Bowl Turning - Recess in the bottom to fit over Nova chuck

[ron david]

I am relatively new to turning. I have seen a lot of responses on this and other forums concerning how to get the dovetail in the recess on a bowl bottom to fit over the dovetail on the Nova chuck (in this case a Nova G3) but cannot find any videos showing this. Given that I learn better seeing sometimes than by description it would be helpful to find a video reference of this operation.

I have tried a parting tool and am now trying a flat skew, but end up with catches and have not been very successful. I have seen the Nova Dovetail tool and may just buy that but, before I do I'd really like to be able to do it with the 3/4" skew I bought. Any suggestions on videos or a site that has more pictures? I think my biggest problem is how I'm presenting the skew to the bowl bottom, which is why it's catching. Thanks.

sometimes it is best to seek out some instruction. that will cover how to present the tool to the materail and sharpenig of your tools. some safety outlloks
ron

[Randy Heinemann]

Since buying the dovetail chisel and practicing a couple of times, I no longer have the problem of cutting a recess with the proper angle in the bottom that will fit on my Nova chuck. It's keeping it sharp that is the issue. Even not so sharp it works well but the finish could be a little better. No real safety issues though.

[ron david]

I wasn
' just talking about instruction for that one operation. I was referring to instruction for basic turning which should show you how to present the tool to the material in more than 1 direction. scraping , cutting and which tool to use. most basic tools will allow you to many functioss, so that you don't have to go and buy a special tool for that one function. they should instruct you on how to sharpen your tools. dull tools cause more problems than sharp ones. saferty is always an issue. the male ego is a tough obstacle.
ron

[Brice Rogers]

I saw the dovetail scraper a year or two ago and thought that it would work nicely. So I made one. But it required me to move the tailstock out of the way. On some bowls that were rough turned, I needed to clean up the recess and using a jam chuck to hold the piece made me a bit nervous. But the tailstock would get in the way.

So, I made a special scraper with an HSS insert that was at an angle. That allows me to come in at an angle with the tailstock still in place. It works very well. I sharpen it at 80 degrees the same as I sharpen other scrapers.

[Thom Sturgill]

2-3 degrees according to the picture.... A bit less than half of a normal dovetail, but has a similar ridge to the inside of a Nova chuck that also says straight sided (tenon).

[Randy Heinemann]

Well, each to his own. I actually like the simplicity of the dovetail chisel. It does exactly what I need it to and well, also. I tried other ways and actually have taken 2 classes. The dovetail chisel is my method of choice right now. Also, right now, to get started, I'm using carbide insert tools. For me, as a beginner, it allowed me the opportunity to get started turning and do so without the added issue of regular sharpening. It's possible that, over time, I will find that I can do a better job with steel chisels, gouges, etc. but I am really more of a furniture making type of woodworker and may never get into turning enough to really feel compelled to go the steel tool route. I have turned a number of small bowls in which my wife has inserted polymer clay bands and that was really the reason that got me started anyway. As long as I can do that I will be happy. Thanks for the advice though. I actually learn better by doing and from bowl 1 to bowl 6 I 've made a lot of improvements. The dovetail chisel just provided me an easy way to turn the recess in the bottom.

[John K Jordan]

Since buying the dovetail chisel and practicing a couple of times, I no longer have the problem of cutting a recess with the proper angle in the bottom that will fit on my Nova chuck. It's keeping it sharp that is the issue. Even not so sharp it works well but the finish could be a little better. No real safety issues though.

I'm not sure what a "dovetail chisel" is for wood turning, but if it's the type made for hand-paring dovetail joints and you are using it basically as a scraper, I suspect the grind needs to be modified significantly for the edge to last at the lathe. Also, some are made from steel perfect for hand use but not as durable as what's usually used at the lathe these days.

I use a HSS diamond parting tool ground at an angle for both a recess and a tenon. Works well and stays sharp.

JKJ

[Reed Gray]

Here you go John. I have seen double sided ones so you can cut a dove tail recess and/or tenon. Just line up the shaft of the tool with the ways of your lathe and plunge in. I usually start inside the line, then take the line on the next cut. You can perfectly match the angle of your chuck jaws.

https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p...recess+scraper

robo hippy

[Randy Heinemann]

No, not a chisel used for hand-paring dovetails. . . It's made for wood turning to cut the angle in the base to fit, in this case, the angle on the Nova G3 chuck (and other Nova chucks I guess). It's sold at Woodcraft and most online stores that sell wood-turning tools and/or Nova equipment and accessories.

[ron david]

what ever happened to just using a skew?
ron

[John K Jordan]

Ok, that would be easy to make. In fact, I made a scraper much like that for a special purpose and never knew I made a dovetail "tool", as they call it in your link. I think I'll keep using my angled parting tool as it works well for a number of other cuts too. Can't remember who but I saw a demonstrator using one at a symposium ground this way, maybe it was Rudy Lopez.

JKJ

Here you go John. I have seen double sided ones so you can cut a dove tail recess and/or tenon. Just line up the shaft of the tool with the ways of your lathe and plunge in. I usually start inside the line, then take the line on the next cut. You can perfectly match the angle of your chuck jaws.

https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p...recess+scraper

robo hippy

[Randy Heinemann]

I tried that and may go back to it some day. However, given, I'm a beginner, the skew gave me a few problems. For now, I get better results with the dovetail chisel, so why not use it till I develop a bit more? My main woodworking interest has not been turning; didn't even turn at all until several months ago. I love it, don't get me wrong, mainly because each piece is somewhat unique whether the shape is about the same or not. I love making cabinets, furniture, and other one of a kind type things a lot, though, and only started turning to provide a different media for my wife's polymer clay art. So . . . until I know what I want to do, I'm taking the "easy" route with all things turning; whatever is the easiest for me to do to get the result I want, that's the way I'm going at this point.

[John K Jordan]

what ever happened to just using a skew?
ron

Mark St Leger makes good use of a 1/4" round skew for a variety of tasks such as straight-sided internal cuts. Seems like it would be good for outside of the recess but I haven't tried it, I've only used skews as skews. He pushes straight along the skew axis, straight along the bed of the lathe for cylindrical cuts, using the sharp (curved) edge at the side of the upper bevel for a clean cut in end grain.

I suspect the clearance on a skew made from a round bar would be better on the outer edge of a recess than one made from rectangular stock. I think he also uses the skewed edge as a scraper at times.

JKJ

[Reed Gray]

A skew does work, but I want the angles to match as perfectly as possible for the best grip possible. Specialized tool makes that a lot easier. The burr on a skew won't hold up very well either.

robo hippy

[Randy Heinemann]

Randy,
We recently had a demo by the owner of the local Woodcraft Store. When he got to his dove tail scraper, he told how it was 3 years old, and he only honed the top, which was very shiny. I had to stop and think because I had tried that before, but didn't do it any more. So, back in the shop, I was turning some madrone (cuts like green pear wood) and the honed top did a fairly good job, but any thing does a good job in madrone. I was turning some big leaf maple, which tends to be a bit stringy, and it didn't do a good job on the BLM. I put a burr on it, and it did a much better job. The dove tail tool is a scraper, and that scrapers, on all but the hardest woods, cut better with a burr. So, hone off the old burr, or burnish it down. Then hone, grind, or burnish a new burr back on, by touching up the bevel, not the top. I have found 220 hones raise a better roughing type burr than a 600 grit hone. That is more suitable for fine finish cuts..

robo hippy

Reed,

I'm a little confused about sharpening the dovetail chisel based on your description. When you talk about "touching up the bevel" do you mean to actually run the bevel itself over the stone? The reason I ask is that I am not having success with this.