Skew Part 3
The Mugger in the Night
Now that we are getting closer to cutting with the lathe on, I need go right at the myth that the skew is somehow unpredictable, coming out of nowhere to ply it’s evil on unsuspecting travelers. It isn’t. It’s you.
If you can get past the victim blaming, I think we have a real chance of getting somewhere. At least knowing you’re the problem offers some hope that you can approach the tool differently and get better with it. Just moving the skew around on the surface of a piece of spinning wood, hoping to get a decent cut is absolutely going to end poorly, that’s one way the skew can be predictable. Lots of “Where the hell did that come from?”. But it’s just simple physics, not malice… and certainly not your genetic incompatibility with the tool.
As usual, good practice is essential. In the video below, I finally put the tool to the wood. There are a number of do’s and don’t I talk about. But really, the key is understanding the cutting action and how the tool works when it’s in motion. The hard truth is in the word motion. If you have the tool moving forward, especially at a consistent angle, the skew is actually very forgiving. Most issues with planing cuts (which is what I cover below) have to do with not being able to maintain the tool position throughout the cut or stalling the movement. Don’t just obsessively focus on the cutting edge, the issue is usually with your feet.
When proper body movement stops but the tool keeps going, it will start to take on a new angle angle causing it to cut differently or not cut at all. The common response is to shift just the tool to compensate, rather than correct the body position. This is a recipe for a catch. Just exit the cut, shift your stance and take another pass.
