Firewood

[woodfarmer]

An odd fork in a piece of oak left in a field for about four years. all the sapwood had turned into a powdery fluffy cheese.
I had thought ir might may a nice shallow bigger dish, but by the time I got past the rot I was down to 9-10 inches. Got tired so waxed it an brought in in without making the smoothing cuts. I am learning though. I had thought that gouges might need sharpening after several bowls (result of using metalworking tools) but now realise I May well need to just give the gouge a wipe over with the grinder 2-3 times per bowl. The Fork has made for some interesting grain. The important thing is I now Know when it needs sharpening.

 

[user 17340]

Good looking shape with great grain and figure.
I know where the term "hard as oak" comes from now!!! I've done some oak pieces recently and sharpened a lot, especially before finishing cuts. At least it adds to the sharpening practice.

 

[CHJ]

...... The important thing is I now Know when it needs sharpening.

That's easy, it's nearly always about half a dozen cuts before you thought it needed it.

 

[Spindle]

Hi

That's a very significant lesson learned - when the tool needs sharpening

Watch your progress rate improve now.

Regards Mick

 

[woodfarmer]

Thanks for the encouragement. What I have found is that to get the tool at the right angle I end up with it pivoting on the back of the rest and not the front. This gives the wood an unfair advantage of leverage. I can cheat when turning as for a spindle by raising the toolrest way above centre. Another way is to get the gouge on its side and use the bottom of the U to slice, and the side flute just directs the shaving away. I do this when facing off a flat surface and boring down the side of a bowl. The real difficulty comes in the transition at the bottom of the boring stroke into the facing off of the bottom of a bowl, especially a steep sided one with a sharp transition from side to bottom. I hope at some time to get another gouge sharpen it at a blunter angle and grind back the two sides to help stop teh corners catching as i shift from boring to facing. Also to make a toolrest with more rake.

see here a 45 degree square flat to a face and resting on the toolrest. Note my gouges are sharpened at 45 degrees also. IT cuts better when presented at the right angle, you can hear the difference as as blunter angles it is acting abit like a scraper which must be blunting the gouge quicker.

This in my opinion is much more user friendly

 

[Robbo3]

From your previous posts I thought that possibly your tool rest was too low but I see from your photo that it's quite thick & I think that is your problem. Change the tool rest for a thinner one, as shown in the lower photos.

 

[woodfarmer]

From your previous posts I thought that possibly your tool rest was too low but I see from your photo that it's quite thick & I think that is your problem. Change the tool rest for a thinner one, as shown in the lower photos.

Thanks, it has been bugging me since I started, because I don't remember having trouble using a gouge before.

probably need to make it.

 

[Spindle]

Hi

If you only have the one bowl gouge at the moment I would suggest you try sharpening it to around 60 degrees - I think you'll find this a better compromise for working inside the bowl without detracting too much when using on the outside.

The green tool rests pictured are Record Power ones by the way.

Regards Mick