My first 2 platters, one cherry and one lam beam crituqe please

[curtis rosche]

I just finished my first 2 platters today. one is out of the peice of cherrry that i asked about a couple of weeks ago. The other is out of a peice of 16x2 lambeam. The cherry for somereason wouldnt stop tearing out even with the lightest of cuts with sharp tools, sanding was an issue too, the end grain didnt want to sand smooth. The lambeam was different, when rounding the outside it chipped the gouge, the wood also burnt my hand as it was cut off but the tool was still cool, I tryed the terimite tool but I had a major catch so i stopped using it. The lambeam warped over night. I was planning on buffing these but the school teacher wouldnt let me use his buffer, is there anything else that can be used other than buying a buffing wheel?

Once again i dont have time to post pics right now but they will be there by 2:30.

[Brian McInturff]

<<<----The anticipation crew

[Gordon Seto]

Termite in theory is a gouge that the cutting edge is rotated for end grain orientation turning that you can't get bevel contact with regular gouge. If you are turning platters, assuming it is a side grain orientation; you are using the wrong tool. The ring would be snapped off if the catch is big enough.
I don't know how far away you are from Bill Grumbine, I would suggest you take some lessons and learn how to use tools. It would shorten your learning curve.
No, I don't get kick back from Bill.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Ditto what Gordon said. If not Bill take some turning lessons at Woodcraft.

[curtis rosche]

heres the pics of the platters they both warped

[curtis rosche]

more pics theres one more after this

[curtis rosche]

heres the last pic

[Gordon Seto]

I won't give a blanket recommendation on classes at WC. It all depends on the experience of the instructors. Classes at WC are mostly project oriented. Some emphasis too much on every student bringing a completed project home; they are more geared towards someone getting hands on the lathe. Part of the objective is for students to spend money after classes. I believe a board base technique class would be more appropriate for you, such as the week long class at John C Campbell Folk School, but that may be kind of expensive for you.

Short of classes, I would also recommend you learn from good instructional DVD such as Bill Grumbine, Jimmy Clewes or David Ellsworth to start with. That is better than experimenting on your own.

[curtis rosche]

so other that the tool usage is this good?

[Gordon Seto]

They will broaden your horizon. That why they are pros. There are a lot of turners would make me humble. But a good turner are not necessarily a good teacher as well. Here are several pictures taken from the Grumbine demos. He got several projects done, stopping, explaining at the same time, and telling jokes at the same time. None of them has been sanded. They were just finish out of gouge work.



The light was at ceiling height, you can still see through the fingers holding the NE bowl.



Notice the almost flat smiley bowl on top of the ways. What he was holding was not sand paper.



Sorry for hi-jacking your post, Curtis.

You have come a long way. It is better to learn from others mistake. You don't have to re-invent the wheel.

[Brian McInturff]

Curtis,
I'm going to offer up some constructive criticism here. Based off the tool marks I see on the platters I think you need to slow down and a bit and get your tools sharp. I may be wrong, but from the pics it sure looks like your tools have dulled and you aren't taking the time to sharpen. Also, you mention chipping the gouge on a piece of wood? I think you may have the wrong grind on your gouge.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I will tell you one thing. If that lambeam is like plywood that is about as rough on gouges as you can get. It will dull them in a minute. I turned a glued up vase out of plywood and I had to sharpen about every other cut. I did one just to say I did but don't want to do anymore. I agree with Brian it looks to me like you are using dull tools or not getting them sharpened properly. If you are chipping metal from the gouge I would guess you are not sharpened properly. I had that happen when I first started turning and my bevel angle was all wrong.

[Brian J. Williams]

I don't turn a lot, but I do know something about gluelam beams. The adhesives used in the production of glulams are very (VERY) high-strength and hard when cured. They tend to have 2-5 times the strength of conventional yellow PVA glues, if that gives you any point of reference. (Conventional yellow PVA and gluelam glues ARE NOT the same animal.) And, depending upon the source, the adhesive may include driers (read here- metals) that speed up the cure. As above, the gluelam glue will be very stiff until you het it up (i.e., dull tools) at which time it will (at the point of contact) turn into something akin to super-pitch, cause your tools to catch, and generally make life miserable. Your sharpening issues are probably more related to the adhesive rapidly dulling your tools as opposed to poor sharpening techniques (although that may still be the case). FWIW

Brian

[curtis rosche]

there are no tool marks on them thats just the way it looks because of the glue from the beam, i sanded every thing else out.