Our demonstrator for February was Mark Sillay. Mark’s demonstration emphasized cutting or “slicing” technique rather than a specific project.
Mark challenged several woodturning conventions and established the effectiveness of his own methods by demonstration. His use of a convex beveled gouge to slice the wood with an outstanding finish was quite impressive. Below is an example of his grind. Note that the entire bevel is convex with the exception of a ~1/16″ flat-ground bevel.
By virtually eliminating the heel of the bevel, Mark assures that the bevel support is immediately behind the cutting edge and that there is no fiber compression where the heel is rubbing the wood. Although it works fine on the outside, this profile is adapted primarily for removing wood from the inside of a bowl where you are making concave cuts. The outer flange of the bowl below is an example of the finish Mark gets off of the tool. Note that he is working in stages such that the outer flange shows his finish cut while the tool is located in the area where he is roughing out the bowl.
All in all, this was a provocative and exceptional demonstration. Attendees found themselves stretching their horizons as their notions of turning technique were being confronted in the context of Mark’s impressive methods and they revised their understanding of the cutting process!