G1495 Heavy-Duty Wood Lathe
-21-
Turning Tools
Figure 23. Five basic chisel types.
A
B
C
D
E
used to make a plunge cut by setting it on
the tool rest and pushing it into the stock at
a right angle. It can also be used to make
deep grooves or to cut a finish piece off of
the master blank. The size of a parting tool
is measured as the thickness of the blade
at its thickest point.
C. Spear Point - has a point formed by grind-
ing two bezels ground onto the same sur-
face of the blade at a 110˚ or less angle. It
can used to form V shapes and for finishing
corners. Available in a number of different
sizes and angles, size is generally called
out in the overall thickness of the blade and
the angle.
D. Skew Chisel - has a point formed by grind-
ing two bezels on each side of the wide
blade, and the cutting edge is angled
across the end of the blade. The skew is
one of the most versatile turning tools, used
for scraping, paring, smoothing and finish-
ing cuts. Skews are measured across the
blade width.
E. Round Nose - has a rounded cutting edge
ground across the end of the blade. This
chisel is used to form concave surfaces,
grooves or cove shapes. Measurement is
across the overall width of the blade, but the
radius of the end is also generally called
out.
Turning chisels are available in a variety of styles
and sizes which are specialized for different turn-
ing applications. For general purposes, we will
describe the five basic types of chisels to get you
started. There are a wide variety of other chisel
configurations and tools for specialized applica-
tions. We recommend you consult a good text on
lathe turning to learn more.
The five general types of turning chisels are
shown in Figure 23:
A. Gouge Chisel - a gouge can be recognized
primarily by its curved or arced shape. The
size of the arc and the type of grind across
its cutting edge will determine the job it is
best suited for. A roughing gouge is gener-
ally ground straight across the end and is
used to get the initial round shape on the
stock. A spindle gouge will be a bit lighter
and will have the end ground semi-circular.
They are used to achieve the convex or
concave surfaces on the turning. They are
available in different sizes measured as the
distance across the blade, and will be noted
as a shallow or deep flute.
B. Parting Tool - has a sharp point with bezels
cut on the narrow edges of the blade. The
cutting edge occurs on the blade portion
where it is the thickest. The parting tool is
