Stewart Dotts

[Stewart Dotts]

Greetings from Newark, DE! I am a new member who has also subscribed to First State Woodturners. I have exactly zero experience in using a lathe for anything other than collecting dust in my basement. About 2 years ago, a friend gave me an aged Grizzly G-1025. It works and it’s green. Other than that, I know nothing about my lathe or woodturning. But I love the creativity and skill demonstrated by turners at various craft fairs, and always think to myself, “I could do that!” Having retired from teaching high school chemistry, I think that the time has come to learn woodturning. However, I suspect that this “gift” of a lathe will be analogous to the gift of a St Barnard puppy: just wait until the vet and dog food bills start showing up! Anyway, if you wish to observe a raw beginner fumble his way into the world of woodturning and enjoy first modest successes, while smiling inwardly at amateur mistakes, well, stay tuned! Thank you in advance for any suggestions, answers, and encouragement from the group.

 

[Gary T Egbert]

The lathe may be old and possibly not be variable speed, but if you have different pulleys so you can change speeds it may be okay. Yes it takes some equipment to begin turning but, you can find used tools online and from woodturning clubs in your area. I strongly suggest you visit club meetings and get to know others who can advise you first hand. I have been turning for almost four years and started on a mini lathe but upgraded to a midi lathe this year. The club I am a member of has been very helpful. At first I was on my own and bought a few tools I probably would not have bought had I been attending club meetings and getting advice from experienced turners. Turning is addictive and it is fun to either have a plan for something you want to make or sometimes just let the piece of wood dictate its final form. Once the finish goes on is when the real beauty and satisfaction from turning occurs. Good luck.

 

[Doug Agee]

Welcome, Stewart. Lots of us learning and making mistakes along the way.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Welcome to the forum. Lots of folks here to answer questions but the best place to get started is find a club near you. Then look for a class for a real kick start.

 

[Michael Anderson]

Hi Stewart! Welcome from Chattanooga, TN. Your lathe will be in full use soon, I’m sure. Once you start turning, it’s hard to look back. Like Gerald said, it’s a great idea to hook up with local turners in your area. This forum is also an incredible wealth of information. A lot of giants around that willingly share their expertise. Take a look at the gallery for a ton of inspiration. We’re all looking forward to witnessing your turning journey. Cheers!

 

[Mike Johnson]

There are plenty of projects you can turn with minimal tools and accessories, pick a project and watch a few YouTube videos and
you will learn the basic process and tools required for the various projects. Spindle projects do not require many tools to turn some
practice projects to build your skills on, spinning tops, knitting needles, tool handles, magic wands, etc..

 

[Monty Ivy]

Howdy and welcome from Texas!

 

[Doug Freeman]

Welcome! I looked up that lathe, and its capable of light work, good enough to get started and determine if you like turning. Be careful of putting much $ into accessories that will not transfer to a better lathe, which you will do pretty quickly if you catch the turning bug.

Getting to local club mtgs and getting to know some people, possibly visiting their shops, can help you get up the learning curve more quickly.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Welcome to the AAW forum, Stewart.