How To Use Wood Turning Chisels

In woodcarving, a turning chisel is one of the tools needed to create a lovely work of art in wood. That is why if you will notice that the professional woodcarvers have different woodturning chisels. And if you are to watch them use it, you will understand how to use wood turning chisels. These tools are designed to beautifully carve a piece of wood and drive it with other tools.

What is a Wood Turning Chisel

The wood chisels are tools with a blade on its end. It usually has a long handle. This tool is generally used to cut or carve wood by forcing its blade into the materials. It may include pushing by hand or using a mallet or hammer. But throughout the decades, woodworkers have learned to develop a more natural way to use it. They make use of a machine called the lathe to rotate the wood.

The woodturning chisels come in different sizes ranging from small to larger hand tools. The small chisels are used to take care of tiny details while the larger chisels are used to remove big sections of wood to rough out the shape of a pattern or design. That is why when you learn how to use wood turning chisels, you will realize that the job usually starts with the use of larger tools to create a pattern then gradually progresses to the use of smaller ones to make the tiny details of the design.

Types of Wood Turning Chisel

Chisels usually refer to the whole group of woodturning tools and not just one type of tool. But before you can learn how to use wood turning chisels, you have to know first their types and how they work. Woodcarving professionals use a different kind of these chisels to create a smooth carving spot.

Here are the different principal groups of woodturning tools or chisel:

1. Roughing Gouge
   This type of woodturning tool converts a square stock to round and for initial shaping. When using this, you are removing a large amount of timber to form a shape or pattern.
   
2. Spindle Gouge
   This turning tool is used to produce tighter curves and details. So, this is best to use when you are making wood bowls. Its tip can be sharpened into a fine, but it doesn't have side wings for cutting. You can use it to create precise detail cuts.
   
3. Skew Chisel
   The skew chisel is a type of cutting tool with a flat edge that is skewed to one side. This tool is versatile and one of the woodworkers' favorite because they can use it with the blade lying down flat on the workpiece to plane rough areas. Another way to use it is by resting it on the thin edge of its blade to cut across the workpiece and make a V-grooves.
   
4. Parting Tools
   This tool is basically designed to part wood. This tool creates a good distance from the tool rest. So, if you turn wood, you have to allow a certain distance from the tool rest to keep it still secure as you rotate it into the lathe machine. Some woodworkers create an indention using this tool and finish cutting it with a saw.

Steps in Using Wood Turning Chisels

Once you have learned how to use wood turning chisels, you will need to master the steps in using them. But remember to be safe, so before turning the wood and carve it, you need to wear your gloves and eye goggles when working with any wood tools. Here are the necessary steps that a beginner can apply.

1. Sharpen the woodturning tools first to make it function better and create good quality cuts.
   
2. Hold the tool at the back end with your right-hand firmly.
   
3. Guide the tool with your left hand by holding it over the tool near the blade.
   
4. Lay the chisel on the tool rest in an angle position with the cutting edge above the cylinder. Support the tools firmly with both hands
   
5. Place the first cut at least an inch from the end to prevent the tool from catching. Beyond an inch could cause the wood to split or for the tool to be thrown from your hands.

Conclusion 

Wood carving is exciting. With the use of carving tools, you will appreciate the beauty of art it creates. Learning how to use wood turning chisels is not as easy as cutting them. You must master it to be able to produce a pleasant and appealing piece. Whether you are a novice or a professional woodcarver, you will need these woodturning chisels to create a beautiful masterpiece.

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