Well, have had my lathe since December now, mastered the old light pull and
other items, decided to turn to bowls and hollowing. I don't have too many
problems with the outside, but hollowing, whatever tool I use, just seems to
dig in. What tools do you recommend for hollowing, say just a small shallow
bowl. I have a bowl gouge, several skew chisels, a parting tool and a couple
of scrapers (and a couple of roughing out gouges of course)


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What tools do you recommend for hollowing, say just a small shallow
bowl. I have a bowl gouge,

Assuming the more usual side grain orientation for an open bowl, I'd suggest a
bowl gouge. You should grind back the "wings" a bit and you may find drilling
a depth hole in the center helpful.

Kip Powers
Rogers, AR

Hello Moggy,

The bowl gouge is the preferred tool for hollowing a bowl. Assuming the wood is
mounted plankwise on the lathe (i.e., the grain is perpendicular to the axis of
rotation), you should cut with the bowl gouge toward the middle of the bowl.
Drill a hole to approximate depth of the bowl. Then start back and inch or so
and cut toward the hole you've drilled with the tool cutting slightly above
center and the flute pointing to about 1:00 o'clock. Cut down toward the center.
Move back and out about 1/4 inch and make another cut toward center. Each pass
should take you a bit deeper and closer to the outside of the bowl. When you get
to the bottom of the hole you drilled, check your wall thickness for evenness
and thinness. Calipers do a nice job, but the thumb and forefinger also works
quite well.

Use a round nose scraper to take light cuts and removed any ridges left by the
gouge.

If the grain is running parallel to the axis of rotation. You reverse this
process and cut from the center hole up toward about 10:00 o'clock with the
flute pointed in the direction of cut. This is sort of a scooping cut and as you
get deeper you'll get closer to the outside. Again use a scraper to lightly cut
and remove the ridges left by the gouge.

You'll likely get a dozen more ways to do this and they will all be right if
they work. There is no wrong way to do things, only ways that don't work for
you.

Fred Holder
http://www.fholder.com/

In article , moggy says...

Well, have had my lathe since December now, mastered the old light pull and
other items, decided to turn to bowls and hollowing. I don't have too many
problems with the outside, but hollowing, whatever tool I use, just seems to
dig in. What tools do you recommend for hollowing, say just a small shallow
bowl. I have a bowl gouge, several skew chisels, a parting tool and a couple
of scrapers (and a couple of roughing out gouges of course)


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
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I'll press again for keeping things supported between centers until you're
almost done.
http://personalpages.tds.net/~upgeorge/index.html
Now the game is to keep the tool rest as close to the piece as you can, so
as to give away minimum mechanical advantage. As you can see, I work with
the tool at centerline or below, and I cut _into_ the piece, not _up_ and
into the piece. Suggest until you're more confident you cut with the gouge
rolled to present more as a "C" rather than a "U" where you're letting the
wings do the cutting. Later on you'll probably hog right on in.

Move the toolrest a lot to keep close as you're hollowing, even if you are
using a bowl gouge, and press the tool to the rest, not into the side of the
wood. If you try to press outward (ride the bevel) into the cut rather
than guide and pare the curve, you'll get vibration from the difference in
grain orientation, especially if you strive for thin. Some say to increase
speed if you get chatter, but in my experience that just makes a different
chatter pattern. If you remember that it is outward pressure that helps the
wood distort and chatter, then you can remove the pressure, cutting the wood
again.


"moggy" wrote in message
...
Well, have had my lathe since December now, mastered the old light pull
and
other items, decided to turn to bowls and hollowing. I don't have too many
problems with the outside, but hollowing, whatever tool I use, just seems
to
dig in. What tools do you recommend for hollowing, say just a small
shallow
bowl. I have a bowl gouge, several skew chisels, a parting tool and a
couple
of scrapers (and a couple of roughing out gouges of course)


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.580 / Virus Database: 367 - Release Date: 06/02/2004

Hello Fred or any other that cares to chime in,

I've been learning to turn since last October. What I would like to
understand is the theory/mechanics of end turning. When making a bowl with
the grain running perpendicular to the axis of the lathe I start at the
outside of the blank and work towards the middle and all works rather well.
What I don't understand is why one would, with end grain turning, start in
the middle and work towards the outside. I would assume that it has
something to do with the orientation of the wood fibers, i.e., cutting from
the middle to the outside means that the fibers one is cutting are supported
by those next in line to be cut. (Apologies here if my description is
garbled or unclear).
If the fiber-support assumption is correct, then why, couldn't one start at
the outside on end grain turning and cut to the middle? It seems that in
both cases adjacent fibers support those being cut until the very end of the
cut.
I do keep my bowl gouge sharpened but it does seem that end grain turning is
much more work intensive than cross-grain turning.
Thanks,
-Kevin



"Fred Holder" wrote in message
...
Hello Moggy,

The bowl gouge is the preferred tool for hollowing a bowl. Assuming the
wood is
mounted plankwise on the lathe (i.e., the grain is perpendicular to the
axis of
rotation), you should cut with the bowl gouge toward the middle of the
bowl.
Drill a hole to approximate depth of the bowl. Then start back and inch or
so
and cut toward the hole you've drilled with the tool cutting slightly
above
center and the flute pointing to about 1:00 o'clock. Cut down toward the
center.
Move back and out about 1/4 inch and make another cut toward center. Each
pass
should take you a bit deeper and closer to the outside of the bowl. When
you get
to the bottom of the hole you drilled, check your wall thickness for
evenness
and thinness. Calipers do a nice job, but the thumb and forefinger also
works
quite well.

Use a round nose scraper to take light cuts and removed any ridges left by
the
gouge.

If the grain is running parallel to the axis of rotation. You reverse this
process and cut from the center hole up toward about 10:00 o'clock with
the
flute pointed in the direction of cut. This is sort of a scooping cut and
as you
get deeper you'll get closer to the outside. Again use a scraper to
lightly cut
and remove the ridges left by the gouge.

You'll likely get a dozen more ways to do this and they will all be right
if
they work. There is no wrong way to do things, only ways that don't work
for
you.

Fred Holder
http://www.fholder.com/

In article , moggy says...

Well, have had my lathe since December now, mastered the old light pull
and
other items, decided to turn to bowls and hollowing. I don't have too
many
problems with the outside, but hollowing, whatever tool I use, just seems
to
dig in. What tools do you recommend for hollowing, say just a small
shallow
bowl. I have a bowl gouge, several skew chisels, a parting tool and a
couple
of scrapers (and a couple of roughing out gouges of course)


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
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Version: 6.0.580 / Virus Database: 367 - Release Date: 06/02/2004

Hello Kevin,

I'm not sure I can explain why it works best to cut from the center of a piece
of endgrain out toward the outside edge. It does have to do with the way the
fibers are arranged and it has to do with the way that the wood likes to be cut.
Cutting from the outside toward the center on an endgrain bowl can be done with
a very sharp chisel; however, it is also very easy to get a hugh catch that will
actually tear the wood from the lathe. The wood seems to like to be cut from
center to the outside on the endgrain. I believe in cutting the way the wood
wants to be cut is best.

Fred Holder
http://www.fholder.com/

In article , Kevin says...

Hello Fred or any other that cares to chime in,

I've been learning to turn since last October. What I would like to
understand is the theory/mechanics of end turning. When making a bowl with
the grain running perpendicular to the axis of the lathe I start at the
outside of the blank and work towards the middle and all works rather well.
What I don't understand is why one would, with end grain turning, start in
the middle and work towards the outside. I would assume that it has
something to do with the orientation of the wood fibers, i.e., cutting from
the middle to the outside means that the fibers one is cutting are supported
by those next in line to be cut. (Apologies here if my description is
garbled or unclear).
If the fiber-support assumption is correct, then why, couldn't one start at
the outside on end grain turning and cut to the middle? It seems that in
both cases adjacent fibers support those being cut until the very end of the
cut.
I do keep my bowl gouge sharpened but it does seem that end grain turning is
much more work intensive than cross-grain turning.
Thanks,
-Kevin



"Fred Holder" wrote in message
...
Hello Moggy,

The bowl gouge is the preferred tool for hollowing a bowl. Assuming the
wood is
mounted plankwise on the lathe (i.e., the grain is perpendicular to the
axis of
rotation), you should cut with the bowl gouge toward the middle of the
bowl.
Drill a hole to approximate depth of the bowl. Then start back and inch or
so
and cut toward the hole you've drilled with the tool cutting slightly
above
center and the flute pointing to about 1:00 o'clock. Cut down toward the
center.
Move back and out about 1/4 inch and make another cut toward center. Each
pass
should take you a bit deeper and closer to the outside of the bowl. When
you get
to the bottom of the hole you drilled, check your wall thickness for
evenness
and thinness. Calipers do a nice job, but the thumb and forefinger also
works
quite well.

Use a round nose scraper to take light cuts and removed any ridges left by
the
gouge.

If the grain is running parallel to the axis of rotation. You reverse this
process and cut from the center hole up toward about 10:00 o'clock with
the
flute pointed in the direction of cut. This is sort of a scooping cut and
as you
get deeper you'll get closer to the outside. Again use a scraper to
lightly cut
and remove the ridges left by the gouge.

You'll likely get a dozen more ways to do this and they will all be right
if
they work. There is no wrong way to do things, only ways that don't work
for
you.

Fred Holder
http://www.fholder.com/

In article , moggy says...

Well, have had my lathe since December now, mastered the old light pull
and
other items, decided to turn to bowls and hollowing. I don't have too
many
problems with the outside, but hollowing, whatever tool I use, just seems
to
dig in. What tools do you recommend for hollowing, say just a small
shallow
bowl. I have a bowl gouge, several skew chisels, a parting tool and a
couple
of scrapers (and a couple of roughing out gouges of course)


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.580 / Virus Database: 367 - Release Date: 06/02/2004

Center out tends to keep the piece centered better, in my opinion. That
said, I often hollow (just finished a couple of goblets before lunch) on the
plunge and sweep method, where I cut out from center running up to the rim,
then back to center and down into the piece, reversing until I have an
approximate dimension. Key is to keep the gouge referenced solidly to the
surface being peeled, and have the rest either high or low to support a
skewed angle to the cut. Take a peek at a cross-grain version of the method
at http://personalpages.tds.net/~upgeor...ing_inside.htm

Caution, keep your toolrest up close, because it's grabby, just like all
broad cuts. It really whips the shavings out on endgrain, and can be used
to waste away a hollow through a small hole, too. I prefer to hollow as
much as possible with a gouge before transitioning to a scraper like my
Sorby or Stewart, because if I keep the rest low and the tip high, the
shavings are ejected down the flute of the gouge, rather than jamming in the
space.


"Kevin" wrote in message
...
Hello Fred or any other that cares to chime in,

I've been learning to turn since last October. What I would like to
understand is the theory/mechanics of end turning. When making a bowl with
the grain running perpendicular to the axis of the lathe I start at the
outside of the blank and work towards the middle and all works rather
well.
What I don't understand is why one would, with end grain turning, start in
the middle and work towards the outside. I would assume that it has
something to do with the orientation of the wood fibers, i.e., cutting
from
the middle to the outside means that the fibers one is cutting are
supported
by those next in line to be cut. (Apologies here if my description is
garbled or unclear).
If the fiber-support assumption is correct, then why, couldn't one start
at
the outside on end grain turning and cut to the middle? It seems that in
both cases adjacent fibers support those being cut until the very end of
the
cut.
I do keep my bowl gouge sharpened but it does seem that end grain turning
is
much more work intensive than cross-grain turning.
Thanks,
-Kevin



"Fred Holder" wrote in message
...
Hello Moggy,

The bowl gouge is the preferred tool for hollowing a bowl. Assuming the
wood is
mounted plankwise on the lathe (i.e., the grain is perpendicular to the
axis of
rotation), you should cut with the bowl gouge toward the middle of the
bowl.
Drill a hole to approximate depth of the bowl. Then start back and inch
or
so
and cut toward the hole you've drilled with the tool cutting slightly
above
center and the flute pointing to about 1:00 o'clock. Cut down toward the
center.
Move back and out about 1/4 inch and make another cut toward center.
Each
pass
should take you a bit deeper and closer to the outside of the bowl. When
you get
to the bottom of the hole you drilled, check your wall thickness for
evenness
and thinness. Calipers do a nice job, but the thumb and forefinger also
works
quite well.

Use a round nose scraper to take light cuts and removed any ridges left
by
the
gouge.

If the grain is running parallel to the axis of rotation. You reverse
this
process and cut from the center hole up toward about 10:00 o'clock with
the
flute pointed in the direction of cut. This is sort of a scooping cut
and
as you
get deeper you'll get closer to the outside. Again use a scraper to
lightly cut
and remove the ridges left by the gouge.

You'll likely get a dozen more ways to do this and they will all be
right
if
they work. There is no wrong way to do things, only ways that don't work
for
you.

Fred Holder
http://www.fholder.com/

In article , moggy says...

Well, have had my lathe since December now, mastered the old light
pull
and
other items, decided to turn to bowls and hollowing. I don't have too
many
problems with the outside, but hollowing, whatever tool I use, just
seems
to
dig in. What tools do you recommend for hollowing, say just a small
shallow
bowl. I have a bowl gouge, several skew chisels, a parting tool and a
couple
of scrapers (and a couple of roughing out gouges of course)


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.580 / Virus Database: 367 - Release Date: 06/02/2004

the stuff that I have been attempting so far is froma a slice through a log
(still trying to work out in my mind which way that leaves the end grain)
the middle I don't have a problem with, the dig in is always when I am at
the edge of the bowl.


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If you slice the log across and come up with a "round" slice then the
end grain is across that slice from bark to bark. If you cut into the
log and take a slice down the length then you are not cutting end
grain if you turn into the face of that slice.

With an end grain bowl or goblet, when you are starting to hollow out,
first take a parting tool or a skew and establish the width of the
rim. Decide how wide the thikckess of the rim will be and push the
tip of the tool into the wood, resulting in a groove from a quarter to
half an inch deep. Then work to that established edge with your bowl
gouge to hollow out the middle. When you get to the final shaping and
hollowing of the wall to that edge use your scraper held firmly on the
tool rest at an angle to make a shearing cut (so that too much grain
will not be torn).

I use a tool called a termite from OneWay for hollowing end grain. It
is a ring tool with different size tips. There had been a lot of
discussion of this tool on this group a long while back. Search the
archive through google and you will find threads about it. This tool
makes working end grain a lot easier with less catches - if you use it
correctly,

R

On Mon, 1 Mar 2004 23:10:54 -0000, "moggy"
wrote:

the stuff that I have been attempting so far is froma a slice through a log
(still trying to work out in my mind which way that leaves the end grain)
the middle I don't have a problem with, the dig in is always when I am at
the edge of the bowl.


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Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.580 / Virus Database: 367 - Release Date: 06/02/2004