tool rest question

[tinytim1458]

Hi everyone another question
What is the right height to the center of the workpiece and what is the best distance away from the work you have to be for each tool to get the best cut. Understandably you have to have sharp tools.
Also just another thing on.
What is the best way to achive a cut.
Just using tools from my chair it is harder to get a good cut and angle along the toolrest.
Thanks and all the best.
Tim

 

[Lightweeder]

Hello Tim. I'm sure the experts will be along shortly with some help for you. I'm not one of those - but I guess the height of the rest depends on the tool you're using. For my part, I try to have the rest as close to the work as safety allows. Can't think of any time when this would not apply. You need grinder to sharpen your tools - and the best thing you can do is buy a decent (inexpensive) book which will tell you all of this. Good luck.

 

[Jonzjob]

I agrre with Lightweeder that I try to get the rest as close as possible. Also the height is dependant on the tool you are using. For instance, spindle turning, a roughing gouge or spindle gouge the rest is lower than for a skew the skew should be almost in line with your lower arm.

Here's a good youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQTo1pAIpQ4 very quick. There are loads of them and all you have to do is to go onto youtube a search from there

 

[miles_hot]

When judging the distance from the work to the rest don't have tje try so close that the tool bevel is on the rest.
How much mobility do you have in terms of ability to move your torso around? Generally the advise is to move your body around and lock the tool into you body (arm, hips etc) which may not be S relevant to you, however ideally you would still want to "secure" it to you in some way.
Personally I've had some success with ensuring that the tool is firmly under my forearm as I'm not exactly light on.my feet
The aim is to:
Ease the strain on your limbs
Damp down vibrations
Allow you to isolate the big movements (cut in that direction) from the fine, finesse type actions to give good control.

You might want to do some specific research as there must be a body of turner out there that do it sitting down as one way make a specific lathe for seated operation...

Hth
Miles

 

[cambournepete]

You might want to do some specific research as there must be a body of turner out there that do it sitting down as one way make a specific lathe for seated operation...

Which according to Tony Wilson is them trying to solve a problem that doesn't really exist.

question

You might find some useful information from The Wheelchair Woodturners

A must-read is Woodturning: A Foundation Course by Keith Rowley.
It's only £11.39 on Amazon, and if that's too much you should be able to order from your local libarary.

 

[bikerbob]

Hello Tiny Tim,
One tip that helped me when I started out was to let the bevel of the tool rub the work (which will dictate the height of the rest) then raise the handle slightly and it will begin to cut, when it cuts nicely you should only need to guide the tool. You should be able to do all spindle work without any problem but if you want to hollow bowls seated I suggest you will need a swivel head lathe with a forward facing rest.

Best tip of all is enjoy your turning techniques will come with practice but fun can be had right now!

Hope this helps

 

[Jonzjob]

Good info Bob, but just a little addition is NEVER touch the spinning wood unless the tool is resting on the rest. Unless that is you are touching the shaft, part way down, of the tool on the very top of the job to see if it rattles, thus showing that it isn't round yet..

If you touch the cutting edge of the tool on the wood and the tool is not touching the rest it will frighten 7 bells out of you when it catches and bangs VERY LOUDLY on the rest! Bin there, done that!

 

[tinytim1458]

You might want to do some specific research as there must be a body of turner out there that do it sitting down as one way make a specific lathe for seated operation...

Which according to Tony Wilson is them trying to solve a problem that doesn't really exist.

question

You might find some useful information from The Wheelchair Woodturners

A must-read is Woodturning: A Foundation Course by Keith Rowley.
It's only £11.39 on Amazon, and if that's too much you should be able to order from your local libarary.

Have been to the wheel chair woodturners web site didd not ocur to me to ask him how he uses his tools when he is on his wheel chair or perch stool when he is turning.
Will have to ask him.

Will have to look at that book, see if i can get the book from the libary for an extended time.
Thanks for that, will have to see if i can find a local person on here who could give me a few pointers at his lathe so i know a bit more as there is nothing like seeing it for real.
Thanks and all the best.
Tim

 

[tinytim1458]

Good info Bob, but just a little addition is NEVER touch the spinning wood unless the tool is resting on the rest. Unless that is you are touching the shaft, part way down, of the tool on the very top of the job to see if it rattles, thus showing that it isn't round yet..

If you touch the cutting edge of the tool on the wood and the tool is not touching the rest it will frighten 7 bells out of you when it catches and bangs VERY LOUDLY on the rest! Bin there, done that!

Hi Thanks for the advice did not know at the time whether to have my hand one side of the rest or the other, you know so i could guide the tools but keep the tool rest away from the work so i do not catch my hand but have a tool hanging more over the rest or have the hand the other side of the rest guiding the tool having the tool with little overhang but did not know how to have the handle, just in my hand or braced against my body.
plus did not know whether to go above the center line on the center line or below from one tool to the next.

Thanks all the best.
Tim

 

[miles_hot]

You certainly want both hands to be the same (your) side of the tool rest - the consequence of some portion of your body getting trapped between the rotating wood and the stationary tool rest will be quite brief but hunting for the finger etc will take some time I fear.

Have a look at some of Bob's you tube videos and see how he holds tools etc. There's enough of them to give you plenty of time to see the correct way of doing things.

You're not a million miles from me however my lathe is set very high so will be no use to you. If anyone near Swindon has a small lathe (a-la demo lath) we could rig up the lathe on a bench to find out the right height for you and answer some of these questions. Any takers? (i'm assuming that Swindon would not be too far for you and your wife to travel of course). Alternatively maybe there's someone near you with a little lathe ....

Miles

 

[OldWood]

Miles
I'm guessing Miles is on the early part of the learning curve and I/we wish him all the best as he climbs up it (clearly metaphorical in his case) and hence this reply is perhaps a bit academic at this stage for him.

Your comment about not having any part of the hand on the 'wrong' side - you are clearly right in general, but even at my infantile wood-turning experience level, I'm finding that if I am turning a long piece there is a lot to be said for controlling any vibration in the piece by having my fingers over the back-side.

Rob

 

[cambournepete]

Have been to the wheel chair woodturners web site didd not ocur to me to ask him how he uses his tools when he is on his wheel chair or perch stool when he is turning.

Tony sits in his wheelchair to turn (at least when he's demoing).

 

[Leo]

Just to try to help a little, I hope, if you watch this video, the best Skew work on the WEB ???????????? me ( hehehe ).

I am standing, but the angles that I use can be seen quite well, I think, I also move the tool rest higher for thicker pieces. It's also my way to get my vid. watched again too !!!!!, any excuse. I have added notations to try to explain a little better ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRZOh2Z1yRw

I'm not sure how, but if you can watch any videos in slow motion, it will help enormously, or repeat time after time, the same bit, until it sinks in, which is a long time in my case.

IMHO. the Skew is a complete pig to learn and many give up on it, but if you persist with it, it can be the best tool in you shop. !!!!!!!

But keep asking questions of every one here and anywhere you can !!

Good luck

 

[miles_hot]

Miles
I'm guessing Miles is on the early part of the learning curve and I/we wish him all the best as he climbs up it (clearly metaphorical in his case) and hence this reply is perhaps a bit academic at this stage for him.

Your comment about not having any part of the hand on the 'wrong' side - you are clearly right in general, but even at my infantile wood-turning experience level, I'm finding that if I am turning a long piece there is a lot to be said for controlling any vibration in the piece by having my fingers over the back-side.

Rob

Rob
Clearly there are exceptions to every rule, for instance when parting off my left hand is rubbing /near the wood or when turning a thin edge my fingers will be on the reverse side to apply pressure / damping however my hand always has an escape route into clear air. I would be most concerned if the escape was into the hard surface of the room rest, especially if the gap was narrow as is normally the case for supporting the tool... or is there something that I've missed (not being a guru in this stuff )
Miles