Beginner

**Manuka Jock** · 15th April 2010, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by Grumpy John

When I first joined Peninsula Woodturners I had never used a wood lathe. The first exercises they had me doing was roughing out 50mm square blanks about 250 long (crappy resawn pallet material). Then they had me doing beads and coves. This went on for my first two sessions, then they let me make something......... an egg

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Attachment 134769

I was a little bit annoyed that all I was allowed to make after ~5 hours was an egg, but the point of the exercise was tool control, and yes, they had me using a skew in that first 5 hours

.
If your friend has never turned before I think a rolling pin would be a good exercise.

Woodcarvers tell me that if you can put a block of wood into the vice , and take a wooden egg out , you are well on the way to being a skilled carver .
I've not tried it myself , either in the vice , or on the lathe .
Maybe one day eh

**RETIRED** · 15th April 2010, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by mick61

G`day hope it goes well.
Dont forget the safety gear.
Skew first lesson, its just another tool to master,if you use a spindle gouge incorrectly you get in just as much trouble.( no master of skew) is the best I have seen with skew.
Mick

P.S I am helping someone at the moment she has used Roughing gouge Skew and Spindle gouge. By the end of two hours she was showing some control of chisels maybe a small bowl would be an option today.

**rsser** · 15th April 2010, 07:25 PM

And can teach it too.

**Sawdust Maker** · 15th April 2010, 10:22 PM

the keyring idea isn't too bad
have a couple ready glued up - you could even get to finishing stage with a roughing gouge - or a skew

but I wonder if a lot of people have a bowl in mind when they think turning

**RETIRED** · 15th April 2010, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by Sawdust Maker

the keyring idea isn't too bad
have a couple ready glued up - you could even get to finishing stage with a roughing gouge - or a skew

but I wonder if a lot of people have a bowl in mind when they think turning

Unfortunately, yes.

**GoGuppy** · 15th April 2010, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by Manuka Jock

A spurtle is a relatively easy starting piece for spindle turning . It's also a very useful kitchen utensil .

Yep, especially with winter coming on...mmm..good for making your morning porridge (with honey)

Cheers

**Reece** · 16th April 2010, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by Sawdust Maker

the keyring idea isn't too bad
have a couple ready glued up - you could even get to finishing stage with a roughing gouge - or a skew

but I wonder if a lot of people have a bowl in mind when they think turning

that's what i had in mind when i started. it didn't take long for me to go back to basic spindle turning though

**Broda** · 17th April 2010, 01:58 PM

what about a garden dibble?
Turning A "Dibble" - NewWoodworker.com LLC

**Lyle** · 19th April 2010, 11:19 AM

THANKS ALL FOR YOUR GREAT SUGGESTIONS.
We had a fun time. The lady and her husband tried out my lathe for a few hours. After explaining the lathe and its features and the safety aspects, kitted them up with faceshields etc, we got going.
I gave them some pine to spindle turn and they tried out all of my turning chisels. I explained the tool first then showed them how it worked by positioning the tool on the rest and against the wood with the lathe off to show them the cutting angles. Then with the lathe on to show them the tool motion through the cut.
Then gave them each a turn.
They had a great time. Eventually we ended up with a simple key-ring turned out of Conkerberry, finished with wipe on poly. Didn't have time to do any faceplate work or bowl turning, maybe next time.

Overall a good arvo's fun.

I believe we now have a couple of converts to turning.

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