Got my first lathe Friday, and turned a green cherry limb into a covered vessel. I *really* need to get some books...
It turned out pretty nice, what with the contoured, dished top, edge beading, and a thin knob with a dished top. This is some cool stuff! I just made it up as I went along. I'll post a pix when SWMBO returns from CA.
Anyway, in the process of roughing out the interior of the container, I discovered that it is not advisable to use a standard roughing gouge. It seems to grab quite forcefully and gives the general impression of being quite dangerous. I ended up using a parting tool to do most of the excavation. I don't have a curled bowl rest, as no one in the area seems to carry one for a Mini-lathe with 5/8" posts. The container is only 2 1/4" deep, so I placed the straight rest as close as I could, but it was still an eerie handful.
My questions (finally!) are:
Is there a website or other source for grinding your own custom tool profiles. I have several extra gouges and such that I could modify into more appropriate tools for excavating vessels. Are 100 grit white wheels OK for this?
Also, what is the general consensus on the Sorby Hollowmaster? I am primarily interested in small, deep thinwall vessels and segmented bowls/vessels.
And what about the Woodcraft Tool Rest system. The straight tool rests look like finger eaters, but the curved rests seems OK.
I DAGS, but nothing helpful.
Thanks,
Greg G.