Making perfect

Roger Tulk

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3,018
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St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Well, practice makes perfect, right? And I'm trying. In the photo, the upper piece of wood (probably pine, maybe spruce) was the piece I cut off after making some beads that looked like something the dog chewed. The lower right piece is my second try, and those beads are a little smoother, except for the two on the left, which I cut experimentally with my skew. Need to work on that. The piece on the lower right represents my attempt to cut beads with a Benjamin's Best beading tool. I tried cutting in with the parting tool first (far left) then presenting the tool like a spindle tool, from the top; the far right shows where I tried to present the tool like a spindle tool, without cutting in; and the middle is where I tried to present the tool like a scraper, from the bottom, causing the spindle to snap and hit my face mask. I'm not sure I like the beading tool.

The second picture is my tool rack, salvaged from the kitchen. It has eleven tools, and room for more.

practice01.jpg toolrack01.jpg
 
Not sure I understand the bit about presenting the tool from the bottom. A scraper should typically be presented at (or near) the centerline. Too far in either direction away from there is only inviting a catch.
 
OK, I meant bringing the tool up, against the rotation of the wood. I'm holding it a little below centre. I also tried bringing it down, like a spindle gouge. Didn't work either way. When I used the parting tool to define the width and depth of the bead, it tore away the wood down to the bottom of the parting tool cuts. That's the left side of that small piece.
 
Unless I missed something, the cutting edge of the tool is always presented at or just above center line...anything else will dramatically shorten your turning stock...the hard way!
Parting tools are funny little creatures. I learned a technique from a professional pepper mill maker that involves rocking the spine of the tool on the rest...just slightly rocking left to right...not a pivot. This gives you a slightly wider path. Having used this technique for 6-8 years now...my parting is much cleaner and safer!!
 
Jim beat me to the punch. Sounds like you're doing something similar to the picture on the left below. Scrapers should be presented at centerline, with the tool level to the floor, as shown in the picture on the right:

t307858e.gif


I would also recommend practicing with your beading tool on something other than pine or spruce. It's very difficult to get a clean scraping cut on softwoods like those. Maple or cherry would be a better choice. Just about any hardwood would do, although I'd stay away from oak, too.
 
Hmm. Point taken, so to speak. I'll have another try later. I am using pine partly because I am going to make a treadle for my cradle, which asks for a bead at the centre. I'll turn that with the spindle gouge, though, I guess. Thanks for that!
 
first a disclaimer that I've never used or even held in my hand a beading tool, but eyeballing the general operation I think it should be somewhat similar to the ring cutting tools I made out of some allen wrenches so I'm extrapolating from that and YMMV.

I would raise the tool rest a fair bit, possibly more than you feel comfortable doing. That goes squared for the skew. You might need to adjust how far from the work the toolrest is as well, if I'm getting catches like that it often means I'm to far back.
 
I have never used a beading tool but if I did I would use this method. I would use the skew myself and you can leave a shiny surface with the skew depending on how hard you ride the bevel.

Splendid, Mike! That's the video I was hoping to find. I can do a fairly good bead with a spindle gouge. I am working on the skew, but haven't quite got it down to a fine science yet. :thumb:
 
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