Woodworker's Journal 2008-32-3, страница 24

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Spindle Turning: Four Basic Tools

By Betty Scarpino

there is less rotation time between wood and open space. The tool hits the wood more frequently in time, effectively resulting in less chatter. Take care, however, with large-diameter stock. If you are not yet an accomplished turner, I suggest cutting the corners off on the band saw before turning large-diameter stock.

24 June 2008 Woodworker's Journal

Roughing Gouges

Most turning begins with square stock that will then be turned to a cylinder. This is accomplished with a roughing gouge. Roughing gouges are heavy-duty tools, manufactured to withstand the impact involved with the four rotating corners of square stock. If you've never used one, you're missing out on a splendid way to go from square to round. In a pinch, a large bowl gouge will suffice, but it's not nearly as sturdy as a roughing gouge.

Many roughing gouges are made with a small-diameter tang, which fits into the handle. This style is fine, but if you are considering investing in a new roughing gouge, consider buying one that has a larger-diameter tang. These are sturdy and will provide ample stability for cutting stock from square to round, no matter what size wood you are tackling.

Roughing gouges are almost impossible to use incorrectly. Their bevel is very short and steep compared to other gouges, which makes cutting with them straightforward and simple.

If what you are turning requires a gradual transition from square to round, begin with a roughing gouge. Simply hold the gouge on the toolrest and advance the cutting edge into the wood near end of the stock, cutting gradually toward that end. Reduce the diameter of the wood until you achieve the desired dimension.

The four basic tools needed for almost all spindle turning jobs are shown here. From top to bottom, they are the spindle gouge, roughing gouge, parting tool and skew chisel.

These tools all come in various sizes, so make your selection based on what you plan on turning: choose larger size tools for larger work and small-scale tools for smaller work. In the accompanying photos, I'm using medium-size tools. Spindle turning, if done correctly, requires little or no sanding. As such, the time you spend practicing proper cutting methods with these four tools will easily be made up by a reduction in your sanding time.

Get Your Lathe Speed Set First

For spindle turning, lathe speeds should be higher than for bowl turning, somewhere in the range of 1,500 to 3,000 RPM. The higher speeds result in a smoother cut, especially when turning square stock into a cylinder. When the edges of square stock rotate at a high speed (as opposed to a slow speed),