Can you shear
bowl stock?
Although
shearing is possible on bowl stock, it's important to always remember
that the end grain on bowl turning stock is perpendicular (not parallel)
to the rotational axis. Start by mounting your bowl stock to a properly
sized Faceplate
or a precision Lathe
Chuck. Special
bowl turning chisels help to make this job easier and your results
more professional-looking. Remember that when shearing, it's important
that the chisels' bevels rub against the timber as you cut.
The
standard Shopsmith 1/2" Roundnose Chisel is being used with a scraping
technique to turn bowl you see in this operational photo. Always shape
your outside profiles first, then reposition your Tool Rest to hollow
out the inside.
Tip: Always
position your tool rest below the centerline of your stock when scraping.
When roughing out with a Gouge or shearing the inside of a bowl, rotate
your chisel 10 to 15- degrees from level.


Other specialized
turning tools
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, there are literally
hundreds of chisel types available for specialized jobs. In addition to
Shopsmith's Basic 5-piece set , our 4-piece Bowl Turning set and our Wood-Turning
Mini-sets mentioned earlier, we also offer an expanded 6-piece
set that includes a 1" Oval Skew and a 3/8" Bedan...a 3-piece
Miniature Hollow-Forming set and a small, 3-piece
Pen-Turning set that includes a unique, 9-In-1 Chisel and a tiny 1/16"
Parting Tool.
Special tool
rests can also make a significant difference
Articulated Tool Rests such as Shopsmith's
Universal Lathe Tool Rest can provide loads of additional control
and versatility when turning bowls or spindles of all types. And, when
armed with optional 4" Rests, S-Shaped
Rests or 90-Degree Rests, this versatility and ease of use increases
even further.
In closing
Remember, turning is a lot like horseback riding. To learn to ride properly,
you first have to jump into the saddle. And like horseback riding, professional
turning results can only be achieved through practice, practice and more
practice.
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