That is chipping. Increase your speed on the lathe rpm, and take lighter cuts. Alumilite is a polyurethane resin and is much easier to turn than polyester resin which is extremely brittle. I suspect you are using a carbide insert tool, and you’ll get that with too aggressive of cut. Switch to a negative rake insert for your tool and adjust the other items I mentioned. Penturners.org is the place for pen turning information. It also looks like you are using a pen mill as a drive center. I’ve never seen that and I recommend you buy a mandrel. If you get a catch with your current drive, it will mill the end of the blank and ruin your pen. Also your turning technique also shows up with really rough ridges where there is no chipping. You need to do a lot of practice to change that, unless you really like to sand plastic. I use a traditional skew and the resin shines off the tool.
Aha
In the Pressure Pot 5 hours.
sat aside for 2 and a half days. It is my first casting, yay!
let's see... It has been a long while since returning to the Lathe. I will at times, switch tools to get a feel for them
The Carbide tool is circular, with a Neg. Rake.
I have a good pen mandrel. This blank is for a game call.
A Pen Mandrel is no longer something i can use...
Because I can no longer hand hold a turned, finished and off the Lathe, Call under the drill press, to start the inside boring. Typically a Step Bit.
it is between centers to make a tenon, to hold in in a chuck, for the final turning. Both ends were given a starting "hole" with a center bit.
Holding by a Tenon in a chuck is much better - preferred way for finishing the Interior.
The blank started out approx 1.5" square.
at this point in the turning, I'm still roughing. Supposedly. running up to 1500-2k rpm
The chipped area smoothed out a while later. still some though, so I will work on the Technique. I know it takes time.
Partly a reason, for me wondering if Air bubbles just did not compress. ??
I have a second blank waiting. Right now, I am waiting for a 4" tool rest to complete the good times.
It is mounted in the chuck now, and I can't get this rest properly close.
When the tool rest arrives, I will go through my photo gallery of wood Calls and pick a style ! Heck, the one in my Avatar is a good candidate.
I sure do appreciate all the replies!
P.S. I have never turned a pen. LOL, that is above my pay grade! one day...
