Thread: New to wood turning

Hi Robert, welcome to the forum mate - it is a great place to chill out and learn plenty about woodworking from so many experience people.

I've just started woodturning myself and I find it very rewarding as I'm sure you will too. The best place I've found for information is on the web and through a couple of books from the library. There are plenty of videos around too on the web on various elements of turning which are great as it's like having a lesson right there in your own house (well almost!). I think some classes would be great, but haven't done any myself, just haven't had the time. I sort of just jumped straight into it. Did an initial little bit of reading just about some general principals of the lathe (and safety of course) then slapped on a square piece of spindle stock and went for it.

I've got no doubt that you'll pick it up just by playing around and trying things out for yourself. What I can recommend though, is spend some time at the beginning in working out how to sharpen your tools quickly and easily. It can easily get you down at the start if you are playing with these brand new tools and they aren't cutting properly - inevitably you think it is the operator instead of the tools.

In terms of gear, I picked up a cheap second hand lathe out of the paper one day. Didn't cost very much, but will get me going and will allow me to hone my skills. I also purchased an entry level set of tools similar to this set from Carbatec. They are ample enough to get a beginner going. I also purchased a white wheel for my bench grinder to allow me to sharpen my tools and just made some jigs to help me do so out of scrap. Basically the only other cost was a face shield I think, but even safety glasses will do. Woodturning costs can build very quickly and can seem to get out of control, but at the beginning I think it is manageable to at least give you then opportunity to try the hobby out.

For the blank preparation; I don't think a lot of hobbists would kiln dry their own blanks - someone else will shed some light on this I'm sure. The easiest way for me to prepare green blanks is to cut them down to size with a little electric chainsaw, mount on the lathe, rough turn the item, then let it dry and remount and finish turning it. There are many ways to do things though and their are plenty of threads on this forum about all facets of the process, that is, how to cut up the log, how to yield the optimal number of blanks from the log, how to prepare it to mount to the lathe etc. Do a couple of searches and you'll come up with plenty. The best thing about using raw green wood in log form is that it's cheap - in most cases free. get it from neighbours, friends, your own yard, the dump, tree loppers - people are always chopping down trees and heaps of it is suitable for turning, just keep your eyes peeled

Anyway, mate i'm sure you will never look back if you pick up a cheap lathe and teach yourself to turn. It's mad fun that's for sure

Cheers,

Will

Gooday Robert
As you can see from my details I also live here in Tassie and like you I'm fairly new to turning I have found the second best place to gather information is the Tasmanian State Library the first being the forum you are on as long as you ask the questions someone will probably give you an answer.

As for drying logs I have turned green bowls and then put them in the microwave to dry the more quickly but always expect some distortion with microwave drying.

anyway Robert I hope you enjoy your new hobby.

Cheers Terry

Will, I don't agree with the advice given to you about a cheap starter set of tools.
Most cheap sets have tools that are not the correct shape. You will find learning using these tools frustrating. Buy good quality tools a couple at a time, you only need about five chisels to get started. Buy dry wood, you have access to some of the best timbers where you live.

Welcome Robert,
You will wonder why you did not start earlier. If it is possible for you, buy a reasonable Lathe, say up to $2000, hoping that is possible,. Buy a cheap one & after you have out grown it, you will find you can't sell it.
There are tools & tools. Buy, say unhandled P&N, Australian made, or John McJing's Chinese HSS Turning Tools. I have 5 pieces like those, & cannot fault this Chinese steel. HSS = High Speed Steel.
I'm a Richard Raffan fan, but a Keith Rowley book is I'm told the way to go. Library, second hand book shop, You may even find someone on The Forums may lend you some or give them to you.
You will need a Grinder, seems 8in. is popular, but I have always used 6in.-150mm. with 2 white allum. oxide wheels, say 60 or 80 grit as well as a 120grit.
Use only incandesent lighting, no flourescent, well not to turn with anyway.
Rough Turn a piece of wood, weigh it, & microwave it on high,1 minute for every 100 grams. You will need to write on the wood as you go. This works very well.
That should keep you going for awhile.
Regards,
issatree.

Good to see you on the forum Robert. It's has been a grest source of information (and entertainment). I am fairly new to turning and have benefited from membership of a woodworking club. There may be a club in Hobart that you could join, where information on tools needed, and where to obtain timber as well as hands on assistance could prove invaluable.
Best wishes,
Crow

Welcome to the Forum Robert --Happy Turning.
Cheers Tony.

Again, don't go down the path of cheap tools. Go for a 25mm roughing gouge, 12mm detail gouge and a 25mm skew chisel. This is by no means a complete kit but will get you started on spindles. For face plate work you will need a 12mm bowl gouge and a 25mm round nose scraper. Again this is not by any means a complete set, only a starter. Go for high speed steel tools, preferably without handles and make your own handles. There is a wip for making handles on the board.
Jim

Thanks heaps for the replies.

The Lathe I am looking at buying is $460. I know it isnt much but it will get me started and if I do get drawn in like I am hoping I can justify $2000 then...cant really justify it on an unknown hobby just yet.

As for tools I was told by the sales person (who actually made a short plank look like a computer) that it would cost me $160 for a set of 6...I am guessing this is considered a cheap set but really dont have a clue. I dont know what is in set. I am actually writing down all the relevant info you guys are telling me so I actually sound like I know what I am talking about when I do buy it all.

I am looking on ebay and amazon.com for books by Raffan and Rowley...there are so many I dont know which one to start with

As Issatree said, you will need a grinder.

It's a must; you most definitely will not enjoy turning if you can't sharpen your chisels. And they blunten so, so quickly...

A 6" bench-grinder will do if you already have one, just buy an Aluminium Oxide (White) wheel for it. If you don't already have one, you're better off buying an 8" grinder. If budget doesn't allow and you've no choice but to go for a 6" job, make sure you get one which'll take 1" wide wheels.

(Learning to sharpen turning tools is hard enough as it is without making it unnecessarily difficult for yourself.)

Yeah a grinder is definetly on the cards...it wasnt until I started reading these forums...but I will definetly be getting an 8" grinder when I get everything

Hi Cubjo,

It si good to see the wealth of advice you are getting - I have found the WWF very useful in my recent start to woodturning. It was all a bit overwhelming getting all of the stuff together, but I had a head start as I have hoarded timber and have lots of joinery tools, but I still found it challenging.

I looked around for good second hand lathes for years in Adelaide and could have picked up a good vintage Woodfast, but I got depressed at offerings of lathes that had not been used for 10 years and had quietly rusted in an old shed and were being sold off by widows who had the original receipts and wanted $1500 for a lathe that was past it. I ended up getting a new Teknatool 1624-44 with a Supernova chuck and am quite happy with the lathe.

Getting together chisels seemed a challenge but after a couple of auctions and a 40% off sale and a few buys at the TWWW shows, I now have 27 assorted woodturnig chisels! I am now buying some P&N chisels unhandled and am making my own handles in Jarrah, and have also replaced the silly little handles on some of my chisels with more blokey handles.

I do a lot of my own timber prepration so have a 350 mm Woodfast bandsaw - again bandsaws regularly come up at auctions, etc. Storage space for timber can be a problem, but I have 3 sheds on a rural property so I can store it all under cover, with the prepared blanks in a fully insulated part of my workshop.

Then there is getting the time to use it all - even in semi-retirement I seem to have far too little time to do turning, and then SWMBO keeps asking where am I going to put all these turnings? A lot of friends, relatives, etc have got bowls, etc as presents!

All the best with your startup

Cheers,

Geoff from 7Hill

G'day Cubjo and welcome to the vortex.

Another believer in good quality tools here. Cheap usually means poor steel and often poor shape. Steer clear. You may find good 2nd hand tools somewhere in the pages of the papers. Look for brands such as Henry Taylor, Hamlet, P&N, Robert Sorby and Crown.

Hey all

I just went and had a look at some lathes. This one is in my price range atm

http://www.carbatec.com.au/woodturni...omy-mini-lathe

Any feedback on this item or criticism would be appreciated. Bear in mind I have never done this before and am only after something basic to get me started and then I will get a better unit after a while.

The tools they had were chinese stuff....roughly $30 a tool. They also had some P&N with handles for around $90 per tool. Based on what I have been told so far I will get the P&N 25mm roughing gouge, 12mm Detail gouge and a 25mm skew chisel. They only had the 1 8" grinder which was $468 so I will look around for something more in my price range at this point in time. As I said I will get the more expensive/better stuff when I am hooked

thanks in advance
Robert

Gooday. They are a good liitle lathe.

Instead of the roughing gouge get a 3/8(10mm) bowl gouge.

You can use the smaller gouge to rough out but none of the others will do a bowl.