better high-speed steel that requires less sharpening for a higher price. Easy Wood tools can be pricy.
- One member made his own flat and custom tools by grinding a high speed steel bar to shape with a CBN wheel.
- Arizona toothpicks were an example of a tool shape made with a 3/16” HSS point that stays sharp even when using it on gnarly wood.
- The designs and types of projects someone enjoys turning can determine the tools a turner buys. Certain types of cuts may require specialized tools.
- Carbide tools started being manufactured in 2010. Some old-time turners now say they would have used them since carbides can make it easier to start learning how to turn.
- Reminder: Our club mentors can help members learn better tool control. Don Milburn can help teach how to sharpen carbides with a diamond hone. John Armstrong’s class at Yavapai College has helped many members learn to turn and was suggested for new turners.
- A bowl gouge was shown with a swept back grind (John Jordan and David Ellsworth use this grind). Also called an Irish grind, the wings are more swept with an angle while a traditional grind is straighter and the cut is focused more on the tip.
- A bottom feeder gouge helps with the bottom of bowls. Some members have had a harder time mastering the bottom gouge and have had better success with a round tip negative rake scraper.
- Sometimes we just have to build muscle memory with a tool before we’re comfortable using it.
- A member had made his own parting tools from good steel knives (not stainless steel) that can be found in a thrift store. He found that a convex edge didn’t work as well as a concave edge and ground off the back edge so it wasn’t so tight when cutting. Some people have used industrial hacksaw blades as thin parting tools. The Sorby thin parting tool has two angles to the cutting edge. When parting off, make the cuts wide enough so the tool doesn’t get pulled into the wood because of friction on the sides. Not providing some side clearance can cause an injury if the tool is pulled into a deep cut due to friction. Flat vs. diamond shaped parting tools were compared. The diamond gives a wider cutting edge and reduces the width behind the edge to give more clearance on the sides to avoid this side friction. The flat and narrow parting tool takes out less material which can be helpful when matching grains on lidded containers.
- Stuart Batty promotes using a 40/40 grind, 40 degrees for the bevel and 40 degrees on each side of the wings. This grind works well for some members.
- Removable handles: Those can be helpful to people who travel to do demos so they can change out tools.
- Many production turners have a tool set pre-sharpened so they can continue working as tools dull.
- Metal or wooden handles are personal preferences. Metal handles can be heavier but can dampen out shock. Longer wooden handles can affect control when turning.
- Some people like to make handles for commemorative reasons like special events or honors.
- Dick Kelly shared a very ergonomic specialized snake handle he’d made.
- Skews: They require a steeper learning curve and developed skills. (Some people think they’re helpful when opening paint cans.) They can be dangerous if not used in a focused manner. They can be helpful with spindle turning, beads and coves and can help with making dovetails on tenons. There are differences of opinions on whether skews should have a round heel or be straight. Alan Lacer is one turner who’s taught the versatility of using skews.
- Choosing which tool is best for which cut comes with experience. Practicing with tools can lead to decorative firewood or new design opportunities.
- The transition from the side into the bottom of a bowl can be a challenge. One recommendation is to lower the tool rest and angle the bowl gouge down more. Riding the bevel and then arcing up before coming down to the center can help when using a push cut. The negative rake scraper can help with that angle.
- A sheer cut is the opposite of a push cut. Turn the tool over to the other edge, barely touching at a 60-70° angle to make a fine, sheer shaving.
- Hollowing: John Jordan makes a heavy metal 3/8” toothpick. There’s a sharpening jig for Wolverine for sharpening the tips. One member has a fixture on his lathe to lock in the toothpick handle so it doesn’t rotate and cause a problem when hollowing. One member told how hollowing can result in a funnel and a cup if the toothpick goes through the wood. Easy Wood tips for hollowing are flat on the bottom of the bar to stabilize it.
- Some of the talented ways for hollowing by members of our club: Make a hole at the bottom, hollow out the piece, then glue in the bottom. Hollow out pieces then glue the pieces together.
- An underrated tool in wood turning: calipers!