Learning to Turn

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  • twistsol
    Veteran Member
    • Dec 2002
    • 2893
    • Cottage Grove, MN, USA.
    • Ridgid R4512, 2x ShopSmith Mark V 520, 1951 Shopsmith 10ER

    Learning to Turn

    I picked up a used ShopSmith at the end of August and I've finally finished going through it and checked cleaned adjusted, lubricated, and/or waxed every piece stem to stern. Clearing out space in the shop was one reason I bought it and the second was that I wanted a lathe, but had no room for one.

    I've never turned anything in my life. Where should I start?
    Chr's
    __________
    An ethical man knows the right thing to do.
    A moral man does it.
  • gerti
    Veteran Member
    • Dec 2003
    • 2233
    • Minnetonka, MN, USA.
    • BT3100 "Frankensaw"

    #2
    Turn pens. Much help and many videos on the web, low rotational mass and force reduce the risk substantially. If you like it, try and find a fellow turner nearby or some hands-on courses. So much easier to learn with an experienced turner showing you the ropes than trying to pick up from video and not understanding why stuff doesn't work.

    Oh and keep your turning tools sharp! Not sharp like a plane, that is overkill, but sharp. You'll need a grinder of some sort, ideally slow (or variable) speed. Or some of those new-fangled carbide tools that need not much sharpening.

    And be warned: once you start on that slippery slope it is hard to stop. Lots of money going fast!

    Comment

    • dbhost
      Slow and steady
      • Apr 2008
      • 9209
      • League City, Texas
      • Ryobi BT3100

      #3
      Step #1. Step on slippery slope.
      Step #2. Enjoy the slide down it!

      The book Learn To Turns is pretty decent, but I would suggest if you have a local Woodcraft, Rockler, or Jr. College that offers classes, take a turning class to find out what you like turning. Pens are fun, and fast, but can be frustrating. I started by turning candlestick holders, and utility items. I still consider myself green at turning but I love the process.

      I have a turning related project I am in the middle of, I am making a Menorah for friends out of pecan, the upright pieces are turned pieces, the cross piece and base will be carved. At the rate I am going with the carving, well. It will be ready in 5 years or so. But the turning is going great!
      Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

      Comment

      • twistsol
        Veteran Member
        • Dec 2002
        • 2893
        • Cottage Grove, MN, USA.
        • Ridgid R4512, 2x ShopSmith Mark V 520, 1951 Shopsmith 10ER

        #4
        I checked out the classes at both Rockler and Woodcraft at home and in Sacramento and nothing fits. I think I'll call an old high school buddy that became a wood shop I mean industrial arts teacher.

        I also searched on "woodturning classes minnesota" and got a dozen woodturning hits and one for Minnesota Addiction Centers. Now I'm concerned.


        Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
        Chr's
        __________
        An ethical man knows the right thing to do.
        A moral man does it.

        Comment

        • Bill in Buena Park
          Veteran Member
          • Nov 2007
          • 1865
          • Buena Park, CA
          • CM 21829

          #5
          Check out YouTube, some of these folks have great instructional videos. Like Gerd said, start with small turnings to get the feel of the tools.
          - Captain Eddie Castelin
          - Mike Waldt
          - Cindy Drozda
          - Reed Gray (aka "Robo Hippy")
          - Glenn Lucas
          - Bob Hamilton
          - Doug Thompson
          - Larry Hauch
          - Tim Yoder

          It's a slippery slope! Have Fun!
          Bill in Buena Park

          Comment

          • gerti
            Veteran Member
            • Dec 2003
            • 2233
            • Minnetonka, MN, USA.
            • BT3100 "Frankensaw"

            #6
            Check out the classes here:

            The purpose of the Minnesota Woodturners Association (

            Comment

            • woodturner
              Veteran Member
              • Jun 2008
              • 2047
              • Western Pennsylvania
              • General, Sears 21829, BT3100

              #7
              Originally posted by twistsol
              I've never turned anything in my life. Where should I start?
              With practice - just get a piece of wood, spindle turn it round, and then turn coves and beads. Turn it round again and repeat. Throw it away and repeat, a couple of times. This will teach you the basics of tool use and technique without the complications and tooling required for pens, bowls, and other more complex projects.

              A good starter book is "Woodturning, a Foundations course". It lists the 7 laws of woodturning - learn those, and then it is just a matter of practice and design.

              Be forewarned, the Shopsmith can be a little challenging for bowl turning, it's not rigid or massive. If you bandsaw the blank round before mounting on the lathe and don't try to turn huge pieces, though, it works fine.
              --------------------------------------------------
              Electrical Engineer by day, Woodworker by night

              Comment

              • leehljp
                Just me
                • Dec 2002
                • 8429
                • Tunica, MS
                • BT3000/3100

                #8
                There ARE some first steps that may be obvious to some people, and absolutely NOT so obvious to others.

                1. You do NOT want to jump in turning before you have a sharp turning tool. A semi- sharp tool is dangerous.
                2. Practice your Grip. Hold fairly tight - like you would with a hammer, or screwdriver on a rusted screw. It is easy to think that because the chisel is resting on the tool rest that you can relax the grip. Don't over-grip as though you were trying to out-squeeze someone in arm wrestling.
                3. Make sure the piece of wood is tightly secured.
                4. Use a face mask and a face shield. My first experience was totally not expected. I had a piece of well dried catalpa and it created su much fine particles that I stopped up almost immediately, and learned to use a mask as well as a shield. (On pens, I don't always use a shield but I DO use a mask.

                Woodturner above gave an excellent clue. I used to advise new pen turners to get a piece of 2x4 soft pine, cut it into pen size pieces and turn, turn, turn for the sole practice of getting the feel, NOT for production. And then for finish, do the same. The purpose is to learn the process, not the product. Once this is done reasonably well, then focus on the product.
                Last edited by leehljp; 10-07-2015, 06:26 AM.
                Hank Lee

                Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

                Comment

                • twistsol
                  Veteran Member
                  • Dec 2002
                  • 2893
                  • Cottage Grove, MN, USA.
                  • Ridgid R4512, 2x ShopSmith Mark V 520, 1951 Shopsmith 10ER

                  #9
                  Thanks All, I have a bunch of 2x2 scrap from a trellis build. I'll start with that and see how things go. Books should be arriving from Amazon Friday about the same time I get home.
                  Chr's
                  __________
                  An ethical man knows the right thing to do.
                  A moral man does it.

                  Comment

                  • leehljp
                    Just me
                    • Dec 2002
                    • 8429
                    • Tunica, MS
                    • BT3000/3100

                    #10
                    Another quick note. There is a huge difference in needed speed between spindle turning versus bowl turning. Lots of good info on the internet about this. Just google it. NOT knowing the difference can be deadly.
                    Hank Lee

                    Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

                    Comment

                    • twistsol
                      Veteran Member
                      • Dec 2002
                      • 2893
                      • Cottage Grove, MN, USA.
                      • Ridgid R4512, 2x ShopSmith Mark V 520, 1951 Shopsmith 10ER

                      #11
                      Thanks Hank, that much I knew at least. There's a video on youtube I found of a guy throwing an unbalanced chunk of wood on a shop smith and chasing the machine around the shop.
                      Chr's
                      __________
                      An ethical man knows the right thing to do.
                      A moral man does it.

                      Comment

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