tachometer for Powermatic 45

[FrankAtl]

You can easily do what you see St Roy do, present the tool and rotate the work a few inches by hand.  Least resistance means you've got it right. As old Frank Pain wrote so long ago, the wood will teach you how it wishes to be cut.  I suggest you don't NEED high Inches Per Minute to cut wood.  Something the experiment Roy does will demonstrate.  Newton approves, since it's one half of the mass times velocity squared on that loose knot flung from the rim at you! See #4.


Few things you should do automatically.
1. Keep the toolrest as close to the work as you can so you can maintain mechanical advantage.  If you're not adjusting the toolrest every two-three minutes, you're not being as safe as you can be, even if you turn at modest rpm.
2. Rest so that the part of the tool engaging the wood is above centerline on convex surfaces, below on concave (hollowing), giving some pad to keep the tool from getting under the work and catching.  
3. Hold the tool to the rest with an overhand grip on your pivot point.  Keeps you from dinging and marking the rest, as so many confess to, and allows you to twist and swing the tool a great distance at the far end to make a delicate presentation adjustments at the work.
4. Keep your body as far away from the work as your tool and arms will allow.  Especially, stay out of the throw zone on faceplate work.  Push the tool and shavings away from your body, and release them to fall, not fly.

Thanks MM. I've been turning on and off for may years and consider myself intermediate to advanced and I already do the things you suggest I just have better results turning (other than roughing) at higher speeds. I know you say that no one ever needs to exceed 600 RPM's but I just don't get good results at those slow speeds. Once roughed out, I turn at 1000, 1500 and 2000 RPM's (depending on stock diameter of course) and the surface speed I want. That also depends on the wood species, some turn better slow, some a little faster.

Always interested in seeing how others do things! Never too old to learn ya know.

[MichaelMouse]

Always interested in seeing how others do things! Never too old to learn ya know.

Consider that you can't remove the same shaving twice.  At 600 rpm the same place comes by 10 times in a second, at 1200, 20 times.  Unless you double your rate and feed frantically fast (sacrificing tool control), you're not doing any cutting half the time.

It's greater control for the tool, safer for the turner, and you don't chew your cabbage (or wood) twice!