Got on a bit better today, i ground my 3/8" spindle to have a more fingernail profile, dont know angle off top of head but i think about 40 or 38'.
20190925_113855 by Richard Rose, on Flickr
20190925_113915 by Richard Rose, on Flickr
hollowed out the small test piece and found that coming from the centre out wasnt very good, tool just seemed to give off dust and make a honing noise on the wood. I tried the different technique of pushing the tool in to the centre, riding the bevel and got much better results until i got to a point where a ridge formed and the tool couldn't get to an angle to remove the ridge. so i went back to centre to edge technique. All a bit rough and ready but worked in the end.
20190925_114639 by Richard Rose, on Flickr
20190925_122605 by Richard Rose, on Flickr
I then just played about making beads and coves for practice, then tried removing material of the piece in a way to create a stem for the "goblet".
I found it was working okay but i get the feeling the tool isnt cutting very well, even though i have what feels like a sharp edge on the tool, any more grinding the edge and it will just be removing material and past the point of having an edge??
I also feel like the tool rest isnt placed correctly, i keep it near the work and slightly below the centre line so the tool cuts on the centre, but i feel like i dont have control of the tool, like i have to keep a decent finger grasp on the metal part of the tool, where most places i read\videos say you shouldnt have to do this.
Finish on the turned surface is also quite 'fuzzy' when a lot of stuff i see online, a sharp tool should be giving a very smooth finish.
20190925_113829 by Richard Rose, on Flickr
Also not 100% on my lathe speed. The thing has lowest speed of 900rpm, and max of a bit over 3k. i tend to have it set about midway so 1200-1600 rpm, but not sure if thats too fast or too slow??
Sorry for the volume of questions, i just dont want to be getting into bad habits.
