mick the pen
Full Member
I know this is going to sound silly, but what is the correct hight of the tool rest EG do you work on the centre of the work piece with the hight of the tool you are using or just set the rest at centre,
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tool rest hight
- Thread starter mick the pen
- Start date
That really does depend on what you are trying to achieve and really could go very wrong by giving a one off answer.
What tool are you intending to use, what material how large / small do do want a positive cut or negative scrape Bowl orb or cylinder etc etc ???
What tool are you intending to use, what material how large / small do do want a positive cut or negative scrape Bowl orb or cylinder etc etc ???
I always set mine just below the center your best bet is to experiment and find your sweet spot were the chisel or gouge cuts the wood with ease and done just tear the wood this you can tell by the finish on the wood
Neil
Fellow
Mick,
Up for scraping, down for cutting and somewhere comfortable for using the skew. I'm sure Woody can elaborate on any provisos on that precis.
Penpal
Grand Master
Mick, Yesterday in the morning I turned a printed circuit board and nagging me was I rarely change speed (I have variable speed) usually flat out so I tried slower and the result was not good so I suggest to you speed like braking a car is a serious factor.
The pressure you apply on the tool is critical too much and bingo bits everywhere. The safest height is just below the tool height and for scraping must be below never above. When I finish my pens I do the final shaping with a skew chisel on the flat and yesterday I went straight from there to a super mild auto cream and later today I will post the result flawless and completely smooth as.
An important factor is the distance of the tool rest to the object you are turning, its best up close and personal.
Also what I did accidentally was make a new rest welded to the upright stem sitting at 45% and the flat of the rest is around 30mm, I found holding the chisels on that flat angle I can turn all day without fatigue easy breey. I say accidentally I brought the dust X pipe up through the bed and needed extra depth to reach the pens I will look for a pic to show.
I know a perfection turner who used to only use a 1/4 inch gouge to cut huge bowls and platters and listening you would hear snick snick until it came to round then smooth shavings little at a time, these items he sold for around a thousand dollars they were works of art his theory softly softly.
Anyway these things work for me and I wish you success on the journey.
Kind regards Peter.
PS found a quick pic of my tool rest for pens I only do half at a time.
The pressure you apply on the tool is critical too much and bingo bits everywhere. The safest height is just below the tool height and for scraping must be below never above. When I finish my pens I do the final shaping with a skew chisel on the flat and yesterday I went straight from there to a super mild auto cream and later today I will post the result flawless and completely smooth as.
An important factor is the distance of the tool rest to the object you are turning, its best up close and personal.
Also what I did accidentally was make a new rest welded to the upright stem sitting at 45% and the flat of the rest is around 30mm, I found holding the chisels on that flat angle I can turn all day without fatigue easy breey. I say accidentally I brought the dust X pipe up through the bed and needed extra depth to reach the pens I will look for a pic to show.
I know a perfection turner who used to only use a 1/4 inch gouge to cut huge bowls and platters and listening you would hear snick snick until it came to round then smooth shavings little at a time, these items he sold for around a thousand dollars they were works of art his theory softly softly.
Anyway these things work for me and I wish you success on the journey.
Kind regards Peter.
PS found a quick pic of my tool rest for pens I only do half at a time.Attachments
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- Jan 31, 2013
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- Terry
I'll go with Woody on this one!!!!!
As I said no single answer and there isn't one.
Experiment and get comfortable with your turning.
When you're comfortable with what you are doing then it will be right.
Don't do anything until you are comfortable in every way.
Stance dress tools the lot .
Experiment and get comfortable with your turning.
When you're comfortable with what you are doing then it will be right.
Don't do anything until you are comfortable in every way.
Stance dress tools the lot .
I like to have the bevel of the gouge/chisel in full contact with the wood whenever possible as this gives the best finish on the timber, so there is no one height for the rest as it will depend on the angle of the bevel & the size of the blank. I also try to have the cut inline with the center of the head/tailstock so the rest is always lower than center.
This is different for the skew, where I like the rest higher so i`m cutting on top of the piece & when scrapping I aim to be cutting on center so have the rest just below center.
All that said as with driving you tend to form your own style after a while & as long as you are safe & comfortable with how you do it & you're getting the results you want, stick with it.
This is different for the skew, where I like the rest higher so i`m cutting on top of the piece & when scrapping I aim to be cutting on center so have the rest just below center.
All that said as with driving you tend to form your own style after a while & as long as you are safe & comfortable with how you do it & you're getting the results you want, stick with it.
Strange I've never tried wearing a dress to turn now I know what I'm doing wrong thanks Brian
VioletStrange I've never tried wearing a dress to turn now I know what I'm doing wrong thanks Brian
Yep can always rely on you to lower the tone dad, let me rephrase it then Attire, clothing, garb, pretty pink frock. You know damn well what I mean init?
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- Terry
I work with it just below centre ..but there again I may be doin it wrong !
No you are not Ed. If you use a gouge the rest is normally just below centre. If you use a scraper just above centre with the scraper generally angled slightly down.
With a skew the rest needs to be higher so that you are planning off the top of the wood!!!!
Not such a plonker after all spot on Terry the only thing I do different is I plane on the front with a skew but what you say is the general rule of tool control to start with
- Joined
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- Terry
Yes Woody it is a general rule of thumb and quite rightly we all find our sweet spots!!!!!!!
Not joking Terry but I didn't know anything about the different positions for different types of chisels. I have been using the gouge right but not the skew and I don't have a scraper . Thanks ...I have learned something to-night.
Not joking Terry but I didn't know anything about the different positions for different types of chisels. I have been using the gouge right but not the skew and I don't have a scraper . Thanks ...I have learned something to-night.
Unless your going to make a bowl Ed you dont need a scrapper mate as for the skew it is the hardest tool to learn and the only way your going to learn it is to just put bits of any ol wood on the lathe a practice and practice make loads of shavings it is worth learning because it gives a near perfect finish that requires very little sanding if any at times
Woody I have four different size gouges and funnily find that I am drawn to using the biggest one most of the time for my pens . I use the skew to give me a nice smooth finish ...but it seems that I have been using it too low down and not on the top of the piece as Terry suggests I should do. Maybe now that I know it might make life a little easier for me ..can't wait to try it out.
Ok Now lets throw another can of worms in to confuse Ed some more.
Tool control.... I have scrapers but I cant remember the last time I used one,I use my skew for that just by altering the angle.
I have spoke about it before and will say it again lift and lower he back of the handle you will get a different cut, practice practice practice.
You can do this at any height of tool rest with practice you will find what digs and what don't , what cuts and what scrapes.
While doing this I would say more important to keep the rest close to the work while moving above and below center.
You will find you can get the same cut by lifting the back of the handle.
I use a skew on edge on flat and for scraping for all my spindle work and that is a lot of spindles. only one tool.
Tool control.... I have scrapers but I cant remember the last time I used one,I use my skew for that just by altering the angle.
I have spoke about it before and will say it again lift and lower he back of the handle you will get a different cut, practice practice practice.
You can do this at any height of tool rest with practice you will find what digs and what don't , what cuts and what scrapes.
While doing this I would say more important to keep the rest close to the work while moving above and below center.
You will find you can get the same cut by lifting the back of the handle.
I use a skew on edge on flat and for scraping for all my spindle work and that is a lot of spindles. only one tool.