Removing chisel marks

[bmchan]

I'm turning curly maple for the first time and am having difficulty getting rid of the striation marks from the gouge. I go to the grinder often. 150 grit sandpaper doesn't help remove them. Should I go to a lower grit paper before I use CA on it or use the CA first.

Is it true that the softer the wood, the more likely striations will appear? I have not mastered the skew yet and christmas is creeping up on me. I completed two Russian Olive burl pens and had the same experience.

Yes I am NOOB.

 

[clewless]

Perhaps you could try increasing the speed of the lathe and make light sliding cuts.

 

[lwalden]

try using a scraping cut with your skew once you're just about at your finished size. If you're not familiar with that, it basically involves turning your skew so that the sharpened edge sits parallel to the long dimension of the blank (said another way, the flat of the skew will be riding your tool rest, rather that the lower edge). Make sure your tool rest doesn't have a lot of gap, and take a very light approach for contact- if your skew is sharp, should result in very fine shavings. I normally target the center of the blank or just above center for the contact point. This will clean up 95% of the irregularities and striations, then sanding with 150 and up should get you taken care of. Hope this helps.

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

Originally posted by clewless
<br />Perhaps you could try increasing the speed of the lathe and make light sliding cuts.

Good advice.

 

[Ron in Drums PA]

What you need to learn is how to make a planing cut with a skew.

Scroll down about half way and you will see a picture
http://www.alanlacer.com/articles/skew.html

And this one
http://www.alanlacer.com/handouts/ho-skew_chisels.html

Practice on some scrap wood

 

[Dario]

Great links Ron. Thanks!

Yep, if you plan on using the skew in planning cut mode...practice, practice and practice. Once you got it all down...practice some more [][}]. You will know why later.

 

[ctEaglesc]

HOne the skew.
Stabilize your stock with CA if it is "Rough and chewed up looking" after using the skew.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Skew advice given is right on. Higher (highest) speed. 150 grit is fairly coarse for a pen. Start about 220 and, with lathe off, sand lengthwise on the blank until smooth. Do power sanding at low speed. Sounds to me like you are still developing technique. I believe your problem will simply vanish with experience, especially once you start using the skew. BTW, I reccomend a 1" skew, better cuts, easier to control and will give smooth surface. Little ones give the problem you describe.

 

[woodbutcher]

Get an Ellsworth signature bowl gouge. I would also recommend getting the video on how to use that gouge. I use that tool for roughing, shaping , hollowing and finishing. When used properly the only other tool you will need is a parting tool.

 

[Ron in Drums PA]

Originally posted by woodbutcher
<br />Get an Ellsworth signature bowl gouge. I would also recommend getting the video on how to use that gouge. I use that tool for roughing, shaping , hollowing and finishing. When used properly the only other tool you will need is a parting tool.

You use a bowl gouge for pens??????????????

 

[Rifleman1776]

Originally posted by Ron in Drums PA
<br />

Originally posted by woodbutcher
<br />Get an Ellsworth signature bowl gouge. I would also recommend getting the video on how to use that gouge. I use that tool for roughing, shaping , hollowing and finishing. When used properly the only other tool you will need is a parting tool.

You use a bowl gouge for pens??????????????

Color me equally puzzled. [:0][?][?][?]