Dovetail Chisel Tool

Nature Man

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Noticed a lathe tool in a couple of catalogs that I'd not seen before, a Dovetail Chisel Tool. Does anyone use this tool. Seems like it probably is not really necessary. Any thoughts? Thanks! Chuck
 

woodtickgreg

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I think it's usually used to make the angled mortice for the chuck to fit into on the bottom of a bowl. Actually kinda handy. You could use a skey for that also.
 

trc65

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If your jaws have a dovetail profile and if you regularly use mortises instead of tenons it might be a useful tool. I've never had the need for one. If I did, I'd buy a cheap narrow scraper and make my own.
 

Greenacres2

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I have one of Nova's. Used it some, but i'm challenged in keeping the cutting surfaces as sharp as i like. So, mostly use a skew or detail gouge. could just be me, your mileage may vary.
 

JD1137

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Like Tim @trc65 said, it's pretty easy to grind your own if you have an "extra" scraper on hand. I use tenons almost exclusively, however, our turning club inherited a bunch of once-turned bowls and the former owner used all motices, (or recesses). There was a lot of Cherry burl once-turned bowls, so I took a couple to finish.

Anyway - I would usually use a skew to re-round the recess, but it doesn't always work because the tailstock is sometimes in the way to line up the skew (unless you have a vacuum chuck). The skew has to have the handle swung slightly to the right to get the correct angle at the tip. I have found the home-made tool to be a little "grabby" compared with using a skew, but I've used it in a pinch.
 

Tony

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I keep meaning to puck up a cheap straight skew and make one. The only use I know of for it, as already mentioned is the recess for dovetail jaws on your chuck.
 

barry richardson

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I use one quite a lot, in fact just yesterday. Mine is made form a bedan tool, which came with a set, and I never used it otherwise...
 
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