Volunteers needed

[John Fricke]

I work mostly 11-12 hour days 6 days/week late fall thru early spring so i don't have much ambition to get out in the wood shop. Work is slowing down now and I have been working on building up my blank pile for summer. (see pic) I am looking for volunteers to convince the LOML that I need a bigger lathe sooner rather than later. I have all these nice big chunks of wood and it seems like a sacrilage to cut them down to fit in my little old Delta lathe. They are mostly all burl and crotch pieces.

[Brendan McAreavy]

I'm almost positive that there is a law expressly forbidding the cutting of quality wood to fit a smaller lathe if it already would fit on a large lathe. I am also pretty sure the fines for breaking the law are substantial.

Now, I'm in Ireland so I might be mistaken but you will probably agree that I'm not.

[Gary Max]

John ---this is not a proven medical fact but it may be true.
Owning a big lathe increases your sex drive.

Hope that helps;)

[David Drickhamer]

Act now. The price of lathes will be going up real soon. :D Besides, remind her of all the larger turnings she'll be getting. It worked for me.

[David Christopher]

Hello, Johns wife. he needs a bigger lathe so people want laugh at him

[Ken Bellen]

Mention the safety issue. Bigger lathes (which are more expensive) generally have a more useful low speed end. We've all compromised safety in using speeds which are faster than necessary, because changing speed was cumbersome, or because the slower speed was just not available. What size/model are you lusting after?

[Steve Schlumpf]

John - I don't think I can help you here as I can only speak of the inherent safety issues.

Having large blanks are great but when you have to cut them down to fit a smaller lathe you run the risk of severe injury should your chainsaw slip, or whatever saw you are using to cut down the size of your blanks! If you have a large bandsaw - then there is the chance that the blank can twist and bind - destroying your blade and possibly injuring you in the process! These things happen in the blink of an eye and the only way to 100% be sure of never having them happen is to not subject yourself to it in the first place!

I know these are all things that you are extremely careful when doing - but wouldn't it be much safer to simply put the larger blank on a lathe that was designed to handle it and turn away the excess wood? Like I said, I probably can't do much to convince your wife that you need a bigger lathe.... but I sure would think that she would sleep better at night knowing you are working with a lathe that is capable of handling the larger pieces of wood and thus, saving you from many potential hazards that one must endure to overcome the pitfalls of a too-small lathe.

Best of luck with this. Your safety is our concern!

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I don't think you need a bigger lathe at all :(, as I can trade small burls for big ones :D, even better just send me the TOO big pieces :eek: , and then go and get yourself some smaller ones :p

[Bernie Weishapl]

Oh just go buy it. It is easier to get forgiveness than it is permission.:eek::D:rolleyes:;)

[Ken Fitzgerald]

John......Do I like I do....grovel...whine and cry! Sharon can't take it seeing a 6'2" silverheaded man crying...whining...on his knees....

It's a little embarrassing the 1st time but after the results....You lower your pride and go for the guts every time! Even in front of friends...they get used to it too!:eek::rolleyes::D

[Tony Greenway]

John, you need to remind her that back when she said the 'I dos and me toos', she was agreeing to give her full support for better and for worse. Just tell her the lathe you have now is the worse, and getting a bigger one would sure make things better.:D:D So theoretically speaking, she has already given you her permission.;) You should watch out though, 'cause this could backfire.:eek:

[John Beaver]

I myself have an old Delta lathe, and my wife constantly asks me to make bigger bowls. I tell her I just can't do it on my current lathe. I'm sure your wife will much happier if you get a larger lathe too. Besides, aren't bigger turnings usually worth more, so you can recoup the investment quicker with a larger lathe.

[alex carey]

I think Steve is right but here is how I would set a plan in motion.

The idea might be a tad bit cruel. You could fake an injury and then blame it on the size of the lathe. Stumble into the house acting like your injured and scream for help as if your in pain. When she's good and freaked out tell her "This is probably whats gotta happen if I don't get a bigger lathe honey, I'm not ACTUALLY injured now but with that small dinky lathe I might be soon."

BTW, I take no responsibility if she freaks out too much.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Alex................ ah, some how I can tell that you are not married. If John (or any of us) followed your suggested plan our survivability factor would suddenly drop close to zero! :eek: Not only that, but we would learn to truly love the old lathe because it would most likely become a permanent part of our anatomy - if you catch my drift! :rolleyes:


I do think your plan was funny and if all else fails - John should give it a try!

[Brian Brown]

John,

Work smarter, not harder. Put a nice easy chunk of wood on the lathe, Invite the LOYL out to the shop, put a face mask on her, and a tool in her hand, and soon she will insist you get a bigger lathe, and more tools and more wood, and and and...... The problem is you may never get to use your new lathe. :eek:

[ROY DICK]

Hello, Johns wife. he needs a bigger lathe so people want laugh at him.
Best idea so far. I am pointing and laughing at John.:D
Good luck on getting a new lathe John.

Roy

[Clarence Sears]

John (and guys): I can relate - on both the lathe and work counts! :( I have some really spectacular 20"+ cherry burls, 2' Box Elder, American Elm... all of which seriously challenge my Jet 1220. (And no, they aren't up for trade! :D) I've been SLOWLY cutting them down, but I can tell you that doing that creates real "entertainment" on the bandsaw. (Not to mention the exercise one gets from hefting a 50lb chuck of wood onto the bandsaw table, feeding it, and catching it on the other side. :o A definite safety issue! ;))

Good luck. I'll share my results and, if successful, hope it works for you.

[Sarah Clair]

Be very careful what you ask for...as my other-half would tell you since he is the one running to Woodcraft for me on his lunch breaks :) He bought a table saw and now he's building me a lathe cabinet, bought a drill press and it works great for my pens, added the disk sander to the Shopsmith and guess what it works wonders on the segmented stuff....need I say more? *BIG GRIN*

[John Fricke]

(well most all) of you for looking out for my best interests.

Alex....my wife is a nurse.......takes more blood and guts than I have to spare to freak her out.

Ken.....I'd get on my knees and beg......fraid i'd never get up again.

Mustard or Mayo would be wonderful.......but I will likely settle for Mayo lite (Jet 1642 evs) Seems like it should do most everything I really need for $1000 or so less.

Keeping with our new Pesidents vow of more transparency.......I am squirreling away a little bit out of every paycheck to put towards the lathe. Rate I'm saving, I'm hoping to have funds in place by fall 2010.

[Bubba Davis]

Look if you don't want to send it to Leo send it out here to Reno. I will dry it for you and send back the wood chips.:D

[Kirk Miller]

John,
Tell her your doing it for the economic recovery of our country. First off there is the money pumped into tthe economy for the lathe. Now that you have a bigger lathe your going to be making bigger peices of work which means more sand paper, more finish's, different tools so that your old ones arn't over whlemed with the massive pieces you will be creating. I could go on and on with the money you would be pumping into the economy, if done properly, by the time your done she will think your a saint

[Dick Sowa]

Not sure it would work for everyone, but I spent a year or so cussing out my "cheap, old, crappy" lathe. I did some turning on it, and would occasionally comment how easy it would have been with a "better" lathe. It took a year or so, but she eventually came around and said something like "why have you waited so long to get a new one?" :) Maybe she just got tired of my complaining.

[Jeff Nicol]

John, Like any married man the "Honey do list" never gets smaller. So figure out a couple or really good "Honey Do" projects that definitely need a bigger lathe to accomplish the mission. Then call all the neighbors and friends and have them put the bug in her ear that with all that fine turning stock you have they would be interested in a nice turned piece from you!

But like Bernie says just buy it and beg for forgiveness, it is not like she can fire you or something important like that!

Jeff