Wood Keeps Gouging/Catching- How to resolve

[Matt Moore]

I am turning some feet for a bunkbed. I used the attached picture as a guide and the 1st two came out well except for on particular cut I am having trouble keeping the tool from catching the and gouging it. My tools are sharp.

What could the problem be and/or what is the right technique and tool to use for this?

[robert hainstock]

some wood is more prone to catching than others, but the answer others will tell you, is to make "LIGHT" cuts with whatever tool you are using. and again since I have no idea what tool or approach to the wood with it you are using I suggest that you need to, (if not already) cut into the wood, not back out. Good luck!
Bob

[Jeff Nicol]

Matt, Some times if the direction of the wood is the opposite to the direction you want to cut it will catch and tear out. And that tappered little cove you are having trouble with is a perect spot for it! You are most likely trying to cut from high to low and having trouble. You might need to use a smaller detail gouge and start at the low or smaller diameter and use a shear scrape to make some fine cuts to the high part of the taper. You could also use a smaller radius scraper with a nice burr to do the same thing in either direction. Finer cuts and some patience and it should come out for you.

Good luck,

Jeff

[Keith Christopher]

Can we see a pic of the tearout ?

[Steve Schlumpf]

Matt, you are probably already turning from the larger diameter to the smaller, so, most likely it would depend on what tool you are using and how you are presenting it to the wood. Share that info with us and I am sure someone should be able to walk you through a corrective action.

[Curt Fuller]

Matt, you didn't mention what tool you're using that's causing your problem. But I suspect you're using a gouge. If so, your gouge should be turned on its side with the flute to the right and riding the bevel as it cuts from the larger towards the smaller diameter. But I really prefer using a skew for spindle work. It helps to be ambidextrous so you can cut from either direction. But if you held the skew handle in you left hand with the point on the down side, that cut should be so clean that it wouldn't even need sanding. All of this is assuming you have the large end of the leg at the headstock end of the lathe.

[Matt Moore]

Thanks yall.
The wood is poplar. A medium gouge is what I was using. I am trying to use very light pressure. I already cleaned up the tear out as best as possible so a picture is not possible. Since these are bed feet and not close together, slight variations in shape won't likely be noticed.

I believe I am going from larger to smaller but it occured several times on the 2nd foot I did (did not occur on the 1st foot) and I don't recall exactly how I was doing it. That section is somewhat hard to get to. I think I need to turn it last so that other sections are not in the way.