Hi, I'm Jeff Miller. Like a number of folks who got addicted to this craft I started out doing flat work. About 35 years ago I was given a Delta Homecraft 46-111 lathe. It got some but not a lot of use and sat in the corner of my then basement workshop; I did buy some spindle tools and attempted some flat work. I retired 10 years ago and my wife and I moved to a waterfront property we owned in Virginia's Northern Neck region. On the property was and existing 12'x24" prefab shed and this became my shop. Six years ago I purchased a Jet 1221VS midi-lathe and made room for it in my shop.The cast iron legs from the Delta were repurposed to support the Jet.
A local wood turner I know suggested I joint the AAW and I am happy I did. What a wealth of information is available here. About two weeks ago I took advantage of a sale price on a Powermax 3520C lathe (my forever Lathe?) and I scoured the internet on how to move it and get it set up. Weighing in at over 700lbs (yikes) I'm no spring chicken and neither are my friends! Thanks to information I gleaned here, or through links posted here, I was able to get it set up single handed (with the exception of a neighbor's help with the lifting the headstock up to the lathe bed). It arrived yesterday morning and by mid-afternoon I had moved it from the garage whre the freight company dropped it 100 feet across our yard and had it setup and running before suppertime.
Although I have done some spindle work for projects, I turn mostly flat work: bowls, plates and platters, some hollow form vases etc. Early this year I started learnig to do segemented turnings which has opened another creative endevour for me. What we don't use or display in our house is given away to friends and family.
A local wood turner I know suggested I joint the AAW and I am happy I did. What a wealth of information is available here. About two weeks ago I took advantage of a sale price on a Powermax 3520C lathe (my forever Lathe?) and I scoured the internet on how to move it and get it set up. Weighing in at over 700lbs (yikes) I'm no spring chicken and neither are my friends! Thanks to information I gleaned here, or through links posted here, I was able to get it set up single handed (with the exception of a neighbor's help with the lifting the headstock up to the lathe bed). It arrived yesterday morning and by mid-afternoon I had moved it from the garage whre the freight company dropped it 100 feet across our yard and had it setup and running before suppertime.
Although I have done some spindle work for projects, I turn mostly flat work: bowls, plates and platters, some hollow form vases etc. Early this year I started learnig to do segemented turnings which has opened another creative endevour for me. What we don't use or display in our house is given away to friends and family.
