Post #1 in a series explaining the key elements of making the Oneway bowl steady work for you........
I am one who uses the Oneway bowl steady extensively, and find that it does, indeed, reduce vibrations......and, I have demonstrated this to myself with, and without the bowl steady on the same piece of wood, with the same tool, used in the same manner, at the same time......no, other variables, other than with, or without the Oneway bowl steady.
For the finest possible cut, you of course, need the sharpest tool possible, and speed is a key factor in achieving that finest cut possible.....with the singular goal of achieving the cleanest cut, with the least amount of sanding required to follow up. Most of you already have your preferred methods of attaining the sharpest tools possible.....and, it really doesn't matter how you get sharp, as long as it's as sharp as your methods can get it.
For the best speed, there is a "sweet spot", and that spot is normally the fastest rpm where there is no vibration when the bowl just spins, no other factors. (edit: I normally use the 1200rpm setting on the step pulleys......there is a point where it could be too fast with faster speeds. see additional posts for clarification.) It takes some effort to learn how to determine just where this ideal speed is, but I'm currently using a combination of very light finger pressure on the bedways, and watching a magnetic bore light with an extended neck and weighted tip mounted on top of my headstock.....all while adjusting the potentiometer. Using these two identifiers, I can bring up the rpm and find the ideal speed for a bowl at that moment in it's evolution. (Many times, adjustments of rpm may be necessary periodically, as you remove weight from your bowl.....so, be very aware of changes in vibration characteristics that are directly related to rpm.)
Now that you've found the ideal speed, and as John Lucas mentioned above......you don't want to be taking big honking cuts.....you want very very light cuts......light as a feather!
(You want to practice this concept throughout your turning, because even for roughing cuts, it absolutely does matter. The least amount of tearout is what's best, and even though it's a roughing cut,
ANY tearout is
NOT just on the surface. Tearout goes deeper than what you can see on the surface. tearout disrupts the wood fibers under the surface, and that can effect how well the finish will work,
IF the fibers that are disrupted extend to where the final surface will be......but, all that is a whole nuther subject!
)
Some of the things I'll attempt to explain will be best illustrated with photos, so this will come in subsequent posts.......I'll be BAAAAAAAAK!
This is the bore light I spoke of. It will vibrate according to vibrations felt in the lathe. The little spring clip at the end adds just enough weight that it accentuates the felt vibrations.
ko