comments skew posted wrong NG

I, for one, have problems using the skew. But as I think about it when you're doing a shear cut at about 45 degrees with a fingernail gouge it would seem you're duplicating the attitude of a skew which could explain why that cut does such a smooth finish job.

It's just that any skew I use has a mind of its own sometimes - most times as I'm nearing the finished form (redesign opportunity as in from a chicken egg to finally a hummingbird egg). I'd say that's because on a gouge there's no corner to grab and sail.

But the scraper with frequent touches of a stone to keep a burr does a great final touch up before sanding on a lot of jobs. And I forget where I read it but shaping with a disc sander while the piece is turning is an excellent way around spalted tearout problems.

Probably I should just grab some firewood and keep skewing around - Mac :) - until I learn how.

TomNie

Reply to
Tom Nie
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ok.. another chance to answer it... *g*

I hate spindle work, but it's the best way to "master" the skew, IMO...

Put some scrap between centers and just PLAY... make it fun, mostly by giving yourself permission to not be MAKING something, just playing...

Round the stock with the tool of choice and smooth it with the skew... experiment with rotating the point up or down and moving in different directions... Roll it from level to point down and watch the nice bead it makes... flip it over and to the other side, etc....

If you're getting catches, grind an old skew with a "moon" shape... the sweet spot straight with the point and heel ground slightly back...

I really didn't consider the skew a useful tool, or at least one that I used often, until I got into pens... what an education pens are! Mac

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Reply to
mac davis

Tom,

After watching Alan Lacer's Video " The Taming of the Skew", a little practice made the skew not only controllable, but also comfortable.

Carl McCarty

Reply to
Carl McCarty

Yeah welcome to the club Tom! But never fear there is a solution. First the skew must be razor sharp and then the secret is always cut in the top 1/3rd of the perimeter of the piece. That means raising the tool rest and using the heel of the skew at a 45* angle to the axis. Hard to describe. If you need clarification I can send you a sketch via email. I read this gem piece of info somewhere on the 'net about a year ago and since then haven't had 1 catch. I am even confident enough to use the skew point down now but it is still a bit of a tense few minutes! Peter Visit my site at:

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Reply to
Canchippy

Then it catches and the nightmare begins. You wake up fast.

- Owen -

Reply to
Owen Lawrence

Yep, I never touch the dang thing except to use it as a scraper. The old heart can't deal with the excitement of a 'scew catch', of which I've had one or two too many :>(

Tom

Reply to
Tom Storey

Agreed. I seldom use any tool other than a skew when making a pen ... and of late I've been making several a day. Load the lathe --> crank the rpms all the way up --> lay the skew side against the wood --> draw it down until it starts to cut. Turn the tailstock end round, turn the skew around and turn the headstock end down to round. Resharpen a couple strokes with the diamond flat and finish turning the pen. The only other tool I use to make a pen is a scraper used when I get carried away with the CA

The nice thing about the skew is that it allows you to undercut the bushing slightly to allow for finish buildup so that the finish comes out even with the bushing and the straight edge can be used as a scraper to level things out a bit prior to rough sanding.

After rough sanding (350 grit followed by 400 grit J weight strips) I do 3 coats of CA, (lathe ~300 rpm) turn the excess off the bushings and wet sand with 500 SC (all turning and sanding done at roughly 3,000 rpm). Then I apply two or three more layers of CA, re-clean the bushings, sand with

500 grit then 1000 grit and then move into the micro-mesh to complete. Two coats of carnauba oat 3,000 r's and then it's off to the bench press for assembly.

The skew has little business on any but the smallest of bowls ... as far as I'm concerned, that's scraper and gouge work. But the skew -lives- for small spindle work -- and that's what pens are.

Bill

Reply to
Bill

Bill, I read you method of using CA as a pre-finish for pens. That is basically super glue, right? How do you apply it? and which one do you use; thin or thick? It sound interesting but isn't it expensive as compared to say a shellac pre-finish?

Reply to
kopiohla

Tom:

Don't give up on the skew. And if you put a slight curve along the cutting edge, the "corners" are less likely to "grab and sail".

Grab some scrap and turn a bunch of hair sticks. They're pretty quick to make and don't use much wood. After you've done a few dozen you should have the skew under control. What you learned will be transferable to pen turning.

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And if you want curves, the skew is a great tool.
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I just don't understand why folks who want to turn perfect cylinders don't get a little metal lathe with an XY set up like the UniMat or one of its cousins (first picture on this page (the tool holder isn't shown in the photo)
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Give the skew another chance. charlie b

Reply to
charlie b

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