technique or wood?
 

Newbie question -

was using a 1" x 3/8 square chisel hollow end grain in a maple blank. The
depth was about 4". Started the cut and for the first 1/2 in depth the
chisel appeared to be cutting fine but then it grabbed and the chisel cut
down to the full depth like going through butter with a streamer of wood
ribbon shooting out. Made several more cuts to complete the hollowing and
each cut did the same thing - slow cut first and then whoosh - actually
scared me a bit when the chisel dug in.

M question - was this something with the wood or possibly I didn't have the
chisel at the right cutting angle until I was in 1/2 in?

Still don't have the hang of using a gouge for hollowing but if the chisel
keeps cutting like that I won't worry.

Vic

--
There are 10 kinds of people - those who understand binary and those who
don't

technique or wood?
 

Hello,Vic! My guess is that your blank had dried down about 1/2" -
and was still wet below that. Wet wood cuts easy compared to dry
wood. So you got used to pressing firmly in to make that chisel cut
into that 'dry cement' of the first 1/2" - - then - when it hit the
wet wood with that same amount of pressure -- - it just took off!


On Nov 20, 10:01*pm, "Vic Baron" wrote:
Newbie question -

was using a 1" x 3/8 square chisel hollow end grain in a maple blank. The
depth was about 4". Started the cut and for the first 1/2 in depth the
chisel appeared to be cutting fine but then it grabbed and the chisel cut
down to the full depth like going through butter with a streamer of wood
ribbon shooting *out. Made several more cuts to complete the hollowing and
each cut did the same thing - slow cut first and then whoosh - actually
scared me a bit when the chisel dug in.

M question - *was this something with the wood or possibly I didn't have the
chisel at the right cutting angle until I was in 1/2 in?

Still don't have the hang of using a gouge for hollowing but if the chisel
keeps cutting like that I won't worry.

Vic

technique or wood?
 

AH! OK, that makes sense. Sure is nice when it cuts like that though!!


"Hought Wahl" wrote in message
...
Hello,Vic! My guess is that your blank had dried down about 1/2" -
and was still wet below that. Wet wood cuts easy compared to dry
wood. So you got used to pressing firmly in to make that chisel cut
into that 'dry cement' of the first 1/2" - - then - when it hit the
wet wood with that same amount of pressure -- - it just took off!


On Nov 20, 10:01 pm, "Vic Baron" wrote:
Newbie question -

was using a 1" x 3/8 square chisel hollow end grain in a maple blank. The
depth was about 4". Started the cut and for the first 1/2 in depth the
chisel appeared to be cutting fine but then it grabbed and the chisel cut
down to the full depth like going through butter with a streamer of wood
ribbon shooting out. Made several more cuts to complete the hollowing
and
each cut did the same thing - slow cut first and then whoosh - actually
scared me a bit when the chisel dug in.

M question - was this something with the wood or possibly I didn't have
the
chisel at the right cutting angle until I was in 1/2 in?

Still don't have the hang of using a gouge for hollowing but if the
chisel
keeps cutting like that I won't worry.

Vic