"charlie b" wrote in message
...

Now the Mr. Spock part of my brain says "More bites per second, the
smaller each bite, and, logically, that's safer.". But my white
knuckles, clenched teeth - and sometimes "cheeks", are telling me -
"SCREW LOGIC - SLOW IT DOWN!".


In my opinion, you are going at the problem from the wrong side.

Of course the higher speeds should be used only when you feel safe
(and I mean _safe_) to use them.

Your problem is not the speed (was it Ralph Nader who coined the
phrase "Unsafe at any speed"?) but the danger of getting a catch.

The cure is not in choosing a slower speed, which only leads to
"slower" catches, but learning to present the different tools to
the piece in a safe, non-catching manner.

There _are_ ways and means, you know, as soon as you
find yourself a qualified instructor.

In sports, they say that He who coaches himself has a fool for a trainee.

This is doubly true in woodturning, since the tools of the trade
are much sharper than most sportinggear.

Bjarte