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View Full Version : Your first ever turned piece!



BANNED
18th August 2007, 01:43 AM
Hi everyone,

I was inspired to open this thread, after I responded to Allan's new thread titled, Lolly bowel (for dieters).
It took me back to 2001/2, when I got my first wood lathe the GMC. I remember clearly to receive it by road freight, and put it all together in my shed, then in QLD. Because I got a cheap Chinese set of chisels with the lathe, I wanted to turn something, but looking around, I couldn't find anything so, I decided to drive to the local dump and get some timber. I knew that I would find some tree logs, cut by some of the Town residents, from their own yards. No doubt, I found a recently dumped lot of Gum cut from a large branch, wet, green and still "smoking"! I grabbed a piece about a foot long and about 10" wide, and home I went.
Got the bark off easy, put the log in between centres on the lathe, and flick the switch on. Not knowing what speed the lathe was set on, and in reality I didn't even thought about it, with the lathe bolted to a lite metal frame I had, I had my first encounter with a "running away wood lathe", :o , so I run toward the shed entrance, to turn the main power off, as I wasn't going to get near that "backing horse". I was unlucky that the lathe was set on its higher speed, and that the log size and unbalanced from water seating all on one side, so in a very short time, and with all the excitement of turning something, I endup with "lumpy underpants" and with the lesson number one...!yeah.
Anyway, after the nerves calm down, and making some corrections, I was making lots of shavings. Sharp tools on green timber, wow this is easy, I thought, so I continued to shave that log, left and right, facing one side and keep adjusting with the tail-stock, until I realise that I was running out of timber and I didn't made anything, apart from shavings, so I decided to try a flat bowel with the bit left. The finish was done with the only thing that I had available for timber, and that was a couple of clear gloss varnish spray cans (Silly Solly's type). Quick dry stuff, so I kept spraying until I run out of the first can, by then the piece was looking quite nice and glossy, so I got the second can and gave it another coat. I was please with the result, so I took it to the house and after telling the necessary turning experience to the wife, she accepted the gift, admired it and put it on the coffee table, for all to see. For the next 4 weeks, I witness how much a piece of green wood can shrink and whoop with most horror! (summer time around 40°+).
Since, we have changed States twice, residences X4, and that piece still live in the coffee table...! precious, huh?

And what about your first turned piece? how did it come about? does it still exist? did you modified it? have you got it? CAN WE SEE IT?
For those who don't have that first piece, one out of the first 3 will do, thanks you.

Cheers
GV

Ekim
18th August 2007, 02:35 AM
Very nice looking piece.

Regards,

Mike

Richard Findley
18th August 2007, 08:42 AM
Hi Nyodine,

My first attempt was some-what smaller, and less frightening affair although the antique treadle lathe which was conected to an electric motor (single speed fits all!!) really shook and I didn't know what I was doing so these are made entirly with normal woodworking chisels used as scrapers :B and sanded 80 - 240 grit then oiled.

I too still have them and indeed occasionally use them. They are a nice reminder of how far I've come.

One picture is of the candle sticks I made from English Ash. The other is the machine used!

Richard

arose62
18th August 2007, 09:09 AM
My first piece (hey Ekim, how did you miss "bowel"?)
was a mallet.

Once the wood was round, it reduced the diameter on one end, then realised, "Hey, a mallet!"

It's still in use, if not by me, then by my daughter (who inverts it, and uses it as a tower when she builds fairy castles).

Cheers,
Andrew

RETIRED
18th August 2007, 10:10 AM
Remember folks that not everyone that posts here has had the advantage of good English skills.

Indeed some have English as their second language (no offence to Americans :wink: :D )

As long as the idea is conveyed that is what counts.

If a spelling error changes the intent of the message I will correct it after generally contacting the poster.

So people don't get too anal about it,:D

ss_11000
18th August 2007, 09:41 PM
a toilet roll holder, i'll see if i can dig up a pic or take a new one cos its around here somewhere.

ss_11000
18th August 2007, 09:43 PM
here it is.

silky oak stem
camphor laurel base.

BANNED
18th August 2007, 09:56 PM
Hi Nyodine,

My first attempt was some-what smaller, and less frightening affair although the antique treadle lathe which was conected to an electric motor (single speed fits all!!) really shook and I didn't know what I was doing so these are made entirly with normal woodworking chisels used as scrapers :B and sanded 80 - 240 grit then oiled.

I too still have them and indeed occasionally use them. They are a nice reminder of how far I've come.

One picture is of the candle sticks I made from English Ash. The other is the machine used!

Richard

That's a very unusual lathe you got there. Do you still use it, or is no longer?

Cheers
GV

Skew ChiDAMN!!
18th August 2007, 10:11 PM
This 'un had me scratching my head for a while. My first? Don't think that's still around... it'd only be a mangled spindle where I was buggerising around, trying to work out what the hell all these tools were for, anyway!

I do have this piece, which is one of my earliest few. I know 'twas before I bought a chuck, when I first started experimenting with what you could get away with between centres... and I'm pretty sure I also still have a couple of small bowls I made using jam-chucks at about the same time.

But this'd be the earliest piece of mine still in existence, I think... apart from, perhaps, some of the tool & chisel handles in the shed. From memory, 'twas turned from a branch of apple (but it looks like lemon? :?) with just a wax finish. I didn't know anything about finishing then, (still don't, really :rolleyes:) but this has lasted pretty well...

Stu in Tokyo
19th August 2007, 12:40 AM
My very first would have been back in high school, and I'm sure it has rotted away to dust by now, but since I got bit by the turning bug, I have two pieces for you.........

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/turnings/turning_done.jpg

My lovely wife asked me to fix a chair with a busted stretcher, so I had this electric drill operated lathe thing.......... :rolleyes:

Then I got the old C-man tube bed lathe, and this was the first thing I turned..........

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/tokyo_slugger.jpg
I still have this little bat.

Not bad, but these were simple spindles, the bowls are a lot harder...........

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/bowling/1st_bowl_inside_rim.jpg
Cracks all filled with CA glue, a ton of sanding.........

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/bowling/1st_bowl_bottom.jpg
and you can still see the four screw holes in the bottom......... :doh:

Oh well, we all got to start somewhere! :D

thefixer
19th August 2007, 01:21 AM
After making a few bits of round wood with some wiggely bits in them and a few chisel handles just to get the feel of things, this was the first thing to come off the $99.00 GMC and $20.00 set of chisels. I think the finest sand paper I had then would have been 240 grit and it was coated in some clear gloss lacquer from an aerosol can. Its hard to believe it was less than a year ago. The lathe was purchased via a gift voucher at bunnings given to me by my kids for fathers day last year. That lathe is now a disc sander, wouldn't part with it for quids. Funny how attached you get to pressies from the kids:wink: . Anyway have advanced a bit since then but still a long long way to go yet.

Wayne Blanch
19th August 2007, 11:35 AM
I don't have a photo of the first thing I turned, but it was nearly a bowl:D If I recall correctly the bowl was made from Crapiata and it was so rough I think it was square.:oo:

Like many others my first lathe (If you could call it that) was a GMC and the chisels were an el-chepo set from the local hardware. They were sooooo soft I think they were made from butter:doh: . At least the GMC lathes have started a few of us on the road to the turning addiction. So I guess they have served their purpose.

Wood Butcher
19th August 2007, 11:44 AM
The first real piece that I made on the lathe (apart from lots of spindles made to just play with different tools) was a baseball bat out of an old rosegum(!?) stair banister. Heavy as hell but if you could swing it and connect with the ball, what a blast.

Unfortunately it was way too heavy for competition use but a great practice bat! Alas it has long since departed (actually I have no idea what happened to it) so no photos:(

Tankstand
19th August 2007, 12:08 PM
I saw this thread and thought, "Bleedin' Heck" I still have it!

30 years old, first year high school, wood unknown, (All guesses appreciated)

It was one of the only things I made that mum did not throw away, and it came back to me when I got married!

It has its original brushed (Slopped) on laquer finish, Can still see the imprint of three nails heads from the drying rack.

And, no, it wasn't last weeks effort!:D

Frank&Earnest
19th August 2007, 03:57 PM
1977, done with a B&D drill attachment. European Ash, 150h, scallops handcarved, not sanded, not finished.

Richard Findley
20th August 2007, 04:50 AM
Hi Nyodine,

Its still fixed to the wall in the workshop but it doesn't get used anymore! I have no idea how old it is. As far as I know it was found in the shed of on old blacksmiths cottage in the late 60's. I'd imagine it was very old even then!

It only goes on speed and rattles and shakes like I don't know what. The drive centre was made by my own fair hand from a piece of European Beech and several nails. Crude but effective! The "headstock" is tapped to take some bizzare antique screw thread.

It's only quite a small lathe. Will handle about 9" between centres and swings about 3" over the bed.

More pics including my current lathe!!

Cheers, Richard

Skew ChiDAMN!!
20th August 2007, 01:53 PM
I'd kill for the tailstock & dead centre from it. They're the bits that were missing from my ol' treadly. [sigh]

wheelinround
20th August 2007, 04:00 PM
I have been watching this thread since it started and tried to think of what I made at school my first turning in the late 60's year 4 HS.

All I can recall is that while boring a centre hole for a lamp the drill had vered off and stuffed that job .
Teacher Mr Woods helped with a solution and gave the extra time during lunch to repair and or make another which was completed no idea what happened to it.

I know we started on simple stuff right out of the text books but can't recall what they were.

Ray

wheelinround
21st August 2007, 09:35 AM
:rolleyes::rolleyes: after a good nights sleep it came to me I recall a tinmans mallet and handle
It got a good work out when I was building bus and coaches till it split.

NeilS
21st August 2007, 10:53 PM
I posted my bit (http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showpost.php?p=569608&postcount=26)on this in the related 'bug' thread.

Neil

Wild Dingo
22nd August 2007, 12:08 AM
My first turned peice?... I bein the brave daringdo type of fella I am grabbed a LUMP of Plum I think it was but a LUMP... like 12 or so inches long x 10 or so inches around... and bunged it on center to center (I wasnt game to try that supadupa nova thing that was still in its box that I had NO SODDING IDEA what it was for)

Now before I go on I will for the benefit of other like minded galahs in the gallery explain a tad... Im one of those blokes that didnt get any high schooling at all left at 13 1/2 less than 3 months into first year and went to work... and wasnt allowed to do woodwork metal work or any thing else that would demand attention span above gnat level... so my first ever go on a lathe was when I finally set the new one up I bought when we moved down here as I said about 1 and a half years ago I arced it up for the first ever time... scared the absolute livin shyte outta me!! :o

Anyway back to the Plum... so I bunged it on... oh did I tell you that I didnt know from shyte what I was doing?... and then turned it on... cool so far its whirling around... so I undo the rest and move it in... I DID SAY I DIDNT KNOW SHYTE!!!... well as you would have surmised the damned wood BANGED AND CHUNKED INTO THE METAL of the stand and SCARED me underdaks dark brown!! I quickly reached out and flipped the switch off... walked to the house had a shower changed me dacks and headed back out with 2 cups of STRONG coffee and a new pack of ciggies in hand

Spent the next hour glaring at the blasted thing...then had a brainfizz "set the damned stand up first idiot!" and so I did... 1/2in away from the piece! :doh: Did I mention I KNOW NUTTINK about lathework?... and checking the spekkie bunch of brand spankin new never out of the box chisels Id got with the lathe I hummmed and haaaed and decided on the biggest most solid buggar in the box... I NOW KNOW this to be a good choice on my behalf... and sorta gingerly fronted up to the thing... took a massive breath... turned it on... turned the dial up... 1000... 1300... 1400 that should do I think and check it out... mmm bit of a wobble happening but he thinks to himself well that will sort itself out once I turn it to a circle right? well thats what they reckon on the forum... so I put the chisel

INTO THE WOOD!!

BANG! BANG! BANG!! HOLEYFLAMINFROGSSHYTE!!! the damned chisel had grown a mind of its own and was slammin into the metal stand with the power of all the tarzans on steroids!!... Slammed off the button and stood WAY BACK... damned scared me new ubeaut underdaks right the way to dark brown.. another shower and change 5 more cups of STRONG coffee later and Im back in there glaring at the sod

My first turning was a total utter disaster... I actually didnt think Id ever turn it on again... but then a few weeks later I got game again

So I reckon my first turned thing was a bunch of slimline pens :2tsup: small and safe :;

My first bowl was a plum bowl about 4in dia x 2in high... Im yet to have another go at something large... nerves you know? :B I will have another whirl shortly probably Ive got a couple of rounds of Mock Orange ready (about 10in dia x 3in thick) a bit moisty moisty but still worth havin a go at for some self confidence building eh?

But it gave me a few good lessons... and theres nothing wrong with a few nerves and fear when it comes to this instrument... wont get too complacent that way :doh:

BANNED
22nd August 2007, 12:43 AM
Wild Dingo, mate
I nearly s@ht myself, reading your story, hahahahahaah
Nice one, indeed...!:D :2tsup:

Cheers
GV