Has anyone used traditional lathe cutting tools on cork to keep grips "in the round"?

I saw some threads that mentioned using a block and I do that as well as using some standing sticks developed for making plastic models. I was curious about cutting tools that would be suitable on soft cork. Especially since I have two cork blocks that I know cannot become round by virtue of sanding. (Please don't ask how I know this)

Thanks.

Round nose scraper

[www.solwaycustomcomponents.com]

Cork doesn't take cutting well. Scraping is better, or at least easier for most. You want to keep the scraping device at the same distance from the cylinder so that it becomes concentric to the bore. A round nose scraper is as good a tool as any. Set it on your tool rest about even with the cylinder's centerline and allow it to bite into the cork. At first, you'll notice that it's only removing material from one side of the cylinder. Keep going a little deeper on each pass and as soon as you're removing cork all the way around the cylinder you're ready to switch to sandpaper for shaping and sanding.

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Tony,

I use all my "wood cutting" tools on cork. Long as they are sharp and you turn at higher speeds it works great for me. I dont know all the names of every tool, but I have 2 sets of tools, large set and a smaller pen turning set that work wonderfully. Right or wrong, to square my work (make it round to match the bore) I use the sharp flat blade like tool that is about 1" wide. Go slow and easy and stop/check often. Leave room for sanding, dont ask me how I know that either! :-)

The Surfoam file usually gets things round as well, being metal and flat.

Sandpaper alone will never make something "round", you can wrap it around a FLAT wooden block and do fairly well.

DR

Thanks for the new term "round nosed scraper".

Regarding all other "cutting tools". Can I say this is true - that my cutting tool could be a flat file or block of wood wrapped in sand paper? That as long as I use the tool rest and lay the flat surface of the "cutting tool" on the rotating cork, this will true the cork to round?

Yes the flat block of wood with aggressive sandpaper will get you dang close to round when held properly. That's what I started with years back.

DR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/07/2009 06:43PM by Duane Richards (DR).

Yes use the tool rest as your pivot point. Dont worry about what it looks like just getting running concentric.

[www.solwaycustomcomponents.com]

Thanks to all who replied

can you use round nose scraper on eva?

I have found that one of the best tools for shaping cork is an old horseshoeing rasp.

Ridge , I would not use a round nose scraper on EVA. I use course sandpaper, 50 grit, then I use Dry Wall screen to get it down to where I want it. Finish it with a fine grit Dry Wall screen. Or I will use 240 or finer grit sand paper to get the finish I want.
I think some use a flat rasp for roughing to shape also.

J.B.Hunt
Bowling Green, KY