On Sun, 6 Nov 2011 19:48:11 -0800, "Vic Baron"
wrote:

Rounding - yes, I start from center to outside. Since this was the first
time I rounded side and end grain I think I was trying to take too deep a
cut. Probably would have been fine on a pine spindle but rosewood end
grain - I don't know.. Just to be clear - on a spindle between centers, I
start center and sweep to ends. This blank was in a chuck but I did start
and sweep in the same direction as I do a spindle. I'm trying to visualize
rounding the piece from the bottom.

Vic

Ok.. Picture a jar/box blank in the chuck, no tail stock..
My first cuts are usually to level and true the end of the blank..

After the end is true, I start taking light cuts from the center of
the END of the blank..
Not as in spindle turning, but "bowl" turning center..

I end up with a flat, true end, which will be the top of the lid
later..
I use a pull cut to draw the gouge from the center of the end/lid
towards the sides of the blank, lightly rounding my way as if I was
shaping a bowl bottom..

The scraper rest is good of you're going to use scrapers a lot..
Scraper angle and tool overhanging the rest are the 2 bad situations
with scrapers..
If the tool rest is too high, you have to lift the handle to cut,
which increases your probability of a catch..
If the scraper blade overhangs the tool rest very much, you get
vibration ion the blade which will give you a bumpy surface and
probably a catch..

I have my beginners make shavings on scrap with each tool, to learn
the use and feel of each tool, especially scrapers..
Are you doing flat bottomed bowls? I can't do them with a scraper, I
am really bad with a square nose scraper..

This is a link to a box scraper rest from Craft Supplies:
http://tinyurl.com/cwuxh6v