Turning Beads and Skew Chisels

I think what may be happening when makeing the bead with the skew is that you are looseing the bevel. Not that I am an expert, but I have been watching Alan Lacers "The skew chisle -- the dark side and the sweet side" he recommends useing a dead center to drive your spindle. By moveing the tail stock quill in and out you can apply more or less drive. You can go from just enough so that you can grab the work piece till you can't. With that you can experiment. With a little drive while turning your bead lift the bevel and you will see the short point skate back. Since there is little drive it is not violent and the piece may stop. This also works for your spindle gouge. It lets you see what is happening when you turn. I recomend this video if you have skew questions, it is a good referance. Also if I am not mistaken Packard sells the dead center for about $24.00. Good luck.

Ron,

I'll echo what Bruce says. Get a copy of Alan Lacer's video on the skew chisel. He not only shows you the right way to make each of the many cuts, he also shows you where they can go wrong. I got my copy last week and am still looking at it. The man can do anything with the skew except make it sing! A very good investment.

Harry

I just don't see beating yourself up trying to do beads with a skew when it is usually unnecessary. A 3/8 beading and parting tool is much friendlier and easier to use and will turn 95% of the beads which you will need to turn.

Martin Pidgeon is as good a spindle turner as I've ever seen working and he uses the beading and parting tool. He is fast, accurate and gets a very good finish. If it is good enough for him it is good enough for me.

Bill

I have little problem rolling small to medium size beads. Once they get fairly large, like the acorns on a finial, I'll roll 'em with a fingernail ground spindle gouge. Much easier to control...

There is really no point, other than your personal feelings, of sticking to one way to do something or insisting on using a particular tool. Beads don't have to be rolled just with skews or beading tools. Better if you learn to roll them with every tool you have available, then choose the one best suited for the task (size, wood, temperament) at hand.

Michael Latcha - at home in Redford, MI

Bill,

I don't disagree with your comment about ease of use. But with a skew you get a much better finish. Alan Lacer demonstrates the difference in the quality of a shoulder cut made with a parting tool and with a skew. The skew wins hands down. This may not be a big deal to you or to me, but to a production turner getting a nearly finished product directly from the tool is important. But like everything else in this hobby, you do what works for you.

Harry

I believe what's happening, at least in my experience, is that the tool handle is getting ahead of the cut with the result of the sharp edge skating up the diameter. Meaning, for example, that if you are cutting towards the right, the handle must be more to the left than the cutting edge. If the handle is kept behind the cut, whichever direction you are moving, you will maintain control and if too far behind the cut the only thing that happens is that you lever the edge, on the heel of the bevel, away from the work and lose the cutting action.

I'll third, forth or fifth the suggestion on viewing Lacer's Skew video.

The tool handle must be kept at less than 90 degrees to the workpiece with the bevel rubbing. If you roll it to a perpendicular position, it will skate up.

John

And no video needed.

I prefer a Bedan or standard beading tool for close beads. Its geometry is your friend, and you also get a great tenon sizer in the bargain.

he uses the beading

it is good enough

snipped-for-privacy@snip.net

Think about it. The edge is the edge. Whether or not the chisel is square or skewed across its width makes no difference. You can - and I do - skew the edge by moving the handle of the tool for smooth cutting. The difference is you don't have that point hanging out as you roll down and in.

It's actually easier to cut smoothly on a narrow face with the chisel or beading tool.

But my point was... as a production turner, Martin puts us all to shame. He gets a near- flawless surface on beads quickly and does not use a skew.

Maybe Alan Lacer WANTS the skew to win hands down in his video because that is what he is selling?

Bill

Hi all,

Thanks for your comments. There's some food for thought there. I'd toyed with the idea of buying Alan Lacer's video since I saw it advertised but wasn't sure. Your recommendations have confirmed I could definitely learn a thing or two from buying it. The comment about me "losing the bevel" sounds as though it might well be the answer. I must go and experiment some more (this time on scrap wood!).

Thanks again.

Ron

centrifugal

Hi Ron, Probably already been advised, but it can't hurt to emphasize. Make your first experimental cuts by holding the skew in your right hand and turning the lathe spindle with the left. Watch the skew-wood interactions _closely and you will learn a lot. Then, and only then, run the lathe slowly and watch _carefully.

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter