Thread: My first go at turning something. It's fun!

Hi DaveVman,

Looks a nice start to turning, and you do have to start somewhere. It looks an awful lot like the first thing I ever turned which was just practice pieces. Take a little care with the skew chisel though, drop your guard for a moment and they will catch. I should add that any tool can cause grief if you lose concentration or are too boisterous, just the skew can be a little less forgiving.

And I tend to see "defects" as character. They can make a piece that little more interesting.

There are a number of finishes available to you, I started with just a block of bees wax, then bought some friction polish, and I have just added the Beal Buffing system (wheels and internal buffs) to my collection using Tripoli polish, white diamond, and canuba wax.

Parting off with a parting tool will usually nicely square the end.

And it's worth investing in a reasonable sharpening system, make a big difference, sharp tools work faster and more effectively,and are safer. Sharpen little and often. It's amazing just how much difference you will find after a few minutes on a piece of red gum when you come back with a newly sharpened chisel.

Keep at it! It's fun!

Yes turning is definitely fun and addictive I have just started out myself and ended up having an experienced and well respected wood turner off a facebook group offer me lessons so I took that offer pretty quickly my first lesson was just observing how to do certain cuts with a gouge, and what ever you do don't use your spindle gouge on bowls like I did they do not like it.

Enjoy your new hobby!

You may want to invest in a few tubes of CA. (Super-glue) When turning, if you come across a defect or split that you're unsure about, it's often a good idea to flood-fill it with CA if you're not going to pry the piece out for safety reasons. Wait a few minutes while it cures - it usually sets quickly - and then get back to turning with a bit more safety. Stop the lathe every few passes and check to see whether you need more CA. Rinse and repeat until either the defect is gone or you've decided you've 'finished.'

Cheap CA from the $2 shop is more than good enough for this.

I don't recommend applying the CA as you're nearing final stages, unless you're planning on doing a CA finish... it penetrates into any cracks, bark, etc, making the surrounding areas darker and, in general, highlighting the fault.

But now's the time you should try out this sorta thing, so once you decide to attempt a 'serious piece' you'll know what to expect, appearance-wise, from this - and similar - work-arounds that help get a piece finished.