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Muriel
21st May 2007, 08:57 AM
Hello,

first, I want to say thank you for this great forum and all those nice people at this place. I was lurking around here for quite some time and I decided to join today. :)

I'm absolutely new to woodturing - well, I bought a lathe two weeks ago and I'm waiting for it to arrive. It's a second hand one but it is in excellent condition. Almost like a new one. I'm really happy and can't wait to use it. I'm very excited and at the same time I'm a little bit "scared" because this type of woodwork is something really foreign for me. Well, maybe this is typical for absoute beginners. :-

I already have a little equipment (the bandsaw, some really great wood and several books - including Mike Darrow - are gifts from my wonderful husband :2tsup:) and chisels...

Unfortunately I'm unable to join a class (those are too far away, even for such a tiny country like Germany) so I have to learn from books and by finding out by myself. But we have LOTS of firewood I can use for learning... :D

I'm in love with segmented bowls and vases and I hope that I'll be able to do something like that myself, at some time...

All you guys are making such beautiful pieces - what do I say, that's artwork that takes my breath away.
I'm amazed.
Please, wish me good luck for the great time that will begin so soon for myself... as a fan of woodturning.

Happy greetings to all of you
Muriel

TTIT
21st May 2007, 10:35 AM
A most sincere welcome to the forum Muriel. Don't let turning frighten you - you'll have a few dig-ins that will change the colour of your day (and pants!!):o but practice will reduce the frequency and severity of them. Your avatar hints at a photography background also - artistic flair will help in your turning. Good luck with it and look forward to seeing some results! :U

ptc
21st May 2007, 11:08 AM
Welcome to the mad house

OGYT
21st May 2007, 01:07 PM
Wilcommen, Muriel. This place is awesome! Don't be afraid to post piccies, and questions. (that's how you feed the addiction)
Spent 5 years in Germany, near Nuernberg. Beautiful, clean, country.

ticklingmedusa
21st May 2007, 01:48 PM
Wilcommen,
this is one of the best woodturning sites on the planet.
Its okay to be a bit wary at first. Learn to work safely.
And enjoy the lessons that the wood teaches.

tm

HappyHammer
21st May 2007, 02:00 PM
Welcome Muriel,

Being in Germany I'd guess you have access to some nice machinery, you should let us know what kind of Bandsaw and Lathe you have...

I hope you enjoy the forums even more now that you have come out of the shadows.:2tsup:

HH.

Gil Jones
21st May 2007, 02:50 PM
Hi Muriel,
Welcome!! Fine people live here.
Enjoy your self, and learn well.
Teaching yourself to turn is not so bad, nor difficult; it just takes a bit longer.
Be careful, and protect your eyes and lungs.

rsser
21st May 2007, 05:11 PM
Guten tag! And welcome.

Don't be afraid to try anything - lightly and slowly at first ;-}

You may find an experienced amateur or a professional in your neighbourhood. A few lessons will add a 'kompressor' to your turning ability.

And Gil's advice on safety and dust control is very important. So your husband loves you .... excellent, and he wants to spend the rest of his long life with you, so time to have another conversation with him about how long it's to be. There could be two answers, both useful to know.

Caveman
21st May 2007, 05:54 PM
Hi Muriel - welcome.

Good to see the addition of new members from further afield adding to the list.

I also learnt to turn without any lessons (or even the internet), just a couple of books.
It obviously takes a lot longer than if one had a tutor, but not impossible.
As you've found out, this is a great site of shared knowledge.

Enjoy the ride!

BernieP
21st May 2007, 07:30 PM
G'Day Muriel

Welcome aboard, this is where I have learned woodturning,and its impossible to find more knowledge elsewhere.

Cheers
Bernie

Muriel
22nd May 2007, 07:52 AM
Hello and thank you for this really nice welcome,

@ TTIT
well, as soon as I'm standing in front of my lathe - chisel in hand and the first piece of wood ready to use... I think I will be nervous... my heart almost jumping through my throat .. sweaty palms and wobbly knees... *lol*
But I'll begin careful and slowly, watching closely how wood and chisel are "reacting" with each other. And I will be trying and trying... until I'm able to use those tools with more confidence.
Thanks for your advices! I'll keep them in mind, that's for sure. :)

@ Ogyt
When my lathe arrives, I'll make some pics and show them here. And the same goes for the first successful piece of wood transformed into something else than sawdust :D
I know Nuernberg from location but I've never been there, sadly. Many people say that it's a beautiful place to live. I'm living in Magdeburg, close to Berlin (well, if 150 km distance could be called "close")
Have you learned some german language whilst you've been in Nuernberg? Your "Willkommen" gives a nice hint.

@ticklingmedusa
Thank you! Yeah, I really love this place! One can get so much information, helpful advices and answers to everything! Even whilst reading through all those threads in the "woodturing general" section gives me much to think about, to memorize and to learn from. And I know that I will learn even more the moment I begin to turn myself.
At being wary... I like to stay on the safer side... with everything I do. I've seen some very nasty pics about accidents that could happen whilst turning. I already have a face-shield to protect my face (I think this helps at least some). I'm not keen to split lips or eyebrows... or even worse. :D
And I do have duskmasks to cover nose and mouth. Used them for airbrushing and I thought that they would come in handy for turning, too.

@happy hammer
There are some really nice machines (lathes and bandsaws) around here. But many of them are so expensive - 1400 Dollars and much, much more. I got one that is sold for 900 Dollars when new. I bought this one at eBay for ... umm... maybe 120 $. I was REALLY lucky, I guess.
The lathe is a "Elektra Beckum HDM 1000". It's very heavy, almost 100 kg and it's at least 5 feet 2 inches long - like myself. So I can turn reeeaaally long pieces - like table legs. If I want to. You have to fix this one onto a table ... a very heavy table, I think. But we're going to build one.

Woodturning isn't very popular in my country at this century. It was in the past, but it seems.. not anymore, sadly. Most people who turn are living close to the border of Italy, Switzerland and Austria. This is bad if you want to take classes - because there's no one around within 300 - 400 miles range. But it is great if you want to buy a lathe - because so "high into the north" you don't have that much rivals whilst bidding. AND the seller agreed (for 50 $ extra) to use a delivery service-truck for the lathe- bringing it to me... instead of forcing us to drive through the whole country from north to south to pick this one up personally. :D

The Bandsaw ... o my... I have to ask my husband. And I think it's much better to show pics of it.


@ Gil, rsser and Caveman...
I don't mind if this takes some longer for me to learn. :)
That I will be able to do some woodturning myself - within a hopefully short period of time - makes me happy ... even now.
I do have a motto:
I'm eager to learn and if I do something I'm doing it right... or I'm trying as long as it takes to do it right. *laughes* I'm already watching online-videos about turning. This isn't as good as having classes, I know. But one can see how to move those tools and it gives a really nice and valuable hint for me... to be relaxed whilst turning and not to stiffen like a doll...
Thanks for the hint about eye and lung protection. I won't be careless.

@ all
This forum is REALLY great and I'm very happy that there are so many nice people around here. In fact, I've never seen someone who isn't friendly and helpful! This makes this forum a real precious gem in WWW!
And I'm looking forward to the time when I don't need so much advices (for myself) anymore and will be able to give some help to others.

happy greetings
Muriel

rsser
22nd May 2007, 09:14 AM
Hi Muriel,
Some free web instructions on turning here: http://www.turningtools.co.uk/

OGYT
22nd May 2007, 10:02 AM
Have you learned some german language whilst you've been in Nuernberg? Your "Willkommen" gives a nice hint.
Ya. But I've forgotten most of it. I left there in 1978. I was an air traffic controller in the vicinity of the Czech border, in what is called an ADIZ (air defense identification zone), so it was required that I be fluent in Deutsch.
Magdeburg, Deutschland: Are the stories true about the Bridge across the Elbe being the largest in Europe?

robynmau
22nd May 2007, 11:47 AM
Welcome Muriel, woodturning is very addictive, you'll be tempted to just keep turning and turning .... my recommendation is to go with it :2tsup:

I found a the following site to help beginning turners, I thought you might find it useful :B


The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Course In Wood Turning
by Archie S. Milton and Otto K. Wohlers
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/15460/15460-h/15460-h.htm

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Hardenfast
22nd May 2007, 12:27 PM
G'day Muriel - welcome to the land of OZ - sort of.

I too am very new to all of this and am also aspiring to segmented pieces. Have a look at some of the posts by one of our friends from Texas - Bill Wyko.
Bill assures he has only been turning for a few months, but he already turning out some fantastic segmented pieces. For some of these projects he has provide WIP (work in process) picture series here, and also advice as to the materials and suppliers that he uses.
You'll also get great ideas and advice from woodworkers all around the world for any project, some of whom are almost as good as the Aussies!

By the way, are you anywhere near the Black Forest area? Been there - beautiful! Great tradition of woodworkers & carvers around that area. And you are right to be cautious! Starting that machine for the first time and and watching that piece of timber spin at obscene speed is indeed somewhat daunting.

hughie
22nd May 2007, 11:39 PM
Muriel,

Just add my two pfennings worth.

Welcome aboard! Its addictive, its creative and its fun and thats just the forum, turning in a bonus....:U

Also whats good about the forum is that there are no dumb questions, just a bunch of good hearted folk on the same journey. Some a little further down the road than the rest of us.

joe greiner
23rd May 2007, 12:20 AM
Welcome aboard, Muriel. If you're not yet familiar with Malcolm Tibbetts' work, do a Google and prepare to be amazed. He posts on a few forums as "tahoeturner" and is most supportive of other folks' segmented efforts. Also, have a look at Bill Wyko's work right here on WWF.

Al, according to a Google hit, the Elbe river bridge is the largest aqueduct bridge in Europe, i.e. it carries a canal across the river. AFAIK, the recently built Millau viaduct is the current champion of all bridge types.

Joe

Mobil Man
23rd May 2007, 01:44 AM
Hardfast I agree 100% on what you said about Bill Wyko, amazing work/man. Especially for just starting. Notice---he's been kinda quiet here on the forum lately. Must be working on another fantastic project. Except he's from Tucson Arizona. I'm 125 miles away & would sure like to go to his place someday. Don't wanna give those Texans that much credit.

Muriel
23rd May 2007, 08:11 AM
Hello,

@ Ern & robynmau

many thanks for the link. That's great. :2tsup:

One can't get too much to read. And I'm really "absorbing" everything I can find about turning... :D

@Hardenfast
Bill Wyko... *smiles* his stuff is amazing! And even more so because he's been turning since December if I remember correctly. A natural talent if one can say so... In fact, his work was the first thing I saw at this place and it intrigued me enough to have a MUCH closer look around here.
I'm very curious about his recent WIP and hope that he will post at some time again.
I'm sure that it'll be great stuff again.
*smiles* About great ideas and advices... that's really true. I am very inspired and full of energy - even right now and I think that my fantasy and ideas will grow slowly in time - when I'm able to turn timber really nice and feel confident with my chisels.. the first "real" thing I will do is a gift-set for my husband. A letter opener and a matching pen... Made from Eastern Red Cedar (this smells so nice... and the color... like strawberries and vanilla... wonderful :) )
The Black Forest? No, sadly not. I live many miles further to the north. The Harz Mountains are nearby. Those are not so beautiful like the Black Forest, but very peaceful. If you love nature, forests and miniature-white-waters... than that's the right place for vacancies. You can walk for miles without meeting other people.

@hughie
thanks for the welcome. :)
About the forum and "no dumb questions"... that is a main reason that made me join. I've been to other places / forums and after a while I decided to stay off-board and to leave them be. Because I don't like people who are "better than others". And I always thought "if this so-called smart people don't want others around they should have a private party" - instead of an open forum.

.. I was a bit nervous whilst doing my first post. But I am really relaxed at the moment. A bit childishly happy, maybe... but I feel accepted at this place and that makes me feel really good!

@ joe
No, I'm not familiar with Malcom Tibbets. At least the name doesn't ring a bell. I'm really curious, now.
About segmented turning... there are two different ways to create those turnings... open and closed... with different techniques. And what about the difficulty? Both styles must be done very precise, I think. Is open segmented work harder to learn? Or is it just a "fragile and with gaps will break easier" thinking? I want to try both ways in the future.

cu
Muriel

Simomatra
23rd May 2007, 09:34 AM
Welcome Muriel

I hope you enjoy the forum as much as I do. I am also only a learner spend most of my time though turning pens and getting lressons in the real turning

Enjoy