Did my homework today

Sounds like the same experience I had. My first few years of turning, I used gouges and scrapers almost exclusively, until I overcame my skew-o-phobia. You're right, it is a milestone, and it's amazing how easy the cuts come with a little practice.

I remember being frustrated, because I'm self-taught, and no matter how many descriptions of skew cutting I read in books, I could never seem to get the correct angle or tool presentation. I had my epiphany during a turning class back in the day when Shopsmith had their retail stores. Excellent instructor (Mark Krick), he explained and demonstrated the cuts in great detail. I've been in a turning club since then, and there's nothing like someone showing you the techniques and showing you exactly what you're doing wrong.

Enjoy your newfound skills and keep practicing.

Buddy

I think that learning to use a skew is something that new folks should, and usually don't, do.... If you watch anyone using a gouge with swept wings, you can tell that they know how to use a skew and when to use/not use it.. (of course, Bill Grumbine comes to mind) If you want to really play with a cool tool, try an oval skew... SO cool to be able to roll it a little...

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Try a straight chisel, sometimes referred to as a "beading tool," and you'll wonder why anyone would want to use a skew. Those who turned in the woods for a living used straight and chisels with mild concavity, because they were more controllable, made a smoother bead, and were easy to sharpen.

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And don't forget that little used (or known) tool, the bedan. It's easy to make one from a small flat work chisel, and it does most of what you'd do with a skew or beading tool.

Ken Moon Webberville, TX.

I think I have one, George, just not sure from your description... sort of a round skew but without that damned angle on the end?

Mac

03 Tahoe Widelite 26GT Travel Trailer replaced 1958 Hilite tent trailer 99 Dodge Ram QQ 2wd - 5.9L, auto, 3:55 gears

Looks like a mortising chisel, only mine has a touch longer bevel. It's the ultimate in grinding back the nose and tail of your skew. They're straight!

A couple years ago I attended a 2-day workshop with Jean-Francois Escoulen - truly a master with the bedan. (Makes sense given the French origins of both.) He handles the bedan both as a wide parting tool and a narrow skew.

When you think about the tools we use, you will recognize that many are used in similar ways to how we use a skew. Bedans, parting tools, and long-edged tools like a roughing gouge or fingernail spindle gouge, can all be used on the wood like a traditional skew cut.

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Did he bring one of his trembleurs with him? And did he go over use of his string spindle steady? Both remarkable as far as I'm concerned.

Ken Moon Webberville, TX.

I really liked Alan Lacers DVD on the skew. Having a dead center as the driver allows more or less slip by tightening the tail stock. no worries about a catch. You can acually do one to see what happens. Tryed his way of rolling a bead...dam worked first time. Tried cutting a pomel.. dam worked first time. Waiting to get the money to get his other videos. Guess I am impressed with his video good referance material. Watch it over and over. Always pick up something.

Better than that - he made one for us (Northwest Woodturners) and signed it. We made a base for it with a protective plexi tube and auctioned it off last summer at our wood'n'tool auction. If I remember correctly, I think we got something in the neighborhood of $250 for it. Here's a pic of the finished trembleur as auctioned:

Here's a link to some pics of Escoulen's demo for us:

Lastly, I did make his string steady - sort of... I tried it but found the string a little too fussy. Either that or I forgot how he wound and tied it. I resorted to his basic framework but then went with UHMW plastic and deStacco clamps:

Works great and is easy to setup and take down. For the type of work I'm doing I need something that's quick and easy to move as I work -- I move them (I have two steadies) about 5 or so times in making one spindle.

======================== I attended a one day demo that he did for the Central Texas Woodturners Assn. in the late 90's. It was right after he introduced his eccentric chuck to the US market. He's the most impressive turner I've ever watched. I'd never heard of a bedan before I saw him, but he made it look so eay, I had to try it; almost as easy as he made it look. The trembleur is a different story; I can make one section. {:-( My ambition is to go to France for one of his classes (right after I get that lottery money!) I'm still saving for one of his chucks also. So many wishes, so little money. BTW, thanks for the links.

Ken Moon Webberville, TX.

yep.. that describes it... I made it for cutting recesses in bowl bottoms before I knew about swept wings on a bowl gouge..

Mac

03 Tahoe Widelite 26GT Travel Trailer replaced 1958 Hilite tent trailer 99 Dodge Ram QQ 2wd - 5.9L, auto, 3:55 gears

Owen Lowe wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com:

That looks to be about the level of engineering I'd like to attempt. Do you know if it scales up well to handle say a Shaker chair rail, at 1.75"? Or am I stuck with the skate wheel design?

Thanks for the links.

Patriarch

I don't know why it wouldn't work just fine at the diameter you're looking to do. All you're really trying to do is limit horizontal movement from the centerline axis.