Thread: Newbie - is this the right hobby

I have been turning for a while now. as for wood I think I will leave that to those a little closer, but there always trees being cut down which can be a good supply. Have you got any tree surgeons near by(you may call them something else.
As for a bandsaw yes it would be a great addition to the workshop but not necessarily essential. I have managed without one so far

Hi Donj,
I get most of my wood from nature strips and from trees that friends have cut down. Spread the word and you will soon have more than you can use! I like to turn the wood green and it is a whole lot cheaper ( i.e. free!) than buying blanks. There is also an extra measure of satisfaction in cutting, turning and drying your own timber. It is also a comfort when you stuff up (heaven forbid!) that you haven't paid $40 for a piece of wood.
You can buy timber blanks from CWS and Pop,s Shed and eBay. Even timber from Bunnings can be turned into round things.
You don't need a bandsaw to start turning. I started off turning square bits of wood into round on the lathe. It's just faster and more pleasant to start off with a round piece of wood.
You don't need a drill press either. Although, I just bought my first one and I love it.
I think you do need to consider how you will protect your precious lungs from wood dust.
I hope you get into, and enjoy, woodturning. It's addictive but legal!

As a minimum you will need the lathe, chisels, and a method of sharpening, ie a bench grinder (yes, you will need to sharpen often, with hard woods it could be every few minutes or so). Don't forget basic protection like a face shield. You do not need a bandsaw, nor a drill press. I use a large bow saw / garden pruning saw for cutting branches to size, and an axe for splitting down the middle. Wood can be scavenged from just about anywhere, you certainly don't need to buy it.

What sort of toys?

The answer to this dictates the timber and the turning needed which decides tools and equipment.

As mentioned, you definitely need a means of sharpening your tools and need to learn how to do this part of the addiction. I found this one of the hardest things to learn to do but I eventually mastered it. Good luck.

Discouragement is not an option.

You have been given very sound advice by that lot .

My only extra suggeston is to think carefully about how big the articles you want to turn will be. Remember you can turn small things on a big lathe but not big things on a small lathe.

Think of looking for 2nd hand machines also.

Find a woodturning/woodworkiing club near you . They will no doubt have all the tools for you to use and a variety of lathes for you to try and also give heaps of advice .
Ted

Once you figure out what you want to turn now and where you might like to go in the future, you will then have a clear idea on which lathe to buy. It does not have to be new, there are very good second hands ones around.

Wood/timber etc Be friend your local tree lopper/surgeon etc and you will never be out of free timber ever.

look over this thread.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/adv...g-lathe-85843/

Don,

No 1 , join a club and get some tuition ,
no 2 buy your lathe , and basic tools ( do not have to be top shelf to start) and experiment and play
No 3 start adding good quality tools and all those accessories that you now find you need

Timber can be sourced from anywhere, clubs sell timber and by putting out a few feelers , timber will start coming to you.
HANDY TOOLS to acquire
1 chain saw 350mm bar
2 band saw 14"

that is a good start, learn have fun , do not try to every thing at once.

Jeff

I second, third, and forth the advice to join a club, and if that is not an option find a turner who will give you some instruction and let you practice.

One can also find turning instruction.

If you are not sure you will like turning, do not buy any specific turning stuff.

Once you have done a bit of turning, you will know.

Some of us can't cut up wood for the fire without stopping part way through and sticking a piece of timber on the lathe to see what is in there.

Some have bought a complete nice outfit and are frightened by a bad catch, or just lose interest and sell off the outfit for 1/4 to 1/2 the purchase price.

To those I am grateful, as I have bought two lathes, grinder, grinding jigs, chuck, boxes of sandpaper, chisels, etc. at a fraction of their worth.

Get a few hours in front of a lathe, you will know very quickly if you will get addicted.

Once you are hooked the rest will come in time.

Very sound advice has already been posted

I'd add - look after your lungs, dust extraction is very important

the only other thing I'd add is that the lathe is probably one of the cheapest purchases.,, once addicted you'll need all or some of the accessories

Final point ... turning is fun

We're almost in the same scenario so I know how it feels. I do face the computer almost everyday so I think it is a must that we have some hobby that could help us divert our attention from time to time. Woodworking is a good choice in my opinion, something that could refresh our minds atleast once a week.

Yup. All good advice so far.

The minimum you need to start is the lathe and accessories (chisels, drive- & tail-spur, possibly a faceplate) and something to sharpen 'em with. A bench grinder and AlOx (white) wheel is probably the cheapest starter there. Eye protection is a must; if you value your eyes, don't skimp on quality here!

Eventually, if you find that you DO enjoy turning, you'll want to invest in a chuck, some jaws, better face protection, a bandsaw, more chisels, more jaws, dust collection, even more chisels, even more chucks... the list'll go on and on. But it's not needful to start.

Don't worry about timber; at first it may seem scarce but once you learn how to look for it you'll probably have it stacked up to the eaves in what seems like no time.

Joining a good club has the advantage of not only convenient teachers, but also gives you a start in building up contacts!

For the more exotic "ready-to-turn" blanks you can buy from places like The Woodsmith (in Lusher Rd., Croydon, Vic) but that tends to be expensive.

Chat up your local tree-loppers and learn how to prep logs for natural drying. (Basically split out the heart, seal the ends, stack 'em and wait. I honestly wish it really was that simple, though.)

Be warned, finding nice timber can be addictive all by itself. I can't even get an armful of firewood without putting at least a quarter of it aside 'just to see how it'll spin up'...