Cutting
Chisel
2/
Scraping
Chisel
Figure 22
Cutting
and Scraping
•
To cut, the chisel is held so that the sharp
edge
actually
digs into the revolving
work to peel off shavings.
•
To scrape,
the chisel
is held at a right angle
to the work sur-
face. This tool removes
fine particles
instead
of shavings.
Cutting
Scraping
Figure 23
Many operations
require
that the cutting
chisels
be used for
scraping,
but scraping
chisels
are practically
never used for
cutting.
Scraping
dulls a chisel
much faster,
especially
the
razor sharp
cutting
chisels.
Cutting
is faster
than
scraping
and produces
a smoother
finish
which
requires
less sanding.
However,
it is far more difficult
to
master.
Scraping,
on the other
hand,
is far more precise
and
easier
to control.
When
You Can Cut and When
You Must Scrape
There
are two different
approaches:
•
One approach
is toward a circumference
of the workpiece
(for
example
turning
down the outer surface of a cylinder or the
inner wall of a hollow round box). in this approach,
the surface
being turned travels under the chisel edge like an endless belt.
•
The second
approach
is toward the diameter
of a workpiece
(as when turning the face of a faceplate
turning,
or the side of
a large shoulder
on a spindle turning), in this approach,
the
surface being turned rotates like a disc under the chisel edge.
•
Sometimes
the optimum
approach
will be a combination
of
both methods.
1
_Circumference
Approach
Diameter
Approach
Figure 24
Either
a cutting
or scraping
action can be used when
the
approach
is toward
a circumference
- the shaving
is removed
like a peeling
from a potato.
Scraping
can only be used when
the approach
is toward
a diameter.
The reason
is obvious
when you consider
that faceplate
turning
practically
always
requires
removal
of wood
across
the grain. Wood
does not
peel easily across
the grain
and attempts
to use any inappro-
priate
cutting
methods
will likely
result
in damage
to the work-
piece. There
is also danger
that the tool could
be pulled
from
the hands
of the operator.
In general,
a cutting
action
is used for the majority
of spindle
turning
operations
while faceplate
turning
is usually
accom-
plished
by the scraping
method.
When
a combination
approach
is to be used, the operator
will have to judge,
by the
feel of the work, when to stop cutting
and start scraping.
Never
try to cut when
it becomes
difficult
to hold the chisel
against
the roughness
of the wood grain.
How to Position
Tool Rest for Circumference
Cutting
When
cutting,
the object
is to pierce
the outer skin of wood to
a certain
desired
depth
and then to hold the chisel steady
with the bevel edge parallel
to the work circumference
so that
it will peel off a shaving
at this desired
depth.
The only sure
method
of holding
the chisel steady
is to
rest the bevel against
the work (Figure
25A). When
the tool
rest is at the proper
height,
the chisel
can be held with the
bevel pressed
against
the work,
and the tool rest will act
as a fulcrum
to support
the chisel
against
the downward
force
of the revolving
work.
If the rest is placed
too low, so that the chisel
is held with
the bevel out from the work (Figure
25B), the cutting
edge
will continue
to dig deeper
into the work. It will dig in until
the "bite" becomes
so deep
that your hands
have difficulty
holding
the chisel - then the improperly
supported
chisel
will begin
to bounce
or chatter
against
the workpiece.
If the rest is placed
too low, the chisel
must be held
extremely
high to position
the bevel against
the work
(Figure
25C). Then
the rest loses
most of its value as a ful-
crum
and the downward
force
of the revolving
workpiece
tends
to kick the chisel
back out of your hands.
Fig. 25A
Fig. 25B
Fig. 25C
Steady
_ II/I
I
Thrust
"_'_
Against
Bevel
Hands__o_Against
Chisel Cutting Properly
No Support
/,t. " se °e;
Chatter
_
,'
Pgi;_
Rest Too Low
Chisel Too Horizontal
Kickback
Rest
Too Low
Chisel
Too High
Fig. 25D
,
Fig. 25E
Handle
Q _Z
_____j_
tf
io_gRTooChJSeIHighRest
___
_t_
Rest Too Distant
- Chisel Too High
Point Too Far From Rest
S : 'eter
Figure
25
Fig. 25F
Large
_/_
If
If the rest is placed
too high (Figure
25D) and the chisel
is
correctly
positioned
for cutting,
it strikes
the workpiece
near
the top where
the direction
of force
exerted
by the workpiece
is nearly horizontal
- and kickback
will again result.
If the rest is placed
too far out from the work surface
(Figure
25E), then,
when correctly
held, the chisel
is again
too high on the work. Also,
you have less leverage
on your
side of the tool rest and it is even more difficult
to hold the
chisel. With large
diameter
work (Figure
25F),
the tool rest