I live in middle TN, and started woodworking 1 year ago. I purchased a lathe 2 months ago, and love it. So far I am entirely YouTube taught, so I can use any advice you all can give. I am an ER doctor, so woodworking is my stress relief. Here is a pic of some of my work. I have 50 acres of wooded land, so plenty of green wood to choose from, but still not entirely clear on when and how to cut and turn them. My next project I would like to turn some natural edge bowls.
-
We just finished moving the forums to a new hosting server. It looks like everything is functioning correctly but if you find a problem please report it in the Forum Technical Support Forum (click here) or email us at forum_moderator AT aawforum.org. Thanks! -
Beware of Counterfeit Woodturning Tools (click here for details) -
Johnathan Silwones is starting a new AAW chapter, Southern Alleghenies Woodturners, in Johnstown, PA. (click here for details) -
Congratulations to Dave Roberts for "2 Hats" being selected as Turning of the Week for April 22, 2024 (click here for details) -
Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.
Tabitha Campbell
- Thread starter Tabitha Campbell
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2005
- Messages
- 12,899
- Likes
- 5,188
- Location
- Dalworthington Gardens, TX
- Website
- pbase.com
Thanks, I have found one in Cookeville and one in Crossville both are an hour from me. I plan to join the one in Crossville.
Tabitha,
There are a number of YouTube videos that cover harvesting and cutting wood for use with a lathe. If you join a turning club you can always invite a few members to your acreage to cut and harvest wood and they can provide the sweat equity in your wood blanks. Unless you want to tool up with chainsaws and other lumber harvesting equipment. Being an ER doctor you have most likely worked on a few chainsaw accidents which usually provides for an eye opening sobering experience for anyone that does not respect the risk of running such equipment. Most woodlands are overgrown which stunts the growth of many of the trees, you could consult with an arborist or a seasoned wood turner club member and select a few trees to harvest and process into wood blanks so they are ready to use in a few years. In my early turning years I tried to process several truck loads of logs each year to get an inventory of bowl blanks and wood billets of various sizes built up for future years of turning. The bigger dimension wood billets take a few years to dry out. The area you live in should provide a nice variety of wood species to harvest, you may even have some trees on the ground that can provide plenty of wood which can be processed into bowl blanks, spindle blanks, etc. and may be dry enough to turn and finish right away.
There are a number of YouTube videos that cover harvesting and cutting wood for use with a lathe. If you join a turning club you can always invite a few members to your acreage to cut and harvest wood and they can provide the sweat equity in your wood blanks. Unless you want to tool up with chainsaws and other lumber harvesting equipment. Being an ER doctor you have most likely worked on a few chainsaw accidents which usually provides for an eye opening sobering experience for anyone that does not respect the risk of running such equipment. Most woodlands are overgrown which stunts the growth of many of the trees, you could consult with an arborist or a seasoned wood turner club member and select a few trees to harvest and process into wood blanks so they are ready to use in a few years. In my early turning years I tried to process several truck loads of logs each year to get an inventory of bowl blanks and wood billets of various sizes built up for future years of turning. The bigger dimension wood billets take a few years to dry out. The area you live in should provide a nice variety of wood species to harvest, you may even have some trees on the ground that can provide plenty of wood which can be processed into bowl blanks, spindle blanks, etc. and may be dry enough to turn and finish right away.
Welcome to the AAW forum Tabitha......You will find turners here are welcome to answer any questions that you might have
Very nice spindle work indeed and also the three bowls.
Very nice spindle work indeed and also the three bowls.
Thanks, I never even considered bringing others up to the property. Someone with more experience would probably be able to see things in the wood that I can't. I am pretty handy with a chainsaw, and I started out my woodworking doing river tables, so I purchased a HF saw mill to mill my own lumber.
I've watched a few videos on how to cut bowl blanks. I have several trees my husband had to take down in the past few weeks because they were too close to the shop, and we were afraid they would fall on the roof in a storm. I just haven't quite figured out what I want to use them all for, so haven't cut them up yet.
I've watched a few videos on how to cut bowl blanks. I have several trees my husband had to take down in the past few weeks because they were too close to the shop, and we were afraid they would fall on the roof in a storm. I just haven't quite figured out what I want to use them all for, so haven't cut them up yet.
Tabitha,
Sounds like you are well on your way to completing your wood addiction!
Identifying the types of trees takes time and is easier to do when the leaves are still on the trees. Most states have a resource published by the universities or state agency that identifies most types of trees found in your state. You might want to see if you have a Kentucky Mahogany tree on your property, these trees drop a long brown flat seed pod on the ground each year, this is a hard wood that is used for making furniture and has a nice wood grain color pattern to it. I harvested one of these trees that was taken down in the city for a new house and processed into bowl blanks, spindle billets and some flat boards.
Sounds like you are well on your way to completing your wood addiction!
Identifying the types of trees takes time and is easier to do when the leaves are still on the trees. Most states have a resource published by the universities or state agency that identifies most types of trees found in your state. You might want to see if you have a Kentucky Mahogany tree on your property, these trees drop a long brown flat seed pod on the ground each year, this is a hard wood that is used for making furniture and has a nice wood grain color pattern to it. I harvested one of these trees that was taken down in the city for a new house and processed into bowl blanks, spindle billets and some flat boards.
Welcome to the forum and the Wonderful World of Woodturning. Sounds like you are well on your way to a fun and rewarding hobby. My complements on your medical credentials. I can see where wood turning would be a welcome change from the high stress of ER. Have two retired nurses in the family and my daughter is working toward her NP certification.
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2004
- Messages
- 8,642
- Likes
- 4,985
- Location
- Lakeland, Florida
- Website
- www.hockenberywoodturning.com
Welcome to the forum.
AAW offers many learning opportunities for woodturning.
You are aware of the local chapters.
Check out the guest membership - some publications are available.
https://www.woodturner.org/page/GuestMemberLanding
You tube has the good the bad and the ugly. Consider searching first the
Videos screened by AAW volunteers for safe and effective practices.
http://aawvideosource.org/
Also this forum has the tips and techniques with quite a few project oriented threads.
AAW offers many learning opportunities for woodturning.
You are aware of the local chapters.
Check out the guest membership - some publications are available.
https://www.woodturner.org/page/GuestMemberLanding
You tube has the good the bad and the ugly. Consider searching first the
Videos screened by AAW volunteers for safe and effective practices.
http://aawvideosource.org/
Also this forum has the tips and techniques with quite a few project oriented threads.
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
Sorry I did t see this sooner. I belong to both clubs. I live in Sparta but trying to move back to cookeville. I think you would enjoy either club. I am a mentor in both and welcome people.in my shop. I am also a member of the TAW in Nashvville. We have a symposium coming up in Franklin at the cool.springs Galleria. Feel free to contact me for more info. We do have several ladies in both clubs.