I Must Be Doing Something Wrong . . .

[Robert111]

Everyone praises the Woodchuck, but I just keep breaking blanks when I get down to the bushings. The tool catches and snap! I'm looking at brass!

I understand the tool rest should be adjusted to the height where the Woodchuck blade is even with the center of the mandrel. This I do. I concentrate on keeping it parallel with the floor.

Help! Please!

 

[ed4copies]

Are you turning maple or Acrylester? Burls?

 

[Richard Gibson]

Are you using the corner point right next to the bushing? I was doing that at first and it caught several times. Use the center of the blade. Once you get more comfortable, you can shape the blank athe bushing by using the corner but NEVER use the lead (first) corner at the bushing. Use the trailing (second) corner and then use a VERY LIGHT hand and make light small cuts. Takes a few more passes but you forgo the blow-outs. DAMHIKT :biggrin:

 

[leehljp]

Two suggestions:

1. Hold very firm on the woodchuck. A firmly held chisel can endure moves into the bushings without it catching and causing blowouts, but slightly loose will catch and snatch.

2. Use the TBC method and take the bushings off once you get it close to sizing. Use calipers for determining the size rather than the bushings. The bushings will last longer that way too, and the fittings will be much finer.

 

[Robert111]

Are you turning maple or Acrylester? Burls?

I've had it happen with all types of material, Ed. Just lost three pieces of ironwood burl but got the cap barrel done (yeah, you don't have to tell me about that stuff--I was dripping thin ca on it all the way). I had a catch on the ebonite I was doing this afternoon, but that damn stuff is so tough it didn't break or even crack, just tore loose from the brass tube and I had to reglue.

I have had it catch in the middle of the blank more than at the ends. When I said down to the bushings, I meant to the level of the bushings, not the ends of the blank near the bushing. So the blanks at that point at very thin and a slight catch shatters the blank.

With this problematic material, I'm thinking I should use my spindle gouge, which never catches, and then sand the rest of the way (watching out for heat build-up)

By the way, I'm turning at a speed of around 500-750.

Thanks, you guys, for your suggestions and any more you can chime in with would be appreciated.

 

[Leviblue]

Try a higher speed. I turn at maximum speed on my Delta 46-460. No issues with catches so far. Also scheck the tools cutting edge to make sure you don't have a chip in it.

 

[Texatdurango]

"With this problematic material, I'm thinking I should use my spindle gouge, which never catches, and then sand the rest of the way"..............Good Grief!

It sounds like you can't control your tool and have no idea how it's going to react at different angles.

So..........I would suggest running down to Lowes or Home depot and buying an 8' 2x4, cutting it into 6" lengths and 1 1/2" widths and mounting these "blanks" between centers and PRACTICING with your tools until you are proficient with them and have a feel for how they will react in different situations. Then buy an oak board and practice on a little harder wood which will feel differently when turning.

When you learn tool control with your tools and can take either huge cuts or removing light fuzz then move on to the more expensive woods. When practicing it doesn't matter if there is a brass tube inside or not!

 

[flyitfast]

What carbide cutter are you using? Is it the square with straight edges or the square with radius edges? I have found that the square cutters with 2 or 4 degree radius do not seem to catch as easily as the ones with straight edges.
Also, work out from the center of the blank towards the bushing. The chisel will flow past the end much smoother and you will seem to have better control.
Otherwise, George's (Textdurango) suggestion on practice is a very important one. It has never hurt anyone.
And increased speed helps the tool to skip over many of the places where it might catch.
gordon

 

[thewishman]

Especially with acrylics or cast blanks, turn up the speed - a LOT! I used to turn at 1800, but it is much easier to turn at 3500. Practice with your left-over parts from acrylic blanks glued together, then move up to inlace acrylester. Once you can turn inlace acrylester, you can turn ANYthing.

 

[leehljp]

Are you turning maple or Acrylester? Burls?

By the way, I'm turning at a speed of around 500-750.

Way too slow! FASTER Speeds are needed, as others have said. That is small to medium bowl speed. The small diameter of a pen needs much higher speeds to equal that of cutting a bowl for 6 to 8 inches at 500 - 700.

 

[Richard Gibson]

I think several of the guys have hit it. The slow speed is the main problem. I use a woodchuck also Kane the slow speeds it will catch. Need to be going about 1800 RPM for Acrylic. I go about 1300 for wood sometimes 1800.

 

[ctubbs]

I bought mine sans handle and used it to turn a handle out of white oak. The training I got and feel for the tool running bare was invaluable, not that I would recommend that process at all. After a few, call that a floor full, of blown practice, I finally tried much faster speeds. Problems solved. Best of luck with your tool. I am in love with mine, hope you soon will feel the same.
Charles

 

[glen r]

Like others have said, turn at a faster speed. The other thing that I do is use the tool like a skew not like a scraper. Rotate the chisel so that you are cutting the wood using the middle of the cutter, not the entire cutter. When you get close to the bushings use the corner but keep the cutter rotated and use a very light touch. Doing this, plus practise, should solve all your problems.

 

[Ulises Victoria]

Can somebody explain what "The Woodchuck" is? Searching the different stores I know, yield no results.

 

[Knucklefish]

http://www.woodchuck-tools.com/

 

[jcm71]

Are you turning maple or Acrylester? Burls?

By the way, I'm turning at a speed of around 500-750.

Way too slow! FASTER Speeds are needed, as others have said. That is small to medium bowl speed. The small diameter of a pen needs much higher speeds to equal that of cutting a bowl for 6 to 8 inches at 500 - 700.

Concur, you are turning way, way too slow. Crank that puppy up to at least 2500 and then go faster as you get more comfortable. A couple of months ago I had the same problem with Mesquite. Several members suggested (and they were right) that my problem might be poor gluing technique. One suggested using Gorilla Glue instead of CA, which I do now. BTW, are you roughing your tubes before gluing? Good luck!!

 

[randyrls]

I'll add before turning, you should knock off the corners of square blanks with a power sander.

If you look at the angle between the top surface and front face of the cutter, a 75-80 degree angle gives a better cut on acrylics, a 45-50 degree angle works better for woods, but is too grabby for some acrylics.

 

[Seer]

One thing I do that helps is roll the shaft on mine (I made mine) and use it like a skew ultra smooth cuts that way.

 

[Robert111]

Many, many thanks to all of you. I'm going to devote the morning to playing with the Woodchuck--various materials and speeds and cutting angles. I can see I need to put pen making on hold for a while.

Thanks again.

 

[KenV]

Robert -- after playing with the 2 by 4 (or several pieces of 2 by 2) move to using pen blanks - but turn them between centers to round and smooth.

Why -- you will develop skill at taking the corners off, control of the tools to create a smooth even surface that will fit into you drilling holder of choice, and you will get a feel of a wide range of different materials. You will also be able to move on to make pens from the rounded blanks.

The better the blanks, the more I like to round them and use a collet chuck to hold the blanks (or pieces of blanks) for lathe drilling.

remember -- slow feed with a steady movement to let the tool do the work -- and you will likely discover that a fresh edge is best for final finish cuts.

 

[Bellsy]

I run my lathe as fast as it will go for turning pen blanks. The faster you turn, the smoother the cut.

Dave

 

[GrantH]

Are these speeds starting from square? I haven't upped it past my first speed of ~700 or so when turning but wasn't sure where I needed to be. This being with or without carbide tools...

 

[Robert111]

RESULTS

Reporting back to all who helped:

I've turned birch, acrylic, and acrylester so quickly and easily I cannot believe it.

Before today I don't think I ever turned anything faster than 850. Dealing with the tools and materials at such a slow speed was such a handicap that I developed a very cautious touch with the tools. Consequently, I'm experiencing a feeling of freedom with the high-speed turning (1300-resins and 1800-wood).

The only time I got in trouble was when I turned the Woodchuck to use it as a skew on the acrylester. It dug in and left deep craters. What was best was the birch I turned between centers. What a feeling.

Acrylic finished up like glass after using the Woodchuck as a skew. I don't think I'd need to sand at all., maybe just a little polish.

So thank you evrybody! This is a great start to the new year!

 

[GoatRider]

I got an Easy Wood Tools mini rougher a couple days ago, and I've been learning from this thread. It cuts scary fast, and I don't yet have as much control as I do over a skew. First pen I did was a cocobolo, and I chickened out and did the last 1/16 inch with the skew. I started a Walnut slimline pen/stylus for my brother this morning. It was going along well, but then it shattered. Not sure what happened there. It was wood from a crotch, so it had a funny grain pattern, so maybe I should have been doing it with a skew.

I might just get out a couple 2x2's and turn them between centers for practice, that seems like a good idea.

 

[ed4copies]

Reporting back to all who helped:

I've turned birch, acrylic, and acrylester so quickly and easily I cannot believe it.

Before today I don't think I ever turned anything faster than 850. Dealing with the tools and materials at such a slow speed was such a handicap that I developed a very cautious touch with the tools. Consequently, I'm experiencing a feeling of freedom with the high-speed turning (1300-resins and 1800-wood).

The only time I got in trouble was when I turned the Woodchuck to use it as a skew on the acrylester. It dug in and left deep craters. What was best was the birch I turned between centers. What a feeling.

Acrylic finished up like glass after using the Woodchuck as a skew. I don't think I'd need to sand at all., maybe just a little polish.

So thank you evrybody! This is a great start to the new year!

This is a GREAT example of giving information!! When the OP gave more info about HOW he was turning, the REAL problem came to light in a parenthetical addition to his entry:

Are you turning maple or Acrylester? Burls?

I've had it happen with all types of material, Ed. Just lost three pieces of ironwood burl but got the cap barrel done (yeah, you don't have to tell me about that stuff--I was dripping thin ca on it all the way). I had a catch on the ebonite I was doing this afternoon, but that damn stuff is so tough it didn't break or even crack, just tore loose from the brass tube and I had to reglue.

I have had it catch in the middle of the blank more than at the ends. When I said down to the bushings, I meant to the level of the bushings, not the ends of the blank near the bushing. So the blanks at that point at very thin and a slight catch shatters the blank.

With this problematic material, I'm thinking I should use my spindle gouge, which never catches, and then sand the rest of the way (watching out for heat build-up)

By the way, I'm turning at a speed of around 500-750.

Thanks, you guys, for your suggestions and any more you can chime in with would be appreciated.

So, please guys, when you ask questions TRY to include all the relevant facts, so we can give you better answers!!!

What are you turning?
What tool?
What speed?
Where is your tool rest, relative to the material (above, below or at center).

We can't SEE you, like we do in a lesson---so you have to TELL us as much as you can.

THANKS!!!!