Woodturning speed - duration, not RPMs

[arose62]

Just curious, as it doesn't seem to be mentioned much - how fast do folks produce pieces?

I've never really timed myself, as I'm still learning, and do it for enjoyment not profit.

I noticed last night that I went from a half tree limb, sawed a bit off the end with my bowsaw, sliced the bark off with a tomahawk, and mostly-finished shaping a bowl (about 6 inches diameter by 3 inches high) in about 40 minutes.

This was green wood - the tree only came down a couple of days earlier.

Now I'm sure this won't get me a job offer as a production turner with ;) but does anyone have durations for their turned works?

The only other info I've found has been posts where folks have turned a few bowls in a weekend.

Cheers,
Andrew

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Well... apen only takes a couple of minutes to turn. A lot of time in prep work, but only a few minutes of fun. [sigh]

I timed myself making goblets, from log to table takes between an hour and ninety minutes for my "everyday fiddles." Good quality goblets, for sales or competition, always take at least twice as long. Funny, that. :D

On the other hand, bowls seem to take me forever! :rolleyes: Probably 'cos I turn so many goblets and so few bowls... with bowls I have to keep stopping and taking stock of "where I'm up to." Sad, but true.

[ozwinner]

5 years and counting.
I have things on the "go" that I started 5 years ago, I havent given up on them, yet.

Al :)

[Jim Carroll]

Andrew you should not worry too much on how long it takes to turn a bowl or anything else.

1/ Learn to turn.

2/ Learn to turn good

3/ Learn to turn fast.

Do not do it any other order as some try to go from learn to turn to turn fast and finish up with a mediocre product.

Speed will come with confidence and ability.

[hughie]

1/ Learn to turn.

2/ Learn to turn good

3/ Learn to turn fast.


and that sir, is damn fine advice.

Also try and find the time to develop your eye for fine curves. Shape or form, edge treatment and finish will make even crapiata outstanding.

[psycopathx]

1/ Learn to turn.

2/ Learn to turn good

3/ Learn to turn fast.

good advice jim.

I always figure that the longer I spend on something the nicer it *should* turn out. not sure I'm not fooling myself on that one, but so far it seems to be true.

:D

[La truciolara]

It depends of the circumstances.
In a race Jean François escoulen finished a perfect egg in 28 seconds with an oval skew chisel...
Stuart Mortimer used 4 months to produce a twisted vase...
Both are real experts!

[rsser]

Turning can be done fast if you discount all the lessons and practice it takes to get there ;-}

A medium bowl used to take me a day; now it's half that if I stick to a plan. But I'm happy to play around with it at odd times over a week just to see ....

[rowie]

I've been turning for 17 years now. Some of the copy turnings I do I have down to 5-6 mins each. If I am making a really nice peice it can take 5-6 hours!

[OGYT]

I've been turning since March, 2004. It takes me about two days to finish turn a piece from cured wood. At least most of th' time. Like I said, I'm slow. :rolleyes:
If it's green RedOak, I turn it to finish in one sitting (actually, standing) and that's usually all day. First I shape the outside, then, while working on the inner, I keep spraying the outside with soapy h2o to keep it from splitting, and that slows me down... When I get to the bottom, I try to sling the water out of it, by turnin' up the RPM. By the time I finish turning the bottom, and sanding it, it's usually dry enough, so I apply the finish to the outside, and let 'er warp. :eek:
Soap soaked roughout bowls takes me a couple of days to dry and finish. I usually just finish the outside of these, too. Then I add the inside finish later, and buff. ('cept for hollowforms... these are a different subject) :D
Did I mention that I'm slow?

[tashammer]

I've been turning since March, 2004. It takes me about two days to finish turn a piece from cured wood. At least most of th' time. Like I said, I'm slow. :rolleyes:
If it's green RedOak, I turn it to finish in one sitting (actually, standing) and that's usually all day. First I shape the outside, then, while working on the inner, I keep spraying the outside with soapy h2o to keep it from splitting, and that slows me down... When I get to the bottom, I try to sling the water out of it, by turnin' up the RPM. By the time I finish turning the bottom, and sanding it, it's usually dry enough, so I apply the finish to the outside, and let 'er warp. :eek:
Soap soaked roughout bowls takes me a couple of days to dry and finish. I usually just finish the outside of these, too. Then I add the inside finish later, and buff. ('cept for hollowforms... these are a different subject) :D
Did I mention that I'm slow?

Try holding a little water bag with a fine spray under your arm and a flashlight between your teeth. If you are really good you will be able to think of a way of using one of your feet also. Thank you for your enquiry. Have a nice day.

[ptc]

Ern.
How long does it take to turn a Goblet ??
Only taking the Mickey.

[Auzzie turner]

A 30x10cm(12"x4" bowl from start to finish, takes me 45 mins. Likewize, I have only turned 50 or so pens, they take me around 20 mins each!!

Bowls, I have turned around 1000.
Vases 30
Platters 35
Pens 50
Misc 200-300.

You should know what you are doing before you start trying to turn fast. As always, safety is an issue,

enough enough,

Joash:)

[TTIT]

A 30x10cm(12"x4" bowl from start to finish, takes me 45 mins. Likewize, I have only turned 50 or so pens, they take me around 20 mins each!!

Bowls, I have turned around 1000.
Vases 30
Platters 35
Pens 50
Misc 200-300.

You should know what you are doing before you start trying to turn fast. As always, safety is an issue,

enough enough,

Joash:)
So that's roughly a completed item everyday since you were 10 ! Busy boy!

[Auzzie turner]

I turn an average of 2 and a half items a day.

[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)

[wheelie]

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

[Dick11au]

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

[cedar n silky]

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!:D

[Mr Unknown]

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.

[TimberNut]

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.

[rsser]

Hear hear!

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

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. :(

[TTIT]

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