Lathes and wood turning

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seraphim

Member
Dec 19, 2010
46
0
Ratae Corieltauvorum
yep, wood turner, absolute amateur, little motor bowl lathe in my garage, but there are some properly skilled woodturners who will turn up shortly I'm sure and give you some cracking tips on how to start!

My advice, do it! The worst you can do is make firewood! :):):) (do wear an eye shield and a mask though if turning indoors!)
 

robin wood

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Oct 29, 2007
3,054
1
derbyshire
www.robin-wood.co.uk
I wanted a pedal lathe after trying it a few years ago but it takes ages to make anything.
I admit most folk you see demonstrating them take ages to make anything but that is not the fault of the machine.
I often race power lathe turners at shows and always have to go pretty steady or it gets embarrassing.
[video=youtube_share;tDgIGzw4VtA]http://youtu.be/tDgIGzw4VtA[/video]
 

dancan

Nomad
Sep 29, 2007
271
0
Nova Scotia Canada
I admit most folk you see demonstrating them take ages to make anything but that is not the fault of the machine.
I often race power lathe turners at shows and always have to go pretty steady or it gets embarrassing.
[video=youtube_share;tDgIGzw4VtA]http://youtu.be/tDgIGzw4VtA[/video]

Wow ! I know who won that one , not the electric one .
 

Nagual

Native
Jun 5, 2007
1,963
0
Argyll
That was pretty cool. I would imagine that with people powered lathes, you get into a rhythm better than a motored one. Also no discredit to 'Mike' but perhaps your skills or technique was better regardless? :D
 

Paulm

Full Member
May 27, 2008
1,089
183
Hants
invested in a lathe and was wondering if any one on here is a fellow Turner?

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

I've been doing a bit of woodturning for a few years now, when I can fit it in between work and other stuff, becomes addictive after a while.

If there's anything you want to know just ask and I'll help if I can.

Here's some large bowls I made from one piece of English walnut that a mate had felled and I converted and did the nested bowls from, finished an a food safe liquid paraffin/mineral oil finish so used for salads, bread, nuts or whatever

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Here's some of the rest of it, waiting for some time and attention :)

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Some in progress

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Cheers, Paul
 

greensurfingbear

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Paulm.... The man with all the toys lol. Nice work mate. So nice kit as well. I'm only using a jet mini lathe.. Max 10" diameter. I really Like the bowl savers wonder if I can get one on my lathe? only have 4 chisels at the moment... Next month pay is ear marked for a Chuck..... So much to take in when you start not sure what you need first lol. Would like a bigger tool rest, and more chisels.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk
 

Harvestman

Bushcrafter through and through
May 11, 2007
8,656
26
55
Pontypool, Wales, Uk
Got some money owed to me, some of which is destined to be a small lathe. Can't wait. Have done a little bit in the past. Leanred that there are no mistakes, just 'developments', or, as an experienced turner told me "designer shavings".
 

Paulm

Full Member
May 27, 2008
1,089
183
Hants
I started off small too and then upgraded as I got hooked and funds allowed, it's part of the fun !

Wouldn't bother with a centre saver on a smaller lathe, the motor power wouldn't likely be up to it and would keep stalling as they take very aggressive cuts.

Don't need too many gouges either, a lot of people when they are starting out think they are missing out on the next magic tool that will do everything, get a load of tools over time and yet find in practice that they use the same few for 99% of the time ! A couple of spindle gouges, couple of bowl gouges, roughing gouge and a parting tool are what you will use most of the time, maybe a scraper or two as well.

A chuck is the best thing to get early on though, makes everything else you do so much easier.

Sharpening your tools is often a fair challenge when you start out too, a small bench grinder with a decent medium grit white (not grey) stone is the starting place for most people, with a jig of some sort for the gouges unless you can get someone to show you how to freehand them and can get the knack, which I haven't !

Cheers, Paul
 

Paulm

Full Member
May 27, 2008
1,089
183
Hants
Here's some smaller stuff I made as well, great fun to do and useful as well

DSCN0783.jpg


The top one is a Lie Neilsen one costs around £40 or so, the others cost me a few quid for the bit attachment and ferrules :)

Bought a few decent unhandled files too, and refurbished some others, and turned up my own handles

DSCN0094.jpg


Cheers, Paul
 

billybob0987

Tenderfoot
Jul 19, 2011
76
0
Eastbourne
this handles are awesome

have you ever tried dual centric turning, where you reposition the wood in the lathe after starting the turning so that you can take wood of off just one side, you can use it to make some amazing ergonimics in handles,
 

Paulm

Full Member
May 27, 2008
1,089
183
Hants
this handles are awesome

have you ever tried dual centric turning, where you reposition the wood in the lathe after starting the turning so that you can take wood of off just one side, you can use it to make some amazing ergonimics in handles,

I was watching some of that on Utube recently, quite easy to do, but haven't tried it myself yet.

The small jobs are great for when you've just got an hour or two to spare, turn a few mushrooms, key fobs, eggs, boxes or whatever, or you fancy a change from bowls, lol

Cheers, Paul
 

paul standley

Member
Aug 9, 2010
20
0
south wales
I bought a small bench-top wood lathe a couple of years ago and a few tools and did turn three and a half light oak table legs on it as my first turning project but the last leg never quite got finished... and the table top never gone done either...!

Now have more time on my hands so hoping to get back into it very soon.

I have to say, I found wood turning to be both hugely satifying and greatly stressfull both at the same time...! - Turning is down to practice and confidence in my view.

Paul
 

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