Is this a sign of tools needed to be sharpened?

[djchase]

I just bought a new JML-1014 Jet lathe and brand new tools. I placed a piece of wood on and it was going about 840 rpms with a 1" gouge. The wood shavings comming off are very small and not like I see on some online lathe videos where the wood hairs are really comming off the wood. When I stopped the lathe the wood was more like chopped then actually shaved. Do my new tools need sharpening?

Thanks,

DJChase

 

[TEK]

Maybe?

We need more information to be able to help. What size, kind, and orientation of wood you are turning makes a difference. Also it is much easier to get streamers from green (wet) wood than from dry wood. New tools do usually need sharpening and many times reshaping, Normally a 1" gouge is either a spindle gouge or a spindle roughing gouge. What are you trying to so with it? My best suggestion is to join your local chapter of the AAW. Most chapters have members that are willing to mentor new turners. It's a lot easier to help in a live situation.

 

[George Van Beynen]

Usually all new tools need to be sharpened, I have yet to see one that didn't, but I do not buy my tools pre-sharpened. If in doubt sharpen and compare, every time I ask myself if it is sharp enough I had better grind.

 

[Sean Troy]

1"? sounds more like your using a scraper than a gouge.

 

[dkulze]

Hey DJ,

Best bet is to track down your nearest AAW turning club, give the president a call (or drop by their website and call a person listed as a mentor) and snag some hands on coaching. That's what the clubs are there for and you'll generally get more help than you bargained for. I recently got the call and mentored someone. We ended up turning only a little and, instead, spent the time tearing apart and modifying her lathe due to an incorrectly sized drive spindle.

Starting out, you'd be pretty unique to get nice long shavings. Most folks, when starting, tend to use all of their tools, regardless of their design, as scrapers. What this means is that they approach the wood directly and scrape wood off with the leading edge. This will do the trick but is pretty time consuming and limiting.

With coaching and lessons, you learn how to ride the bevel of gouges and skews so as to carve off shavings like with a knife. The key really is having someone show you. I turned on and off for 15 years and then on pretty intensively for another 2 before someone showed me the correct use for gouges. Major forehead slapping time. World of difference.

Good luck and don't be shy,
Dietrich

 

[MichaelMouse]

Will the gouge gouge wood with the lathe off? A sharp one will. Not like your carving gouges, certainly, but well enough.

If not, hone it.

If yes, return the gouge to the presentation giving you the dust and rotate the piece by hand. Should be able to cut across the grain and peel along it. If not, you're presenting the gouge improperly.

I take heat or dust as a sign of bad presentation, requirement for additional presure to cut as a dull gouge.

 

[Hugh]

I took a two week course at Arrowmont - with John Jordan as the instructor - a number of years ago. John wrote on the blackboard (and left it there the whole two weeks "The answer to your question is sharpen your tools." What John also said is this is the answer to about 80% of the questions. I have found that a sharp tool helps on most problems. May not solve the problem but it helps.
Hugh

 

[DeanGThomas]

John Jordan wrote on the blackboard (and left it there the whole two weeks "The answer to your question is sharpen your tools." What John also said is this is the answer to about 80% of the questions.

Hey Hugh!

Great quote. We had a weekend with John here in Kansas City last month. He has evidently discovered the rest of the trouble!

I'm not sure that he gave percentages, but the rest of John's cure is to keep your tool rest dressed and waxed, and the ways clean and lightly lubed (he uses WD-40). If the tools cut well and move well, that's got to be 98% of troubles (discounting abject machine failure and incorrect technique). Add 1% for wacky wood, and 1% for most everything else.

 

[underdog]

I'd have to agree with Deitrich on this one.

Although sharp tools are a must, you'd have to be the unusual one to have started out cutting rather than scraping. I think that most of us start turning without realizing that there's more to it than just sticking the pointy end into the wood. I know I did. (In fact one of my first pieces I not only scraped it but began by turning a large piece way too fast! )

It really doesn't matter how sharp your tool is if you just stick it straight into the wood. You'll get more tearout this way no matter what tool you use.

In general scrapers are flat in section and have blunt cutting angles. They should also trail slightly when engaging the wood. This means the handle is usually higher than the cutting edge.

In general cutting tools (like the skew, and gouges) edges should lead while the end of the handle is significantly lower than the cutting edge.

I like to recommend a good book by Keith Rowley entitled "Woodturning, a Foundation Course". Keith makes the basics clear and concise.

I also second the idea of getting in touch with a local club. It's a tremendous resource. Turners are usually quite helpful and will give you lots of tips, wood and advice. (See?) They will also usually have a demonstration each month and let you know of learning oportunities.

Good luck with that little Jet. I have one and I love it!

 

[hockenbery]

tools out of the box are seldom sharp

Grain orientation is it very important. Cutting the long fibers with supporting fibers behind them to achieves the best surface.

In my opinion a 1" gouge is too big for both the small lathe and a less experienced turner. I'd suggest you start out with a 3/8 bowl gouge or 1/2 spindle gouge.

But most important go see someone use the tools correctly.
A class or a Club help session will save many frustrating hours.

happy turning,
Al

 

[MichaelMouse]

tools out of the box are seldom sharp
In my opinion a 1" gouge is too big for both the small lathe and a less experienced turner. I'd suggest you start out with a 3/8 bowl gouge or 1/2 spindle gouge.

I really don't think he's got a full 1" bite going. No matter the size of the gouge, the shaving is limited by presentation to broad/narrow or shallow/deep.

My lathe's a full HP, and a 3/4" wide shaving is about the limit even on bass or aspen.