I, for one, have problems using the skew. But as I think about it when
you're doing a shear cut at about 45 degrees with a fingernail gouge it
would seem you're duplicating the attitude of a skew which could explain why
that cut does such a smooth finish job.

It's just that any skew I use has a mind of its own sometimes - most times
as I'm nearing the finished form (redesign opportunity as in from a chicken
egg to finally a hummingbird egg). I'd say that's because on a gouge there's
no corner to grab and sail.

But the scraper with frequent touches of a stone to keep a burr does a great
final touch up before sanding on a lot of jobs. And I forget where I read it
but shaping with a disc sander while the piece is turning is an excellent
way around spalted tearout problems.

Probably I should just grab some firewood and keep skewing around - Mac -
until I learn how.

TomNie

On Wed, 9 Aug 2006 06:51:32 -0400, "Tom Nie" wrote:

I, for one, have problems using the skew. But as I think about it when
you're doing a shear cut at about 45 degrees with a fingernail gouge it
would seem you're duplicating the attitude of a skew which could explain why
that cut does such a smooth finish job.

It's just that any skew I use has a mind of its own sometimes - most times
as I'm nearing the finished form (redesign opportunity as in from a chicken
egg to finally a hummingbird egg). I'd say that's because on a gouge there's
no corner to grab and sail.

But the scraper with frequent touches of a stone to keep a burr does a great
final touch up before sanding on a lot of jobs. And I forget where I read it
but shaping with a disc sander while the piece is turning is an excellent
way around spalted tearout problems.

Probably I should just grab some firewood and keep skewing around - Mac -
until I learn how.

TomNie


ok.. another chance to answer it... *g*

I hate spindle work, but it's the best way to "master" the skew, IMO...

Put some scrap between centers and just PLAY... make it fun, mostly by giving
yourself permission to not be MAKING something, just playing...

Round the stock with the tool of choice and smooth it with the skew...
experiment with rotating the point up or down and moving in different
directions...
Roll it from level to point down and watch the nice bead it makes... flip it
over and to the other side, etc....

If you're getting catches, grind an old skew with a "moon" shape... the sweet
spot straight with the point and heel ground slightly back...

I really didn't consider the skew a useful tool, or at least one that I used
often, until I got into pens... what an education pens are!
Mac

https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis
https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis/wood_stuff.htm

Tom,

After watching Alan Lacer's Video " The Taming of the Skew", a little
practice made the skew not only controllable, but also comfortable.

Carl McCarty
I, for one, have problems using the skew. But as I think about it when
you're doing a shear cut at about 45 degrees with a fingernail gouge it
would seem you're duplicating the attitude of a skew which could explain why
that cut does such a smooth finish job.

It's just that any skew I use has a mind of its own sometimes - most times
as I'm nearing the finished form (redesign opportunity as in from a chicken
egg to finally a hummingbird egg). I'd say that's because on a gouge there's
no corner to grab and sail.

But the scraper with frequent touches of a stone to keep a burr does a great
final touch up before sanding on a lot of jobs. And I forget where I read it
but shaping with a disc sander while the piece is turning is an excellent
way around spalted tearout problems.

Probably I should just grab some firewood and keep skewing around - Mac -
until I learn how.

TomNie

Tom Nie wrote:
I, for one, have problems using the skew.

Yeah welcome to the club Tom!
But never fear there is a solution. First the skew must be razor sharp
and then the secret is always cut in the top 1/3rd of the perimeter of
the piece. That means raising the tool rest and using the heel of the
skew at a 45* angle to the axis. Hard to describe. If you need
clarification I can send you a sketch via email. I read this gem piece
of info somewhere on the 'net about a year ago and since then haven't
had 1 catch. I am even confident enough to use the skew point down now
but it is still a bit of a tense few minutes!
Peter
Visit my site at:
http://www.oldtoolsshop.com/Galoots/pHyde/

Yep, I never touch the dang thing except to use it as a scraper. The old
heart can't deal with the excitement of a 'scew catch', of which I've had
one or two too many :(

Tom

"Owen Lawrence" wrote in message
...

"Canchippy" wrote in message
oups.com...
Tom Nie wrote:
I, for one, have problems using the skew.

Yeah welcome to the club Tom!
But never fear there is a solution. First the skew must be razor sharp
and then the secret is always cut in the top 1/3rd of the perimeter of
the piece. That means raising the tool rest and using the heel of the
skew at a 45* angle to the axis. Hard to describe. If you need
clarification I can send you a sketch via email. I read this gem piece
of info somewhere on the 'net about a year ago and since then haven't
had 1 catch. I am even confident enough to use the skew point down now
but it is still a bit of a tense few minutes!
Peter
Visit my site at:
http://www.oldtoolsshop.com/Galoots/pHyde/

What you describe sounds like planing. Imagine that your hands and the
tool rest are the low angle plane and the skew chisel is the plane iron.
You want to be peeling off the wood by slicing almost tangent to the
surface. When it's going good you get long streamers of wood pouring off
like a dream.

Then it catches and the nightmare begins. You wake up fast.

- Owen -

On Wed, 09 Aug 2006 07:50:55 -0700, mac davis wrote:


I really didn't consider the skew a useful tool, or at least one that I
used often, until I got into pens... what an education pens are! Mac


Agreed. I seldom use any tool other than a skew when making a pen ... and
of late I've been making several a day. Load the lathe -- crank the rpms
all the way up -- lay the skew side against the wood -- draw it down
until it starts to cut. Turn the tailstock end round, turn the skew around
and turn the headstock end down to round. Resharpen a couple strokes with
the diamond flat and finish turning the pen. The only other tool I use to
make a pen is a scraper used when I get carried away with the CA

The nice thing about the skew is that it allows you to undercut the
bushing slightly to allow for finish buildup so that the finish comes out
even with the bushing and the straight edge can be used as a scraper to
level things out a bit prior to rough sanding.

After rough sanding (350 grit followed by 400 grit J weight strips) I do 3
coats of CA, (lathe ~300 rpm) turn the excess off the bushings and wet
sand with 500 SC (all turning and sanding done at roughly 3,000 rpm). Then
I apply two or three more layers of CA, re-clean the bushings, sand with
500 grit then 1000 grit and then move into the micro-mesh to complete. Two
coats of carnauba oat 3,000 r's and then it's off to the bench press for
assembly.

The skew has little business on any but the smallest of bowls ... as far
as I'm concerned, that's scraper and gouge work. But the skew -lives- for
small spindle work -- and that's what pens are.

Bill

Bill, I read you method of using CA as a pre-finish for pens. That is
basically super glue, right? How do you apply it? and which one do you use;
thin or thick? It sound interesting but isn't it expensive as compared to
say a shellac pre-finish?

Tom:

Don't give up on the skew. And if you put a slight curve
along the cutting edge, the "corners" are less likely to
"grab and sail".

Grab some scrap and turn a bunch of hair sticks. They're
pretty quick to make and don't use much wood. After
you've done a few dozen you should have the skew under
control. What you learned will be transferable to pen
turning.

http://home.comcast.net/~charliebcz/...Turning12.html

And if you want curves, the skew is a great tool.

http://home.comcast.net/~charliebcz/.../Turning4.html

I just don't understand why folks who want to turn perfect
cylinders don't get a little metal lathe with an XY set up
like the UniMat or one of its cousins (first picture on this
page (the tool holder isn't shown in the photo)

http://home.comcast.net/~charliebcz/.../Turning1.html

Give the skew another chance.

charlie b