Wood Lathe Parting Tool

General description

Parting tool is a long flat tool with a certain tip that allows you to set the depth of the cuts. It can be of different sizes from 1/16” to 1/4”, although some tools might be wider than that if purposes differ from the ordinary ones. To increase the strength of the cut the blade of the parting tool is wide, and the cross-section has the rectangular shape.

The parting tool can be of three types–diamond, rectangular, and thin. The most popular and common type is the diamond one. As the name suggests the diamond type has a diamond shape that minimizes frictions. The diamond part is thicker in the middle, so it doesn’t bind up on the wood. It is one the best tools for novices.

Purposes of the parting tool and how to use it to fulfil these purposes

Making a simple slot

There is no special technique for it, simply introduce the tool and start cutting. The parting tool doesn’t make it smooth and it’s not supposed to. Just rough narrow slots to divide one part of the piece from another. Usually it separates the workpiece from the waste wood. Use this technique to create slots whenever you need them. Wider parting tools may come in handy when you need to quickly remove wood when creating tenons.

Cutting convex surfaces

After placing a small spindle blank on the lathe you need to position the tool rest so that it would be comfortable to rub the bevel at the 10 o’clock position. Form a grove not too deep near the middle. Turn off the lathe. Take half on an inch to the right of the groove and position the cutting edge to engage the wood with the bevel rubbing it. This position will be the starting point of rolling a convex surface. Move the handle by 10º to the right, then turn the tool to the left just a little. Rotate the lathe by hand to create a small cut that will be used as a starting point. Start the lathe. A few hundred RPM will be enough for this purpose. Position the tool slightly to the right of the groove. Do this same placing and rotating thing to start the cut. Pivot the tool on the rest to cut deeper. You will get a slope surface. Keep on rotating the tool until you get the curved surface.

Cutting a bead

First you need to cut two grooves near the center of a spindle. You will get a ring, the sides of this ring you need round them to form a bead. When doing so try to look not on the cutting edge but rather across the top of the spindle. Then do the same thing with the other side of the groove. There is a chance that the shape will be round but the whole thing won’t look much as a bead. Just do it over and over again until you get a perfect bead or a shape round enough to whip it later with sandpaper.