Thanks for responding, George. An orphaned musing is a terrible thing to
lose. A differing opinion is a good thing,
dogma isn't. I only meant to share and provoke other ways to think about
the cuts we make. We won't change the world as we know it, but future
generations of woodturners will be saved.

Semantics aside, we aren't far apart. I said, "... but firmly held
tool edge...." and "....in shearing...,a tool edge _if not controlled_
can produce a scalloped surface...." (emphasis added)

I considered a scraper edge as trailing the rotating wood's surface and
a shearing edge as opposing the rotating surface. This seemed to be
somewhat analogous to up and down milling. To cut rotating wood, a tool
must move toward and penetrate the wood's surface. The wood can come
toward the tool but not to it. This motion requires some force, even if
very little.

I'll suggest another possible analogy. Not as specific advice for good
woodturning, just as a brief respite from Jet vs Delta. I know (ok,
believe) from experience that cutting metal below center draws the bit
inward and produces a rougher surface. Cutting metal above center pushes
the bit outward and can avoid a rough interrupted cut.

If the analogy is partially valid, are there any useful parallels or
opposites for turning wood? I realize that this tortuous analogy is
only loose and general, since wood is cut and scraped with much more
latitude and with different cutting tools.

Who will be the first to post that a little knowledge is a dangerous
thing?


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



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