Using a skew

[PenPauli]

I currently only use a gouge to completely turn a pen.
I don't seem to have a problem with it at all. But
I have noticed most of you use a skew to turn the blanks
once you get the blank round. What advantage is it to
use a skew and how do you use the darn thing. I've tried
it but had a hard time trying to turn with it. I have
ruined a few blanks with it.

Thanks
Paul

 

[Gary]

Paul...here is a link to a good video on using the skew:

http://www.alanlacer.com/Videos.html#sku

 

[woodpens]

I use a gouge until I have taken off the bulk of the wood. I then use a skew to ease into the final diameter, getting a clean straight edge on the final shape. You can get them straight with a gouge, but a skew works better and faster for me.

 

[KKingery]

I also used only a gouge for the first couple of months. Sometimes, I still do! Skews are great tools also, but do take some practice. This is like anything else - practice, practice, practice!

 

[jwoodwright]

Paul, get the video. Wear it out that you watch it so much.

Then practice on a 2" x 4" x 8'. Buy one, cut in half lengthwise, now cut into 6" lengths. What a pile, what practice...[8D] Make 1" Round Pegs... Now You can make racks to hold Coats, Tools, Shovels, etc, etc...
A Skew can do it all, Start to Finish, Start with your Gouge, Knock the corners off and Use the Skew to Round them Another thing about the Skew is it save many grits of paper, because of the finish cut...

You'll hear it Forever, "Ride The Bevel". Lay the bevel on the wood at an angle and try and take the finest shaving as you gently guide it.
You'll be rewarded with shavings and not the common dust and particles of scraping...
Either cut with the Center, or the Heel or the Toe, get the Heel and Toe in the wood together and [V][!][xx(][][8] a Catch. This is where Wood Fiber is Ripped Out... Tends to be impressive...[:I]

A steb center is good, allow wood to slip, a spur center digs in and hard to get it to slip, so Catchs are Spectacular...[8D]

 

[William Young]

jwoodwright;
Like most of the responses I use the gouge to knock off the corners and then the skew to finish right down to the sanding stage because a sharp skew can leave an amazingly smooth finish..

But I noticed your mention of a steb center. That term is a new one on me . Could you please explain about that type of centre. Us rookies have to learn something every day. At leat I do.. . .. []
Thanks .
W.Y.

 

[jkirkb94]

I tend to use the gouges till I am almost finished. The skew helps create a finer finish which means less sanding. This seems to be especially important with most of the acrylics. I found out that with acrylester resin that a skew is a must! I had lots of blowouts with all my gouges until I went to a skew for that stuff![] Kirk[8D]

 

[jwoodwright]

William,
Instead of the sharp point and 4 large prongs to hold the wood tight for driving, these are very friendly drives.
Like the difference between a Shark and a Bass...[]
They have a row of small teeth and a heavier, not so pointy, spring-loaded center point.

You can apply just enough tail stock force to get drive and this way it will slip the drive if you're too aggressive or get a catch...

Another good feature is it won't split wood like that pointy 4 prong drive...[8D]

Got mine at CS USA.

 

[William Young]

Sounds awsome. Thanks for the info.
W.Y.

 

[its_virgil]

At one time I used the gouge to rough turn and to turn almost to finish and used the skew to turn to final diameter. But now, I use a skew from start to finish. Hardly ever touch a gouge for a pen anymore. After the symposium in Provo last summer and watching the demonstrators use skews to rough turn I started practicinig using 2x4's cut in half about 8 inches long. Practiced and practiced. I made gavel with a pen in the handle (actually I made 3) using only a skew (I did use a parting tool a very little) but have learned how to part with a skew. The blade can be turned in lots of directions and attitudes to acheive numberous cuts. I recommend trying to get copies of Alan Lacer's videos on using the skew. Some woodturning clubs have various tapes to check out and larger city's libraries may have turning tapes to loan.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

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[woodscavenger]

A skew for roughing? I am going to have to play with that one a little.

 

[its_virgil]

Work from the center to the ends to avoid catching grain and peeling it off. Catches were quite common with me at the first and still happen, mostly from carelessness on my part.

Richard Raffin roughed all of his blanks with a skew on all three of his demos I went to. So did two others but I can't remember exactly which ones so I'll not name any. I use a 1.25 inch oval skew and it works quite well. The larger skew seems more stable than the smaller ones I have. I'm not trynig to convert anyone, just offering insight into what I do and how well it works for me. I was at a turn-a-thon in November and got lots of strange looks. But, hey, I just had to carry one or two tools in my bag instead of 4 or 5. Have skew will turn.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
quote]Originally posted by woodscavenger
<br />A skew for roughing? I am going to have to play with that one a little.
[/quote]

 

[knottyharry]

That is one tool I can't seem to get the hang of. But some good advice here in this topic. I'll have to practice on some 2x4's also.
And I'll check on the video.
Thanks
Harry

 

[jwoodwright]

I still practice, skills that arn't used go away. You're correct about paying attention. I was turning a mushroom and it now has the most wicked spiral from the skew climbing out...[]

 

[woodscavenger]

every once in a while I try to incorporate the spiral into the final pattern.

 

[TheHeretic]

I started pens with the skew. I honestly didnt know that it was supposed to be hard. I had to learn by being self taught and never having seen anyone turn before. I bought the lathe cause it was on sale and I ahd the funds at the time. I have since paid for the lathe and the chuck and tools in pen sales in the last 5 months.

I will admit I had a lot more blowouts and screw ups in the begining but after reading a few books and finally about 5-6 months into this new hobby/obsession I was able to watch another turner I saw a few of my mistakes corrected. Now, coupled with the faster speed that I now turn at (thanks to the thread found elsewhere) I can use the skew for 99% of the work on a pen. I still cant do beads with it but........

Dean
Columbus OH

 

[Guest]

Heritic-
I could have written the first paragraph of your post myself.
One thing that has not been mentioned,maybe because it goes without saying is the skew needs to be SHARP!.
When I first started I had more trouble with the gouges than the skew.
I just figured that gouges were made for "roughing" only.
Perhaps because it was easier to sharpen.
My first chisels were sharpened with, and I am not kidding you,
A hand cranked grinding wheel.
I clamped it on my bench,turned with one hand and held the skew with the other.
I also have a "skew" I think it's a skew with a rounded nose but flat blade.
It's one of my favorites.
It came in a set from HF. I cut the handle down to about 5".
Getting back to sharpening the skew.
I rarley use a grinding wheel, I have a small 2 sided diamond stone I bought at lowes for about $20.00 and I keep it right at the lathe.
A couple of passes on teh edge both sides and I get a nice "cut"
As stated before, cuts down on the sanding.
Try chucking up a piece of wood between the center and start palying.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Paul, when I first started turning I couldn't do anything with the skew either. I thought it was a pretty worthless tool. Then, one day after about a year of turning, without thinking about it I picked up my big skew and started using it. I believe there was a learning process and getting familiar with the wood, how to hold the tools, etc. Now, except for knocking off corners with a gouge, I use the skew almost exclusively. It gives a nice smooth finish and allows accurate shaping of the work. I go back and forth across the entire item, whether a pen or large turning. As for the 'ride the bevel' advice, it doesn't work for me. The bevel doesn't cut, the sharp edge does. I sharpen freehand on an 80 grit wheel.

 

[Scott]

I'm still getting used to using the skew. Probably always will be! But I do use it more and more all the time, including roughing the blank! Probably the one thing that got me over the "Fear of the Skew" was watching Stuart Mortimer. His demonstration was turning a goblet with a spiraled stem, but he starts his demos showing how he roughs the blanks, and uses cuts #1,2, and 3. It was amazing, but he didn't seem to be very careful with the skew at all! Of course, he has literally YEARS of practice! But he would quickly make a pass from right to left, cutting with the skew, and then he'd lift the tip of the skew up and pull it back the other way, which would catch the corners of the blank and lift up chips all along the length of the blank. This lifting of the chips would make it easier for the skew to cut them off when he came back the other direction cutting again. And this was done quickly, back and forth, back and forth. And he would have the blank roughed down to a cylinder in maybe 15 seconds. Amazing! I am nowhere near that fast, but I have been practicing doing this and it works pretty well! I've also been practicing using the skew to cut both beads and coves! Do I get catches? Sure! But I have seen Richard Raffan get a catch too! It happens!

Have fun!

Scott.

 

[its_virgil]

Stuart Mortimer was the ohter turner that I watched rough turn with a skew. It was just like Scott described. He took big bites and used it both ways and had the square blank roughed in a matter of seconds. Ane yes, I too watched Richard Raffin get a catch or two. "It doesn't ruin the bowl", he would say, " just makes it a little smaller." Learn to use the skew and have fun doing it.

Someone earlier spoke of spirals on the pens when the skew catches...When I try to spiral I can't do it. I finished a pen last night and just as I was making the last cut I got a catch and it was too deep to salvage...Didn't want to part the pen off the tube, so the clip is covering the chipped out piece and I will use it myself. Its the price we pay.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by Scott
<br />I'm still getting used to using the skew. Probably always will be! But I do use it more and more all the time, including roughing the blank! Probably the one thing that got me over the "Fear of the Skew" was watching Stuart Mortimer. His demonstration was turning a goblet with a spiraled stem, but he starts his demos showing how he roughs the blanks, and uses cuts #1,2, and 3. It was amazing, but he didn't seem to be very careful with the skew at all! Of course, he has literally YEARS of practice! But he would quickly make a pass from right to left, cutting with the skew, and then he'd lift the tip of the skew up and pull it back the other way, which would catch the corners of the blank and lift up chips all along the length of the blank. This lifting of the chips would make it easier for the skew to cut them off when he came back the other direction cutting again. And this was done quickly, back and forth, back and forth. And he would have the blank roughed down to a cylinder in maybe 15 seconds. Amazing! I am nowhere near that fast, but I have been practicing doing this and it works pretty well! I've also been practicing using the skew to cut both beads and coves! Do I get catches? Sure! But I have seen Richard Raffan get a catch too! It happens!

Have fun!

Scott.

 

[Randy_]

Originally posted by its_virgil<br />.....so the clip is covering the chipped out piece and I will use it myself.....

I thought I was the only one who did that!!!

 

[jwoodwright]

Me too, I keep practicing and then, Wham...[:I]

 

[Gregory Huey]

As you can see everyone said you just have to practice,practice and practice some more and keep it sharp

 

[Gary]

Mortimer is just amazing. Anyone who gets a chance to attend one of his sessions should do so.

 

[Randy_]

After reading the above, I was inspired to try my skew to rough some square blanks. Took the advice and cut up some scrap 2x4s and made dust. Not nearly as difficult as I thought it was going to be. After a little practice, I'll probably be pretty good at it. One big advantage for me is that skews are a whole bunch easier to sharpen than are gouges, so my skews are always sharper then my gouges.

Thanks for the tip. I love this place!!!! There is something new to learn every day.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Don a/k/a It's Virgil: Thanks for posting those picture of your gavel/pen desk sets. I have been planning on making a couple gavel presentation sets but will change my concept. I will plagarize [:I], uh...er.. borrow your idea,if you don't mind. That is a very innovative concept.

 

[its_virgil]

don't mind at all...contact me if you have any questions about which kit I used or techniques. Maybe an article would be good to do and put in the archives.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

A couple of other gavel/pens can be seen at http://www.tinyurl.com/38hor

Originally posted by Rifleman
<br />Don a/k/a It's Virgil: Thanks for posting those picture of your gavel/pen desk sets. I have been planning on making a couple gavel presentation sets but will change my concept. I will plagarize [:I], uh...er.. borrow your idea,if you don't mind. That is a very innovative concept.

 

[DCBluesman]

A volunteer to write an article? How sublime. [] We accept your offer and I can't wait to see it, Don!

Originally posted by its_virgil
<br />Maybe an article would be good to do and put in the archives.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Thanks, Don. Yes, an article would be great. Your pictures seem to show a pen style other than the desk kits we see for sale. Do you adapt something else. By the way, it is said that plagarizm is the sincerest form of flattery. []

Originally posted by its_virgil
<br />don't mind at all...contact me if you have any questions about which kit I used or techniques. Maybe an article would be good to do and put in the archives.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

A couple of other gavel/pens can be seen at http://www.tinyurl.com/38hor

Originally posted by Rifleman
<br />Don a/k/a It's Virgil: Thanks for posting those picture of your gavel/pen desk sets. I have been planning on making a couple gavel presentation sets but will change my concept. I will plagarize [:I], uh...er.. borrow your idea,if you don't mind. That is a very innovative concept.

 

[its_virgil]

Rifleman,
My students' views on plagerism is:"If it's worth saying once, it should be repeated."

Thanks for the comments. The kits I use are the Euro screw cap FP/RB and the executive FP/RB. Keeping the handle parts concentric is my major problem. If using the euro screwcap, I reduced the diameter of the CB and conceal it inside the handle part where the bead/cove/decorations are. It is time consuming but produces a nice reslult. I went to a trophy shop and bought a cheap gavel and take the measurements from it. Contact me if I can help and you start the project before I do the article...I'm trying to get an article written on how I do my cartridge pens.
Do a good turn daily!
Don