Thread: Woodturning speed - duration, not RPMs

I cant turn more than one item at a time, unless there really small, most of my bowls take about 1-3 hours i think, and thats usually enough for me, and then i might come out again later. But after a break for sure

I had 3 turns in 2seconds,my bowl came off the chuck and hit the shed wall. Really put me in a spin.:eek:


But im,e DIZZY

Originally Posted by hingston

Unless you are doing it as a business, who cares how long it takes, it is the enjoyment you recive from creating a item.

The harder it is, the longer it takes, the more the satisfaction.

The workshop is an excellent place to escape from the world. (SWMBO,kids, mowing the lawns ect)

Totally agree Hingston!! I plan to earn a humble income eventually (very humble) form turning, to supplement my almost subsistence existence. Today I was turning and found myself getting sh-tty (cause things weren't going to plan!) I just walked away! No pressure. I said to myself "This is my craft, and craft should be enjoyable"!!)(Had a pressure job once, don't want to go back there!) Went and watered the garden, and came back to it in a much better state of mind!

I used to be able to turn a newel post say 1800mm 4x4 pine in 10 to 15 mins depending on the design same with bed posts. I could also turn those knobs you see on fence posts the acorn shape and others in less then 3 mins(i learnt how to turn turning knobs, ive turned 1000's), thats roughing turning and sanding. Bowls and other hobbiest stuff took me a bit longer cause i wasnt turning them all day everyday.

Depends on what you are trying to achieve. Those who triy to impress others with the time it took them to make the piece, probably have no idea what the word 'form' means, nor the ability to produce good form.

Production turners have to turn fast, cause every minute taken reduces profit margins.

Hobbyist turners turning bowls in an hour or less fall into one of two categories (in my opinion) -

1. those who wouldn't know good form if it flew off the lathe and belted them in the head,
2. those who are making their 1000th bowl that is the same as all the others and could do that same design with their eyes closed. Sooner or later their ego will lead them to probably try that too! With any luck, said object will exit lathe at high speed and knock some sense into them.

For the hobbyist turner, the aim of the game (should be) enjoying the process of turning, and striving to improve the end product.
When you repetitively produce the same product, but just get quicker, you've just become a copy lathe.

Any passion in life should be enjoyed. Take your time, enjoy the moment, improve the product. Time is not the enemy, mediocrity is.

Hear hear!

Originally Posted by TimberNut

Any passion in life should be enjoyed. Take your time, enjoy the moment, improve the product. Time is not the enemy, mediocrity is.

Being the shy, retiring type that I am, I thought I'd excel at mediocrity. Sadly, I'm only mediocre at it.

Very well said Timbernut and that should be the end of this thread!