Learn to use the skew

ByWalter Jones
Suncoast Woodturners
The following instructions, Assume that you are familiar with a woodturning lathe and its tools. That you understand turning on a lathe can be dangerous. These instructions are meant to be a help in learning how to use a skew. After following the instructions you should be able to learn how to use the skew with out to much trouble. Be safe and enjoy learning
First turn the blank round. Then draw line around the circumference. Now draw a line off the first line at about a 45* line. [No more than 45*] on the right side of the line around the blank.
After you have completed the two lines, use a marker to make a line 1/3 of the way up from the short point of the skew from the cutting edge to the back of the bevel. This is where the shavings should come off the tool when you are turning.
Place the skew on the blank with the lathe off. Arrange the line on the skew with the joint of the two lines on the blank with the tool resting on the tool rest and the wood. The tool rest should be above center so that the skew cutting edge is at about 10:00 if the end of the blank at the tailstock is used like a clock face. This is the correct position for the tool. Now rotate the lathe by hand and raise the handle of the skew keeping the tool on the rest and you should start to get a cut. Move the tool to the left and shavings should be coming off. Lift the tool off the wood and start the lathe and then place the tool on the rest and then the bevel on the wood at the angle that you learned while the lathe was off. With a slight raise of the handle you should get shavings coming off the wood moving to the left. the handle would be in your right hand and the blade in the left. If you are left handed then the set up would be on the opposite side of the line and the tool and you would move the tool to the right. The same process can be done with the long point down and the line would be 1/3 the way up from the long point. Follow the same start up list and you will find that the handle is in a much different position but the cutting angle would be the same as with the short point down. Once you have got this part down you need to Practice, Practice, Practice!
The only two mistakes you can make with the skew is to get to high above the 1/3 mark and you will get a catch that is a dig in and takes a sizable chuck of wood out. The other is to get up off the bevel and the tool will skate backwards causing a spiral cut along the wood that looks a little like a thread on a screw.
After you master that part of using the skew you may move on to learning to use the skew to make beads on the wood. That will be another lesson.
Be safe and enjoy the skew.
Walter