I'm making a few gavels for friends and am having trouble making the hammer ends properly domed and uniform. I'm putting a 2"X2" blank that is 6" long between centers and plan on an inch of waste at each end.I'm pretty bad with a skew to begin with and trying to get it through walnut end grain hasn't been successful. I've also tried, with limited success, a narrow scraper. Can anybody recommend a better method? Thanks
Most Americans would use a spindle gouge for this. Work from the outside to the tailcenter -- large diameter to small.
You need to 'rub the bevel'. Use the bevel to adjust and set the shape of the end and the direction of the cut.
Also use the largest tool you can get into the area you need to cut. It will give you a better cut because it vibrates less.
Another possibility is to use a bowl gouge with an Ellsworth grind as a scraper. The flute points left and slightly up. You are cutting with the bottom edge This is a scraping cut but is very controllable. Then if you put a little burr on the bottom edge and hold the handle as low as possible, you will be making a shear scraping cut which can give you good results.
Then, there is always power sanding to refine the shape if necessary --
80 grit can do wonders in no time at all.Hope that this helps some...
Bill
Another thought...
This is heresy but...
You'd be surprised how good a surface you can get using a parting tool properly. I'm talking about a normal straight tool, not a diamond shaped parting tool which I see no use for at all -- and they are expensive.
If you are working on the tail end, you would be cutting with the point but the tool would be rotated a little left. The left edge of the top bevel is cleaning up the cut (make sure that it is sharp along its length) and the results can be very good. Also, I frequently use a parting tool for making small beads -- works great -- just don't tell anybody, please.
Bill
Bill,
This is not heresy, but a legitimate use of a parting tool. Keep in mind that the parting tool has five sharpened edges to use. Using the top edge of the bevel is a viable scraping tool.
Joe
To round off the end of a gavel head, I usually rough in with a parting tool and make a finish cut with long point down with a skew. With a little practice little or no sanding is required. Use the bevel as a depth of cut limiter with a very light touch. Rubbing too hard will create ripples or chatter. It must also be a sharp as possible.
You could always turn the gavel head in a chuck, holding one end by a spiggot. That way you can work on the tailstock end with no problem and then cut down finely at the headstock end and once you have cut it off, finish it off with the sander.
One thing I found useful was to get the hole for the handle perfectly in the centre, put the head in a jam chuck with each hammer face flush against the inside of the wooden chuck. As it rotates, you will get the perfect centre. Sadly not my idea, I copied it from someone else on the internet, but it does work well.
Regards
Paul
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