Sorby Cattertool.

[shedhead]

I have bought a Sorby Chattertool, but as i am having some trouble getting a pattern onto the wood.

I have been practicing with off cuts of end grain wood left over from making boxes. I have followed the Sorby instructions and have watched the video's on the Sorby website. After i had tried for sometime without success, i thought that the burr might not be good, so i gave the straight cutter a quick rub with a diamond file. I have tried center, above center and below center, heared the high pitched screeching noise, used with burr up & burr down,but it has not given me much of a pattern. What i have produced is more of a ripped and torn grain!!!!!!

Watching the Sorby guy on the video do it so well, i must be doing something far wrong, has anyone got any tips to give me.

 

[TEP]

Hi Dermot.

One thing you DO need for chatter work is a hard dense wood, and make sure you are working on the end grain. It won't work on side grain, and if the wood is soft it tends to tear the wood rather than build up a chatter design.

Also don't be afraid to put some pressure on the tool.

 

[Dave Atkinson]

Hi Dermot

TAM is quite correct. I've also found it can be hard to get a decent pattern.

Try using the round cutter about 1.5 inches out from the end of the tool, lather speed about 1000 rpm, tool rest about 3 inches from the piece negative rake, cut on centre and move the tool across the piece.

The movement has to be fairly quick and once it's screeched pull the tool away, otehrwise you will remove what you have achieved.

Vary the length of the extension and lathe speed until you find what works for you.

It's not as easy as it looks but if you ise a dense wood - box, mopane, rosewoods etc it should work OK.

Good Luck
Dave

 

[shedhead]

Thanks Tam & Dave for your tips. I will keep doing till it gets better. I think the problem is that i have not been using hard enough wood. I have been ripping instead of cutting.