Woodturning Tools
| ToolInfoBox Woodturning Tools | |
|---|---|
| |
| Synonyms: | DE: Drechseleisen, Drechselmesser |
| Material: | wood |
| Used with: | wood lathe |
| Access Requirements: | upon personal introduction |
| Tutors: | Lukas |
Once you've got a nice blank spinning on the wood lathe, you'll want to shape it by holding something sharp to it. We're only getting started with woodturning, but as we learn this page will grow with information about various forms of turning tools (a multi-photo imagemap will be nice for easy navigation).
Lukas just got a cheap beginner's set consisting of
- 12 mm gouge (Formröhre)
- 26 mm skew chisel (Drechselbeitel)
- 13 mm round nose scraper (Schaber rund)
- 4 & 6 mm parting tools (Abstechstähle)
that will soon be available in the CoMakingSpace.
Gouges
| ToolInfoBox Woodturning Gouges | |
|---|---|
| |
| Synonyms: | DE: Drechselröhren, Schalenröhren |
| Type: | woodturning tool |
| Material: | wood |
| Used with: | wood lathe |
| Access Requirements: | upon personal introduction |
| Tutors: | Lukas |
Gouges are perhaps the most frequently used woodturning tools and are very useful to get your workpiece round in the first place.
We only have a very basic spindle roughing gouge at the moment. There are several other types including roughing and bowl gouges, all of which may be sharpened at different angles to produce an even bigger variety.
- basics: http://www.docgreenwoodturner.com/gouges1.html
- how to sharpen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-nTHpfcwkQ (first half)
- "detail" gouges: http://www.docgreenwoodturner.com/gouges7.html
Spindle Roughing Gouges
Avoid contacting the workpiece with one of the corners! These gouges are usually forged from a flat piece of steel and therefore less strong than those that are milled from a solid round piece - they are sometimes reported to break near the handle. [1]
This article may help you with your first attempts of using a spindle roughing gouge. Roughing gouges take the same shaving across their entire cutting edge so it's a good idea to keep slowly twisting the tool to balance the wear over the entire edge (otherwise you'll quickly have a dull spot in the middle while the sides are still sharp).
Bowl Gouges
Bowl gouges are most aggressive at the sides, so you should avoid to contact the workpiece with the entire bevel. Instead, they are somewhat "rolled" into the desired cut position. This basic "tip cut" technique is nicely explained in this article.
advanced techniques
- with special "fingernail" or "swept-back" grinds, "wing cuts" are also possible for advanced turners
- sidegrain turning (needed to make bowls)
- steps of bowl turning
Skew Chisels
| ToolInfoBox Skew Chisels | |
|---|---|
| |
| Synonyms: | woodturning chisels, "skews"; DE: Drechselbeitel, Drehmeißel |
| Type: | woodturning tool |
| Material: | wood |
| Used with: | wood lathe |
| Access Requirements: | upon personal introduction |
| Tutors: | Lukas |
Not to be confused with "regular" bevel edge chisels!
Also called the "woodturner's plane" - can create nice surfaces, but prone to "catching" on the workpiece if you're not experienced!
Besides the video linked above, you should have a look at this nice writeup on how to control the skew and prevent catches before attempting to use it.
Once you get the hang of it, a skew chisel is actually a very versatile tool and can be used for a variety of different cuts.
Scrapers
| ToolInfoBox Woodturning Scrapers | |
|---|---|
| |
| Synonyms: | DE: Schaber |
| Type: | woodturning tool |
| Material: | wood |
| Used with: | wood lathe |
| Access Requirements: | upon personal introduction |
| Tutors: | Lukas |
| Similar (More or Less): | card scrapers |
Scrapers are not really used for cutting but have an edge with a burr similar to that on a card scraper. Instead of removing a lot of wood you can use this tool for delicate finishing touches. Read more about this tool here (Doc Green).
We have one round nose scraper to start with.
Parting Tools
| ToolInfoBox Parting Tools | |
|---|---|
| |
| Synonyms: | DE: Abstechstähle |
| Type: | woodturning tool |
| Material: | wood |
| Used with: | wood lathe |
| Access Requirements: | upon personal introduction |
| Tutors: | Lukas |
Parting tools can be used for simple grooves or to "part off" your finished piece from the waste. However, parting can be very dangerous if the cut is not widened properly and the high friction causes the tool to get jammed in its cut! [2]
In many cases it is advisable to turn the lathe off and do the parting cut with a saw instead.
Further Information
- thespruce.com
- Makezine: "7 Basic Woodturning Tools"
- Video Tutorials
- Understanding a Starter Set of Lathe Chisels - simple but safe techniques for beginners
