STABILAX

[nikola ostojic]

Going thru very old (first few) 'Woodturnings' I found advert for Stabilax - a kind of round iron addition for skew/scrapers. Anyone still have / use it?

[Bryan Milham]

Not heard of it before. Any chance of you scanning the advert so we can see what you are talking about.

[nikola ostojic]

I tried to upload photo - it's too big file. Here is website showing/selling it.

woodworker.com/3-12-stabilax-mssu-823-332.asp

[Bryan Milham]

Nikola,

Please see the (Sticky) first post in the Gallery, It explains how to post images.

Also you may need to use software to reduce the size of the image, there is a maximum picture size of 2Mb per image, although that will be far too big to view in most cases. Images around 200kb to 300kb are more than enough.

[Bryan Milham]

Just looked at the website, I can see how it works but I have never used one.

I can also see the issue that would exist in trying to use it.
1. If you need to change the angle of the skew blade to the wood. For example to plane over a knot or overcome ripple.
2. It would be in the way if you were going from planing to rolling beads. Yeas I can see it is only a captive grub screw but it would be a pain to keep putting on/taking off.

However, I can see that as an aid to learners, to understand the process of plaining wood, it may have some use, but I would not want to become dependant upon it.

[fuzzyturns]

I'd say rather get some advice/practice/tuition from a production turner, who use skew chisels all the time (and for stuff we could consider outright dangerous). After that your problem with the skew should be history.

[Bryan Milham]

Fuzzy, you are right of course, but it is an American site advertising the gizmo!

I came across an American demonstrating the skew on-line a week or so ago, on its side on the tool rest, as a scraper. Could not understand the problem people said they had getting dig-in's - Nuff said!

[Paul Hannaby]

It looks like an attachment that will turn a standard skew into a round skew. The round shaft will move the fulcrum closer to the point of cut so there will be less rotational force on the tool.

I don't see how using this would prevent rolling of beads etc. Round skews are good for things like that.

[Bryan Milham]

Paul,

I saw it as only fitting over part of the skews width , hence becoming a device for enabling a constant angle to be maintained with the leading edge of the skew and the gadget fitted to the rear/upside of the blade length, forming 2 points of contact and the skew cutting edge the 3rd.

3 points of contact being better than 2.