Help with lathe work

[Ohgary]

I made a carbide chisel. It is wicked sharp, just sliced my thumb on it. But using it to turn a spindle was not satisfactory. Is there something wrong with the chisel? Wrong type of wood (poplar)? Headstock turning wrong speed? Or do I just need to turn the diameter and then sand smooth?

I was gonna use poplar for the chisel handle. I tried turning the dowel for practice.

12 inch chisel bar

DSCN3298.jpg (54.97 KiB) Viewed 13411 times

carbide cutter

DSCN3299.jpg (57.07 KiB) Viewed 13411 times

ragged texture

DSCN3300.jpg (112.09 KiB) Viewed 13411 times

[benush26]

I made a carbide chisel. It is wicked sharp, just sliced my thumb on it. But using it to turn a spindle was not satisfactory. Is there something wrong with the chisel? Wrong type of wood (poplar)? Headstock turning wrong speed? Or do I just need to turn the diameter and then sand smooth?

I was gonna use poplar for the chisel handle. I tried turning the dowel for practice.
]

First, it often looks like that with a "square edge" carbide blade. A blade with the the slight convex edge works better for a smoother cut.

It looks like you may have the tool rest a little off. The cutting edge should be at mid line of the project diameter

For me, speed is less a consideration when using carbide versus a skew or gouge.

Though I really like carbide, the reality that "I" know is that a conventional skew cut with a sharp steel blade will give a smoother cut than carbide, though carbide can result in a nice finish, just not as smooth.

Others may have MUCH better info.

Be well,
Ben

[richardrouse]

Is the piece running true? I get results like that when the tail stock falls out of alighnment with the quill in the middle of a project.

[richardrouse]

Bad a&& cutter BTW! How did you go about making it?

[Ohgary]

Bad a&& cutter BTW! How did you go about making it?

There are several videos on YouTube. I studied them. I bought a pilot drill and tap set for 8-32 screws. I bought a cheap angle grinder at Harbor Freight. I used the grinder to make the shelf for the carbide insert. I also used it to slope the bar to match the angle on the insert. The cuts were ragged so I dressed them with the sanding disk on my Model 500, and used a flat file also. I have a cheap drill press and tried to drill the pilot hole but it was a bit off (see photo). I carefully used the tap and then made a slight countersink for the mounting screw. I screwed the insert in place and went to the lathe.

I got the insert from Arizona Carbide via eBay.

I hD to order the steel bar online. None of the local retailers had it.

Still spent only a fraction of the cost of one Easy Wood tool. Results may come after some more advice or practice.

[reible]

Lets see if this makes any sense. The tool rest should be really smooth and flat. If not then ever little nook and cranny telegraphs to the work piece. In the picture yours looks like it needs a lot of work. Could just be the picture?? Anyway my first suggestion is to get it squared away as it will not matter what tool you use it will be messing you up.

You also need to round the tool bars edges. If not you will mess up then tool rest again in no time at all.

The screw that goes through the cutter needs to be trimmed flush with the tool holder. The first thing is to make it shorter then grind away the remaining excess flush. The screw will still work.

As was mentioned the cutting edge of the tool should be at the midpoint of the work piece. The handle should be held so it is level with the floor.

As was also mentioned, the cutter you have is a square so the two none cutting sides can dig in ever so little and that produces this little tiny spiral looking cuts as you traverse along you cut path. They make cutters with a slight radius that makes this problem go away. You can cut with the square cutters but it takes more skill and paying attention to detail.

Next it looks like you are turning a dowel...... At this point I think this is not a good idea, in fact a lot of your problems are due to this I think. Go get some pine 2 x 2's and start learning to make them round.

We can't see the rest of your set up or know what speed you were turning at but those other aspects can also be issues. As an example assuming the diameter is less then 2" a finishing cut would be made at "T" 4250 rpm. Shaping would be "N" 2590 rpm and ruffing at "C" 910 rpm. Better finishes come at higher rpms.

Hope this helps some.

Ed

[drl]

I have had the results you are getting. Ed has make good suggestions. I would add one thing: How aggressive are you in making the cut? One sees a lot of videos and live demonstrations where the turner is hogging out vast amounts of material in a short time. It make s for an impressive demo but the cuts will look like the one you have at the end. A slower much less aggressive cut will result in a smoother outcome. I look it as using course sandpaper: removes a lot of material quickly but leaves a rough surface. Fine sandpaper: less material removed but a smoother finish. Agree with Ed that a slight radius cutter will give better results. I find I have better control, much less aggressive. Good luck.
Regards,
Dwight

[everettdavis]

Easy Wood tools have a great reputation, and the carbide cutters come in three profiles for the full size rougher: Square 1500, 4" radius curve 1400, and 2” radius curve 1600.

Each cutter has 4 individual razor sharp faces, yielding three new surfaces after wearing the first occurs. The tool bars are CNC machined from solid stainless steel bar stock to high precision fit.

The 1500 is for general roughing and allows you to get a precise dead square corner where you need one, but the 1400 is the standard cutter they supply, and is used for roughing and inside work on larger bowls etc. The 1600 is used for finishing inside bowls and making pens and is generally used for the finish passes only. I have not bought the Easy Finisher with the round cutter, but it will be my next purchase, followed by the Easy Detailer.

The Roughers have to be kept to be kept flat on the tool rest and stay level to the floor and as ‘Benush’ said your tool rest is a little off.

The interface of the cutter should be midline so the tool rest has to be lower. Easy Tools will tell you that all of theirs are designed to be used with the tool rest set so that when the tool is held level the top of the cutter is on center line of the stock. You just have to keep it level to the floor and flat on the tool rest for all types of cuts to know what a joy in turning can be.

As Ed points out, the tool rest has to be flat and smooth (and waxed) as indeed any micro chatter that in introduced will telegraph to the cutting tool edge, and be amplified due to the long lever and fulcrum that exists from the tool to the stock itself (as well as back to your hand) and he reiterates that a slight radius cutter is the preferred by far.

One other point is the Quill itself can be a single bearing quill, and if it has a worn bearing, can introduce some run-out into the equation. A two bearing Quill with rock solid bearings and a spot on live center can help too.

Once you have resolved those issues, I suggest that you try a variety of stock like walnut, cherry, as well as starting with pine and other soft woods as you build your technique. Moisture content of the stock can reveal some quirky things as well.
I love the Easy Wood Tools and applaud you for your ingenuity, your DIY attitude building your own, and for sharing your experience here.

Now, since Easy Wood sells replacement cutters for their own gear, I wonder if a home fabricator can fabricate a tool bar with enough precision to hold the four-sided Easy Wood replacement cutters… You likely could. I don’t have those skill sets or tools.

[rutpoule]

I have a set of carbide-tipped tools I use for pen making, especially when I turn buckthorn, which is very hard and dense and tends to dull steel very quickly. What I've learned is that the carbide tools actually perform much better when used for shearing rather than scraping. I know someone else who uses carbide to turn pens and has found the same thing. I usually use a tool with a round or convex tip rather than square, but with practice, a square end tool could probably be used the same way. You want the tool tilted up on edge, with the edge at maybe 45 degrees to the floor.

[wa2crk]

Hi guys;
Just have to stick my 2 cents worth in here.
I have some carbide lathe tools and also the standard lathe tools. I use the carbide when I want to hog out a lot of material really fast or until I get near my final design. Then it back to traditional tools. Big learning curve with the standard tools but well worth the time and effort.
For what it is worth Penn State Industries has carbide cutters that are replacements for the Easy Wood Tools.
However there is a guy on You Tube that some of you may be familiar with called Captain Eddie Castelin. (http://www.eddiecastelin.com)
He has cutters that are or should be compatible with the more popular manufacturers stuff. Just measure up your cutter and ask what he has.
He also has videos showing how to make the bars to hold the cutters as well as a bunch of other stuff. He does NOT have any handles. He says that if you are a turner you should make your own handles!!
Really a neat guy and you should watch a few of his videos and get a chuckle as well as a bunch of practical knowledge.
Bill V
PS Just have to add one thing. The carbide cutters are excellent if you are doing any segmented work. The dowel in the first post will have the grain direction change every 90 deg and cutting across the grain will cause tear out. With segmented work because the way the individual pieces are cut and assembled you only cut face or side grain and the shavings come off the work in nice long shavings.