O/T Tips on Woodturning

I know this is not tractor related, but there is a lot of knowledgeable folks on this site, and I was just wondering if there are folks on here who turn wood?? With that I mean with a wood lathe.

My wife and I are trying to learn to do this and were just wondering how other folks have gotten off the ground with this hobby.

We enrolled in a little class to learn the basics. It was an individual who turns and tries to help others get started. We had 5 sessions that lasted 2 hours each and got a beginners amount of knowlege. What do you turn?? What type of wood do you use?? Do you have trouble sharpening your tools?? How did you learn to sharpen them correctly??

Any comments on any aspect of turning wood will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Check out the wood turners workshop, with Tim Yoder, on PBS, lots of good tips. I mostly turn handles, out of hickory, I find here and there.

First issue is very sharp tools. Look at the tool as a shape that is never sharpened on the upper surface (ever) the under surface is sharpened at about a 20 degree rake angle (under bite). A fine grit grinding wheel followed by dressing the edge (same angle) with a 400 grit stone. then an Arkansas stone.
Second tip. Keep the tool rest within 1/4" of the work at all times at the point you are working. Move it a lot, and never work more than 1/2 inch away or you will loose the tool in your forehead, not good.
Use only seasoned wood and make double sure it has no checking or splits in it at all, ever. Splits will allow the wood to explode under the force of spinning. Not Good.
Rough saw the stock to at least an octagon or hex to avoid radical out of balance, and orbital escape attempts that result.
On long material, use a drive spur in 3/16" deep perpendicular saw cuts in the end of the stock.
Use a mallet to set the spur into the slots. Drill the tail stock end so a live center will have a 3/8 to 1/2" deep hole to run in. If a dead center, lubricate it with bees wax, or parafin. Watch for heat to avoid burning the center if a dead center, as it needs to be tight enough to hold the spur firmly.
Do not spin faster than 1000 RPM until it is fundamentally round.
Use highest speeds only to sand and polish the wood not shape it.
If turning bowels, use a face plate and glue the bowl blank to a scrap disk so the screws do not mar the bowl. Use deck screws, they hold better, and are not made of old Buicks.
GLued up blanks for layered products must be alephetic resin, and cured for 2 days. Gorilla glue (read about the use of water during application) is great as well. Epoxy and one day is also OK. White Elmers in not OK. Hold the tool at the tool rest with a finger behind and against the rest to prevent it from oscillating as the shape is rounded. Always hold the butt end of the tool with your thumb over the top to prevent possible forehead penetration as above.
I teach this topic in a university setting.
Be safe, Jim

Hello Old Bob.. If you put "wood turning" in the search engine, there are a number of items there which could benefit you.

I ran over a log concealed by grass which was swept into a paddock by the big rains last Jan/Feb, certainly made the Fordson hop. what tha!! I thought.

I would NOT recommend you use a Shopsmith multi tool to power your wood turning! BIL had one, for a short time. I wanted to turn a 4x4 cedar to a round 3" cylinder to make a shop jig. I had a 3' chunk chucked in, when I realized I had not slowed the motor down from table saw speed. You are not supposed to adjust the speed with out it on. I figured I could turn it on and QUICKLY slow it down-NO! That piece came flying out of there quicker than a donkey can kick! I almost died that day-and have been forever thankful that he sold the POS before I thought to use it again!

We have purchased a Jet wood lathe.

Good advice Jim. You should see some of the walnut bowls I have turned. Never get 2 the same. All glued up in pieces like a jigsaw puzzle.

Youtube is a great place to learn so much. But as mentioned before, learn how to keep the tools sharp. A sharp tool means less sanding.

I wish we could attend your class.

You're wrong about woodturning not being tractor related. My last woodturning project was to make a clutch alignment tool when I split my tractor.

Congratulations on getting into woodturning. I believe you will find that its the most fun of any woodworking tasks. My first project in woodturning was in high school in 1970 where we turned the legs for foot stools. It was a very simple project but it gave the experience of making four turnings alike. Today mostly what I turn is replacement parts for furniture restoration. I would recommend that you only turn wood between centers until you get some experience before you start something like bowls. If you have access to a soft hardwood like alder, soft maple, walnut or mahogany I think it would be better for you to start with. If you try to use a harder wood like ash or oak you would have more incidents where the tool grabs. I don't go overboard on sharpening tools. Some people hone the tools but they wear down too fast to go to that trouble. I sharpen mine only with a grinder.

I've always recommended that someone learning woodturning find a simple project and build it. It has the effect of focusing your attention on what you are doing right and wrong. If you just stick a piece of scrap wood in the lathe and make shapes you don't learn to measure or make anything useful. When I was in school we did that for about 10 minutes to get the feel of it an then started making parts. I believe I ended up having to throw one of the stool legs away and make another because it was a little different than the other three.

I wish I had more pictures of turnings. This table is the only picture of something with turnings I've built I can find.

Been turning for a long time......self taught. Tend to turn in 'spurts'; might turn every day for a couple of weeks and not do anything for 6 months. I turn my own wood........firewood, stuff I've thrown back and saved, etc. I turned 35-40 candlesticks in Decmeber for Christmas presents..........red oak, sassafras, wild cherry, black walnut, Eastern Red Cedar, etc......all different profiles. They're a good project for beginners; you can get some ideas by putting 'turned candle holder' in google images.

Pens and pencils are also great projects for beginners; there are numerous on-line suppliers of the kits; Penn State, Rockler, etc. Slimline kits are inexpensive (2 bucks or less) and a good place to start. I was watching Bobby Goren when I typed my first response and wasn't thinking..........I hope he never gets after me.

Check out the Forestry Forum. Lots of information including woodturning. Armand

Those turned legs on that table your work? I guess that makes 'em newel posts, LOL! Sorry I couldn't resist the obvious pun! Nice work, though!

Thanks. Yes the legs on the table are my work. Everything on the table was made from alder lumber. It's hard to see in the picture but the legs are fluted as well.

You know I've often thought it would be a good gimmick to go into business making Newel Posts. Although I don't have the space or money to put in a duplicator lathe. I don't think there would be much money in making them one at a time. Over the years most of the woodturning I've done has been in furniture making and restoration. I only turn what's ordered. So far nobody has ordered a Newel post yet.