New Year's penturning resolutions?

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txbatons

txbatons

Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2007
Messages
964
Location
Carrollton, Texas, USA.
Mine is facing my skew fears. I started by purchasing the skew grinding attachment for my Wolverine jig and trying my hand at getting the cutting edge back to a normal bevel.

Then it'll be learning how to make correct cuts with the skew. This will also help to eliminate what my daughter calls "worty dirds" (cussing... ie dirty words) that often happen when I currently use the skew! [:p]

So what're some of your penturning resolutions?
 
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I hate flat skews,I hate straightedged skews. I just hate skews!!
I have ab oval skew that I have some success with and I've used a rounde end oval skew, which I didn't mind.
All the best to you![}:)][}:)][:0]
 
Brian,

The skew is your FRIEND!!! However, the bigger the better. Skews scare people because WHEN they "catch", it can be pretty dramatic. A "catch" happens when the "top" of the skew makes contact with the turning object.

IF the skew is an inch wide, the "top" is a LONG way from the part you are using to cut the blank. SO, you have to make a BIG mistake to make it "catch". With a half inch skew, a small mistake results in a BIG "catch" AND the small skew is more subject to vibration than a BIG skew, so it is, again, more liable to "wander" than to stay where YOU had in MIND.

Good luck.:D:D
 
I want to radius my skew, and try again. I have lots of issues with the skew, but I've gotten it to work enough times to see what it can do.

then it catches, and I fall back to doubting.

badger
 
Badger,

Alan Lacer agrees with YOU and he sells a lot of teaching tapes.

HOWEVER, IT IS MY OPINION (There's that word again, remember you are invited to have one of your own that is NOT the same as MINE!!) that it is better to LEARN to skew with a WIDE, HEAVY skew. Use the Long-point at the bottom for cutting material. This gives you the GREATEST margin for error without "catching" and soiling your undies.

AFTER you get comfortable (weeks), regrind with the radius if you wish - I use both types and have excuses to back up each OPINION.

As always, GOOD LUCK...
 
Originally posted by DCBluesman

The long point is suppose to be on the bottom??? [:0]
Click to expand...

You're not the first one with that reaction!!!

Please reread the OPINION part!!!


(But, it does make the tool "wider" and less prone to "catch")
 
Ed, no BS this time. As someone who is still VERY wary of the skew, at first I thought you were talking nonsense. But I'm willing to bet that I'm not the only one that has just gone to the lathe and held a skew up to it just like you said. Well it's too late here to try it out but it seems so logical that I'm surprised that it is so unknown!!! [:0]

If it works then you're a genius, if not, you could have loads of dry cleaning bills coming your way [}:)]
 
Steve,

Last year, when I went to Midwest pen gathering, I stood in front of about 50 pen guys and showed the logic. SEVERAL came up afterwards and also said, "DUH"! I think it's a great LEARNING technique. My angle is far less conservative NOW, BUT I am VERY comfortable with the skew - I use ALMOST nothing else.

I have watched several videos of Alan Lacer and Ed Davidson. Their way WORKS, for them, THEY have been turning MANY years. MY way works for novices. Later, if you want to be Alan Lacer, god bless you!!!

Just a thought and something for you to try - tomorrow, when you are AWAKE!!!
NEVER turn when you are tired.
 
Oh, and Skippy, feel free to send me your cleaning bills. I ignore LOTS of bills, be happy to add YOURS to the pile.
 
The turn with only a skew. For roughing out the blank the long point of the skew is faching upwards. For final cut the long point is downwards. That way I have my control and get a nice finishing cut.
 
I guess I'm weird, I use my skew right side up, upside down and even diagonally. I have gotten a catch but not very often and ever so slightly. Light tough, light touch [:p]
 
Originally posted by wudnhed

I guess I'm weird, I use my skew right side up, upside down and even diagonally. I have gotten a catch but not very often and ever so slightly. Light tough, light touch [:p]
Click to expand...

If you never touch the turning blank, you will NEVER get a catch.

(But you also won't turn 5 pens an hour!! And most people don't WANT to or HAVE to turn 5 pens an hour - sometimes, I do.[:0][:0][:0])
 
The best thing I ever did was to learn how to use the skew , when i turn acrylic and tru-stone I only use the skew...it's great ...I get a very smooooth finish with it and can start sanding with 400 to 600 ( less sanding marks to remove ) you have to learn the two basic cuts first , shearing ; holding the skew at an angle to shear the surface away to rough out the shape then scraping ; hold the skew flat and scrape the surface smooth with very very light cuts till you get your final shape .
Just watch Ed Davidsons videos and watch the way the skew shears the blank into long streamers .
With these two cuts even Tru-stone cuts like butter and is ready for final sanding .
All it takes is practice
 
Originally posted by DCBluesman

The long point is suppose to be on the bottom??? [:0]
Click to expand...
Richard Raffan explains that when the long point is down, and the skew
drifts off the "fulcral line" the catch will be less traumatic than if the long point is up.
Long Point down on acrylics will make quick work of excess material on
a square blank. Critique, Brokenbit and Bluewing92 are witnessnesses to me
fast hoggin' with a skew.
They just shake their heads in disbelief at what I'll do. [}:)] :D :D :D

Hey, that gives me an idea for Cozee's MPG 2008: Skew races.
 
I will vouge for Ed and what he says about the Skew. Before the 2007 MPG, I rarely used my skew. Now I use it all the time. Less time to sharpen than most gouges too. I'm now comfortable with point up or point down, so once the first part of the skew dulls a bit, I turn it over and use the previously unused sharp section.
 
Originally posted by txbatons

Mine is facing my skew fears. I started by purchasing the skew grinding attachment for my Wolverine jig and trying my hand at getting the cutting edge back to a normal bevel.

Then it'll be learning how to make correct cuts with the skew. This will also help to eliminate what my daughter calls "worty dirds" (cussing... ie dirty words) that often happen when I currently use the skew! [:p]
Click to expand...

You know, I hear a lot of people talking about how scary the skew is, and I just don't get it. I joined the forums after I'd been turning a bit, so I'd been using it for quite a while before realizing that other people had problems with it. After further investigation, I realized that it was designed for more than just using it on it's side, like a scraper.

I read an article about it from a guy (you know, cutting-not scraping type - the freakshows), and gave the whole 'use the edge to pare the wood' thing a try.

After installing a 1" piece of cork on the wall, which came shortly after veiwing the 'God help you if it grabs' enlightenment video, I really don't see the problem. See, after the chisel flies across the shop and imbeds itself in the cork armor, I can tell how well-balanced it is based on whether it actually sticks 3" in, or just bounces off the handle. That's just good hands-on experience, all that right there, I don't care who you are.

As far as a New Year's resolution? I intend to only replace the paneling on the wall just the one time.

Anyone know where I can buy some thick cork on the cheap? [:p]

And, any bulk deals on clean shorts would be good. Pipe up, fellow skewers...heh
 
my resolution is to not turn a pen this year until I have the new headstock for the Grizzly so I'm not turning out of round anymore. (Taps fingers and looks at emails from Grizzly CS) and I'm waiting!!!!


second resolution is to build at least a 150 pen inventory so I can start doing shows next year. I doubt I'll have enough time to build enough stock before the Jury deadlines.
 
I want to be buried with my skew!

My favorite is my 1/2". It is so short now (maybe 2") that is just right for a dedicated pen skew. The large skew is way too heavy for me, as I tend to feel what is happening through the skew and the big skew deadens the feel too much for me.

As for scraping with a skew, I don't get it. The finish from my skew is so smooth, I start with 320 or 400 grit. If I were to scrape with it, I would not be improving my finish.

As for Ed's "Long Point Down" approach, I have always used it that way for piercing and shaving beads, coves and end grain... but never shaving along the barrel. If that is what he is saying, I need to look into that... you never know[:p]

Lastly, I have never had a blank failure, wood or acrylic, from shear cutting with my skew. However, I know of many people that have had failures because they are scraping with round nose scrapers and skews. To each their own... me, I hate to waste the time and the blank on shrapnel flying around the shop:D

My resolution: Start selling and get my web site on the net...[8D]
 
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