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Old Dog, New Tricks

(I'm cross posting this to WoodCentral and rec.crafts.woodturning because there are knowledgable folks who only participate in one of these turning forums.)

When you use a tool a LOT you get very familiar with it - how it behaves in different situations, what you need to do to get it TO BEHAVE, when NOT to use it - and how to get it to do things it probably wasn't intended to do.

I've upgraded my 8 year old Mac G3 to a new Mac Mini and the pseudo CAD drawing program that I've been using since probably 1990 can't be migrated to the new computer. With 18 years of experience with SuperPaint I can practially make it talk - and juggle - while doing cartwheels. If you've been to my woodworking site and poked around you've seen some of my line drawing illustrations. While it's only a 2D drawing program, my high school drafting class gave me enough of the basics to be able to do 2 1/2D drawings of just about anything I can think of - though it can be tedious and time consuming sometimes - an isometric drawing of a through dovetailed drawer being an example of tedious and time consuming.

So now, on the new computer, I'm climbing the learning curve of SketchUp, which is a VERY powerful 3D program, and for turners, the "FOLLOW ME" tool is pretty amazing, letting you "virtually turn" ideas, quickly changing proportions and shapes - and see an idea from any perspective. And after watching hours of web videos on how to use it, and probably 30 hours playing with it, it's starting to become familiar. I can go get the tool or function I need without having to search for it amongst the myriad of menus, pop ups, pull downs and contextual menus. And I'm starting to use keyboard shortcuts intuitively.

BUT - here's the problem. When I go back to my old computer to use SuperPaint because SketchUp doesn't let you combine text and graphics very well - I find myself trying to use SketchUp keyboard shortcuts and techniques with SuperPaint. And when I get back to intuitively working with SuperPaint, then go back to SketchUp, I have the same problem - intuitive things from SuperPaint either don't work in SketchUp, or do something completely different. I can only imagine how tricky life must be for a schizophrenic.

Here's how all that applies to turning. I've been using a small roughing gouge, a couple of curved edge skew chisels, a spearpoint 1/4" parting tool and a 1/16th inch bayonet saw blade I've ground to a thin parting tool (STILL haven't put a "real handle" on it because the wrapped paper towel handle works). I've done a LOT of between centers stuff (every kid I know has at least one magic wand) with these tools and five or six dozen lidded boxes, dozens of plates and bowls and MOST of 20 or 30 small hollow forms, the inside hollowing I cn't do with a

1/2 inch skew being done with an angles carbide cutter silver soldered into a shaft at an angle to allow undercutting.

Now I'm playing with the MiniMonster captured system. Completely different way of doing things relative to the skew and how I used IT to hollow. Because a captured system, by intent and design, limits dynamically changing the angle of the cutting edge relative to the wood it's easy to forget about that - until you go back to turning with a skew. With a skew you're changing the cut constantly and using the bevel to control the depth of cut. I COULD do the skew equivalent of whistling while juggling and doing a cartwheel. But after a few hours with the MiniMonster and then returning to the skew there's some recalibrating necessary before I can get it to do what I want without 15 minutes of Paying Attention.

What use to be Think It - Do It is going back to Think It - Figure Out How - Tentatively Try - Rethink It - Try Again. The flow of things gets interrupted by all that thinking and hesitating - with results that look like the proverbial "horse designed by a committee - the camel".

The MiniMonster is great for the inside of bowls and hollow forms. But there's a temptation to use it for other things, probably things it wasn't intended to do, like the outside shaping. Maybe it's an Inertia thing - keep going with the tool at hand, even when you shouldn't. And when you go back to using the tool you SHOULD use, some of that inertia from the previous tool carries over and gets misapplied to the new tool.

Have you got any tips or tricks for transitioning as you significantly change from tool to tool?

How do you avoid the Inertia Trap - keep using a tool when you probably shouldn't?

charile b

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charlieb
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Hi Charlie, good post. I forget who wrote "You Can't Go Home Again", but it's often true. Your dilemma with old skews and new hollowers reminds me of my troubles & woes with old glasses and new shoes.

I can see better with the old specs and the old shoes sure are comfortable. The new specs are blurry and the new shoes pinch. If the new set up really is right, the only way I know is to persevere, forgetting an old friend and you'll soon find the new one is better and now the old blurs & pinches ...but you already know that. :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

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Arch

Thomas Wolfe. Home left the day you did.

Reply to
Lobby Dosser

SNIP

Very interesting post, Charlie. I have certainly noticed that quandary over the years as a problem.

I have certain saws that I just simply like using more than others, and will try to do too much with them rather than to go get the right saw, or the saw that is set up properly. For example, I have a older Milwaukee saw that has enough low end torque to pull the bumper off a truck; but it does not cut as smoothly as my Makita trim saw.

It won't bog down, doesn't overheat, and it feels really good in my hand as I have used this older Milwaukee saw and its grip design for about 30 years. I like it; we are like old friends, and this is my

3rd saw of this particular model. But for some reason, regardless of blade type cutting speed, etc., this saw doesn't track or cut as well as the aforementioned Makita.

The Makita was purpose bought by me as I needed a saw to cut off doors as needed to fit them into existing frames. Doors splinter and tear unexpectedly these days as the micro fine veneers and the over dried crap wood they make them off is so crispy and brittle that even scoring the cut doesn't help.

I bought three Makitas (and returned 2) before I got the one I wanted. It tracks almost perfectly, and with a new Freud blade in it I can cut most doors without scoring - it is that accurate. With a guide, it rarely leaves a score mark on the cut surface.

But I LIKE using my old faithful Milwaukee. I am remembering the days when I didn't have enough money for two saws, and the Milwaukee was my right hand as a beginning carpenter. So it is habit AND preference.

So... how do I remember to change? I was cutting a piece of crap door to accept a high rise threshold I installed at a client's house. The door looked to be in pretty good shape and I figured that I was cutting up far enough to get away from the dried edges. I installed the threshold and was ready to get out of there. Before I had enough $ $ to have a few saws, I used the Milwaukee for everything, including cutting and sizing doors so I thought nothing of using it that day. Even though I had bought the Makita and coated blades

Reply to
nailshooter41

Great post, good writing, easy reading, Robert. I bet the real estate ads in your town brag "Built by Robert ___". Wish your company had done my doors.

As to bowl rims, mine are mostly functional so I like them flared enough for a good grip for passing around the table. Probably not kosher, but I use a skew instead of a gouge wherever possible.

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

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Arch

Arch, There is one thing you can tell quickly about a true craftsman...... PRIDE in their work. Robert, Mac, Darrell, Fred, and you speak with pride in all you share with us. Maybe its your years of experience behind the lathe (or other power tools) and learning from the mistakes you've made, or the natural God given gift of turning a piece of wood into something beautiful and desirable by others. My grand dad has that ability. I've had the luxury of being around a few true craftsmen in my time. Their ability to use tools was amazing at times. My grand dad for instance, could taking a piece of baling wire and repair or build anything. When a hammer wasn't readily available, he would use the ratchet in his hand to hammer whatever it was into place. He could use a saber saw as most would use a skil saw. But comfort with his tools is also his failing. 4 years ago he managed to lay a 2X4 across his knee and saw though his leg. I think Charlie's post falls more and more into the area of becoming TOO comfortable with ones tools. Too often I catch myself using a tool in a way that it shouldn't be. I haven't yet been hurt doing so, but time will catch up with me. Learning to use a new tool is similar to using an old tool in a bad way. Learning to use the new tool is something I dread doing. I'd rather use the tool I'm comfortable with to do the job I know it wasn't built to do, than to switch to the proper tool for the job. Perhaps it boils down to being lazy, but I make excuses like the handle doesn't feel right or its too heavy (or not heavy enough) or I can do it better with this tool. When I do fianlly switch tools and force myself to learn how to use it, I wonder why I didn't switch earlier. Then, when I feel comfortable with the new tool, I find myself reluctant not to use the tool for everything. I know it works, I know I can do it with this tool, and I can, hopefully, not lose a finger while doing it. Well, thats my spill on the topic. JD

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JD

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