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http://www.woodreview.com.au 73WOODTURNINGSteer the tool with your dominant
hand, placing your other hand
on top of the blade to guide the
tool into the wood. You need
to slice from the top of the
rotating blank, not plunge into
the centre as is common with
conventional turning. Hold the
tool slightly twisted and at an
angle to the blank, pointing in
the direction you are cutting,
being sure to move the tool
from a high to low point.
Shaping is done with combined
use of the spindle gouge and skew
chisel. Use these tools to achieve
tight curves, notches, beads and
even captive rings. It’s worth
conquering the skew chisel because
the sharp edge and pointed tip
make it a versatile tool. When
turning large beads for example,
use the tip to mark it out and the
edge to begin rounding over.
- Refining the cylinder
with a drawknife on
the shavehorse. - Start a hole with the
awl into the centre of
the workpiece first. - Add a drop of oil to
the centre hole before
screwing it onto the
poppet. - Using a basic carver’s
gouge to rough out the
blank. - Gearing: use a gouge
to cut a thinner section
for the cord so the
blank will spin faster. - The resulting gullet
will keep the cord
away from your sharp
tools. - Starting to shape with
the spindle gouge. - Using the skew chisel
tip to begin a bead. - The slope of the skew
chisel blade must
match the direction
you are cutting.
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