Bowl Roughing Speed


Rex Edgar

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Are there different roughing speeds recommended for different woods? I have been using 900-1300 rpm for the initial removal of stock. The lathe is a Nova with computer speed control. I a apprehensive about going too fast and I have poor results at lower speeds. So far a trial and error process. 

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Speed is primarily a function of radius, so the exact number will depend on how large an item you are turning.  When roughing, you'll have the added twist that the blank is typically unbalanced, so take the lathe down another notch or two until you've got things round.  Once the blank is turning true, you can start to get things faster.  General approach is to start a blank as slow as possible, turn up the speed until you just start to feel vibration, then back off a bit.

Describe your "poor results"?  Perhaps send us some pictures?

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Thanks for the reply. I have turned some larger unbalanced pieces and have experienced the lessening of the vibrations as material comes off and the blank becomes more balanced. Yesterday I sharpened half a dozen chisels (bowl gouges and skews). The results were very good except for no reason there were a number of 'catches' producing gouges that needed more material removed to get rid of them. I was not doing anything noticeably different (pressure, angle of cut) when these occurred. I ended up with very good results using the skew, but it takes much longer to remove material to get the shape I'm after. I still occasionally have a 'death grip' on the chisel which I am slowly reducing as I become more comfortable with the process. I have watched many YouTube videos, but there has been a long time away from the lathe as other projects were completed. I still have the blank mounted, If there are any more catches or surprises, I'll add some photos. 

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3 hours ago, Rex Edgar said:

The results were very good except for no reason there were a number of 'catches' producing gouges that needed more material removed to get rid of them.

Any time the tool catches, there's generally a reason and it's important to figure out what you were doing.  I ruined a number of pieces before I figured out that I was drifting onto an unsupported edge of the gouge while hollowing.  Tell us more and maybe we can help.  Outside of the bowl?  Inside of the bowl?

4 hours ago, Rex Edgar said:

Yesterday I sharpened half a dozen chisels (bowl gouges and skews)

Just checking, but I've never known a skew chisel to have any place in bowl turning.  OK, maybe if you lay it flat and use the point as a scraper to sneak into a corner...

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For speed and roughing, i usually just gradually increase the speed until it makes the lathe vibrate then lower the speed to just under that and go from there.  Def dont see people turning bowls with a skew since it's for spindle work, sounds like a bad catch waiting to happen.  Maybe this video will help, at least the title seems like it'll be helpful haha.

 

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Gixxerjoe,     Thanks for the link. Hadn't seen this one before. Very clearly presented. I was using the skew much as the Aussie did to clean up the surface when I was getting catches and to shape the foot/tenon. How old's the gsd? Our is 7+.

5 hours ago, Bombarde16 said:

Any time the tool catches, there's generally a reason and it's important to figure out what you were doing.  I ruined a number of pieces before I figured out that I was drifting onto an unsupported edge of the gouge while hollowing.  Tell us more and maybe we can help.  Outside of the bowl?  Inside of the bowl?

Just checking, but I've never known a skew chisel to have any place in bowl turning.  OK, maybe if you lay it flat and use the point as a scraper to sneak into a corner...

I was using the skew as a scraper, I hadn't sharpened them yet. Outside of the bowl, but the video mentioned cleared up the angle of attack for the different areas of the bowl

IMG_3114.JPG

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Mike Waldt also has some very good technique videos on turning, I've learned a lot from him. 

8 hours ago, Rex Edgar said:

I was using the skew as a scraper, I hadn't sharpened them yet

Dull tools are dangerous tools.  When a tool is dull, (any tool, chisel, gouge, skew, knife, plane, etc) you end up have to push harder, and when it slips, you get hurt.    A properly sharpened tool will cut through the material easily, allowing you to comfortably make your cuts.   Keep your sharpening station ready to run whenever you are turning.   Mine is on the same workbench as the lathe, and anytime I feel a tool starting to work a bit at the cuts, I pop over and quickly touch up the edge.  If you keep the edges sharp, it's quicker and easier to sharpen them than having to regrind the bevel each time.  The sharpening rigs can get expensive, but it's very easy to build your own. 

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My GSD is going to be 6 in a few months, seems like yesterday she was a little pup.  I've been turning for a few years but just recently switched to traditional tools from carbide, so I've still got a lot to learn with them.  The first bowl I did with my bowl gouge went perfect, 2nd bowl out of oak I got multiple catches on the outside for some reason, it became firewood.  The outside of the bowl seem to be the hard part for me, making it flow and being able to move the tool accordingly without hitting stuff.  I'm left handed which makes things more difficult.   What brand tools are you using?

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I'm just using economy tools for the most part, and some heirloom 100+ year old lathe tools, and a multi bit carbide.  So they aren't the best steel, meaning they need to be sharpened more often.  

 

My GSD was 14 was I had to put her down a couple years ago, still miss her fiercely, they're good loyal pups. 

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On 1/18/2017 at 8:22 PM, Marmotjr said:

I'm just using economy tools for the most part, and some heirloom 100+ year old lathe tools, and a multi bit carbide.  So they aren't the best steel, meaning they need to be sharpened more often.  

 

My GSD was 14 was I had to put her down a couple years ago, still miss her fiercely, they're good loyal pups. 

Yea I don't want to think about that haha, but 14 is a long run with a big dog.  I plan on turning a really nice urn for when that day comes, my wife called me crazy, she's just jealous haha.

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