G'day: Noob turner from New Zealand

**DXW** · 15th December 2021, 08:11 PM

Hi, I’m Dougal. I grew up in remote rural Victoria, covered much of the country in my work, and then moved to New Zealand 20+ years ago. I grew up ‘playing’ on an antique ornamental lathe in the shed at home, inherited it when my dad died, assembled it last year during COVID lockdown #1, and have been trying to learn a few basic woodturning skills since then.

I have an awful lot to learn, am currently doing battle with (and losing to) a very old piece of jarrah, but I’m hugely enjoying the journey so far.

This forum looked like a great resource for tapping into a huge collective knowledge and experience. So here I am noob hobbyist turner, keen to learn and improve. Greetings, and thanks in advance.

**crowie** · 15th December 2021, 09:37 PM

G'Day & Welcome to the Great Southern Land and to a top forum "Dougal".
There are good few members from The Land of the Long White Cloud and the rest of the world as all are welcomed here.....
You'll find a heap of helpful & knowledgeable blokes & ladies on the forum and for most very willing to assist.
Make sure you show off your handiwork as everyone loves a photo, especially WIP [Work In Progress] photos with build notes.
Enjoy the forum.
Enjoy your woodwork..
Cheers from On Top DownUnder, The big island on the western side of the ditch, crowie

**Flintlock** · 16th December 2021, 06:27 AM

Welcome to the forum. Nice to see another Kiwi here. Would be keen to see some pics of the lathe.

**verawood** · 16th December 2021, 08:41 AM

Welcome Dougal.

**DXW** · 16th December 2021, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by Flintlock

Welcome to the forum. Nice to see another Kiwi here. Would be keen to see some pics of the lathe.

Thanks.

Happy to ... once I come to terms with image handling on the site. Trying to post a 'what wood is this?' enquiry with pictures, but am not getting a lot of love from the forum engine (yet).

That lathe is late 19th - early 20th century and is treadle driven. It's a 5' bed. It has quite a lovely headstock assembly of a sliding spindle design with a chase thread-cutting assembly comprising 7-point stars and a changeable central barrel. There's also a finely indexed brass plate afixed to the spindle drive cone, with a spring steel indexing arm. There's also a beautiful - heavy brass and steel - off-centre chuck assembly.
If you're into old tools you'll find it a thing of beauty. If your a beginner wood turner (me) you will find it a cantankerous education device

)

I might try and post some images here, to respond to you and to familiarise myself with the forum system.

Also, are you a wood-guru? Like someone I can ask about my rather unusual unidentified wood?

**DXW** · 16th December 2021, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Flintlock

Would be keen to see some pics of the lathe.

I'll try a few replies with an image each. Maybe that will work.
Here's an early shot in the reassembly process - March 2020. It shows the base: legs; treadle assembly; and bed, and the tailstock.
More to follow I hope.

DSC_0574.jpg

**DXW** · 16th December 2021, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by Flintlock

Would be keen to see some pics of the lathe

This is a composite image page of the headstock. I have so much associated stuff it's a mini-museum, so I won't spam with heaps more images.
I will try one more, of the off-centre assembly, and be done with it.

Headstock A3 v2.jpg

**DXW** · 16th December 2021, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by Flintlock

Would be keen to see some pics of the lathe.

Awright, third and final image effort. The eccentric chuck assembly.

Eccentric Chuck v2.jpg

**DXW** · 17th December 2021, 04:20 PM