Thread: 1st lathe, 1/4 ton of fun

Turn-fest at Undie's I reckon! Make it June so us southeners can thaw out a little. (Just imagine being cold!! )

Very nice

Originally Posted by Paul39

.
How big is the gap in the bed?
Paul

ummm, is that from the centre of the chuck down? (500mm)
or from the chuck across? (350mm)
haven't got the terminology down yet, let alone done any turning

Originally Posted by tea lady

Turn-fest at Undie's I reckon! Make it June so us southeners can thaw out a little. (Just imagine being cold!! )

whats a turnfest? is that some sort of strange pagan right of passage I must do before I'm shown the secret woodturners handshake?

yup,it's a balmy 25deg up here in sub tropical northern NSW,
understand you southerners have been a bit warmer

The 350mm distance was what I wanted. That lathe will swing a nice size chunk of timber.

Glossary of Wood Turning Terms:

http://www3.sympatico.ca/3jdw8/glossary.htm

This is about Lathes in general:

http://www3.sympatico.ca/3jdw8/glossary.htm

http://www.toolcenter.com/book/lathes.sht

http://athena.uwindsor.ca/users/r/rabide1/thestore.nsf/831fc2c71873e46285256d6e006c367a/d30ea45776be0fd785256f080067a2ce/$FILE/Lathe%20Diagram.gif

Center Height is measured from the center of the spindle to above the bottom of a gap, above the bed, or above the banjo.

The banjo rides on the bed and holds the tool rest. It can usually be moved in front of a bowl to that you can get the more room. More room again with the gap bed.

Swing is twice the center height and is the largest diameter of timber that can be rotated in that area.

Max. distance between centers is the longest piece of timber that will bit between the headstock center / chuck and the tailstock center.

It would be good to talk to someone who turns big pieces before doing one yourself.

If you jump in head first:

Get the timber balanced as possible.
Run at the slowest speed until the timber is fairly round.
Use the tailstock and make sure the timber is well mounted, grab the piece and pull & push hard, if it moves between the centers remount securely.
Spin the timber a few turns by hand. Stand to the side when you first turn on the motor.
Wear a face shield. 10 kg of timber in the face turning at 100 or more rpm will really hurt you.

This book is wonderful - from Amazon:
Turning Bowls with Richard Raffan [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/review/product/1561585084/"]Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Turning Bowls with Richard Raffan[/ame]


Have fun,

Paul

A better book IMHO for the beginner is "Woodturning. A foundation Course by Keith Rowley" Also available from Amazon.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Woodturning-Foundation-Course-Keith-Rowley/dp/1861081146"]Amazon.com: Woodturning: A Foundation Course (New Edition): Keith Rowley: Books[/ame]

Raffans book is good once you have the basics.

Of course the best learning is done by hands on at a club.

Originally Posted by underfoot

whats a turnfest? is that some sort of strange pagan right of passage I must do before I'm shown the secret woodturners handshake? Woodturning handshakes have either a chisel in between, or a plate with chocilate ripple cake on it.

yup,it's a balmy 25deg up here in sub tropical northern NSW,
understand you southerners have been a bit warmer

Originally Posted by

Of course the best learning is done by hands on at a club.

And having a turnfest ( ) at which comes a shows you what REAL turning is. (he will need a REALLY LONG lathe for that though. )

[quote]

Originally Posted by

A better book IMHO for the beginner is "Woodturning. A foundation Course by Keith Rowley" Also available from Amazon.

I did not know of Keith Rowley's book until today. I looked at the table of contents and index on Amazon and ordered one.

Paul

That is a great find!!
I wonder if the Vega Lathe copied their design from this man Scobie.... hmmmm

Wadkin, Vega, Scobie Proturn, Top Turn, Union Graduate and Stubbie,

Similarities in all of them.

Originally Posted by OGYT

That is a great find!!
I wonder if the Vega Lathe copied their design from this man Scobie.... hmmmm

Originally Posted by

Wadkin, Vega, Scobie Proturn, Top Turn, Union Graduate and Stubbie,

Similarities in all of them.

interesting, I couldn't find much info on manufacturing dates on these other lathes,
but the first proturn was designed and made 26 years ago