My First (real) Turnings

[Richard in Smithville]

I have been looking forward to posting this. I have finally started turning real stuff, not just making practice spindles. I picked up some bottle stopper kits from a Canadian supplier. This has been a learning process for sure. I know what I have made doesn't compare with what has been featured here but I'm happy with what I've done. So much that I have more kits on order. Enough talk...here's the pictures.(I need to work on my close-up photography too)





Thanks for looking.

[Uncle Cracker]

Very nice. Better than the stuff I turned out when I was a noob. Remember that the three most important things are 1) sharp tools, 2) sharp tools, and 3) sharp tools. Oh, and sharp tools, also... Most tools new out of the package still need to be honed, if not resharpened entirely...

The fun part is looking at every piece of wood you see, and trying to envision what it's gonna look like turned and finished.

[Whaler]

You are off to a great start Richard, they look real good.

[thestinker]

Those look really nice. Makes me want to take up turning those to go along with my drinking hobby I have already

[chopnhack]

I like them! Good colors on the wood. And of course, the obligatory dalek.

[dbhost]

Why do I all the sudden want a Captain & Coke?

[cabinetman]

Great looking stoppers. The little turning I've done I find enjoyable seeing something turn out. For close-ups, I finally found the camera setting for "macro" shots. It was one of those "duh" moments.
.

[Richard in Smithville]

Thank you for all the kind words friends. It's hard to see in the pictures but two of the stoppers are made from Purple Heart, Padauk, Walnut, and some mystery hardwood from a pallet that I reclaimed from work. I made a great big lamination and now I have about a dozen blanks to start with. The far right was turned from a scrap of oak. I have more kits coming tomorrow( I hope) and I have been laminating more blanks tonight.


My only complaint is that you guys never told me just how much fun I would be having

[crokett]

Very nice work for a beginner. Whenever I get the shop online one tool I will be bringing home from my dad's is a lathe. I look forward to being able to play around on it.

[cabinetman]

My only complaint is that you guys never told me just how much fun I would be having

It is fun and can be time consuming, not to mention the expense of tools and accessories. I went years without a lathe as whenever I needed something turned, I had a friend with one and he did the deed. It got to the point that doing spindles and knobs proved to be less expensive if I did them myself.

I never got into bowls, pens or stoppers though, too busy earning a living. Maybe I'll find time for them soon.
.

[Ed62]

Ah, the good looking fruits of labor. Nice job, Richard. I'm glad I never got into turning, for obvious reasons.

Ed