Turn right!!!

[BerniePA]

Ok -- You guys with all the great turning are begining to get to me!!! I need some knowledge now. If I wanted to get into turning say pens and maybe later getting into some bowls and things, what would be a good lathe to get that I would not outgrow but would not have to sell any kids, not that they would bring much, but LOML wouldn't go for the idea anyway!! What sort of accessories are recommeded for starting? -- later on down the line??

One question I already have noted is, is varitable speed really needed? How often do you have to change speeds and how difficult is it to change speeds? I presume it is similiar to changing on a drill press? Which to me is a pain in the butt, so if it is something you would do often, then I guess I should think hard about VS.

What would be a good book for some knowledge on say pen turning?

Any info for a know nothing, rank beginner with a desire to learn is appreciated.

[Uncle Cracker]

There's lots of good pen turning books out there, but I recommend you look instead at DVD's. You'll get a better picture in your head that way. But if books is your thang, here is an Amazon link with a very good one, and also a good package including this book and two other of the better books on the subject. I also suggest that you look at some of the websites for penturning supplies, as they often have video clips showing how-to's. Look into the penturners.org website for a wealth of information.

As for your lathe, there are lots of choices for mini-lathes out there if you are interested in pens, chess sets, bottle stoppers and the like, but if you plan to move up to bowls or other larger pieces, a midi-lathe might be your best bet. I can only recommend that you lean toward the better quality units, as you will benefit in the short and the long run. My personal favorite is the Jet 1220 with electronic variable speed. Have fun!

[gerti]

Go to:

http://www.woodturner.org/community/chapters/LocalChapters.asp

Find a local chapter, visit one of their meetings and ask questions!

[shoottx]

Go to:

http://www.woodturner.org/community/chapters/LocalChapters.asp

Find a local chapter, visit one of their meetings and ask questions!

+1 before going into the purchasing mode (cause once you are there is is a bottomless pit) go visit a couple of turning club meetings, strike up acquaintances with a couple of experienced turners and visit their shops. And you could even find some one giving lessons and try turning a little. (here is a guy in Pa that is considered a great teacher http://www.wonderfulwood.com/) All of this experience would improve your decision making ability before launching into the purchasing pit.

[RayintheUK]

You can turn the smallest items on a large lathe, but that doesn't work the other way around! Consider what your largest item will eventually be, because that's your first requirement. If you want to eventually be able to turn bowls with a diameter of 15", then you'll need a lathe with a 15" swing above the bed, or a swivelling headstock to enable the turning to be done perpendicular to the bed.

Next, what length of stock are you likely to want to turn between centres? Would it be balusters, spindles, table legs or candlesticks? That determines the "distance between centers" required. Will you be making table lamps, or standard lamps (in sections), because then you'll need a hollow tailstock to take an auger to drill the wiring hole.

Power comes next. The larger the item you intend to turn, the more power is required - as a rule of thumb. The ability to change speed has the effect - just like on a manual gearbox - of retaining torque at lower speeds and a variable speed lathe has an additional advantage of being able to "fine tune" the speed, either for comfort, or to balance an unwieldy piece of stock until it's turned into balance. For general hobby use, 1HP should be adequate. Variable speed is not essential, but once you've used it you won't want to go back. My lathe has a three pulley speed range and variable speed, so I get the best of both worlds in both overall speed choices (90RPM to 3,200RPM) and torque. Belt changing on my lathe takes less than ten seconds, BTW.

Positioning should also be considered. Lathes make a serious mess, with loads of accompanying dust, so extraction may also need to be considered if not already available. You'll need good lighting, although fluorescent tubes are sometimes guilty of some strange strobing effect on the work-piece. Lathes must be very stable and most turners ballast their lathes to prevent vibration in the early stages of a piece. This means that, with a larger lathe, it will not be a quickly-moveable object once ballasted, so positioning needs thinking about beforehand. Your shop dimensions may, therefore, play a part in your selection.

Most lathes come with a drive centre and revolving tailstock (for between-centers turning) and a faceplate to attach other pieces to, such as bowl blanks. Most turners progress to using a four-jaw chuck, for easier mounting and reversing of bowls, so that might want to go into your budget as well. The biggest "consumable" will be the turning tools and something with which to keep them razor sharp. If you've got a sharpening system for plane irons and chisels, then that will not cope with bowl gouges, spindle gouges and roughing gouges. Many systems are available and there will be supporters of all of them. A good thing to try to do is to see them in action or try them for yourself.

The tools are a matter of personal choice. I believe that you mostly get what you pay for, so I'd rather go for high quality HSS tools and gradually collect them, rather than buy a cheaper set all at once. YMMV.

To start, you'll need a roughing gouge and a spindle gouge for between-centers turning. I'd suggest a ¾" roughing gouge and a ⅜" or ½" spindle gouge. You might consider a skew chisel (allegedly the most difficult tool to use correctly) and I favor a 1¼" flat skew. I tried an oval skew, but didn't like it at all. Again, YMMV. A parting tool is required to separate the turned piece from its stock, but beware of getting a very thin one to begin with. A ¼" parting tool will start you off well.

For bowl turning, I'd recommend a ⅜" and ½" bowl gouge. Often, tools need a little sharpening even straight off the shelf, but don't experiment with fancy profiles on the bowl gouges until you've seen what the standard grind patterns can do.

Having considered all that, it's time to look for a suitable lathe to fit your future plans. If you can decide on the swing and distance between centers, I'm sure you'll get many recommendations from other turners here. As I'm in the UK I wouldn't care to recommend a model over another - except to say that, once again, you get what you pay for.

Don't forget to include in your budget the additional costs of tools, a chuck and a sharpening system. Let us know how you get on. If you've any further or different questions, fire away. For an idea of what's involved in pen turning, see here.

HTH

Ray

[MikeMcCoy]

You can turn the smallest items on a large lathe, but that doesn't work the other way around!
Ray

Nothing to add to Ray's post other than to emphasize his first point. Several years ago I picked up a mini lathe and within a short time, started a project that needed turned table legs that I couldn't do on the mini. Obviously I could have bought them but logical thinking isn't one of my strong suits so I bought the Jet 1236 when Amazon had one of their squirrley sales. The lathe was the smaller part of the overall outlay. I've turned things from pens, bowls and table legs but once the new wore off, and although I find I still use it fairly regularly, I'm not sure if it's going to maintain a permanent spot in my shop due to required space.

Here's a link to a pen turning podcast:

http://www.woodworkingonline.com/2007/10/09/podcast-26-turning-pens-on-the-lather-from-start-to-finish/

[leehljp]

I have a VS along with belt changing on my lathe also. Mine is not a total VS and that is something I really want - once I retire in a couple or three years.

Even though I can change belt speeds in 15 to 20 seconds, I don't like it in turning pens as I want to change speed instantly (with a dial) from very slow to full speed, especially during the finishing stages.

Some people don't mind the belt changes, some detest it. It is an individual choice but most of the time it is along lines of money considerations:
A. If you like a good deal at the cheapest price and good enough to get the job done, then changing belts won't be a problem.
B. If you are more interested in focusing on the process and work itself, and the extra money for a full VS is not a problem, you will kick yourself for not getting the VS after a few belt changes.


EDITED: The above reflect my perspective for turning pens ONLY. - If I were turning bowls, I would need more low speed torque and would probably need the 3 step belt at least.

[BerniePA]

WOW, guys -- a whole lotta info to check out. A lot good stuff. Ray, your post was especially great with explaining terms and defining things to look for as a beginner. I found that with my location, I have no Rockler, Woodcraft or Woodturner within 55 miles one way, so classes are pretty much NOT a practical way to go.

When I started woodworking, I did that the hard way too, some books, magazines and a lot from this forum. I guess turning will be the same. I have a lot to look into, that's for sure, and a lot to think about.

Thanks again for all the help and if anyone has anything new, (or just words of encouragement), post away!!

[jgrobler]

within 55 miles one way, so classes are pretty much NOT a practical way to go

I started turning also very recently (4 months ago), and I also don't have any local places for classes, not even community colleges or the local high schools offered classes for the public.

The closest Woodcraft is almost 90 miles away, one way, but I bit the bullet, and signed up for a 1 day intro class, then a 3 day class, after I arranged with my boss to leave earlier the 3 afternoons of the classes.

Doing this was totally worth the travel time, and expense. Plus I got a 10% discount of anything I bought at the store for 30 days.

[drumpriest]

Bernie, changing speeds on a mini lathe is much better than a drill press, but still not great, it's an interruption of flow when working on a project, for sure. It really only takes about a minute, but still...

I recently ordered a Jet 1220vs for myself, but that is also not an ideal solution, as it's a 3 gear lathe with electronic VS between them. The larger 1442 from Jet has big handle that you use to change the gear ratio, it's a pretty convenient system even though technically not VS. The 1642 from Jet comes in full EVS, and I liked that lathe, but it's out of my price range and too large for my current space. Someday, maybe.

On my old mini I have turned well over 100 pens/pencils, and I've done some other light turning as well, but I have not done a bowl or vessel yet, part of why I wanted to get a better lathe, one that I felt was better prepared for doing such work. (though small) I don't know your price range, but the 1220 seems like a pretty good lathe that really is a bridge between more traditional minis and the bigger lathes out there.

If you can get some time to check them out in person, that's surely the way to go. The Rockler in Pittsburgh has a pretty good selection, and some of the guys there have been turning a long time. If you get there on a sat there are a couple of guys from the local turner's club that hang around.

Let me know if you want to go sometime.

[BerniePA]

Thanks for the offer to get together sometime, Keith, we'll have to try that and swap some lies, I mean stories someday.

I went to the Rockler store once, and I did remember to pack a lunch, but I forgot to pack something for dinner and I was a mite hungry by the time I got back home!!!

I have been looking at what is available out there and what I have been told and a 12 - 20 seems to be a nice machine for what I would be looking for. The Jet like you got is a nice one, but I was looking at the shipping charges and extra charges from Rockler and Woodcraft on top of the price and since I have a Grizzly TS that I am very happy with, I went to their website to see what they had, and they have a nice 12 20, the G0658 that seems to compare with the Jet 1220 except it does not have a light on it. It is a 3/4 hp also. They have it for $425 with free shipping. It is also the three gear with the electronic VS in each range. If it is anything like my TS, it should be a nice machine. I'm taking a hard look at that. It's in first place right now.

[drumpriest]

Not sure what to say about your "lies == stories" bit there. It's about a 45 minute drive to that Rockler for me, looks to be about twice that for you, so it's understandable, it's a haul.

I got my 1220 for 490$, no shipping because I'm planning to pick it up at the store. I looked at the Griz as well, and it seems perfectly reasonable, and if they'll ship it to you, it'll save the trip.

I'm not entirely sure why they do the VS in the ranges only, I'm interested to see if it's really nice or a pain in the butt once my lathe gets here.

[gerti]

WOW, guys -- a whole lotta info to check out. A lot good stuff. Ray, your post was especially great with explaining terms and defining things to look for as a beginner. I found that with my location, I have no Rockler, Woodcraft or Woodturner within 55 miles one way, so classes are pretty much NOT a practical way to go.

Please don't forget to check the link I sent. There are wood turners around you! And they tend to be sociable. Most wood turning chapters have hands on sessions in varying locations, typically free for members. And there are always turners willing to spend some time helping out. You can gain much more from your local AAW chapter then any class at Rockler or Woodcraft. I have attended classes at either, but learned much more at our local chapter.

There are 16 chapters listed for PA. Can't tell which one is closest, though Pittsburgh has one.

[BerniePA]

Please don't forget to check the link I sent. There are wood turners around you! And they tend to be sociable. Most wood turning chapters have hands on sessions in varying locations, typically free for members. And there are always turners willing to spend some time helping out. You can gain much more from your local AAW chapter then any class at Rockler or Woodcraft. I have attended classes at either, but learned much more at our local chapter.

There are 16 chapters listed for PA. Can't tell which one is closest, though Pittsburgh has one.

Please don't think I ignored your post or any of them. I checked and the Pittsburgh one is the closest and they have a 2 hour "meeting" once a month at a distance of about 50 - 60 miles one way from me, which means more time driving than meeting. All the other chapters are in the center or eastern part of the state which now gets into the hundreds of mile round trip. I even checked into looking into going into West Virginia, since I am only 25 miles from there --- no good there either. I'm in a pocket of coalminers and steelworkers not woodworkers. I still haven't located a good source of wood for woodworking yet in the 3 1/2 years I've been in the area, but I keep looking. I'll find a way to make it work, I always do.

Thanks for all the tips though, I appreciate it.

[gerti]

I get that, I pick and choose our meetings based on drive time too.

I still haven't located a good source of wood for woodworking yet in the 3 1/2 years I've been in the area, but I keep looking. I'll find a way to make it work, I always do.

You'll find that for woodturning finding wood becomes a lot easier. Fallen over tree, local brush removal place, firewood pile etc are all great sources for turning blanks.