AAARRRRGH!

don't give up get out the CA supper glue and continue on a figured wood the fixed cracks will not be noticeable

Surprisingly,

It isn't necessarily the scraper. due to their nature, natural edges are tricky near the edge. You just have to be really carefull and make regular sacrifices to the Woodworking Gods, or so JOAT says. Dave in Fairfax

Carlo,

I can relate! Part of it is due to apple, which cracks just a little too easy. I've had the same thing happen with apple. The wood was probably starting to warp and the scraper didn't bounce with the wave. : )

You can use the scraper on the edge of the bowl but support the outside of the bowl with your left hand and lighten up on the pressure of the scraper. You must have a lighter touch as you near the rim.

Ruth

Woodturners Logo My shop and Turnings at

If you are trying to turn thin, then you need to do it about 1" at a time. So, get the whole thing to 1/2" or something like that. Then, get the top 1" to finished thickness. Now, start on the second inch and you cannot go back. You need to work to the bottom a little at a time and never go back toward the rim. The problem is that as you work, the shape of the bowl higher up is going to change due to relieving of stress as material is removed and drying.

The hard part is being able to make it look as if you had taken one beautiful cut from the rim to the bottom.

Hope this helps.

Bill

Carlo! You didn't say if the wood was green or seasoned. Regardless, if you had used LDD method, this probably would not have happened.

Surprisingly,

As far as I could tell, and I was quite surprised, the wood hadn't started to warp yet. The problem with the catch was that it caught on the edge; as the wood was turning, the scraper went from air to wood and caught the edge too hard. I guess it was a case of too much pressure on the the tool. The annoying thing is that I didn't need to use the scraper near the rim. I only needed for the bottom of the bowl and I guess I got greedy. Live and learn... I hope.

I am, however, quite blown away by turning this apple. I actually found it on the side of the road on garbage day and I'm kicking myself for not taking it all! It is, without a doubt, the nicest wood I've turned. It cuts with no tear out in the end grain (with a sharp tool) unlike everything else I've tried and finishes beautifully. As for the question posted about seasoning, it was freshly cut around June and had been sitting in my garage with the ends sealed until last month when I cut it up into bowl blanks so I guess it's still considered green.

Thanks for all your comments,

Carlo.

another throught is that due to the thinness of the walls, things were distorting a little and this accounted for a greater depth of cut that you wanted.

Something to try.

Once you have finished the outside, get a piece of waste MDF and cut a collar to the right size to take i nteh wings, the higher unsupported sections that are most flimsy and furthest from the base.

Hot melt glue the collar in place, then reverse and turn the centre out.

This will affor a lot more support for the weaker more fragile section and make it less prove to flex and grab.

It will also add mass greater than the turned piece, and being balanced, allow you to turn it faster. Fast is good in these cases, health and saftey considered first of course.

Rex Haslip Auckland New Zealand

Surprisingly,

Try that again, spelling and typing slightly more sorted

Another throught is that due to the thinness of the walls, things were distorting a little and this accounted for a greater depth of cut than you wanted.

Something to try.

Once you have finished the outside, get a piece of waste MDF and cut a collar to the right size to take in the wings, the higher unsupported sections that are most flimsy and furthest from the base.

Hot melt glue the collar in place, then reverse and turn the centre out.

This will afford a lot more support for the weaker more fragile section and make it less prone to flex and therefore grab.

It will also add mass greater than the turned piece, and being balanced, will allow you to turn it faster. Fast is good in these cases, health and saftey considered first of course.

Rex Haslip Auckland New Zealand

Carlo:

One thing I like to do with my larger natural edge bowls/vessels when I am done with the outside, is use some cling tight or shrink-wrap befor starting the inside. This keeps the vessel in shape and is quite useful. Especially helpful in turning thin or fragile woods.

The suggestions about cutting down 1" at a time and finishing before blending is quite useful. It really helps when turning green fruit wood. Living in Washinton State, I turn a lot of apple. It is one of my favorites, especially apple crotch wood, the burls are beautiful.

Good luck.

If you have to use a scraper in this position, you should drop the nose and rotate the scraper onto the left edge. Likewise on the outside of a bowl in this area, you raise the nose and rotate the scraper onto the right edge. The Del Stubbs video shows this.

Derek

Bill Rubenstein wrote: clip) The problem is that as you work, the shape of the bowl higher up is going to change due to relieving of stress as material is removed and drying. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Bill is right. Once you get the edge thin, you must not go back. Besides the reason he gives (distortion to out-of-round), I would like to add this: Once the sides of a bowl have been turned thin, they are very poorly supported from the base. Chatter and vibration can cause a catastrophe quicker than you can react.

The LDD Technical Studies unit is working on it as we communicate, Tony!

*G* It should be noted that warping on the lathe can be a factor in inducing catches. LDD all but prevents warping: ergo: less chance for a catch. It also helps prevent cracking which also can induce a catch! LDD rules!

I rarely, if ever, have a catch. ;-)

Uh, what's a catch? Is it like steak? I rarely have those but when I do I use A1 sauce...

...Kevin

I wouldn't let Theresa hear you ask that.

_____ American Association of Woodturners Cascade Woodturners Assoc., Portland, Oregon Northwest Woodturners, Tigard, Oregon _____

Kevin, The technical term for a catch is 'an unintended ornamentation'. An archaic expression from bodgerskrit is 'an undesignated embellishment'. HTH Arch

Fortiter,

Atta boy, Arch! Bet you make lemonade, too! *G*

Leif, Florida's d... lemon law for catches protects the citizenry from my spontaneous ornamentations. Before LDD soaks were declared illegal, I used them to evade the law. :) Arch

Fortiter,