How Turning Tools Work

When spindle turning between centers you are always peeling perpendicular to the grainDo you learn the way I do?If we're talking about a hands-on skill like turning, I need to understand why a process works. I have a terrible memory for procedure, so unless I understand the procedure steps in context, I won't be able to remember the procedure.When I begin to learn turning I read a lot and saw a lot of videos. But very little of that information was about the "why." It was mostly about the "how." This series is about the "why." It won't of itself teach you how to turn, but it may help give some context that can complement other turning instruction.Before we look at the tools, let's look at what we're trying to accomplish. There are two types of turning: the first is spindle turning (above) - think chair legs, candlesticks and banisters. The wood is mounted end-to-end between centers, with the grain running parallel to the spindle of the lathe. When you turn a spindle, you're always…