Skew on acrylic and other synthetics?

[Woodchipper]

I use a roughing gouge on them but I'm interested in the smoother finish with a skew. Obviously, MM and polishes would follow the skew operation. My skew is a regular flat style, not round. Grind angle needed or recommended?

 

[randyrls]

John; A contrary view is I use a skew for softer synthetics, but I have a Carbide tool (bottom one) presented below center for harder or chippy synthetics. For the skew make a shearing cut, don't scrap. The bottom carbide bit is what I use for the hardest of the synthetic TruStones and the like. In either case you should get endless ribbons of material off the tool. You should not have shards and have pits in the pen blank,

 

[Curly]

I use my skew with the same grind angles as for wood and even then there is a lot of latitude. Start with what it is and change it if you feel the need.

 

[jttheclockman]

Since carbides became the big thing I used the round cutter most to get me close and then finish with a skew on all my blanks. Angles are choices not laws. Everyone presents tools differently and can handle angles different. Experiment is best learning tool.

 

[Woodchipper]

Thanks for the replies. Need to sharpen the skew first. Practice on some wood as I haven't turned anything in a while.

 

[its_virgil]

Skew for me on all materials from beginning to end. Flat, oval, straight angled edge, curved edge (as from Alan Lacer)...I am a skew lover. I keep the same edge and angles as they come. I am especially fond of my 1 1/4 inch Carter and Son skew.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[Woodchipper]

Skew for me on all materials from beginning to end. Flat, oval, straight angled edge, curved edge (as from Alan Lacer)...I am a skew lover. I keep the same edge and angles as they come. I am especially fond of my 1 1/4 inch Carter and Son skew.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

So I take it you are skewed in the direction of the skew? Couldn't resist that. I need to practice, then.

 

[Curly]

So I take it you are skewed in the direction of the skew? Couldn't resist that. I need to practice, then.

Depends on whether you use the tool point up or down. Skewed up or skewed over.
Well someone had to.

 

[Woodchipper]

Hmmm. Skewed again!

 

[qquake]

I use carbide with a shearing cut now on everything. Wood, acrylic, hybrid, and even inlace acrylester. I'm no longer afraid of turning brittle acrylics.

 

[jrista]

I use carbide with a shearing cut now on everything. Wood, acrylic, hybrid, and even inlace acrylester. I'm no longer afraid of turning brittle acrylics.

Thanks to Jim's prior recommendations for sheer cutting like this, this is generally my go-to as well. There are times when I'll use a negative rake cutter flat to the blank, as for some things that still gives me a cleaner finish, but sheer cutting is an extremely valuable skill and will work on pretty much any material.

 

[Woodchipper]

Lots of good info. Watched a video of a turner who turned from square to round with a skew. I have lots of wood to
for practice so I won't ruin a good blank, wood or synthetic.

 

[qquake]

Thanks to Jim's prior recommendations for sheer cutting like this, this is generally my go-to as well. There are times when I'll use a negative rake cutter flat to the blank, as for some things that still gives me a cleaner finish, but sheer cutting is an extremely valuable skill and will work on pretty much any material.

I rarely use negative rake cutters, but will on some occasions. The last time was on a piece of very old, very brittle douglas fir from the Goonies house. My son loved the Goonies movie when He was a kid, and I wanted to make him a Goonies pen. My first two tries failed miserably, so for my third and successful attempt I used a negative rake cutter.