Justin Pierce

[Justin Pierce]

I've been sneaking around here since I joined AAW a few days ago.
I figured it was about time to say hello to everyone.

I worked for years in construction primarily as a finish carpenter, then moved into the custom furniture world for a few years, both self employed and then for another company for awhile. In recent years I've been the Maintenance department supervisor for a wood manufacturing plant. Which pays better than anything woodworking, but it ain't woodworking.
So I got a recent bug to get back into wood turning again.
I never was a prolific turner, but I've owned several wood lathes over the years and now I seem to think I need to pick one up again.
I figured this place was my best source for inspiration and information.

 

[Russ Braun]

Welcome back to the lathe Justin! Wood manufacturing plant perks my ears up; you might be well be surrounded by cut offs! Perhaps there’s even a segmenter lurking inside you!

 

[Justin Pierce]

Welcome back to the lathe Justin! Wood manufacturing plant perks my ears up; you might be well be surrounded by cut offs! Perhaps there’s even a segmenter lurking inside you!

Thanks for the welcome!

Most of the material used at the plant is hardwood veneer glue lam, but there are some nice smaller pieces of hardwood in the scrap bins from time to time so now that you mention it, maybe................
I have a collection of dry wood stashed from years of wood hoarding, and I live in the woods, so I'm surrounded by green wood options to.
There is a lot of maple around here, some cherry, white and yellow birch too.
Years ago my firewood pile supplied me with some nice fiddle back, quilted and spalted maple.

 

[John Torchick]

Welcome to the group and to AAW. I joined several years ago and never regretted the cost or the cost of the local chapter. Well worth it. If you pick up a lathe, some are real heavy. Just be sure you don't hurt your back which will cut into your turning time.

 

[Justin Pierce]

Welcome to the group and to AAW. I joined several years ago and never regretted the cost or the cost of the local chapter. Well worth it. If you pick up a lathe, some are real heavy. Just be sure you don't hurt your back which will cut into your turning time.

Thanks John!

I've found a couple lathes that were for sale in people's basements, but so far none were good enough deals to persuade me to tear them apart and carry them out piece by piece yet.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Welcome back to the world of round. Much better than making everything flat. Find a Club for info on used lathes, maybe even someone has one for sale.

 

[Justin Pierce]

Welcome back to the world of round. Much better than making everything flat. Find a Club for info on used lathes, maybe even someone has one for sale.

Thanks Gerald!

Unfortunately the nearest AAW chapter is over hours away from me, I kind of live about 2 hours from the nearest anything.
But I still might join and make the trip to a few meetings.
I've been on the lookout for a used lathe, but everything I find is either over priced, a Craftsman with tube ways, or hundreds of miles away from me, again hours away from most anything.
I have the ability and equipment to build my own, but until I really know what I want in a lathe that seems like a waste of time for now.
I've never owned or used a quality lathe, everything has been light duty hobby or fairly quickly cobbled together homemade affairs.
I've been leaning towards a halfway decent quality midi just to get back into it, and see where that leads.
Even though I think I'll probably end up wanting something with a 14"-16" swing eventually, but in reality I'm only guessing at what direction my turning will even go at this point.
In the past my turning had been utilitarian or for architectural repairs, now I just want to turn for fun.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Justin,

Joining a turning club might increase your odds of locating a used lathe, many clubs send out a monthly news letter and some of them list equipment that is for sale. The club members will also give a heads up for estate sales that have woodturning equipment. Many times the spouse will reach out to a club member to assist in liquidating or advising on options with finding a new home for the equipment. Craigslist and Facebook are good resources to use when looking for equipment in your backyard.

 

[Justin Pierce]

Justin,

Joining a turning club might increase your odds of locating a used lathe, many clubs send out a monthly news letter and some of them list equipment that is for sale. The club members will also give a heads up for estate sales that have woodturning equipment. Many times the spouse will reach out to a club member to assist in liquidating or advising on options with finding a new home for the equipment. Craigslist and Facebook are good resources to use when looking for equipment in your backyard.

Good ideas Mike, thanks, I appreciate it.

 

[hockenbery]

never was a prolific turner, but I've owned several wood lathes over the years and now I seem to think I need to pick one up again.

Welcome.

Turning clubs are great resources for turners of all skill levels.
One of things I like about turning is we can make most things in a few hours and many things I under 30 minutes.

one good friend describes his entry into turning with - the first thing he built from wood was a boat and that took ten years, the second thing he built was a dinning room table and that took ten months, then he discovered he could turn a bowl in less than 2 hours and was hooked...

 

[Justin Pierce]

Welcome.

Turning clubs are great resources for turners of all skill levels.
One of things I like about turning is we can make most things in a few hours and many things I under 30 minutes.

one good friend describes his entry into turning with - the first thing he built from wood was a boat and that took ten years, the second thing he built was a dining room table and that took ten months, then he discovered he could turn a bowl in less than 2 hours and was hooked...

Thanks!

Quicker projects is one reason I thought I'd enjoy having a lathe again.
And if I want to spent more time carving, texturing, painting, or I just want to finish it up later, it's not like I'll be climbing over a big project sitting there in the middle of my shop for a month.
I just finished up a kitchen table for myself last weekend, I was so sick of working around it in the shop that I could hardly wait to get it out of there.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Welcome aboard, Justin.

 

[Justin Pierce]

Welcome aboard, Justin.

Thank you Bill!