Turning with the Turnmaster

If you're "forcing" anything, something is wrong.

First, let's address the tool rest position, as that is a frequent criticism of the TurnMaster. While it takes a bit to get used to positioning the rest further away from the work, it poses no more danger to you or your work than having the rest close to the work, where a pinch point is created. The shaft of the TurnMaster is massive compared to most turning tools, easily absorbing the impact of the work on the tool edge. If the tool is grabbing, you're either feeding the tool into the work too quickly, or the edge is blunt or both.


The tool rest height should be positioned so that the tool edge is on the center line of the work. Not above, and not below...on center. The edge should be sharp. If it won't scrape your fingernail, rotate the cutter to a fresh edge or freshen the edge with a lapping plate or bench stone (requires diamond abrasive if you're using the carbide cutters). Try holding the handle by the bulb next to the tang, rather than back at the butt. Position yourself so that the handle runs under and parallel with your forearm. Ease the cutter into the work. A light touch and a steady feed rate will remove more material than trying to jab at the work.

Don't forget to take advantage of the best feature of the TurnMaster. Once you have the project shaped with the cutter in the horizontal position, turn the head to the shear angle and make a finishing cut. You'll save yourself hours of sanding.

Sorry you've had issues, Tom, let's see if we can get them resolved.

I just watched both of the videos on our web site again, and only saw a couple of instances where you might get the idea that the tool is angled downward. It might be that there actually was a slight down angle to those cuts, or possibly it's a trick of the camera angle. I can think of a couple of rare instances when I give it a slight downward angle but for the most part, and certainly when getting a feel for the tool, I strongly suggest you work with the tool dead parallel and on the center-line of the work piece.

I'll also come back to sharpness. A brand new cutter should have been keen, but test it to be sure. Scrape the cutter across your fingernail. If it just slides, it needs attention. If it grabs and/or shaves a bit of nail, it should cut at the lathe.

A follow-up question for you, too, Tom, when you had the problem, was it on a bowl blank or a spindle project (wood perpendicular or parallel to the bed of the lathe)? It might do to give it another go on a spindle blank. It's a bit easier to get a feel for the tool when the grain is parallel to the bed.

Mel,

The TurnMaster tips are ground to 80 degrees, but unless you've damaged the tip severely, you really should only need to hone the top surface to sharpen the tool.

Not sure what your mean by the second half of your question. The tip should be horizontal for fast stock removal and set to the shear angle for smooth finishing cuts. Is that the angle your asking about?

Tom,

Give it another go at bowl hollowing. Be sure you have a sharp edge, check the tool rest and tinker with it until the cutting edge is on the centerline when the tool shaft is horizontal, and ease into the cut. Once you get a feel for it, it hollows very quickly.

Tom,

Not sure what you modified, but I assure you, the overhang of the tool is absolutely, positively not the cause of your catches. It simply doesn't matter. The tool is designed to do deep hollowing of small diameter bowls and narrow opening vessels...you'll be hanging far off the tool rest by the time you get to the bottom of those style projects, no matter what. So the small amount of overhang you have at the beginning of the project certainly isn't going to matter.

Your bubble level isn't necessary. Perhaps I overstated the need to be level. Level to slightly trailing...don't overthink that part of it.

Without standing at your side, I can't absolutely diagnose the problem, but I've got a pretty good guess, having been at the side of quite a few guys in the same situation. Using a scraper -- any scraper, not just a TurnMaster -- is quite different to hollowing with a bowl gouge. If you're a fair hand with a bowl gouge, or have watched a buddy that is, you're used to taking a rather healthy cut per pass. If you try to do that with a scraper, a catch is inevitable. The key to quickly removing stock with a scraper is to take a whisker of a cut, work across the piece fairly quickly, and cut in both directions. Pretty soon, you'll develop a rhythm for the cut and a feel for how deep to work and catches will be a very rare occurrence.

What typically happens is that the turner will get a catch, and in determination to control the tool, holds on tighter and scrunches up his shoulders. Now we're headed down a dead end alley. It isn't a matter of man-handling the tool, it's a matter of dancing with it.

One of my turning mentors suggested to me years ago to practice taking as little as possible off the work-piece. This is spot-on perfect advise for learning to cut efficiently with the TurnMaster. If you get a feel for taking the slightest whisker off the piece, you'll be well on your way to cutting quickly. Less is more.

Hi Tom

I am pleased to read you are a Robert Sorby tool fan and thank you for your compliments about them.

But I am sorry to hear that you are still having difficulty with the TurnMaster.

Jeff and Jim have given some excellent advice.

The majority of woodturning is about body movement and control.

Many woodturning tools use long handles which are designed to be held into the body to give this control through body movement.

The TurnMaster is one of these tools that utilises a long handle.

Have you tried locking the tool handle into your body using your forearm with your hand at the front of the handle as suggested by Jeff and Jim?