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View Full Version : Things I Have Learnt in My First Week of Turning



Glenn M
18th February 2001, 07:53 PM
Well I have had my lathe a week now and am loving it. Here is what I have gotten out of it...

You facemask is your best friend. I wasn't going to get one at first but I was in the hardware store and saw one on the shelf and thought "what the heck". This is a good thing because I was hit in the face (mask on) later in the week by a bit or oregon I was trying to work up.

Wood hurts when it hits you. I had almost completed a red gum bowl when my chisel caught a split in the wood. My first dead bowl took a defiant swipe at me with a 1/3 of the wood coming away and hitting me in the chest.

Sharp tools is cutting tools. One of the purchases I am most thankful for is my grinding jig that I bought off Graeme at Southern Woodturning Supplies (http://www.woodturning.com.au). The red gum was coming away in nice little spiraly ribbons after a few passes on the bench grinder.

Wood makes one hellova mess. I have already filled one garbage bag full of wood shavings (anything that can be done with that?).

Wives say the nicest things. I look at my first lot of work and think it is crap, my wife see's it and goes all gushy over it like I am so clever.

Wives say the meanest things. "If you walk wood shavings in onto my carpet one more time!!!"

There is good wood and there is crap wood. I am loving turning red gum. What a waste of money buying that length of oregon was to practice on http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/frown.gif

Catches really suck. Almost finshed another tassel top for my wife and I think, "just one more pass..." and it is ruined http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/frown.gif

There is heaps of other stuff I have learnt, but I think I am just going to pop outside for a bit to finish off that piece I started earlier...

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Glenn
www.woodworkbooks.com (http://www.woodworkbooks.com)

[This message has been edited by Glenn M (edited 18 February 2001).]

John Saxton
18th February 2001, 08:46 PM
Hi Glenn,looks as tho you're havin' fun makin'plenty of shavings whilst picking up the why's and wherefores of woodturning.
One facet that overcomes most turning problems is sharpness as you have stated,keep this in mind and the lathe will do the work as it is meant to.Knowing when to put a keen edge on a tool will also help you rather than trying to force the work with the tool.
As a guy just starting out in turning try to take your time and you'll learn quicker because you won't make as many mistakes,at least mistakes that wont hurt you but will add to your knowledge base that will keep you in good stead.
If you can spend some time with an experienced turner then this will help you no end thru guidance having gone thru what you are now at.
Have fun and enjoy its a good craft to learn and the learning is endless which makes it all the challenging.
Cheers http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/smile.gif

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Johnno

Iain
19th February 2001, 09:03 AM
My expertise and experience I will pass on to you, woodshavings and sawdust are good in the garden. Lumps I use as firestarters for the BBQ or whatever.
Woodturning, haven't got a clue, I try and give up at regular intervals.
Try pens next and see if you can sell them over the internet in the USA for A$75.00 http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/wink.gif

JackoH
19th February 2001, 02:04 PM
Glenn. I concur with all of the above advice. Just like to add a couple of things: Get yourself some lessons.A few dollars will be money well spent,teach you a bit about safety also stop you developing bad techniques in your turning (also teach you that Oregon is not very good to turn!) Suggest you try your local C.A.E or T.A.F.E
centres.
At the very least read Richard Raffans'book"Turning Wood"and get the accompaning video as well,often available in the local library.
Try practisig on ordinary pine, go to a local buildig site, they will normally be happy for you to pick up offcuts which you can trim to size and practice with, much more satisfying than Oregon, and initially, Red Gum.
Last but not least I use all my shavings as mulch on the garden, however because wood shavings, sawdust etc. uses up the soil nitrogen you must add well rotted fowl manure (if you can find a well rotted fowl!(joke) or failing that a proprietry source of nitrgenous fertilizer such as Dynamic Lifter.
Good Luck with the turning.
John H.

Glenn M
19th February 2001, 02:50 PM
Thanks for your replies everyone http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/smile.gif

John S,

As a guy just starting out in turning try to take your time and you'll learn quicker

That's what I am trying to do now, I have been practicing technique over and over and have really got the hang of the little skew chisel, I can rough down a length of pine now in no time flat (whereas when I started it was catch city).

Iain,

Try pens next and see if you can sell them over the internet in the USA for A$75.00

Not gonna live that one down is he. LMAO!

doorstop,

only ONE bag of shavings ???

Well I suppose if I swept up the workshop properly... http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/smile.gif

John H,

Get yourself some lessons

I will be doing a course in the future sometime, no doubt, I am just a wee bit tapped for funds now as I am sure you can understand. I have been repeatedly devouring Richard Raffans Turning Wood and Keith Rowleys Fundemental of Woodturning and they have been great. I also have my collection of woodturning magazines I have bought over the years which I have been thumbing to death.



Try practisig on ordinary pine, go to a local buildig site, they will normally be happy for you to pick up offcuts which you can trim to size and practice with, much more satisfying than Oregon, and initially, Red Gum.

I bought a swag of 50x50mm pine from the hardware store last week which is just about depleted. I would rough it down, practice technique then rough it down again and repeat. I am actually loving the red gum and have turned a couple of small bowls out of it already which I am really happy with (my wife is just about ecstatic) as a first effort.

On the subject of woodchips. Is it at all feasible to soak them en masse in water for a couple of weeks and then use one of those brick makers you see in the Innovations catalogues (you normally use newspaper that has been soaked in water) to squeeze them down into fire blocks..?


Thanks for all the support guys!



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Glenn
www.woodworkbooks.com (http://www.woodworkbooks.com)

Chris Longworth
19th February 2001, 10:39 PM
Well done Glenn.
With regard to the purchasing of pine to practice with, try any building site near by. Most builders are only to happy to get rid of off cuts. I get them all the time for a friend of mine who teaches wood turning & he uses it for his new puples to practice on.
Just a thought.
Chris.

Glenn M
20th February 2001, 08:35 AM
I tell ya guys, I seem to be doing more injury to myself with the lathe not running.

On the weekend I was feeling the back of a bowl I had just roughed out to see how smooth it was. Satisfied, I let my right hand drop to my side, unfortunately my left hand was holding my bowl gouge and my middle finger caught the tip of the gouge as my arm was swinging down and took a nice slice out of it... the tools have the taste of blood now!

And last night I was trying to get the teknatool chuck off the headstock and it was taking a little effort, naturally it came loose all of a sudden and my right forearm smashed down onto the tool rest, I reckon I damn near broke my arm *ouch*

But am I still loving it? YOU BET!!!

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Glenn
www.woodworkbooks.com (http://www.woodworkbooks.com)

ken yates
20th February 2001, 02:17 PM
sounds alot like beginners luck.
its worked that way for me too.
http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/eek.gif

Mal
20th February 2001, 10:48 PM
Lucky that you havn't got Japanese tools. Onec drawn, you're not allowed to put the away until they've tasted blood.....or is that swords?

Harry
20th February 2001, 11:14 PM
I reckon you would still have a go at your lathe if you were in a full body cast.

Give it heaps Glenn but please be careful and keep writing your stories a classic.

Jeff
12th March 2001, 04:04 AM
Another use of the shavings is to dump them into a cardboard egg carton and pour wax over them. Then tear apart the individual sections and use them for firestarters. This will not really use up much of your shavings but it will make starting your stove easier.

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"Turning wood into treasures"

Krunchynuts
1st September 2006, 04:20 PM
or buy mice. I'm a noob at turning and had to laugh when I bought some pet mice for my son and the shopowner asks if I wanted to buy bags of shavings.

Salty
1st September 2006, 05:41 PM
LAZARUS LIVES!:D

Have a look at the dates Krunchy:confused:

Caveman
1st September 2006, 05:48 PM
Wood makes one hellova mess. I have already filled one garbage bag full of wood shavings (anything that can be done with that?).


Hi Glenn - Glad you are enjoying the new addiction.
I turn my shavings into compost for the veggie patch and garden.
This topic was covered in some detail before - check here: http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=26779
and here: http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=30983
or do a search and you should be able to dig up more info...

Caveman
1st September 2006, 05:56 PM
Hey Salty - your post came in as I was replying didn't see yours till I submitted mine - just worked it out - is that a record resurrection???

chrisb691
1st September 2006, 07:31 PM
Lucky that you havn't got Japanese tools. Onec drawn, you're not allowed to put the away until they've tasted blood.....or is that swords?

I think your thinking of the Ghurka Khukri. :)

Toasty
2nd September 2006, 10:23 AM
Holy damn that is an old thread that I started! Yup, I was the original Glenn M but then I didn't visit the board for a while and I couldn't remember my exact username or password.

I was wondering recently when it was that I started turning and this thread has pinpointed it, thanks Krunchynuts!!

Memoriiiiiiiiiies... :p