Thread: Your first ever turned piece!

I'd kill for the tailstock & dead centre from it. They're the bits that were missing from my ol' treadly. [sigh]

I have been watching this thread since it started and tried to think of what I made at school my first turning in the late 60's year 4 HS.

All I can recall is that while boring a centre hole for a lamp the drill had vered off and stuffed that job .
Teacher Mr Woods helped with a solution and gave the extra time during lunch to repair and or make another which was completed no idea what happened to it.

I know we started on simple stuff right out of the text books but can't recall what they were.

Ray

after a good nights sleep it came to me I recall a tinmans mallet and handle
It got a good work out when I was building bus and coaches till it split.

I posted my bit on this in the related 'bug' thread.

Neil

My first turned peice?... I bein the brave daringdo type of fella I am grabbed a LUMP of Plum I think it was but a LUMP... like 12 or so inches long x 10 or so inches around... and bunged it on center to center (I wasnt game to try that supadupa nova thing that was still in its box that I had NO SODDING IDEA what it was for)

Now before I go on I will for the benefit of other like minded galahs in the gallery explain a tad... Im one of those blokes that didnt get any high schooling at all left at 13 1/2 less than 3 months into first year and went to work... and wasnt allowed to do woodwork metal work or any thing else that would demand attention span above gnat level... so my first ever go on a lathe was when I finally set the new one up I bought when we moved down here as I said about 1 and a half years ago I arced it up for the first ever time... scared the absolute livin shyte outta me!!

Anyway back to the Plum... so I bunged it on... oh did I tell you that I didnt know from shyte what I was doing?... and then turned it on... cool so far its whirling around... so I undo the rest and move it in... I DID SAY I DIDNT KNOW SHYTE!!!... well as you would have surmised the damned wood BANGED AND CHUNKED INTO THE METAL of the stand and SCARED me underdaks dark brown!! I quickly reached out and flipped the switch off... walked to the house had a shower changed me dacks and headed back out with 2 cups of STRONG coffee and a new pack of ciggies in hand

Spent the next hour glaring at the blasted thing...then had a brainfizz "set the damned stand up first idiot!" and so I did... 1/2in away from the piece! Did I mention I KNOW NUTTINK about lathework?... and checking the spekkie bunch of brand spankin new never out of the box chisels Id got with the lathe I hummmed and haaaed and decided on the biggest most solid buggar in the box... I NOW KNOW this to be a good choice on my behalf... and sorta gingerly fronted up to the thing... took a massive breath... turned it on... turned the dial up... 1000... 1300... 1400 that should do I think and check it out... mmm bit of a wobble happening but he thinks to himself well that will sort itself out once I turn it to a circle right? well thats what they reckon on the forum... so I put the chisel

INTO THE WOOD!!

BANG! BANG! BANG!! HOLEYFLAMINFROGSSHYTE!!! the damned chisel had grown a mind of its own and was slammin into the metal stand with the power of all the tarzans on steroids!!... Slammed off the button and stood WAY BACK... damned scared me new ubeaut underdaks right the way to dark brown.. another shower and change 5 more cups of STRONG coffee later and Im back in there glaring at the sod

My first turning was a total utter disaster... I actually didnt think Id ever turn it on again... but then a few weeks later I got game again

So I reckon my first turned thing was a bunch of slimline pens small and safe

My first bowl was a plum bowl about 4in dia x 2in high... Im yet to have another go at something large... nerves you know? I will have another whirl shortly probably Ive got a couple of rounds of Mock Orange ready (about 10in dia x 3in thick) a bit moisty moisty but still worth havin a go at for some self confidence building eh?

But it gave me a few good lessons... and theres nothing wrong with a few nerves and fear when it comes to this instrument... wont get too complacent that way

Wild Dingo, mate
I nearly s@ht myself, reading your story, hahahahahaah
Nice one, indeed...!

Cheers
GV