The picture probably explains more than my meager words.  The plate I turned down fit the pulley next to it.  They go together and form a base for a DC hood I wish to use for my 2nd lathe.  The pulley has enough weight that it will stay put but I need a way to mount the DC hood to the pulley.  So I turned this plate down and put my groove in it.  While I was successful, I question if I have used proper tooling and done this as safe as possible.  The wood is pine so it was forgiving.  But the recessed groove is 11mm deep.  I kept worrying it would catch and try to come get me.

 

Any suggestions or videos to give guidance?  I have a few more projects where I would use this again.  Then pencil points to the groove I have managed to make without incident.  We shall discuss HOW I did this later.

 

Thanks.

 

I would have used a Bedan styled tool thinner than the width of the groove cutting the width a little one side and then the other to the desired depth.

13 minutes ago, HandyDan said:

I would have used a Bedan styled tool thinner than the width of the groove cutting the width a little one side and then the other to the desired depth.

Thanks, I used a carbide parting tool someone gave me and did just that.  Did look up what a Bedan was, have to get one and give that a try.

8 hours ago, Woodbutcherbynight said:

Thanks, I used a carbide parting tool someone gave me and did just that.

 That works too.  The whole idea is to use a tool worthy of the job but "thinner" than the desired groove.  Using a tool the same width of the desired groove is where catch problems become likely.  

6 minutes ago, HandyDan said:

 That works too.  The whole idea is to use a tool worthy of the job but "thinner" than the desired groove.  Using a tool the same width of the desired groove is where catch problems become likely.  

Made such an attempt few days after I got my 1st lathe.  It was an EPIC fail. A lesson learned the hard way.

 

Never had a teacher or any formal training. Just bought the lathe and thought making pens looks easy.

 

Yeah about that learning curve. A miracle I didn't lose a digit or eye or something.

1 hour ago, HandyDan said:

The whole idea is to use a tool worthy of the job but "thinner" than the desired groove

Exactly

Something to remember with deep groves or parting off as you learned is; Make more than one width cut. Cut in a small depth and beside it make the second or widening cut. If you go full depth as one cut the wood will grab the tool and all bets are then off. This is a advantage of diamond shaped parting tools as to reduce contact with wood on the sides but still needs that wider cut.

39 minutes ago, Gerald said:

Something to remember with deep groves or parting off as you learned is; Make more than one width cut. Cut in a small depth and beside it make the second or widening cut. If you go full depth as one cut the wood will grab the tool and all bets are then off. This is a advantage of diamond shaped parting tools as to reduce contact with wood on the sides but still needs that wider cut.

Yeah I remember the first time I used the parting tool. Disaster barely begins to describe that experience.