Crying/cursing curly Koa

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woodscavenger

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I was doing a Baron sterling FP with a curly koa blank. That thing was a bear. I tried all of my tricks (all two of them) to get a clean cut. I put away my skew and pulled out my fingernail gouge and was finally able to get some nice cuts. Things were going well until I got a little catch (it felt little anyway) and when I stopped the lathe I saw (CRY CRY CRY) a large blowout thay is really not repairable.

I finished the other half just to see the grain and was impressed. But I am not sure if I like it enought to try it again. Is it me? My technique? Is it typical for koa?

So does anyone else resort to a fingernail gouge?
 
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I'm not sure why you are using a fingernail gouge on a pen???

Originally posted by woodscavenger
<br />I was doing a Baron sterling FP with a curly koa blank. That thing was a bear. I tried all of my tricks (all two of them) to get a clean cut. I put away my skew and pulled out my fingernail gouge and was finally able to get some nice cuts. Things were going well until I got a little catch (it felt little anyway) and when I stopped the lathe I saw (CRY CRY CRY) a large blowout thay is really not repairable.

I finished the other half just to see the grain and was impressed. But I am not sure if I like it enought to try it again. Is it me? My technique? Is it typical for koa?

So does anyone else resort to a fingernail gouge?
Click to expand...
 
I couldn't get a freshly sharpened skew to cut cleanly for some reason. It kept tearing out. I got frustrated and my gouge worke really well until that last pass.
 
I use a gouge sometimes, but on fragile wood, I use a small scrape and angle it down on the bottom edge of the wood. I lower the tool rest and literally scrape near the bottom third. Doesn't cut near as fast, but I rarely have blow-outs because it doesn't cut into the wood.
 
Try using a regular spindle gouge rather than the fingernail...it might help with you avoid the catches. But, there are better turners here than me to advise you.

Originally posted by woodscavenger
<br />I couldn't get a freshly sharpened skew to cut cleanly for some reason. It kept tearing out. I got frustrated and my gouge worke really well until that last pass.
Click to expand...
 
Think I can provide some help here since I am from Hawaii and turn alot of koa. Koa is EXTREMELY dense if it is curly, especially if it has a very dark color which means it us from a crotch area of the tree!!! Your tools need to be very, very sharp and you must make light passes. The hard part about turning curly koa is the curls are a different density than the regular grain which tends to catch your tools - thus your blowout.

Everyone is going to cringe but I actually prefer to use a roundnose scraper on koa. Isn't the best cutting tool but I have yet to have a catch or a tearout. Hope this helps.

Chris
 
Why would they cringe? Isn't doing what works the best and safest the prefered method? As I stated earlier, a scrape is sometimes the best tool. Chris with his vast Koa experience should know best, and I think we should all chock up a "I learned something new today".
 
Just curious, was the curly koa blank stabilized? I just got a few stabilized curly koa blanks and wondered if I might be in for the same fate.
Richard
 
I got it from BB. I think it was stabilized. It has the smell but it did not seem quite as plastic-like as the stabilized curly poplar I did. As for sharpness the skew was fresh off a 120 grit wheel using a wolverine jig. I do not yet have a diamond hone(that is on my list) but I finished the edge with 800 grit auotmotive paper. To my eye and finger it seemed sharp. The fingernail gouge seemed to do a better job.....until the last cut...I got greedy. BTW it was very dark and curly! I think I may put it back on the lathe, part off a tenon and put in a "custom" band of some other wood type and call it a custom design! Maybe I can salvage this thing yet.
 
I make mine out of a piece of plywood ... 1/2" is ok.
About 1-1/2" wide, and 6" long. Glue some coarse sandpaper on it. Any size will work, but should be narrower than the barrels.

Calling it a Grit Gouge is a joke ! But it is very useful to level the barrels when nothing else works.
 
Grit gouges.....I love it.LOL[:D] Since they now have a name I feel much better about using them. To tell the truth it never even crossed my mind to try that.
 
I've done a fair amount of turning of all sorts and I can assure you all that it's that last cut that always gets you. Whe your head says "just one more light cut", Don't do it! You'll shed a lot less tears.
 
Fred, Fred here ... hehe !

That last light cut is the killer. If I am not sure, I will use the grit gouge. I use 80 grit mostly.

I bought some surplus industrial belt roll ends. It has a thicker backing. That is good as a grit gouge too.

Now, you guys that are going to laugh at me, go ahead !!! And put your duct tape away, OK ?
 
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