• July 2025 Turning Challenge: Turn a Multi-axis Weed Pot! (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Kent Reisdorph for "Sugarberry Bowl" being selected as Turning of the Week for July 14, 2025 (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.

vase, gobblet turning

J

Jude

Joined
Jul 6, 2006
Messages
23
Likes
0
Hey yall
Maby yall can help me. I own this almost lathe that runs on a 3/8 drive drill. I am turning good pens, I think, but I would like to turn more. I am tring to rig up something so I can turn a gobblet or something. I have about 3" from center to bottom of lathe. All I can find so far is attachments that is conected by threads. Any ideas, besides getting a new mini lathe, which will be as soon as I sell more pens.
Thanks Jude
 

Attachments

  • lathe.jpg
    lathe.jpg
    63.1 KB · Views: 318
you could make a faceplate with a straight mandrel and use a steady rest, but it would be tough do good work in my opinion no mater how you set it up.
 
before electricity

bowls and such were turned before electricity

i even heard tell they cut trees down and used saplings to power lathes set up in the woods

of course that was before pens, i believe they used quills or feathers for pens,
but before that clay tablets

the romans were the first to have widespread running water, i really can not imagine life before hot and cold running water
 
You will have a great deal of trouble rigging up something for that rig. I played with one once an it simply isn't sturdy enough. You could turn the outside of the goblet but hollowing would be nearlly impossible. Save up a buy a good mini lathe like the Jet mini. Woodcraft has one on sale with a chuck that would be perfect for what you have in mind. There is a limited quantity but they were selling for $269
 
Jude
You do live your slogan ... 'can do anything with nothing'. Maybe we should require members to post how much they spend a year on turning tools when they post a picture so we can sort out who has the advantage of the right tool from who has the advantage of true desire. If you make anything at all with the rig in the picture you got desire and committment past most of us.

My advice make what you can, convert it to cash how ever you can and get a used Jet Mini or even a 1236. You'll be in heaven! Any money you spend on your current set up just delays moving up to a real machine.

Good Luck and I mean this all with respect.

Frank
 
Frank What a great idea, although I would never win nowadays. I started turning with a homemade rig worse than the one shown here. It was a drill with angle brackets made out of wood and a lag bolt for the tailcenter. I clamped everything to the workbench and my tool rest was also wood that was clamped to the tool rest.
That was about 1980 or so. It's been a tool collecting fest ever since. Even though I produce a fair amount of work per year and sell it all the dollars in tools per piece is probably pretty high. On the plus side if the axiom he who dies with the most tools wins I'm way up on the ladder.
 
John,
I too am guilty of sinful levels of spending on this hobby. I can't say I sell everything I make but it leaves the house. The little gallery I have been a featured artist since the first of the year has moved pieces at a satisfactoy pace but if I want a piece to bring good money I give it to a charity auction. Twice this year piece I had had for sale sold for 50% more than I was asking at auction. It happen this past Saturday night. A 12" walnut platter inlaid with three rings of brass that I had been asking $80 for sold for $120 in my wife school summer fundraiser. The good news of that deal was that a lady asked me to make 6 plates of similar design for Chirstmas and I told her $80 each for 9" plates and she said get them to me by Christmas.

This year I am recording every dime I spend, the revenue, every hour I spend and all of the donations. Then my tax guy is going to tell me what to do for 2007. I think I can make more money giving the stuff to charity and writing off the donation. Let's see, at the gallery 60% of $80 would have got me $48 before tax or if I write off the donation at a 35% tax rate on $120 saves me $42 on taxes.

Money for tools? I don't think anyone can win that aurguement with an opponent at all prepared for the debate.

I guess I got off the subject there.

Frank
 
Last edited:
The lathe does work

Yes I do live my slogan.I have now made enough to buy a new lathe, it will be here friday. These pens were my first attempt I have now sold 8 of them at 20 each. I also have more orders. So yes I do love turning and giving away and selling the work.
Unfortunatly, I know I can not spell, Sunday when I was turning a coustmers pen/pencle set my drill motor started smoking. But thats ok.
Jude
 

Attachments

  • DSCI0002.JPG
    DSCI0002.JPG
    74.1 KB · Views: 190
  • DSCI0021.JPG
    DSCI0021.JPG
    72.9 KB · Views: 191
Sorry

Sorry About the large pic :(
 
How to make a Small Fortune Turning Wood

Frank Kobilsek said:
John,
I too am guilty of sinful levels of spending on this hobby.
Click to expand...

To quote my turning friend Ginger of Lincolnshire, UK.

"Do you know how to make a small fortune turning wood?"

"Start with a large fortune!"

John :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top