Shopsmith Forums

I've been making pens for years but always looking for better ways. Sings pen making book reccomends using a shear cut rather than a scraping cut. I like to sit at the lathe (hips get stiff from standing too long) Using the lathe duplicater tool holder works well but wonder about the triangle cutter is it a scraper or a shearer? What about the the forums ideas for the best cut.

Rock

Hi
I find that a shear cut works best for me. I try to get the tools scary sharp!!
Some of the turners say that you can use a chisel directly off a 150 grit paper and get a good cut. That may be true but sharper is better.
My son gave me a tip and I find it to be very helpful. When turning a pen blank, he rounds the ends down to the bushing before making the cuts between the bushings. What this does is to soften the transition from the cut so that instead of the tool exiting from the cut abruptly you come out along the round over and it seems that you don't tear the grain and cause a chip out quite as much.
As for the lathe duplicator, I believe that all of the cuts are of the scraping variety.
As for the variety of chisels I prefer the gouge for most of the work I do. You can get a good shear cut with a gouge. I still find the skew a tough tool to use.
Bill V

Whether the lathe duplicator is a shear cut or a scraping cut is a factor of the 60 degree cutter. I don't have a lathe duplicator so I have never examined the cutter closely. But cutters of that type come in different types, some of which have a chip clearing groove just along the cutting edge and tip. This creates an angle that would yield a shearing action against the wood (or metal, since this is essentially a metal cutting insert). If the cutter is only flat on both sides, then it is most definitely[font=&quot] a scr[/size][/font]aping action.

I suggest you call customer service for specific information about the cutter.

The cone cutter is a shear cutter, the rest are scrapers, according to my understanding.

Ron Klein

Rock, do you do your pen turning on the SS? I am trying to find a mandrel but they all seem to be #1 or #2 MT.

Brad
The morse taper can be removed from the shaft by unscrewing it from the shaft. It is on tight so you have to clamp the shaft so it does not get burrs on it and take the tapered end off
Bill V

boostfan wrote:Rock, do you do your pen turning on the SS? I am trying to find a mandrel but they all seem to be #1 or #2 MT.

You can remove the morse taper adaptor and use the drill chuck to hold the mandrel or buy from pen state a SS adaptor.
Rock

you can also use the SS 1/4 router bit chuck and put your shaft in it and it turns great. I have been turning pens on my MKV for years and started just using the mandral shafts and the drill chuck.
Works fine.

Thanks for all of the advise