# bowl turning(washout)



## 3285jeff (Sep 12, 2013)

well I tought I was doing pretty good,,had the outside of my bowl turned down,,put a tendon on the end,,ordered me a chuck and tried to finish it and hollow out the inside and try to smooth up the outside,,,WRONG,,LOL,,couldn't keep it in the chuck,,keep grabbing the wood when I applied the tools to it,,and coming off the chuck,,and hollowing it out was a no go from the word go,,kept coming out of the chuck,,i was using hard rock maple,,i don't mean to sound like a complainer,,but I guess my spirits just got broken,,lol,,been making pens and so far they look really nice,,so I was hoping for a little better,,,maybe I should just throw in the towel and forget it,,lol,,,any comments would be helpful,,,thank you


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## Case101 (Jun 29, 2013)

Did you put an angle on the tendon for the check to hold on to?
Is the diameter of the tendon match your chuck? If the chuck is designed for lets say a tendon of 2-3 inches and you have 4" the actual part of the chuck that grabs is very small.


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## LeeMills (Nov 2, 2014)

It sounds like it may be more tool presentation rather than the chuck but the chuck is a good place to start.
Here is a link to some videos by Stuart Batty on Chuck and Jaws, Recesses, and Tenons (three different videos). The topic name may not be exact as I gave.
I believe you have a Nova G3, if so follow the instructions. You do not cut a dovetail on the tenon for the 50mm jaws.
I also suggest Stuart's videos on stance (three more). It really is of fundamental importance whether spindles or bowls.
I assume you are using a bowl gouge and not a spindle roughing gouge?

The videos are about 12-15 minutes each.
http://vimeo.com/woodturning/videos/sort:alphabetical/format:thumbnail

Oh, and don't throw in the towel. Wipe the sweat off with it and give it a new go.


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## 3285jeff (Sep 12, 2013)

no,,actually I ordered the penn state one from amazon,,i believe its the csc3000 tn plated,,and yes I did cut a tendon joint in it,,and to be honest,,im scared now to do anything on the lathe,,lol,,im not a quitter as a rule but again I don't want to be smacked up side my head either,,,lol


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## LeeMills (Nov 2, 2014)

My mistake, I thought you had the G3. I am not real familiar with the PSI so form the tenon as the jaws require, some jaws are straight and some dovetail.
Did you use tailstock support? You can do most of the hollowing with a pull cut rather than a push cut and leave the tailstock in place for quite a while.
Others may have better ideas on the potential problem. As John said, it may just be too large a tenon for the jaws.
If you watch the videos it is extremely important to have a flat surface for the top of the jaws to seat against and the tenon should not bottom out inside the chuck jaws.


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## 3285jeff (Sep 12, 2013)

thank you,,i did not try the pulling it back on the end,,,,i was thinking about getting some tools,,all I have is a rougting gouge and skew,,and parting tool,,these are tools that came with a shopsmith


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

A *tendon* is what attaches a muscle to a bone.

A *tenon* is an extended portion of a wood component used for attachment.

Just sayin.


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## 3285jeff (Sep 12, 2013)

please excuse my ignorance at spelling some words on here,,,i never went to college or have any degree


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

Please, no excuse needed. I was just trying to help get the terminology correct.
There are a lot of terms to learn in wood working.


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

> ... all I have is a rougting gouge and skew,,and parting tool,,these are tools that came with a shopsmith


Then you don't have the right tools. You cannot use a roughing gouge on a bowl … it is dangerous. Same goes for the skew and parting tool.


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## LeeMills (Nov 2, 2014)

Heck Jeff, although it had heard it (never saw it written) I thought a Morse Taper was a Morris Taper for years … must be my southern. 
I posted on a UK forum years ago to see if there was any difference in a spigot and a tenon. Nope. Nova instructions do not have tenons, they have spigots.

The roughing gouge can be dangerous with a bowl. The tang is weak compared to a bowl gouge and the tip is usually almost straight instead of swept back making it easy to catch the corner.

Oh, I don't think you can really make a pull cut with a spindle roughing gouge.


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

Got an old spare drill bit? If you do, watch this video on using one to hollow a bowl:






Cheers,
Brad


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I used a parting tool on that last cup I made. Just drove that sucker right down to the bottom about 1/4" from the outside. I was pretty surprised at how well it worked and gave me a nice consistent wall thickness. Bowls are wider though and you'd be pushing at an angle against the chuck so maybe not a good idea.


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## 3285jeff (Sep 12, 2013)

I really do thank you for all your comments,,its really got me depressed..im not a quitter and I don't mind buying the right tools for the job,,,this is my only place that I can actually get educated on this,,the closest woodcraft store is about 70 miles away from me,,so classes are out,ut I reaaly do want to learn the proper way to do these things,,


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## 3285jeff (Sep 12, 2013)

can anyone tell me the tools I should buy that would help me,,


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## Bmezz (Aug 12, 2014)

Can I suggest going to you tube. There are dozens of videos there that will be of great help. You must never use a spindle roughing gouge on a bowl! Very dangerous. You could also try using a mortise instead of a tenon on your next bowl. You may find that a bit stronger. There is a learning curve. Go slow and build your knowledge and experience. And by all means stay safe. 
Cheers, Bob


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

I have to echo what BMezz said … you can learn a great deal by watching YouTube videos, especially those by turners like Sam Angelo, Lyle Jamison, Eddie Castelin, Reed Gray (Robo Hippy), etc.

AAW ( http://www.woodturner.org ) has a terrific online forum for members, as well as publications specifically oriented toward beginners. You need to be a member to access these, but it may be worthwhile. I don't know where you are located, so I can't recommend a local AAW chapter, but that is worth checking out. Many AAW chapters have mentoring programs that would be invaluable to you.

There are also books available (is there a public library near you?) that can help you learn correct nomenclature, turning techniques, and tool handling.

I'm not going to get into recommending specific tool brands … there are many choices out there and what suits my needs and budget may not fit yours. In general, you need a bowl gouge (1/2" may be good) and a spindle gouge (3/8" may be good).


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Ditto on watching videos. If you can't learn from an experienced turner in person, videos are the next best thing. 99 percent of turning is about using the right tool at the proper angle.

I might also suggest you get a couple of carbide turning tools. They are easier to learn and more forgiving than traditional lathe chisels, and all you need is two tools (round and square) to do most everything.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Don't let bowls coming off the chuck deter you. It happened to me several times on my first bowls. Here are some good youtube channels that teach you about turning.

Tim Yoder makes turning videos for Popular Woodworking and they don't make the videos easy to find. Best way is search youtube for "popular woodworking tim yoder". He also has his own channel but they are just previews for the PW videos.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=popular+woodworking+tim+yoder

Robo Hippy and Captain Eddie as mentioned above. Captain Eddie's video are pretty long but there are lots of gems. 
https://www.youtube.com/user/robohippy
https://www.youtube.com/user/capneddie

Mike Waldt shows turning tips and projects. He did a beginning series awhile back.
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheCymruBoy

If you speak Spanish (I don't but still enjoy the videos), Miguel Sanchez has a good channel. I skip that chatty intros since I don't speak Spanish and just watch the turning.
https://www.youtube.com/user/Drizztss

Brenden Stemp is a highly skilled turner whose videos cover a range of subjects from wood selection, tool reviews, quick video tips and projects.
http://www.youtube.com/user/BrendanStemp

The Robert Sorby vids posted in another thread are excellent too.

There is a channel, Gwinnett Woodworkers, that has excellent content but the videography drives me made. The camera guy is constantly zooming in and out, moving the camera, and misses a lot of important shots. The videos are usually an hour+ long.


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## LeeMills (Nov 2, 2014)

Here is a link to Hurricane tools. I purchased some for my daughter, they are not top of the line but they are as good as most IMHO. What you need is a bowl gouge. This is a set of three at a very good price.
Some folks like the carbide tools but I learned with traditional. I do use a carbide occasionally.
http://www.thewoodturningstore.com/products/Hurricane-HSS-Three-Piece-Bowl-Gouge-Set-34.html


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## LeeMills (Nov 2, 2014)

There are lots of good turners on youtube, as well as some very bad ones.
All of those referenced above should be good.
TheDane mentioned Lyle Jamieson and to me he is one of the best at instruction.
Here are two links to some of his on the pull cut and the push cut; < 10 minutes each.


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## Nubsnstubs (Aug 30, 2013)

Jeff, rule # 1 is, Do not fear your equipment. 
All I have to add to this is it's good that you aren't breaking your tenons. At least, when you do get the proper tools, the bowls you originally started won't be too shallow as in having to remake new tenons. 
As stated by others, get onto youtube, and watch some videos. I don't and wont give names of who to watch, but there are a bunch. The reason for that is everyone has their own preference as to who is a good instructional turner. Get yourself some popcorn, and start viewing videos while waiting for your new tools to arrive… jerry 9in Tucson)


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## rhford (Aug 28, 2013)

Jeff - By no means should you give up on bowl turning! If you have been happy with the pens you've made, you certainly have the skills to turn bowls.

There are many brands of bowl gouges out there, and the suggestion to check out YouTube videos is a great start to making a selection. I personally like Robert Sorby tools, but there are other folks who are equally happy with other brands. As with anything, stay away from the cheap (which translate to cheaply made) ones. You are way better off with one, say 1/2", quality bowl gouge than a rack full of junky ones.

Keep at it! You'll do just fine.

Ron


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