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My work
- Thread starter David A Morris
- Start date
Hi David. If these are your first four, it shows you aren't afraid to dive in head first! The small cup, that looks like a piece of branch, maybe. I see that pith and growth ring section, was that from a crotch between 2 branches? Wood grain goes in all directions there, I bet you noticed it while cutting into the different grain orientations.
The bowl has a pleasing, simple profile, looking like it's ready for everyday use in the kitchen with it's thicker wall profile. Wall thickness of bowls is subjective- paper thin walls are an exciting challenge to make (one more cut, I thinknI can do one more cut... and one more!!) but only serve as art pieces for display. Functional use bowls are thicker, but tend not to need to be as thick as what you show. But as a first attempt, great work. (I have a bowl that size and thickness, kind of rough-n-tumble, I made to be used for shaving soap and brush. Whips up great lather.)
The other two, do they have any sort of hole down their inside, vase-like? "Twig pot"? Made with a drill bit or hollowing tools? Or are they simply profile shapes developed when practicing spindle tool control? Look around for the twig pot reference, they are great beginner projects similar to what you show here. Keep going!
The bowl has a pleasing, simple profile, looking like it's ready for everyday use in the kitchen with it's thicker wall profile. Wall thickness of bowls is subjective- paper thin walls are an exciting challenge to make (one more cut, I thinknI can do one more cut... and one more!!) but only serve as art pieces for display. Functional use bowls are thicker, but tend not to need to be as thick as what you show. But as a first attempt, great work. (I have a bowl that size and thickness, kind of rough-n-tumble, I made to be used for shaving soap and brush. Whips up great lather.)
The other two, do they have any sort of hole down their inside, vase-like? "Twig pot"? Made with a drill bit or hollowing tools? Or are they simply profile shapes developed when practicing spindle tool control? Look around for the twig pot reference, they are great beginner projects similar to what you show here. Keep going!
The first little bowl was a fist sized pine burl I found in the woods. I wanted more detail from the burl but got it instead from the branch that ran through it. The bowl was made from a piece a construction pine my father was going to use for carving but he passed away. I made the bowl for him. It had rather large splits on the end grain so I left it thick rather than take the chance of it disintegrating. The live edge vase was my first successful piece. It was made from a mountain ash tree that I planted 15 years ago that succumbed to insect damage. It does have a thin shaft partway in. The other vase was another piece of lumber that my father had. It has a hole drilled down the center and the mouth is also the right size for a tea light candle. Each piece, so far, has a story but I don't suppose that will continue as I progress.
Great start. Hard to learn on your own—a club and mentor are the way to go for faster improvement. Search for a club within a reasonable distance.
Looks good for just starting out! I'm out in the sticks so don't have anyone available to study with. I watched (and still do) as many how to vids
as I could. Asking questions here and reading all the available threads will help a lot too!
as I could. Asking questions here and reading all the available threads will help a lot too!
The nearest club to me is over 2 hours away. Just a bit too far to travel. I will call them at some point to see if they use zoom or something like it.
And maybe ask if they have any members that live close to you. Several of us in a local club carpool to a club quite a distance away.
Or an experienced member who lives close might be the perfect mentor. Could be worth joining the club for that.
And ask about their schedule - it might be worth the drive for a special demo, class, or workshop.
JKJ
Hey, did you check the AAW website for chapters (clubs)?
AAW Connects
www.woodturner.org
I see one in St Johnsbury (East Ryegate) VT that google indicates is closer.
Twin State Woodturners
They apparently have a Facebook page.
Yes, I did. That one's another 2 hour drive.Hey, did you check the AAW website for chapters (clubs)?
AAW Connects
I see one in St Johnsbury (East Ryegate) VT that google indicates is closer.
Twin State Woodturners
They apparently have a Facebook page.
Just sent an email to Mt Washington club which appears to be the closest to me, although still a two hour drive.
You might contact some of the clubs in your region and see if they stream their meetings via Zoom or some other means. You wouldn't have to travel. For that matter, any club which streams for members would work.
Email for the Mt Washington woodturners is invalid and their phone is disconnected
Just sent an inquiry to the other club in southern New Hampshire. I'll see what they say about zoom.
Well, with zoom you don't even need to live in the same state, or part of the country! Some clubs have zoom available to anyone, but I don't know how to find them.
I'll put it out there for the membership. Does anyone know of a club or guild that streams or Zooms their meetings? Clubs in my state(New Hampshire) are too far away for me.
Dave Landers
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LAW does a youtube channel with their meetings often recorded on Youtube - LAW = Lancaster Area Woodturners
Drive faster!
I think there is a closer club in Vermont.
There is one but it's about the same distance. I've sent out for info from all the groups in NH and am waiting for replies.
Our club, Northwestern Michigan Woodturners, has a member 5 hours north and another 4 hours south that join us via zoom.
We start up officially at 9 AM. There might be some people on a bit before that. We set up the room Friday after the school gets out. We start coming in from about 8 (or even a little before to get coffee brewing) and get some time to mingle and chat. (as long as the technology is all working) Zoom should be up and running by 8:30.
By the way, my name is really Pete Meyer. I like turning green wood and letting it warp and move, so I sign them D. Fective Turnings. (so I made up a name to go with it) I'm the club president, so after rattling on for the first bit with club announcements and business, you'll hopefully not be tired of me.
The Minnesota Woodturners Association live streams. This is a larger club, and it's been around for a long time. Give them a holler.
mnwoodturners.com
Minnesota Woodturners Association
Minnesota Woodturners Association (MWA), a Minnesota nonprofit, provides a wider understanding of woodturning as a craft and art form.
mnwoodturners.com
Even if you start attending meetings via zoom, still make contact with the local clubs. Spending time with a coach or mentor is invaluable and that's a good way to find one. Your turning will progress more in 3 hours than in a year of youtube. There is probably a member in one of the clubs within an hour of you with whom you could spend some time. The last time we had a similar thread, the person found a turner on the other side of town!
Or you could pay to spend a half to several days with an expert, Donna Zils Banfield in Derry, NH or Al Stirt in Enosburg Falls, VT.
Or you could pay to spend a half to several days with an expert, Donna Zils Banfield in Derry, NH or Al Stirt in Enosburg Falls, VT.
This can't be emphasized enough. Over the years I've had many people come to my shop for lessons or help with something specific and two minutes of watching over their shoulder identified the problem. You can't get that from a video or screen, from watching a bunch of live demos, or even remote lessons. Nothing like a second set of eyes from a real person.
On one trip to a city in northern Italy the director of an after-school and summer organization for teens saw some of my pieces and photos and wanted me to consider starting a woodturning program and teach over a remote link. I couldn't convince myself I could do that without being there to watch, guide, and correct - tool grip/support, lathe speed, tool placement body movement .. I think it would be a frustrating way to teach.
That said, I learned much of my turning from two books. I knew no woodturners, didn't know about turning videos, didn't know clubs and classes existed. If I could learn that way, anyone can, but learning both techniques and getting ideas in person could be far better.
Other valuable things about attending in person - meeting the people, making friends, sharing wood and tool resources, getting new ideas, seeing and touching pieces people bring to show, asking questions, visiting other shops. And turners are some of the nicest and most generous people I know!
Also, some people travel 100s of miles to take classes at one of the schools like John C Campbell or Arrowmont in this area, attend symposiums, get private instruction from the pros.
JKJ
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Odie
Panning for Montana gold, with Betsy, the mule!
This is true....it is harder to learn on your own.....
Most new turners will look to others for help....but, I'm one who feels the solitary path just might lead one to better and/or more unique ways of doing things.
The solitary path just might lead one to fail, too....but, successes yield a greater return on the effort invested.......this all, of course, depends on how much effort one is willing to invest.
IMHO, choosing to trust your own ability to find solutions is far more apt to produce results that satisfy the soul, than would otherwise occur by following the path that others have pioneered before you.
=o=
Congrats on your first turned pieces! Keep at it, David. There’s no substitute for time logged at the lathe. If in-person instruction is tough to come by, I’ll offer two suggestions:
1) Become an AAW member. That will give you access to a ton of great, reliable learning resources.
2) YouTube. This one is a little tricky, as not all content is created equal and it’s tough to know what’s good and what’s crap when you’re first starting out. A few channels I found helpful when I started turning are Turn a Wood Bowl, Craft Supplies USA, and Richard Raffan.
Good luck!
1) Become an AAW member. That will give you access to a ton of great, reliable learning resources.
2) YouTube. This one is a little tricky, as not all content is created equal and it’s tough to know what’s good and what’s crap when you’re first starting out. A few channels I found helpful when I started turning are Turn a Wood Bowl, Craft Supplies USA, and Richard Raffan.
Good luck!
I agree, the content on YouTube isn't all correct or useful. Another thread on here had people listing their favorite turning instruction creators, so I sifted thru it and compiled a list with links. I'm hoping it will help new turners get good information. Not all of them agree on everything, but none are dangerously wrong.
It almost seems like YouTube lets ANYBODY post a video.
When I started turning thin spindles long time ago I found a video - a guy solved the problem of flexing while thinning the spindle by using 80 grit sandpaper instead of sharp tools. Ack.
There are a lot of turners that I just can't watch. Two things I can't abide: turners who talk too much and turners who don't say anything. It's not very informative watching a piece of wood turning non stop and no commentary.It almost seems like YouTube lets ANYBODY post a video.
When I started turning thin spindles long time ago I found a video - a guy solved the problem of flexing while thinning the spindle by using 80 grit sandpaper instead of sharp tools. Ack.