I've got a lathe... now what (kind of a stupid question)

[Brian McDermaid]

For Christmas my wife bought me a lathe from PSI. It was one of their pen making stater sets that come with everything you need to get started making pens.

Jump forward 3 weeks and now I've got a shop full of wood-chips, a house full of pens, and an empty wallet. I've handed out pens to everybody in my office and my kids don't understand why i get upset when they don't use their amboyna burl pencils for homework (bunch of ingrates). basicly... i don't have room for any more pens.

My question is... Whats the cheapest way for me to get into turning bowls? I think i'll need a chuck... but if i tell my wife i need $300 for a new toy i may end up out on the street (with a box full of pens).

I've done a search but i cant seem to find a good 'getting started guide for cheapskates'.

I'd be greatfull for any help..

~Brian

[Pete Jordan]

At least your kids didn't lose their new pens the first week!

I would start with a faceplate.

[Gordon Seto]

Find a local turning club and join their meetings
http://www.woodturner.org/community/chapters/members.pl?submit=Chapter+List
That is the best bargain in wood turning to get you started.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Brian - Welcome to the Creek and the vortex!

Hate to tell you but there is no way to do bowls cheap and if you think you don't have room now - just wait until the house is full of roughed out bowl blanks!!!

Probably the best advice has already been given - join a local turning club. The members can advise you and hopefully you can get some one-on-one instruction on how to turn. Also recommend getting Bill Grumbine's DVD - Turned Bowls Made Easy. In my opinion - the best bowl video out there as he explains each step and also explains the proper way to use the bowl gouge!

Bowls are a lot of fun! There is also a lot to learn when you first start out - so be sure to ask any questions that you have!

[Jeff Nicol]

Brian, There are some recent posts (The last few months) that have adressed this issue. There are many ways to go but if you have a Harbor Freight store close by, they have some nice larger sets of Windsor Design tools that are under $60 for a whole set of tools. Grizzly has an inexpensive chuck for around $50. This would get you started for now. You don't need a bowl gouge yet but that would be your next step. PSI sells Benjamins Best tools and for the price they are great! I have a few of them and have been completly satisfied! So I guess you need to decide how far you want to slide into the vortex. So somewhere around $150-$200 you will be set. You can get a face plate for $20 or so and that would work until you can get a chuck. Keep looking at videos and read books and search the forums and you will find all the ways to do anything you want to try!

Good Luck!

Jeff

[Kaptan J.W. Meek]

The Barracuda chucks from PSI (obviously your familiar with them) can be had with 3 sets of jaws for less than $200. Some for less than $150..Pick out which one you think will do what you want and try it.. I like the Barracuda II, It'll do everything you need for bowls and lots of other projects.. Nothing super fancy about it, just a good solid piece for the money.. The Micro chuck is just over 2" wide but will hold all kinds of small bowl projects. $129 bucks with 3 sets of jaws.. Think about it.

[Brian McDermaid]

Thanks guys...

I'll try to check out the local clubs... unfortunately i never seem to make it to any of my other hobby's club meetings (i build/fly RC airplanes).

I'll also check out that DVD.

I guess i was hoping to learn i could just use something like a screw chuck to play around with. Somebody at woodcraft told me i could use woodturners/double-sided tape but that didn't seem safe.

~Brian

PS. Hmm... I've been a member of this forum for 2 years. I know I've posted before, strange that it shows this is my first post. maybe they don't count all my stupid questions :)

[Jim Kountz]

Some great advice here already the only thing I would add would be to go ahead and get a bank loan for say around oh $7000. Then go ahead and get you a nice Oneway 2436, some chucks, all kinds of Thompson gouges and other accessories, a vacuum setup, sanding accessories and a good divorce attorney. You're going to need all this anyway sooner or later..........We're all doomed!!!!!!!!! Theres no turning back..........I cant help myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[ROY DICK]

I think i'll need a chuck... but if i tell my wife i need $300 for a new toy i may end up out on the street (with a box full of pens).

Just be sure to get a prime street corner to sell your pens. :D

Roy

[dennis kranz]

There are all kinds of things that can still be done on the lathe. There are a lot of sites out there with more ideas than you can do in a reasonable amount of time. If you want more give aways try bottle stoppers, light pulls some ornaments. If you do have to many pens around consider the Freedom Pens Project they could use a few from all of us.
Dennis

[Jim Underwood]

What do you do with a new lathe?!!!!:eek:

Mount wood on machine.

Turn machine on.

Stick pointy end of tool into wood.

Make stuff.


Got it?:D

Simple huh?

Seriously, once you start looking, you can find bowl blanks all over the place. Downed trees tend to become eye magnets and driving hazards. Firewood becomes a treasure pile to poke around in. The neighbors trees become an item of interest. If you know other woodturners they'll give you wood just to get rid of it. If you were to drop in one day, I'd load you up... Don't spend money on wood.

Yes. I'd get a chuck. Faceplate turning is great, and is secure (if you do it right) but it's slower, and chucks are WONDERFUL inventions that save oodles of time and make things easier.

Club. Yes. Definitely join a club. Do it now. Don't delay.

Get Keith Rowley's book A Foundation Course in Woodturning. If not that, check out your local library. They probably have some interesting stuff too.

Face shield! Absolute necessity. Mine has saved me several owies lately.

Get a good bowl gouge, and don't ever use a spindle roughing gouge on bowls.

But say! Why limit yourself to bowls? There must be hundreds if not thousands of other projects that you can make....

[Randy Schaffer]

Sort of a neat dilemma eh?

I have been searching this forum for smaller projects that appeal to me for exactly the same reasons you have. I already spent so much money that I am looking for things to do with my current set of tools.

This striking knife project by Derek Cohen really appealed to me....pen like but a great shop tool for emmmm.... flat work.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/A%20Knife%20for%20Marking%20Dovetails.html

Game calls are another area fairly well represented on the forum that also appeal to me.

So maybe instead of going to face work right away you could flood your family and friends with dovetail marking knives and duck calls:D

Have fun....and try to stay out of divorce court.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Here is the first chuck I got for $42.50. It is the G8784 1 X 8. I was in the same boat as you were and for the money I am still using it today.

http://www.grizzly.com/catalog/2009/Main/130

[steven carter]

Brian,

A lot of the old time turners made lots of things without the modern chuck, and these methods still work. You might want to consider this until you can afford a chuck. Take a look at this url: http://bobhamswwing.com/Articles/No%20Chuck%20Bowl/No%20Chuck%20Bowl.htm it might give you some ideas. This isn't all the methods, but might be a good place to start.


Steve

[Randy Schaffer]

That is a great article from Bob Hamilton....now I have a chuckless small bowl on my list to do....:D

[Randy Hoch]

Randy,
If your spindle is 1"x 8 tpi, I have a Nova midi chuck that you might be interested in. My new lathe has a larger spindle size. Send me a PM if you want.
Randy

[Randy Schaffer]

Randy....Pm sent, and thanks.

[Steve Mawson]

Second the Freedom Pen Project if you still have too many pens to give away. You can also keep a watch on the For Sale Forum, chucks do come up from time to time.

[Brian Effinger]

Brian,

A lot of the old time turners made lots of things without the modern chuck, and these methods still work. You might want to consider this until you can afford a chuck. Take a look at this url: http://bobhamswwing.com/Articles/No%20Chuck%20Bowl/No%20Chuck%20Bowl.htm it might give you some ideas. This isn't all the methods, but might be a good place to start.


Steve

I've used similar methods before, and I can say they work really well. If you don't want to part with that much money, give the glue block a try.