Cutting corners - literally

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

Mr_Luke

Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2018
Messages
3
Location
Burlington, ON (Toronto area)
I watched a YouTube video where someone trimmed the corners of his blank with a band saw, effectively creating an octagonal blank, before turning it on the lathe. I tried it and I guess it took a bit less time to turn the pen but not noticeably so.

Does anyone else do this? If so, why?

Thanks in advance from a newbie.
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

MRDucks2

Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2017
Messages
3,215
Location
Bristow, IN
New Turner here, too, but plan to try a couple like that. I believe they do it for hard to turn wood or plastic blanks to help reduce tear out, chipping or splintering. I believe if your tools are sharp enough and technique good enough it's probably not necessary most of the time.


Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app
 

joeyjo

Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2016
Messages
2
Location
Utah
Junior High shop teacher here: I trim the corners of acrylic blanks so that there is less chance of novice turners getting catches that cause the blank to stop and the tube to keep spinning...requiring re gluing. Since doing this I have few blanks that I need to re glued.


Sent from my iPad using Penturners.org mobile app
 

dogcatcher

Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Messages
2,359
Location
TX, NM or on the road
I used to use a 60 grit flap sander disc while turning it on the lathe to round segmented blanks, but after a comment by George I changed to 40 grit. But I only use that on complicated segmented blanks that I do not want to take a chance on. On a 4 inch grinder they make square round ASAP.
 

robutacion

Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
6,514
Location
Australia - SA Adelaide Hills
I watched a YouTube video where someone trimmed the corners of his blank with a band saw, effectively creating an octagonal blank, before turning it on the lathe. I tried it and I guess it took a bit less time to turn the pen but not noticeably so.

Does anyone else do this? If so, why?

Thanks in advance from a newbie.

Depending on what type of wood (hardness) and or type of man-made blank, cutting the corners of the blank on the bandsaw is, in fact, an old technique used by many, some do the same type cuts using the table saw, however, and unless some sort of "jig" is made to hold the blank in place for the cut, manually/holding with your fingers trying to cut the blank corners is most dangerous and can cost you a couple of fingers if not more, sometimes, to save time we do things that are of most crazy nature, some get away with it, some don't...!

I have made a jig for my bandsaw to do just that, I use it only for the Olive wood bulk sales or on some time of my made Resifills (casts) such on some of these but not so much lately on the casts.

The way I see it, this method will help with the amount of wood to turn from the blank BUT, where it may make the most benefit by having the corners removed is to prevent the "impact" on the square corners of a regularly shaped pen blank, from the cutting tool as it rotates, this may force the turner to tighten the mandrel to prevent "spinning" and therefore causing the tube to come unglued from the blank, among other things.

I believe, the flap disc system with a 40 grit, while the blank is on the lathe, is the fastest way to go from square to ROUND and "fairly" close to the dimensions you require and then continue on with the more "traditional" methods of wood/blank finishing.

So, in resume, removing the square corners on the bandsaw or other, of the blank before turning is not in my view used that often, particularly after the turners feels more confident with the turning process, this means that new turners may see more this as a great way to reduce the amount of material to be removed, with time the method is bypassed and the square blanks turned fully on the lathe and with the use of some new tools such as the carbide tipped tools but not only.:)

Cheers
George
 

WriteON

Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2013
Messages
3,269
Location
S. Florida
I'm not comfortable with saws. Band or table. And how much time does it really save. Experienced turners trim & finish pretty fast. To the new turners just take your time .... no reason to cut corners. It's all about patience and technique.

Mr Luke.... welcome aboard.
 
Last edited:

BeeAMaker

Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2017
Messages
695
Location
Elkhart IN, USA
I believe if your tools are sharp enough and technique good enough it's probably not necessary most of the time.

I'll second that.

After I hand honed my tools, suddenly my Harbor freight tool set became Robert Sorby tools. :biggrin:

With a sharp roughing gouge I can round a square blank faster than I can walk to the sander or band saw.
 

Woodchipper

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
5,138
Location
Cleveland, TN
Never thought of cutting off the corners. Sharp tools and light cuts are the way to go, no matter what material you are turning. When you get the corners knocked off, go for the big chips and ribbons!
 

Herb G

Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Messages
1,461
Location
Southern Maryland
I have a 4 X 36" belt sander I use all the time for knocking the corners off blanks before turning them. It helps me to prevent grabbing the blank when I start turning it.
Hey, if it works, I'm sticking with it.
 

JimB

Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2008
Messages
4,683
Location
West Henrietta, NY, USA.
Just my opinion... if you need to knock off the corners of a pen blank with a saw or sander then either your tools are not sharp or you have poor technique. There may be the rare blank where chip out is a potential problem but that would be a very rare case. I can knock the corners off a pen blank fast... in a few seconds... and I don't need to move from tool to tool or do additional set up. The whole purpose of a lathe is to turn stuff round.

If you are turning large blanks such as out of balance bowl blanks then using a bandsaw to cut off corners will be potentially faster and potentially safer.
 

wood-of-1kind

Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2005
Messages
4,114
Location
Toronto, ON, Canada
Whenever I need to knock off the 'corners' off a pen blank or when making a tool handle then I run them with my table mounted router. Do this when doing 10+ blanks or more as it just is not worth setting up the router for 1 or 2. I use a chamfer router bit and a clamp to keep my fingers safe and away from the bit.
 

Rockytime

Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2014
Messages
1,074
Location
Arvada, CO 80003
I round the corners of planks with a trim router from PSI. Same thing as sold by Rocklers or on Amazon. Cheap and quick.
 

Attachments

  • 1-20171020_190848-1.jpg
    1-20171020_190848-1.jpg
    162.1 KB · Views: 144

Mr_Luke

Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2018
Messages
3
Location
Burlington, ON (Toronto area)
Thank you all for the replies.

It seems like there are as many ways to approach blank prep / corner cutting as there are pen turners. Patience is a virtue I am working on and I am guilty of trying to take off too much too fast, especially since I got some carbide chisels a few weeks ago. I haven't worked my way up to fancy (or pricey) blanks yet. Perhaps doing so would encourage me to use a lighter touch for fear of messing up a nice one.
 

menglor

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
85
Location
Ottawa Canada
about 2 weeks ago, I tried turning a pen with the motor on reverse.

My god the amount of time it took to round a blank, I really thought I broken my carbide too. or the wood was something worse then Snakewood.

its really amazing how much easier it works, if the motor is turning the right way.
 

JPW062

Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2016
Messages
156
Location
Ohio
For most pen blanks:
Router table round over bit with a Grrrrippper jig, not holding blank by hand.
The sanding methods create a lot of dust.
The sawing methods take a fair amount of time.

For larger blanks or problematic materials it is worth the time to use the saw or whatever.
 

Woodchipper

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
5,138
Location
Cleveland, TN
We have had demonstrators in our woodturning club that take a real big piece of wood and go at it with a roughing gouge. Chips flying everywhere and it takes very little time to turn to round with sharp tools, which is the secret to any good turning.
 

Woodchipper

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
5,138
Location
Cleveland, TN
TT,I guess that is why the are asked to demonstrate and I'm not asked. I have a piece of cherry that I'm working on. Cut it on the BS so I don't have to turn down a lot. Now I have a sort-of square piece of wood.........then sharpen the roughing gouge and go to it!
 

FrankH

Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2015
Messages
120
Location
Morgantown WV
I started using my band saw to trim corners on blanks. Before too long, switched to my disk sander. It takes less than a minute, and saves 5 minutes on the lathe. Works for me.
 

JPW062

Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2016
Messages
156
Location
Ohio
I also believe the initial rounding of the blank puts a disproportionate amount of wear on the lathe, especially the bearings.
 

pshrynk

Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2017
Messages
742
Location
Lake City, Minnesota
I made the mistake of letting my wife play with the pen designer in Penn State' website. Now I have a Pennstone blank to work with. Can anyone say "specialized drill bit set"? So I've been contemplating cutting the corners off just to reduce the schrapnel in the shop when I get around to turning it.


Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app
 
Top Bottom