CUTTING A SHOULDER
Use the parting tool first to reduce the wood to within 1/16” of the required shoulder diameter (Fig. A18). Clean the waste stock out with the gouge (Fig. A19), then use the skew (Fig. A20) for the actual cutting of the shoulder (a duplication of squaring an end). Use the skew to make the horizontal cut, but in a different manner from plain cylinder work. If the shoulder is long, use the ordinary skew position for the outer portion of the cut. At the angle between the horizontal and vertical cuts, move the heel of the chisel into a position tangent between the skew and the cylinder (Fig. A21). Raise the handle of the chisel slightly to allow it to cut while the tool moves along the rest. Use a very light cut to produce a smooth workpiece. You can use the heel of the skew to make the entire cut, if desired, but, whether in this position or any other position, do not pick up the cut directly at the end of the stock. Horizontal cuts started directly from the end of the workpiece will have a tendency to bite into the wood, often ruining the entire piece. Always run off the end and not into it. Where a very short shoulder makes this impossible, use the skew in a flat scraping position. If the cutting technique is used, engage only with the heel of skew in a very light cut.
Parting tool
cuts
"BEADS" | ||
SCRAPING METHOD | ||
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Fig. A22
CUTTING SMALL BEADS
Beads can be scraped or cut. The spear chisel provides the easiest method of scraping, and works well on beads separated by parting tool cuts (Fig. A22). Scraping is slower than cutting and is not as clean, but it has the advantage of protecting the workpiece from long gashes.
Cutting beads quickly and accurately with the small skew is one of the most difficult lathe operations. You can use various working methods. One method is a vertical incision at the point where the two curved surfaces will eventually come together. Make this cut with either the heel or the toe of the skew. (Fig. A23 shows the use of the toe). Place the skew at right angles to the workpiece. Place the chisel flat on its side at the start, and evenly rotate it through the successive stages of the cut (Figs. A24, A25, and A26). At the same time, pull the chisel slightly backward to maintain the cutting point. The entire cut is made with the heel of chisel. The opposite side of the bead is cut in the same manner, one cut serving to produce the full shape in each instance. This action produces beads that are beautifully smooth and polished, and the technique is well worth mastering.
Fig. 49
Fig. A18 |
| Fig. A19 |
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Fig. A20 |
| Fig. A21 |
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Fig. A23 |
| Fig. A24 |
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Fig. A25 | Fig. A26 |
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