It's a deal! Love to meet you. Our oldest son is a photographer/videographer in Greenville SC and so get over that way at times.
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What’s on your lathe?
- Thread starter Rusty Nesmith
- Start date
It's a deal! Love to meet you. Our oldest son is a photographer/videographer in Greenville SC and so get over that way at times.
I have seen that exact figuring a few times, and yes, I believe it's accurately described as quilted.
=o=
This is my first try at turning Purple Heart. I started out with my gouge, only to find it was blueing the metal. Not wanting to damage my new gouge I pulled out my Hunter carbide. I must say, that cut a lot easier for me, though I just learning the traditional tools.
The Purple Heart sure finished up beautifully.
The Purple Heart sure finished up beautifully.
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Am I understanding this correctly?
The act of turning Purpleheart is heating your gouge so hot that it's turning it blue?
Without more information to confirm it, the sharpness of the tool edge does cure a lot of problems.
Taking too big of a bite creates more heat too....and that could be compounded by an edge that could be sharper as well.
Make no mistake though....Purpleheart isn't an easy wood to turn well.
The gouge in question is a brand new, sharp out of the box, Mahoney series from Carter and Sons. Yes, the heat generated by the cut blued the metal, though my research says not enough to damage it. Perhaps it was not as sharp as it should be, but it wasn’t dull either. It cut nicely, just heated up. It is the parabolic woodbeater, which has less metal on the tip, which may have affected things.
I’m just learning to use the traditional tools, so wasn’t overly aggressive in my cut, either.
Bottom line, I wasn’t going to push it trying to turn the Purple Heart. I’m more familiar with carbide tipped cutters, and had a new one from Hunters which preformed well with that wood. And, I was more confident knowing that the tips are easily replaced.
I understand! Purple heart can be "fun", I've found it varies a lot, perhaps depending on where it grows. I got some supposedly from mexico once that, unlike most, has stayed purple for years. I think the type of finish used helps reduce the effects of oxygen. And keep it out of strong light! That piece is a spindle with multiple applications of shellac (Mylands friction polish). A quick shot on the dining table.
I usually use traditional gouges but have gone to some Hunter tools for many things. I especially like the tools with the small diameter #1 cutter. I'm turning some African Blackwood now and the small Hunter Hercules is perfect - can leave a nearly polished surface off the tool if I'm careful with the presentation. I also use the same tool and others in a scraping mode for initial smoothing on the insides of things, followed with a NRS and hand scrapers..
I examine the edge under a low power microscope to look for signs of abrasion on the sharp edge. (never let it touch steel, even gently!) A strong hand lens works too. Rotating the bit often helps even out the wear. Mike used to say rotate it randomly a bit every day. I think the last recommendation was a bit different.
I haven't tried a bowl but have a block waiting. You may have inspired me to give it a go.
JKJ
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You haven't resharpened your gouge.......yet?
If the heat was enough to blue the metal, wouldn’t it burn the wood? Perhaps the bluing was pitch left on the tool? Could the bluing be removed without grinding the steel?
Just curious and want to learn.
Just curious and want to learn.
The tool was brand new.
And I quote “
- Shipped sharp with the grind found at Mahoney’s lathe (easily duplicated using a Wolverine jig)
Imho, never trust the sharpness of a new tool and sharpen often. There are times, especially when using nrs' that I just leave the grinder on while I work (not often but it happens).
Well, I have turned a lot of different woods, some a LOT harder than purple heart. I just can't wrap my mind around turning any wood that could blue the metal just from heat generated by turning only. "Totally and in all ways inconceivable!" and yes, that word means what I think it means. If the wood blued the metal, other than maybe resin build up, I would call the manufacturer. The Carter tools are made from M42 HSS, and you should not be able to blue them with turning only.
robo hippy
robo hippy
You appear to be correct. The blueing, was actually purpled, it was apparently resin build up. Lacquer thinner, a bit of 600 grit, and most telling, scraping with my knife and it’s gone.
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Chunk of white wenge for a retirement gift.
Found a kit online. All you cigar puffers will like this.
Has an end cutter concealed in the bottom long piece. Also comes with rubber gaskets to retain moisture.
Found a kit online. All you cigar puffers will like this.
Has an end cutter concealed in the bottom long piece. Also comes with rubber gaskets to retain moisture.
What color was the wood? Walnut can stain.
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No such thing as Sharp out of the box. (Depends on how you define sharp - most experienced turners would call what comes out of the box "a bit dull" - Same experience I have had with many other top tier tools such as Lie-Nielsen, Narex, and even Thompson gouges- they can always use a touch up to get 'em sharper) Might have been perfectly sharpened at the factory but by the time they are done with packaging and shipping, that edge is likely not gonna be fresh-off-the-wheel sharp. Might still cut but not as efficiently as it would have had it been sharpened first.