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Post by Leigh on Nov 30, 2016 17:33:15 GMT
I recently purchased a basic RS 6 pce starter set which includes a standard 3/4" skew. A novice turner, i tried several brands of tool at my club to find best weight, shape and thickness of handle for myself. I felt confident buying the RS set unseen as they were familiar to me. The only difference in the set was the skew. I normally use a narrower blade. However, I had not expected the handles to be so different. The shape and width is the same but these are so much lighter; had i not purchased them from a reputable dealer i would be wondering if they were 'knock offs'.
Having received them, and tried them out 3 times I have become nervous about using the skew.
I should mention that til a few days ago, this was my tool of choice - for everything! For me it was a case of, if all else fails use the skew. I loved it!
I've used several sizes & brands & admit my favourite (brand unknown) had a longer, heavier handle and the skew was im guessing 1cm & also thicker than the RS one. However i had also used the 3/4" & didnt envisage a problem.
As i obviously had to use it to find out i can't use it, i cannot return it & im feeling disillusioned and stuck with a set of tools I dislike.
It isnt just the width and thinness of the blade that's an issue. The handle is considerably shorter than anticipated and soooo light it feels out if balance with the blade. Im really struggling with it. The handles on the whole set are proving difficult to manage but the skew is worst of all. Its so short. The whole thing is ouy of balance.After my third attempt i realised i had become nervous of using it.
Obviously i have to persevere because i cant afford to buy anymore for a while but honestly, im feeling stuck with a set of chisels i dont want to use.
Apologies for the rant. I've waited a long time to own a lathe and turn,i dint have words to express my disappointment.
All i can think to do is change handles on 5 of the tools, toss the skew altogether and start a search for a different size skew blade.
Is it possible to safely remove and replace handles?
Any constructive advice would be appreciated. I cannot afford to buy more chisels right now but am feeling extremely disillusioned.
Grateful thanks Leigh
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Post by Pete on Dec 2, 2016 2:04:42 GMT
Hi Leigh See the post on loose bowl gouge. robert-sorby.freeforums.net/thread/79/loose-bowl-gouge Making your own handles is one of the nicest things you can do in woodturning, after all how many things can you honestly make that you will handle (pun intended) and use as often as your own tool handles. they are easy to make and very rewarding. I don't know what exercises your trainers have you doing, I had to turn square stock to parallel rounds, then bead and cove it before paralleling it again and continuing until it was too thin to work... making a dozen handles of different shapes and sizes to get the right one for you is great exercise, personally I love the Sorby shape, though many of my handles a little thicker as I have large hands, and some are a little longer, mostly in Ash, though I also have some in heavier timbers which are shorter, usually for spindle and bowl gouges I am using inside deeper things where a long handle can get in the way of the flow. there is a lot of fun to be had experimenting and personalizing your own kit. When I was training part of the course was to turn a simple piece in front of an audience and explain what you were doing, I practiced this in my workshop with another student. That day we both learned that the Skew requires 100% concentration, presenting over any other tool was relatively easy, boy did we mess up when trying to talk with a skew in our hands. You mention you go to a club, can I recommend that you take your skew to the club and compare the grind, there is a massive difference in the use of a skew between 28 and 40 degrees grind, I typically use 32 degree, but a 40 is much easier to handle, I suspect this as much or more than the handle is your problem with it, if you have a sharpening jig and a marker pen it is easy to compare the 2, any experienced member of the club will be able to re-profile the Sorby to the one you are used to using. or ask again in here and I will go into detail. I can also really recommend that you get on Ebay, go to car boots do whatever it takes and buy some cheap second hand tools (I once bought a set of 10 for £5 at a car boot, wouldn't hold an edge cutting pine let alone old oak, but perfect for my needs ) the purpose of these is to practice grinding and sharpening you really don't want to be practicing and experimenting on your good ones! there is a really naff looking new set advertised at £15 for 8 chisels on Ebay at the moment perfect for sacrificial grinding experiments! and also you can take them apart and make new handles practice with that before working on your good ones too... |
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Post by Leigh on Dec 2, 2016 8:36:35 GMT
Wow! A lot of useful advice and info Pete. Grateful thanks. I will definitely attempt my own handles. I tried several brands before deciding on Sorby. My decision was based on the comfort of the handle and ease of use so a little shocked that what i received differed so much. I, too, love the shape. Fortunately this is the same. I understand what you mean about the handles length often being a nuisance but i do prefer the longer one on the skew. Possibly own to how i use the tool.
So many reasons the skew in this set is so disappointing for me; as mentioned, the handle weight is very odd. Its ridiculously light and the blade weight pulls it downward, taking far too much concentration to keep at the correct angle. With the handle being so short im not able to hold it where its most comfortable.
Looking at the blade, there's no doubt you've sussed a major difference. I will ask about re sharpening/shaping it on the weekend. Im dubious of the outcome as this blade simply doesn't have the depth (ratio to width) as the one's I'm accustomed to. Worth trying though Thank you. (Actually I'm first going to throw major hints about the idea of trading tools. You know their really old one for my sparkly new one 😇).
What shattered my confidence with the skew..hopefully only this particular one, is until now I simply didn't understand the general loathing of this remarkable and versatile tool. I LOVE the skew! (except my one of course). From day one it has been my tool of choice. Whenever I struggle I revert to the chisel - bad habit in the making I expect but I find it the easiest of tools to use. Or I did. Its back to basics with this new one.
Getting a cheap set to practice sharpening is a brilliant idea. I will follow through with this.
The club I attend has no formal lessons but is a place to go and turn with like minded lovers of the craft. There are plenty of volunteers however and always at least one there for each session who is available to give instruction. I've learnt a lot but feel I have stopped progressing. I would definitely benefit from some more regimented training but this isn't a viable (financial) option at the moment.
My kids gave me a lathe and the money for the chisels as birthday gift - sometimes getting older has its perks! Ive found some excellent 'back to basics' tutorial on line so if i can get the chisels sorted I will follow these and combine them with the repetitive instruction you mentioned. I will not be beaten!
Thank you again for taking the time and offering advice. Much appreciated. Leigh
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Post by Pete on Dec 2, 2016 11:49:42 GMT
You are most welcome, we are all here to help each other. These forums seem to have gone extreemly quiet these days, so feel free to post any questions and I will give you the best answers I can.
My kit was a gift to myself, these days I sell enough to pay for the consumables, replace the odd chisel, buy wood, and a few beers here and there. so it's at a sustainable level I enjoy.
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Post by Leigh on Dec 4, 2016 0:22:47 GMT
Hahah that sounds like something to aim for Pete. Especially earning enough for more wood and a drink or 2.
Took tools to the club today. General consensus about the skew was... oh no not THAT one! Even the professional turner, also lover if the skew chisel had nothing positive to say & appeared astonished they were still including this in the set.
Ahh well, true to form i learn the hard way.
What type of things are you selling? Do you do so online, at craft fairs, down the local? Im a long way off from being able to produce anything if consistent quality to sell but it is my intended goal.
Always an optimist 😄
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Post by Pete on Dec 4, 2016 12:58:59 GMT
Selling is a weird game, I had a stock of light pulls that had been moved from craft fair to craft fair for years without selling, but probably because the September art fair was in the middle of a lot of older houses I sold loads of light pulls, which is great as they use up scraps of wood, take seconds to make and allows me to play with shapes and decoration. As they are small and lightweight I then listed the remaining 18 on Ebay which sold out quickly, so now I am having to look for off cuts to make more... which of course I will probably be carrying around for years without selling. The hard bit with selling is finding out what people want to buy, I can make stuff to classical designs, I can invent patterns and designs that follow the original stock and please my eye as I make it, but if that view is not shared by the buyer, it wont sell. So my table at craft fairs is more aimed at range and variety with a bunch of business cards and a lot of talk about "tell me what you want, and I will make it" if as happened last week you get a request for a design you wouldn't have thought of, make an extra one to go on the table next time... I took £700 on a sunny Sunday afternoon market in September, including £40 worth of small 50p items and 1 24" x 8" deep end grain bowl I didn't really want to sell, so priced it at £240. Back to your Skew... I am guessing it is this one link to 810H Please do regrind it to 40degrees (I am pretty sure it will be a 35degree grind when new) then re-handle it in oak or elm to give more counter weight. I think you will find that more to your liking to start with, later when you have your cheep test skew to play with you can try different grind angles that really suit your style. But there is another consideration that occurs to me... take a tape measure to club, measure the height from floor to the tool rest, do the same at home. I am tall, so my Myford Mystro is standing on 5" railway sleepers to give it extra height, the club I trained with had Axminster lathes on standard Axminster stands which would give me back ache over a days work, but more importantly seriously messed with my head on approach angle for some tools, which of course is most dramatic with the skew! |
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