Hello. I am new to the forum and to woodturning. My mom fell last May and broke her hip, ending up being moved to a long term nursing care facility leaving us with the task of cleaning out a garage with decades of "stuff". One item that caught my eye was an old wood lathe that had a partially completed rolling pin turned on it. I brought the lathe to my house, started tinkering, and got hooked! I have since upgraded to a larger, new lathe and with the help of YouTube am learning a lot!. Looking forward to this forum and learning from its members. I believe this hobby might just develop into time well spent when I retire in the next few years.
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Ken Parvis
- Thread starter Ken Parvis
- Start date
Welcome. You’re obviously in the company of like minded souls.
I strongly suggest that you join a local woodturning club. I belong to three. I’m confident that you will receive great value for your modest investment. The problem with learning from YouTube is two fold. One the lack of immediate feedback that you get from in person instruction and secondly some of the content providers are quacks.
Thank you for joining us and safe turning.
I strongly suggest that you join a local woodturning club. I belong to three. I’m confident that you will receive great value for your modest investment. The problem with learning from YouTube is two fold. One the lack of immediate feedback that you get from in person instruction and secondly some of the content providers are quacks.
Thank you for joining us and safe turning.
Welcome here Ken!
I got started nearly 25 years ago with a horrible lathe acquired just to make something for my son in architecture school. It wasn't long before I bought a "real" lathe and it's been a delightful spiral since!
I agree with Jim about joining a woodturning club, even if you have to drive a bit. The main AAW web site has a chapter locator. A club will provide good demonstrations, a community to ask and get answers, resources such as wood, loaner tools, and advice. Many, like ours have a mentoring program where you can go to an experienced turners shop for free lessons and advice. I've had many come to my shop.
I agree that some YouTube videos are worse than horrible. Some show poor (stupid) turning technique and unsafe methods. Anyone, skilled or not, can post a video. How do you tell what's bad and what's good without gaining some experience?
For example, when I decided to start turning "Magic" wands around Harry Potter time I first looked for videos - one guy was thinning a spindle with 80 grit sandpaper!!! Zounds. With that method how could he possibly create detail as I like to add to mine?
(BTY, If you are interested at some point I taught myself techniques and I share them in a doc posted on this forum.)
The AAW does have a list of videos that are vetted for quality and safety, but last time I checked some brilliant person had apparently on purpose made it unnecessarily difficult to find specific videos (maybe that has improved).
Also, the advice from several well-known experts and authors is if you learn and perfect spindle turning first it will teach you the fine tool control that will let you turn ANYTHING, big bowls, boxes, vases platters, anything. I have references.
JKJ
I got started nearly 25 years ago with a horrible lathe acquired just to make something for my son in architecture school. It wasn't long before I bought a "real" lathe and it's been a delightful spiral since!
I agree with Jim about joining a woodturning club, even if you have to drive a bit. The main AAW web site has a chapter locator. A club will provide good demonstrations, a community to ask and get answers, resources such as wood, loaner tools, and advice. Many, like ours have a mentoring program where you can go to an experienced turners shop for free lessons and advice. I've had many come to my shop.
I agree that some YouTube videos are worse than horrible. Some show poor (stupid) turning technique and unsafe methods. Anyone, skilled or not, can post a video. How do you tell what's bad and what's good without gaining some experience?
For example, when I decided to start turning "Magic" wands around Harry Potter time I first looked for videos - one guy was thinning a spindle with 80 grit sandpaper!!! Zounds. With that method how could he possibly create detail as I like to add to mine?
(BTY, If you are interested at some point I taught myself techniques and I share them in a doc posted on this forum.)
The AAW does have a list of videos that are vetted for quality and safety, but last time I checked some brilliant person had apparently on purpose made it unnecessarily difficult to find specific videos (maybe that has improved).
Also, the advice from several well-known experts and authors is if you learn and perfect spindle turning first it will teach you the fine tool control that will let you turn ANYTHING, big bowls, boxes, vases platters, anything. I have references.
JKJ
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Richard Raffan, a retired production turner, makes Youtube videos well worth watching. He is a skilled turner and offers tips and educational comments in the videos.
welcome, as I think about it I can't think of any time I regret spending in my workshop
I regret the time spent sweeping the floor, therefore I seldom do it.
For each minute sweeping I compensate with at least five minutes of playing the electronic piano I moved into the spot previously occupied by a lathe I moved out and gave to a friend.
JKJ