Skew Mastery

[wizer]

Cheers Pete.

Do you use a light pull drive to do light pulls or something clever? I need to make one, not keen on buying a doodad

 

[CHJ]

So, in theory, if you held the skew as tight as a 'fixed tool' and actually put some weight on the toolrest, you shouldn't get into much trouble ? :? :?

A little caveat to that LW, note the skew in the demonstration is mainly being used as a Force majeure to attack the wood, a little more finesse but a positive attitude does for the shaping.

Says he who still has far too much respect for this lump of steels recalcitrant nature to make it do what it's capable of. I find I get into trouble when trying to use it tentivley and am doing my best to use it with attitude.

I think Wiki's Headline for 'Force Majeure' would stand rewriting to describe the trials of using a skew.

Force Majeure (French for "superior force"), also known as cas fortuit (French) or casus fortuitus (Latin)[1], is a common clause in contracts which essentially frees both parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the parties, such as a war, strike, riot, crime, or an event described by the legal term "act of God" (e.g., flooding, earthquake, volcano), prevents one or both parties from fulfilling their obligations under the contract. However, force majeure is not intended to excuse negligence or other malfeasance of a party, as where non-performance is caused by the usual and natural consequences of external forces (e.g., predicted rain stops an outdoor event), or where the intervening circumstances are specifically contemplated.

 

[Bodrighy]

I tried one and gave up with it. I cut my wood into appropriate lengths, about 4 - 5" with a small tenon on one end then shove it in the chuck. I then drill a large hole a few mm into it then a narrow one right through. After that I just shape it, polish it and cut it off. I lose the little bit of the tenon but as it is all scrap wood anyway I don't mind. Have you got a drive as mine is not likely to be ever used.

Pete

 

[wizer]

I just want to make one like this

Trying to get my head around the process. If the tenon was on the pointed end, then I guess I could just taper it down and part it off ? Does that sound right?

 

[Bodrighy]

That's it. Make sure you do the large hole first then the small one. I drill with a jacobs chuck in the tail winding the frill into the wood with the lathe runn ing, but I don't have a pillar drill. You can bring the tail centre up into the hole if you use a pillar to ensure that it is running true or the hole will not come out centrally at the top....making this sound complicated but it isn't really.

Pete

 

[wizer]

Cheers Pete, another task on the list. Maybe I'll do it with the skew :shock:

 

[Lightweeder]

I think Wiki's Headline for 'Force Majeure' would stand rewriting to describe the trials of using a skew.

Translation = 'User beware' :wink: :wink:

LW

 

[Richard Findley]

Hi all,

Interesting thread. If you notice in the video, as Chas pointed out, when roughing he really is doing just that - roughing!! He has no contact between his front hand and the tool rest which means he has very little control as such, he is literally bashing through it.

The main thing to notice is how high the tool rest is. This makes life much easier when planing and a catch much less likely as the long point is above the wood and so actually can't catch in it. This does make turning details more tricky though, notice the uncomfortable position he has to contort himself into to turn the round over on the end of the handle. He'd be better off with the tool rest a little lower to start with I'd have thought.

Cheers,

Richard

 

[Bodrighy]

Good point Richard. I use the tool res virtually level with the top of the wood when planing but to do the details I bring it down and use the point or close to it. I also have a long bevel on mine which seems to work beter for detailing with it. I have a smaller 1/2" skew which I find clumsy to use as it has a much smaller bevel and it feels clunky when using it so I must admit I rarely touch it even for small spindle work. Maybe it's because I do a lot of work between centres that I have got used to using the skew after being shown how but I still think it is a very versatile tool once mastered.

Pete

 

[Walter Hall]

My favourite tool is a 3/4" oval skew. I use little else for pen making and have never ever understood what all the fuss is about.

 

[Bodrighy]

My favourite tool is a 3/4" oval skew. I use little else for pen making and have never ever understood what all the fuss is about.

That's 'cos yu can use it. :lol: If you can't as I found early on it is a real ego buster. Once you click with it I agree it is possibly the single most useful tool in the arsenal.

pete

 

[Dalboy]

Just been given a video called

"Turning Projects by Richard Raffan"

well worth watching he explains how he uses the skew chisel and makes it look so easy. Had a quick go myself and by following his guidelines I felt a lot more comfortable using the skew chisel

 

[wizer]

yep I got that Dal, he's very confident with the skew but does get quite a lot of catches. He's just got the balls to take it in his stride.

 

[Lightweeder]

yep I got that Dal, he's very confident with the skew but does get quite a lot of catches. He's just got the balls to take it in his stride.

Richard Raffan gets catches :? :? Maybe Brittleheart can give him some tips :twisted:

LW

 

[Dalboy]

yep I got that Dal, he's very confident with the skew but does get quite a lot of catches. He's just got the balls to take it in his stride.

Richard Raffan gets catches :? :? Maybe Brittleheart can give him some tips :twisted:

LW

He sure does. But then it makes me feel better as I know it happens to the best of us

 

[CHJ]

The trouble I have with skew catches is that they invariably result in the scrapping of smaller items if they are being formed to fixed dimensions.
I'm afraid I resort to a sharp profile spindle gouge if I have much time invested in something.

I guess considerably more practice time is called for.

 

[Lightweeder]

Certain ways I offer up a sharp gouge, I can get the same swirly catch, so it's not the skew to blame so much as the angle of approach, apparently :?

 

[OldWood]

I'm a real newbie - I've the gear and some wood, but am only at the stage of following through some training suggestions.

I saw a couple of good recommendations for 'Fundamentals of Woodturning' by Mike Darlow and in relative ignorance (ie vague words from some quarters!) of the difficulty with the skew I followed this book's suggestions. Planing off and forming V's was found to be no bother -"what's all this crap about skews?".

I then tackled some large beads and found out what everyone talks about s**t, b*****r, and all the rest of it....BUT.....Darlow does his beads with the long point high; reverse the tool and lovely beads, no problems and never a catch. Even some little ones at 10mm diameter were no problem. I'm not going to investigate what the mechanics of this is but I did notice that the guy in this video did his roll-overs with the long point low - he specifically turns the tool over to do so at one point.

Anyhow this is one beginner who currently has the skew as his No 1 tool.

And I too noticed how high the rest was, and the very clear power that was being put down through the tool.

Rob

 

[Bodrighy]

Catches seem to occur if the skew is tilted slightly when using and one or other of the corners catches. If you sharpen the edge so that it is slightly curved then this happens much less. Doesn't have to be much and I have foiund that I can even use a skew on the outside of a bowl to get a fine surface sometimes.

Pete

 

[duncanh]

The trouble I have with skew catches is that they invariably result in the scrapping of smaller items if they are being formed to fixed dimensions.
I'm afraid I resort to a sharp profile spindle gouge if I have much time invested in something.

I guess considerably more practice time is called for.

I tend to do the same - if it's something I've spent a lot of time on then I often switch to a gouge.

One thing which I've found to help whilst learning - if you use a Stebcentre to drive you can back off the pressure so that the timber is only help by the tips of the teeth. Now if you get a catch the wood will stop spinning and you hopefully won't damage the work.

Another thing I do - when I'm making small items like pens and light pulls etc, I use the skew from start to finish including the roughing out from square. I find that I don't get catches on small stock. This helps the confidence no end.

I still can't do beads well though