Dealing with grain direction

[Jamie Straw]

Always so much easier cutting downhill, with the grain, yes. Getting some skew practice in today (it's been 3 weeks since I turned anything!), and things weren't going well. Stopped the lathe for the umpteenth time, and realized not only does the grain change direction in the practice stock (maple), but it's different from one side of the cylinder to the other. Below is a picture where Side A and Side B are placed next to each other, with arrows for grain direction. I resharpened my skew, then went to another skew with more aggressive angle, things went better. So, is this a fairly common situation? Cutting the stock in a different place would still leave opposing grain directions on the two sides. Will sharp, aggressive tools and increased skill solve the problem?

 

[hockenbery]

Always so much easier cutting downhill, with the grain, yes. Getting some skew practice in today (it's been 3 weeks since I turned anything!), and things weren't going well. Stopped the lathe for the umpteenth time, and realized not only does the grain change direction in the practice stock (maple), but it's different from one side of the cylinder to the other. Below is a picture where Side A and Side B are placed next to each other, with arrows for grain direction. I resharpened my skew, then went to another skew with more aggressive angle, things went better. So, is this a fairly common situation? Cutting the stock in a different place would still leave opposing grain directions on the two sides. Will sharp, aggressive tools and increased skill solve the problem? <img src="http://www.aawforum.org/vbforum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8966"/>

Cool diagram. When the grain is not straight opposite sides of a small spindle will run in opposite directions..

Sharp tools and light cuts help. There pieces usually need a bit more sanding.

But with highly figured wood or a blank cut from a bend like yours you will be lifting the grain in places.
One direction of cut will usually give a better Finish Cut on the cylinder than the other, beads will likely turn with a clean surface, coves might have one rough side near the bottom.
You can experiment with the speed too. Faster or slower lathe speed my yield a cleaner surface.



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[Jamie Straw]

Cool diagram. When the grain is not straight opposite sides of a small spindle will run in opposite directions..

Sharp tools and light cuts help. There pieces usually need a bit more sanding.

But with highly figured wood or a blank cut from a bend like yours you will be lifting the grain in places.
One direction of cut will usually give a better Finish Cut on the cylinder than the other, beads will likely turn with a clean surface, coves might have one rough side near the bottom.
You can experiment with the speed too. Faster or slower lathe speed my yield a cleaner surface.
.

Thanks, Al. I don't remember where I got this hunk of maple; it's very clean and clear so it's not firewood. You're thinking it had a bend originally? Wish I could remember. I tried two different skews. The sharper the better, and the more aggressive bevel the better still. Skews are different for me than spindle gouges -- an aggressive spindle gouge is beyond me at this point, but an aggressive skew seems easier to work wood with. I've done so little turning since coming back from California, I feel waaaay far behind. Behind what, I dunno, but behind for sure.

 

[john lucas]

Jamie most of the time a really sharp skew and light cuts eliminates the grain direction problem. However on really difficult pieces I've found that it's hard to beat a spindle gouge. I believe it has something to do with the slight curvature of the blade. I use a smaller tool, say 3/8 or 1/2". My larger spindle gouge seems to have the same grain direction problem as the skew. I have tried a more blunt skew sharpening angle and sometimes it seems to help but most of the time I'll simply stop and freshly sharpen the tool and make some passes where I try not to force the tool to cut, and make lighter cuts as well. I think it's something like using a hand plane with a more blunt angle to plane really figured grain. I just haven't experimented enough to really understand how to do it with different angled tools since doing it with a freshly sharpened tool usually works.

 

[Jamie Straw]

Jamie most of the time a really sharp skew and light cuts eliminates the grain direction problem. However on really difficult pieces I've found that it's hard to beat a spindle gouge. I believe it has something to do with the slight curvature of the blade. I use a smaller tool, say 3/8 or 1/2". My larger spindle gouge seems to have the same grain direction problem as the skew. I have tried a more blunt skew sharpening angle and sometimes it seems to help but most of the time I'll simply stop and freshly sharpen the tool and make some passes where I try not to force the tool to cut, and make lighter cuts as well. I think it's something like using a hand plane with a more blunt angle to plane really figured grain. I just haven't experimented enough to really understand how to do it with different angled tools since doing it with a freshly sharpened tool usually works.

Interesting! I will try the spindle gouge today. What you say about the "slight curvature" makes sense. My experience with skew sharpening angle is different, but that might be due to some other variable. Thanks!