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The pieces of my inlay blanks pop out when I turn them!!!
There are three reason for the pieces to be popping out, one is that you are being too aggressive and are in too big a hurry. Two, you did not glue them in adequately. Number three is the most common reason, you either are not using a skew or you are using it improperly as a scraper. You must learn to use a skew chisel correctly before attempting to turn these delicate blanks. A scraper will scrape them right out in pieces. I do not mean to scare anyone off but learning to use that skew that came in your chisel set would be the best thing you could ever do to improve your turning skills.
As I have heard many times, "Just because you have a drivers license, does not mean that you are qualified to drive in the Indianapolis 500". So it is also true with wood turning. In order to hone your skew cutting skills, you must practice, practice, practice.
I hear from customers all the time who say "I have been turning for six months now and I know that the blanks have to be defective." My response is "So have you been turning a whole six months or just part of the time therein? I have been turning for ten years and I still do not know it all nor shall I probably ever". I learn new things about turning all the time. New techniques that work for me and some that don't. You just have to figure out what works for you and what doesn't. You may never be able to turn everything successfully, but give it a chance first. It will probably take several chances to actually get it right.
One skew chisel practice routine you can perform which costs almost nothing but time is to turn some Slimline pen blanks from OSB board. You can get OSB from Lowes or Home Depot for a very cheap price. If you can turn OSB board successfully, then you can turn an inlay blank with no problems. Keep practicing, you'll get it.
"I turned all twelve of these blanks and every one of them blew out, they must be defective... Does anyone know what the actual problem is here?
Above all of this please be safe and practice safe turning in your shop. If you have any questions about the safe and proper way to use a skew, please contact an expert to show you hands on. There are turning clubs literally everywhere and I can guarantee you their will be someone willing and eager to show you the ropes and will do it because they love to talk turning.
There are also professionally ran classes you can sign up for to learn specifics. Most WoodCraft stores have classes on the weekends for various turning projects. They are a little pricey but they do have to pay the help and the rent. You will find that it was all worth while in the end.
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