I started turning on a Shopsmith back around 1985ish, with instructions from the manual they made. My technique was called “catch and release”. My first bowl of any size was a chunk of myrtle, it ended up 5 inches across and 2 1/2 high, the blank started out about 10 by 4 as I recall. My current space is somewhat “rustic”, the ‘smith blows the breakers for the garage and the pond so I’m running it off of a generator. Still, I turn onward, currently trying my hand at turning a green piece of Siberian Black Elm that was a casualty of last winters ice storm. I’m picking up some great tips from you guys!