Thank you so much for your video. I am 72 years old and new to wood turning, acquiring my lathe in early February of this year. My only instruction has been what I could pick up from UA-cam and recently there seems to have been an abundance on skew chisel fans and I find myself spending most of my lathe time with a shew chisel in my hand. This past week I spent over 20 hours cutting V-grooves, rolling beads and barrels not to mention bringing my stock, be it square or tree limb shaped to a usable round condition. What makes it an especial challenge is the fact that I am handicapped and cannot stand for more than a few minutes at a time. Running the lathe, I am always seated on a 24" high wheeled stool. My most recent work has been a variety of lace bobbins, using a 1 1/4" x 3/8" skew chisel for most of the work on each one. Again, thank you for your time and dedication. I will be looking forward to your next video.
A couple of comments. One quote I have used for years, and then saw on a Roy Underhill show with a guest who was talking about hammers. It came from an old black and white Hollywood movie about Cyrano De Bergerac. He disarms a student and then comments, "Hold the sword as you would a bird. Too tight and you kill it. Too loose and it flies away." No white knuckle grip! There is a ratio on spindles that applies to 'whipping' which is the tendency of long spindles to vibrate as you turn. It is 10 to 1. So a spindle about 1 inch diameter and 10 inches long will generally not 'whip'/wobble as you turn. From an unknown spindle master, "The bevel should rub the wood, but the wood should not know it." If you watch some one who is a master with the skew, it is amazing how little bevel pressure is needed for controlled cuts. Those who use a hollow ground bevel are by far the huge majority of turners. The flat ground are a minority. There are a few who use a convex grind. I have tried it, and for sure it is nice for coves, but kind of difficult to cut straight with. I use scrapers far more than most people do, and I don't have any of the carbide tipped ones. For heavy stock removal, a peeling cut is very effective, and it is kind of a scraping cut. Process is the same as a spindle roughing gouge. Start with the bevel high and the cutting edge not engaged. Slowly raise the handle till it starts to cut. Essentially you are cutting on a tangent. The surface is not as clean as a shear cut with a skew, but that can vary a lot depending on the wood. Pine, very rough. Sugar maple very clean. Looks like you have a high speed grinder. For my turning tools, I use a slow speed grinder. Consensus seems to be that with any good high speed steel, you can not get a tool hot enough for it to lose the temper. I don't quench. I do love the CBN wheels. Some have 1 inch or more for side grinding. Richard Raffen is a master. He did one for Fine Woodworking that still makes me jump when he gets a catch. The late great Allen Batty has a You Tube video that is very good.
Excellent video, the first I've seen that made sense to me in using the skew chisel, I still need a lot of practice but at least I don't use it as a scraper anymore. Very few catches now and a nice smooth surface, thank you Rob !
Hey thanks. I have been fighting learning to use the skew for awhile now. You made it plain and simple. I went out and withhin a few minutes had the skew working great for me!!!
Yr a good teacher. Much Better than most ppl on UA-cam that do instructual tutorials. I was actually Able to get the technique down by following yr advice. I only had to go back a couple of times. Thank u for this lesson. 🤗🤗
i met an local man who was during the 1950 or thereabout, the shop master of the Mare Island Navy Yard pattern shop, he apprenticed there in the early 1920s and built patterns for an early iteration of the Doble steam car; he offe5red to demonstrate the use of the skew chisel on a wood lathe that he had built from castings and patterns that he made. He seemed quite proficient with the skew chaise and showed me to grind the face of the chisel about twice the length as the normal, stating that the longer face made digging in less likely, as the point was further away from the cutting area, also he said that most of the patternmakers used a firmer chisel in place of the skew chisel as it could be used in hand as a skew chisel or a scraping tool. His name was Earl Greenwell, proud of having known him.
Wow I am a fan of your teaching style the time spent just goes! You are showing a technical ability as fine as I have witnessed. I was training for 4 years before I could move a tool with confidence in my technique. You have shown me masters class. And you hit all the correct cautions. I hope the young Woodworkers will watch this a time or two! Thanks you made me smile.
Just two weeks ago I bought my first lathe, before that, I played around with a lathe only once, which was a few years ago with an old friend of the family in Germany. One whole afternoon playing around with a spindle gouge, I was enthralled. So, when I bought that lathe two weeks ago, I obviously also bought a bunch of tools (a 6pc british Record Power set). So far, I used all those tools without problem, except one. The one I haven't used so far is the skew chisel, which scared the heck out of me. It just looks like it'll easily bite into the wood, and it was literally giving me visions of that thing flying out of my hands (and into my stomach, or other bloody mishaps like that). Well, this video, especially the slow turning part, did give me a good clue on how to handle it properly AND safely. I can work with tools of which I respect the risks they come with. I refuse to work with tools whose risks I fear. Turning fear into respect requires knowledge and understanding what's happening, and that was exactly what this video provided.
i doubt that you will see this comment on an older video like this one but i felt i need to thank you and your team for building such a complete video tutorial library on so many different aspects of woodworking. every time i want to learn something new or simply get a little refresher course on a technique your videos are there for me. thank you all for your hard work and dedication to passing on the skills of the craft
Hey Rob, I want to thank you so very much for this video. I have only been wood turning since April 2022 and I kept failing at the skew badly. I got to where I only used it for cutting lines. After watching this video first thing I did was resharpen my Harbor Freight skews to an angle much closer to yours using your grinding wheel technique which took a couple hours in the Florida heat cause i had to take breaks. Those skews were very far off from the angle you use and I had been staying with the original angle which was clearly the wrong things to do. Then I just finished trying what I watched you do and have managed to get some fairly decent cuts that would require much less sanding. Granted I am still horrible with a skew but practice makes perfect. At least now I have the knowledge to learn correctly. Thanks again. Yall have a wonderful day.
Steve the woodturner on IG is a KING with a skew. I needed this lesson on sharpening. Thanks Rob! Love your dovetail eps but it's nice to see more versatility on your channel. And thanks for the Purple Heart Project. It's helped me a lot up in the ol' noodle despite not having served.
Don't have a lathe but absolutely want one. Would be very useful. Hopefully just learn this skew chisel and not bother with any other tools. Awesome video.
I agree the skew is very useful tool :-) I started with it, when I participated woodworking courses on a local adult education center. The first time tools were dull, but got much better results when sharpening. I got occasional catches with that tool, mostly when doing round shapes (beads) and with parting. I quess the root cause is that the edge of blade did not rest properly on wood (and the tool holding angle & support point on the tool rest).
Excellent, I have struggled with the skew and now I see that I will need to start at the very beginning , sharpen it correctly , and practice. Thank you for a clear and easy to follow video.
@@RobCosmanWoodworking I've never been very good with the scraper or the bowl/spindle gouge, how about a lesson on them. The skew chisel I am actually half decent with, but the other two not so much.
Thanks Rob, I've been a woodworker for a number of years, but I've never had a lathe. I have a project coming up that would be much easier if I had one. I've watched a couple of videos on the subject that have not been much help. You taught me to cut dovetails (that gives me such a buzz) I'll be watching your turning videos now. Thanks again
Confidence is the most important thing with the skew chisel, a catch or two can demoralise a beginner. So much so they abandon the tool for something that seems less lethal. This is a real shame, because nothing can match the skew for crisp spindle turning. I'd advise using a concentric drive centre, which will stop rotating in the event of a catch. You will recoup the cost with the reduced laundry bills.
Gav, you make a very good point here, it was a rather nasty catch with the skew that caused me to get some training. I had been gifted a lathe, but had had no previous turning experience.
Thank you Rob for that vid. I’ve always been scared of the skew and I very seldom pick it up. I’m just a novice wood worker with no where near your talent, but this is one of the better educational vids I’ve seen. I’ll definitely go to my shop and put it to practice. Thank you so much.
@@RobCosmanWoodworking Personally, I find the other demanding turning technique, especially for beginners, is turning the inside of a bowl, with a bowl gouge. But that's just me - I suppose that perhaps you could use one of those UA-cam polls (no idea of the correct name of these) to find out more generally? Anyway, thanks again for all of your exemplary videos; clearly a lot of work goes into them, and they very clearly illustrate the highest skills and best practice techniques for fine furniture making.
@@RobCosmanWoodworking Hi, I would really love a tutorial on bowl gauges. I'm ok with skews, it's the the inside bowl "bowl gauge" that scares me to death! I hate making that cut.
The skew chisel does take some practice to master. I tutored my sister (retired nurse who has seen her share of wood working accidents in the E.R.) starting with the spindle roughing gouge on a round piece of wood. Getting past the initial fear of the lathe was easiest with the gouge. She is now progressing to the skew chisel, slowly but surely.
I started on a little Cantire lathe with a couple hand chisels. All I knew was to keep the rest close and a good grip on the chisel. Proper tools and some instruction sure make a difference. LOL!
A really good video guys! I did not like my first skew chisel. It was a European brand and had a funky profile on each side which made sharpening and using it difficult. I ended up buying two different size Alan Lacer skew chisels and now I really enjoy using the skew chisel. Alan Lacer’s skew chisels are offered in two different types of steel. One definitely holds an edge longer. You guys stay safe up there Rob! Ron
Been turning for about six months and have recently discovered how versatile and rewarding the screw chisel is - learners so much by making finials for Xmas tree decorations for friends - loved your video some very useful practical advice - merry Christmas!
Actually figured this out when my gouge went missing from the shop. Now it makes sense why it works at the time I was like just go with it and quit trying to over think the why
So just last night I was getting some cedar round to make a pepper grinder. It was looking too small so I figured I would try out my skew. I hadn’t used it yet even though I’ve had it for over a year. I was blown away when I saw how smooth the piece was coming out. Then I watched this video. Tonight I will play around with it and start using it as part of my arsenal. Thanks. PS, why are some skews sounded top and bottom and some flat on both sides?
Hi Rob, I really appreciated this video. I have just begun to learn Woodturning as a hobby. Scarred from school days & an episode with a skew chisel, I was a reluctant viewer. I am pleased I saw it through to the end, as you took all the fear out off the tool. The video work is excellent as well.
RobCosman.com yes I will definitely will. I have ordered some steel blanks to make my own tools. Just at the stage of knocking out pens but given some time & practice I will look at some segmented work. Thank you for the support and the videos, which I consume with passion.
I'm so glad I found your video on instruction for beginners. I recently purchased a lathe and you have answered many of the questions I had. However, I'm in a quandary over which lathe tools are the best to purchase. From what I have seen, the carbide throwaways are most convenient, as buying all the hand sharpening equipment is expensive and time consuming. Any advice you could give me would be appreciated. I have been involved with woodworking for many years but have found the lathe to be the most rewarding and relaxing.
What a great, informative, action-packed lesson! Thank you Rob for your teachings, and Jake for the excellent camera work. Looking forward to the next one already!
Very well presented - the technique of the skew is often mentioned, described and shown - but over the shoulder, slow and from several angles really helped bring it home. Thanks
I sat here and watched this just like I do for all of Rob’s awesome teaching videos. It finally dawned on me that I don’t even have a lathe!!! Lol. Thanks Rob for all you do!
You're the man Rob!!! That was awesome! I've been watching Alan Batty's video on the Skew and it was great to see what you can doo with a Skew - especially the inside curve!!! I'm always of the belief that if its in hand you SHOULD use it but I couldn't believe what i saw you do!! You given me more inspiration!!! Thanks!
Great video, Rob~! I've been learning on my lathe using carbide "scraper" tools. I now have a slow-speed grinder, so I can put proper edges on the gouge set purchased with my lathe. Just this video make it look like more fun than what I've been doing. Watching Ashley Harwood's videos on turning make it look like a blast with the rain of chip curls that she generates from a gouge. This all gets me excited to get out into the shop~! Thanks AND Happy Birthday~!!!
Great video! I’m fairly new to turning, and just yesterday I sharpened up a skew someone gave to me. Haven’t used it on a moving piece of wood yet, but I was trying different ways of laying it on the tool rest to see how to approach it. I think the missing piece I had is the rotation. I was trying to keep the whole tool flat on the tool rest, and I just couldn’t find a position where I could rub the bevel.
Hi Rob, another great video. A real cameraman is definitely better than a camera on a tripod but a cameraman who actually knows how to do what he’s filming is priceless. Kudos to both you and Jake. I have a couple of suggestions for future videos: a mortice and tenon by hand in hardwood (wedged or not, blind or through, your choice); and a sliding dovetail by hand ( I prefer the tapered kind but either way would be nice). I've done both with fairly good success but I’m sure watching how you do it would help me improve my technique. Thanks for all you do.
So sorry! There were exactly 100 comments, but I have to say this is an excellent video! I have been avoiding the skew because I can't seem to get it. But I spent some time sharpening and was finally able to skew! A sharp skew makes all the difference! Thanks so much for this video!
Thanks for the great lesson. I have had some bad experiences with the skew and it is a tool that scares the bejesus out of me. But, I also realize if I am to become proficient in wood turning, I need to learn how to use it since it is a very versatile tool.
Check out Mike Darlow’s DVDS. Taming of the Skew and sharpening turning tools both have brilliant content although his sometimes over technical descriptions can be a bit overwhelming they are full of the best information and images that you will ever find. His books are awesome also. I teach turning at my club and am constantly referring to them in my class. In my mind they are the bible of Woodturning.
I like a horizontal tabletop belt sander for sharpening many tools including lathe chisels. Thanks for the skew lesson. I use it like a scraper because cutting with it terrifies me. If you do scrape, a hardwood usually cleans up pretty good if you take very light passes to finish it off at high RPM with a sharp edge.
You are welcome, the secret is to use the really soft wood to practice on, it will still scare the crap out of you when it catches but the effect is much less on the soft wood.
Thanks for the video. I'm saving my pennies to get CBN wheels, but one of the features that I've seen highly touted is that CBN wheels are solid steel, so they don't overheat. Do you find the skews and gouges get too hot with CBN wheels? Do you find a flat grind has any advantages over a hollow grind, or is it personal preference?
Can you please tell me roughly how long does it take to lathe straight rounded cane ca. 6 feet long from larch? Practically just rounding and sanding...🤔🤔🤔🤔
The oval shape skew can rotate side to side on the tool rest much smoother than the flat sided skew, which is great for making consistent beads with greater control. The benefit of the traditional skew is that it lays flat on the tool rest making it easier to ride the bevel and do long shearing cuts. Its just a matter of preference, its better to start with a flat sided skew because the oval shape is less forgiving when it comes to bites
There is currently a discussion about this on the AAW forums in the beginner section. Seems like it is a love/hate thing. A few love them, some hate them. I will not use them, but I am a bowl turner and don't really know how to use a skew, but I can kind of fake it.
Love your work Rob & Co, great topics, super informative and easy to follow. Even the Q&A sessions although 6am Sunday is a little early! I've been lucky enough to have been gifted a lathe and am getting started with it, would you recommend learning to round, cove and part with a skew chisel first as opposed to a roughing gouge, parting tool etc?
I was looking for a skew demonstration to recommend to my adult son who lives quite a ways from me. UA-cam suggested this video. I like most of your videos, and have great respect for your furniture making skills and teaching but didn't expect any woodturning expertise. Just happened to spend four years with Dale Nish? Yikes. I stayed tuned and will send the link to my son. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for your video. I am 72 years old and new to wood turning, acquiring my lathe in early February of this year. My only instruction has been what I could pick up from UA-cam and recently there seems to have been an abundance on skew chisel fans and I find myself spending most of my lathe time with a shew chisel in my hand. This past week I spent over 20 hours cutting V-grooves, rolling beads and barrels not to mention bringing my stock, be it square or tree limb shaped to a usable round condition. What makes it an especial challenge is the fact that I am handicapped and cannot stand for more than a few minutes at a time. Running the lathe, I am always seated on a 24" high wheeled stool. My most recent work has been a variety of lace bobbins, using a 1 1/4" x 3/8" skew chisel for most of the work on each one.
Again, thank you for your time and dedication. I will be looking forward to your next video.
Best of luck to you, I just started, too. I'm 74.
Skew you. I'm retired and never have to wield a chisel again. Thank goodness for that. I wish you happiness and good fortune. Cheers.
The best video and instruction I've ever seen for using a skew on a wood lathe. But then again I wouldn't expect anything less from Rob Cosman
A couple of comments. One quote I have used for years, and then saw on a Roy Underhill show with a guest who was talking about hammers. It came from an old black and white Hollywood movie about Cyrano De Bergerac. He disarms a student and then comments, "Hold the sword as you would a bird. Too tight and you kill it. Too loose and it flies away." No white knuckle grip!
There is a ratio on spindles that applies to 'whipping' which is the tendency of long spindles to vibrate as you turn. It is 10 to 1. So a spindle about 1 inch diameter and 10 inches long will generally not 'whip'/wobble as you turn.
From an unknown spindle master, "The bevel should rub the wood, but the wood should not know it." If you watch some one who is a master with the skew, it is amazing how little bevel pressure is needed for controlled cuts.
Those who use a hollow ground bevel are by far the huge majority of turners. The flat ground are a minority. There are a few who use a convex grind. I have tried it, and for sure it is nice for coves, but kind of difficult to cut straight with.
I use scrapers far more than most people do, and I don't have any of the carbide tipped ones. For heavy stock removal, a peeling cut is very effective, and it is kind of a scraping cut. Process is the same as a spindle roughing gouge. Start with the bevel high and the cutting edge not engaged. Slowly raise the handle till it starts to cut. Essentially you are cutting on a tangent. The surface is not as clean as a shear cut with a skew, but that can vary a lot depending on the wood. Pine, very rough. Sugar maple very clean.
Looks like you have a high speed grinder. For my turning tools, I use a slow speed grinder. Consensus seems to be that with any good high speed steel, you can not get a tool hot enough for it to lose the temper. I don't quench. I do love the CBN wheels. Some have 1 inch or more for side grinding.
Richard Raffen is a master. He did one for Fine Woodworking that still makes me jump when he gets a catch. The late great Allen Batty has a You Tube video that is very good.
Excellent video, the first I've seen that made sense to me in using the skew chisel, I still need a lot of practice but at least I don't use it as a scraper anymore. Very few catches now and a nice smooth surface, thank you Rob !
Hey thanks. I have been fighting learning to use the skew for awhile now. You made it plain and simple. I went out and withhin a few minutes had the skew working great for me!!!
Yr a good teacher. Much Better than most ppl on UA-cam that do instructual tutorials. I was actually Able to get the technique down by following yr advice. I only had to go back a couple of times. Thank u for this lesson. 🤗🤗
i met an local man who was during the 1950 or thereabout, the shop master of the Mare Island Navy Yard pattern shop, he apprenticed there in the early 1920s and built patterns for an early iteration of the Doble steam car; he offe5red to demonstrate the use of the skew chisel on a wood lathe that he had built from castings and patterns that he made. He seemed quite proficient with the skew chaise and showed me to grind the face of the chisel about twice the length as the normal, stating that the longer face made digging in less likely, as the point was further away from the cutting area, also he said that most of the patternmakers used a firmer chisel in place of the skew chisel as it could be used in hand as a skew chisel or a scraping tool. His name was Earl Greenwell, proud of having known him.
Wow I am a fan of your teaching style the time spent just goes! You are showing a technical ability as fine as I have witnessed. I was training for 4 years before I could move a tool with confidence in my technique. You have shown me masters class. And you hit all the correct cautions. I hope the young Woodworkers will watch this a time or two! Thanks you made me smile.
Just two weeks ago I bought my first lathe, before that, I played around with a lathe only once, which was a few years ago with an old friend of the family in Germany. One whole afternoon playing around with a spindle gouge, I was enthralled. So, when I bought that lathe two weeks ago, I obviously also bought a bunch of tools (a 6pc british Record Power set).
So far, I used all those tools without problem, except one. The one I haven't used so far is the skew chisel, which scared the heck out of me. It just looks like it'll easily bite into the wood, and it was literally giving me visions of that thing flying out of my hands (and into my stomach, or other bloody mishaps like that). Well, this video, especially the slow turning part, did give me a good clue on how to handle it properly AND safely.
I can work with tools of which I respect the risks they come with. I refuse to work with tools whose risks I fear. Turning fear into respect requires knowledge and understanding what's happening, and that was exactly what this video provided.
i doubt that you will see this comment on an older video like this one but i felt i need to thank you and your team for building such a complete video tutorial library on so many different aspects of woodworking. every time i want to learn something new or simply get a little refresher course on a technique your videos are there for me. thank you all for your hard work and dedication to passing on the skills of the craft
Don’t trust your doubts.
Great video! Thankyou. As a complete no nothing novice to wood turning, you explained it all so well. Cheers. Bob.
Hey Rob, I want to thank you so very much for this video. I have only been wood turning since April 2022 and I kept failing at the skew badly. I got to where I only used it for cutting lines. After watching this video first thing I did was resharpen my Harbor Freight skews to an angle much closer to yours using your grinding wheel technique which took a couple hours in the Florida heat cause i had to take breaks. Those skews were very far off from the angle you use and I had been staying with the original angle which was clearly the wrong things to do. Then I just finished trying what I watched you do and have managed to get some fairly decent cuts that would require much less sanding. Granted I am still horrible with a skew but practice makes perfect. At least now I have the knowledge to learn correctly. Thanks again. Yall have a wonderful day.
Steve the woodturner on IG is a KING with a skew. I needed this lesson on sharpening. Thanks Rob! Love your dovetail eps but it's nice to see more versatility on your channel. And thanks for the Purple Heart Project. It's helped me a lot up in the ol' noodle despite not having served.
I am trying to figure out how to turn a dovetail? give us some ideas for new videos please
absolutely, he maybe the best now that Alan Batty has past on. Steve is the guy to watch for the skew.
Davedalbywoodturning on Instagram too is amazing
best woodworking teacher on youtube! x
Don't have a lathe but absolutely want one. Would be very useful. Hopefully just learn this skew chisel and not bother with any other tools. Awesome video.
Well you really need 4 chisels for turning, depending on what you do of course. I think the skew is the most important.
I'll take your advice on that for sure.
I agree the skew is very useful tool :-) I started with it, when I participated woodworking courses on a local adult education center. The first time tools were dull, but got much better results when sharpening. I got occasional catches with that tool, mostly when doing round shapes (beads) and with parting. I quess the root cause is that the edge of blade did not rest properly on wood (and the tool holding angle & support point on the tool rest).
Excellent, I have struggled with the skew and now I see that I will need to start at the very beginning , sharpen it correctly , and practice. Thank you for a clear and easy to follow video.
One of the best instructional videos on how to use a skew chisel I've ever seen.
Wow thanks Mike. I am glad you found it helpful. What video should we do next?
@@RobCosmanWoodworking I've never been very good with the scraper or the bowl/spindle gouge, how about a lesson on them. The skew chisel I am actually half decent with, but the other two not so much.
Thanks Rob, I've been a woodworker for a number of years, but I've never had a lathe. I have a project coming up that would be much easier if I had one. I've watched a couple of videos on the subject that have not been much help. You taught me to cut dovetails (that gives me such a buzz) I'll be watching your turning videos now. Thanks again
Confidence is the most important thing with the skew chisel, a catch or two can demoralise a beginner. So much so they abandon the tool for something that seems less lethal. This is a real shame, because nothing can match the skew for crisp spindle turning. I'd advise using a concentric drive centre, which will stop rotating in the event of a catch. You will recoup the cost with the reduced laundry bills.
Gav, you make a very good point here, it was a rather nasty catch with the skew that caused me to get some training. I had been gifted a lathe, but had had no previous turning experience.
A good refresher coarse being out of wood working for 40 years.
Wow! Thank you so much. I have learned so much from your video. I have been using the skew completely wrongly. Thanks again😊
Thank you Rob for that vid. I’ve always been scared of the skew and I very seldom pick it up. I’m just a novice wood worker with no where near your talent, but this is one of the better educational vids I’ve seen. I’ll definitely go to my shop and put it to practice. Thank you so much.
I think this is the best tutorial on using a skew that I’ve seen. The excellent camera work certainly helped. Thanks for making it.
Wow, thanks! I think it really helps to have a camera man verses talking to a camera on a tripod. What other turning videos do you suggest we film?
@@RobCosmanWoodworking Personally, I find the other demanding turning technique, especially for beginners, is turning the inside of a bowl, with a bowl gouge. But that's just me - I suppose that perhaps you could use one of those UA-cam polls (no idea of the correct name of these) to find out more generally?
Anyway, thanks again for all of your exemplary videos; clearly a lot of work goes into them, and they very clearly illustrate the highest skills and best practice techniques for fine furniture making.
@@RobCosmanWoodworking Hi, I would really love a tutorial on bowl gauges. I'm ok with skews, it's the the inside bowl "bowl gauge" that scares me to death! I hate making that cut.
The skew chisel does take some practice to master. I tutored my sister (retired nurse who has seen her share of wood working accidents in the E.R.) starting with the spindle roughing gouge on a round piece of wood. Getting past the initial fear of the lathe was easiest with the gouge. She is now progressing to the skew chisel, slowly but surely.
I can understand her fear after seeing a bunch of bad accidents. I bet all of them were through improper use.
I started on a little Cantire lathe with a couple hand chisels. All I knew was to keep the rest close and a good grip on the chisel. Proper tools and some instruction sure make a difference. LOL!
Thanks for the excellent video! I am about to aquire my first lathe, and now I will have a starting point!
A really good video guys! I did not like my first skew chisel. It was a European brand and had a funky profile on each side which made sharpening and using it difficult. I ended up buying two different size Alan Lacer skew chisels and now I really enjoy using the skew chisel. Alan Lacer’s skew chisels are offered in two different types of steel. One definitely holds an edge longer.
You guys stay safe up there Rob!
Ron
Thanks for sharing! and thanks for watching
your are a great teacher, sir! cheers from Quebec!
Glad you think so!
Been turning for about six months and have recently discovered how versatile and rewarding the screw chisel is - learners so much by making finials for Xmas tree decorations for friends - loved your video some very useful practical advice - merry Christmas!
The Skew Chisel is my favorite turning tool. It’s perfect for chisel handles. Thank you Rob & Jake for the informative videos.
I think you are all skewed up!!!!!
RobCosman.com You could be quite possibly right, maybe!!!
Great information, very helpful.
Actually figured this out when my gouge went missing from the shop. Now it makes sense why it works at the time I was like just go with it and quit trying to over think the why
So just last night I was getting some cedar round to make a pepper grinder. It was looking too small so I figured I would try out my skew. I hadn’t used it yet even though I’ve had it for over a year. I was blown away when I saw how smooth the piece was coming out. Then I watched this video. Tonight I will play around with it and start using it as part of my arsenal. Thanks.
PS, why are some skews sounded top and bottom and some flat on both sides?
Thank you! I was having a lot of trouble with it
Thanks... Your video helped me a lot. A beginner here.. Would love to see other videos on how to use other wood turning tools ????
Excellent video, this has inspired me to try my skew again and on more appropriate wood this time. Cheers Rob
Great. let me know how it turns out
Yes I can skew very nicely thank you.
HI rob I do a lot of wood turning but I need to practice on the skew chisel. as u say practice and more practice. thanks.
Hi Rob, I really appreciated this video. I have just begun to learn Woodturning as a hobby. Scarred from school days & an episode with a skew chisel, I was a reluctant viewer. I am pleased I saw it through to the end, as you took all the fear out off the tool. The video work is excellent as well.
Thanks. You should definitely try a skew again.
RobCosman.com yes I will definitely will. I have ordered some steel blanks to make my own tools. Just at the stage of knocking out pens but given some time & practice I will look at some segmented work. Thank you for the support and the videos, which I consume with passion.
Bravo Rob!
I'm so glad I found your video on instruction for beginners. I recently purchased a lathe and you have answered many of the questions I had. However, I'm in a quandary over which lathe tools are the best to purchase. From what I have seen, the carbide throwaways are most convenient, as buying all the hand sharpening equipment is expensive and time consuming. Any advice you could give me would be appreciated. I have been involved with woodworking for many years but have found the lathe to be the most rewarding and relaxing.
Excellent. Thank you, I've been using carbide but I think I want to move to traditional tools.
Thanks Rob - your training is good.
Lowell
What a great, informative, action-packed lesson! Thank you Rob for your teachings, and Jake for the excellent camera work. Looking forward to the next one already!
Thanks for watching and commenting
RobCosman.com Happy birthday, Rob! Wishing you long life!
Thanks Rob, a great demonstration. Having confidence with a scew chisel is my next challenge.
I wish I could have given this more than one thumbs up 👍 👍. Well I’ll just watch more of your videos!
Please do! give us some suggestions for other videos to film.
Very well presented - the technique of the skew is often mentioned, described and shown - but over the shoulder, slow and from several angles really helped bring it home. Thanks
Glad it was helpful! thanks for commenting
Great video, I will now try again to master the skew, as my attempts before just kept biting me 😂😂😂
I sat here and watched this just like I do for all of Rob’s awesome teaching videos. It finally dawned on me that I don’t even have a lathe!!! Lol. Thanks Rob for all you do!
Adrian Abshire you don’t have a lathe, yet. I’m in the same boat.
Happy Birthday, Rob!!
You're the man Rob!!! That was awesome! I've been watching Alan Batty's video on the Skew and it was great to see what you can doo with a Skew - especially the inside curve!!! I'm always of the belief that if its in hand you SHOULD use it but I couldn't believe what i saw you do!! You given me more inspiration!!! Thanks!
Very informative. Just starting on the lathe and want to lean the tools. Great video as always. Wonderful craftsman thanks for your knowledge.
Out of the 100 videos I've watched, yours makes the most sense. I'll go practise now
Thanks for this. As a new turner my skew confidence is very low. Hopefully this will help as well in my practice as it does in theory.
Really nice video on How To..
Great video, Rob~! I've been learning on my lathe using carbide "scraper" tools. I now have a slow-speed grinder, so I can put proper edges on the gouge set purchased with my lathe. Just this video make it look like more fun than what I've been doing. Watching Ashley Harwood's videos on turning make it look like a blast with the rain of chip curls that she generates from a gouge.
This all gets me excited to get out into the shop~!
Thanks AND Happy Birthday~!!!
18:12 Spooling up.
What are you spooling up to?
I'm working with 1 1/8''
dowels, in my first week of
turning' , any speed recommendation?
when you say slow down or speed up the speed of the lathe, what are the RMP you refer to?
This is a great tutorial
Great video! I’m fairly new to turning, and just yesterday I sharpened up a skew someone gave to me. Haven’t used it on a moving piece of wood yet, but I was trying different ways of laying it on the tool rest to see how to approach it. I think the missing piece I had is the rotation. I was trying to keep the whole tool flat on the tool rest, and I just couldn’t find a position where I could rub the bevel.
Hi Rob, another great video. A real cameraman is definitely better than a camera on a tripod but a cameraman who actually knows how to do what he’s filming is priceless. Kudos to both you and Jake. I have a couple of suggestions for future videos: a mortice and tenon by hand in hardwood (wedged or not, blind or through, your choice); and a sliding dovetail by hand ( I prefer the tapered kind but either way would be nice). I've done both with fairly good success but I’m sure watching how you do it would help me improve my technique. Thanks for all you do.
So sorry! There were exactly 100 comments, but I have to say this is an excellent video! I have been avoiding the skew because I can't seem to get it. But I spent some time sharpening and was finally able to skew! A sharp skew makes all the difference! Thanks so much for this video!
My very first turning lesson! Thanks Rob. Really superb.
Always....Do you have a lathe?
@@RobCosmanWoodworking Rob - I don't. The one common woodworking tool and practice I have never tried. I'd like to though.
Rob sometimes when I watch your videos I have to wonder if you have sap in your veins the way you understand how to work wood so well
Thanks for the great lesson. I have had some bad experiences with the skew and it is a tool that scares the bejesus out of me. But, I also realize if I am to become proficient in wood turning, I need to learn how to use it since it is a very versatile tool.
Check out Mike Darlow’s DVDS. Taming of the Skew and sharpening turning tools both have brilliant content although his sometimes over technical descriptions can be a bit overwhelming they are full of the best information and images that you will ever find. His books are awesome also. I teach turning at my club and am constantly referring to them in my class. In my mind they are the bible of Woodturning.
Just got a 260 with the height blocks. I have the variable pulleys. I would love to see that VFD setup.
I have been doing it all wrong 😳. Thanks Rob
FINALLY,,,,, someone who can teach rather than show, and even knows how to use a camera..... you rule, thank you for the lesson
Excellent - thanks
I like a horizontal tabletop belt sander for sharpening many tools including lathe chisels. Thanks for the skew lesson. I use it like a scraper because cutting with it terrifies me. If you do scrape, a hardwood usually cleans up pretty good if you take very light passes to finish it off at high RPM with a sharp edge.
Dear Rob... I don't even have a lathe! Still enjoyed this though... lathe on order!
Great video. I'm always nervous about using my Skew. This really helped a lot. Thanks for posting.
You are welcome, the secret is to use the really soft wood to practice on, it will still scare the crap out of you when it catches but the effect is much less on the soft wood.
I wonder if anybody has ever called Rob Cosman a master craftsman? Just kidding - Rob, if you read this, I am in awe!
Good lesson, thanks. I was always afraid in using this tool because I have been using it wrong.
Thanks for the video. I'm saving my pennies to get CBN wheels, but one of the features that I've seen highly touted is that CBN wheels are solid steel, so they don't overheat. Do you find the skews and gouges get too hot with CBN wheels?
Do you find a flat grind has any advantages over a hollow grind, or is it personal preference?
Great information and demonstration. Thank you ! I will watched this several times for references.
What about using a skew on the outside of end grain bowls?
Do you use the 80 grit cbn wheel on your plane irons and chisels
Yes
I do what you do with the tip...I get a catch EVERY time.
Great video once again Rob. I would like to see more of your instruction on turning. I don't like to see the red fluid anywhere! :)
Certainly you must mean ketchup!!!! what other turning videos should we film?
RobCosman.com I’m a complete newbie to turning so any tricks and tips would be great!
Wich BYU did rob go to, and was it in the states?
Can you please tell me roughly how long does it take to lathe straight rounded cane ca. 6 feet long from larch? Practically just rounding and sanding...🤔🤔🤔🤔
Awesome
I bought a skew that is rounded on the flat part if the tool. I am assuming the use of the tool is pretty much the same?
The oval shape skew can rotate side to side on the tool rest much smoother than the flat sided skew, which is great for making consistent beads with greater control. The benefit of the traditional skew is that it lays flat on the tool rest making it easier to ride the bevel and do long shearing cuts. Its just a matter of preference, its better to start with a flat sided skew because the oval shape is less forgiving when it comes to bites
I’ll check this out for now, but think I’ll have to revisit this in the future.
Hey Rob I can’t find any info on through wedged tenons, could u possibly demonstrate one on one of your next videos?
Hi Rob, do you have any thoughts on round skew chisels vs rectangular skew chisels vs oval skew chisels?
There is currently a discussion about this on the AAW forums in the beginner section. Seems like it is a love/hate thing. A few love them, some hate them. I will not use them, but I am a bowl turner and don't really know how to use a skew, but I can kind of fake it.
Thank You. I’ll give it another go as I get catches galore specially since I sharpened. I’m very tentative so will try a tad quicker
I really enjoy your tutorials. Thanks.
Love your work Rob & Co, great topics, super informative and easy to follow. Even the Q&A sessions although 6am Sunday is a little early! I've been lucky enough to have been gifted a lathe and am getting started with it, would you recommend learning to round, cove and part with a skew chisel first as opposed to a roughing gouge, parting tool etc?
No I would use a parting tool and a gouge. We have those videos planned to film soon.
@@RobCosmanWoodworking Noted, thank you.
Awesome video, helps a newish turner. Did he talk about the height of the toolrest? That’s where I’m having difficulties.
I set it right around the center line of the object being turned. I mentioned it right when I was setting the rest.
I was looking for a skew demonstration to recommend to my adult son who lives quite a ways from me. UA-cam suggested this video. I like most of your videos, and have great respect for your furniture making skills and teaching but didn't expect any woodturning expertise. Just happened to spend four years with Dale Nish? Yikes. I stayed tuned and will send the link to my son. Thanks for sharing.
thank you... excellent video...great camera work too
How do i find the center marking tool?
17:00 the load, the fulcrum and the effort.
thanks
Thanks Rob. Very informative
Just what I needed! Thanks for another awesome video!
Thank.
Thanks Rob very helpful and inspirational for a new starter like me. 👍