Kenneth Whiting
11-06-2009, 8:20 PM
Well I got started today. I managed to play with 4 pieces of wood.
I started with a 2x3, just trying to figure out what each tool can do. Then when it got a little flimsy I cut a 1x1x20 piece off of a ceder scrap I have. It got too thin and started to bow as well. I guess I was tightening the tail stock too much.
I wanted some thing that could hold up a little better so I grabbed a pressure treated 4x4. It was too long so I cut a small piece off the end and had a little fun with the parting tool, then the 1/4" gouge. I was having problems with catches that would stop the wood dead. I figured I should start figuring out a decent sharpening method with my disk sander since I haven't bought a grinder yet. That is when I realized how dull they were to begin with. Wow, what a difference. The parting tool was still giving me bad catches. It wasn't the tool, I over compensated for tightening it too much by not tightening it enough.
Then I put the longer piece in and started a bonker. If thats what one of these pieces is going to be called, I might as well try to do it right. It was going "well." I had it mostly round and straightish. I was even putting a pummel on it that I thought was going to look kinda neat. I was using the scraper to smooth out the transition from the thicker part to the handle and thats when IT happened!!! When I got the lathe turned off and picked up the pieces I saw what IT was. I put the point of the scraper into the wood and a knot in the handle gave out, shooting the whole thing up at me in two pieces.
All together it was a great time and I learned a LOT. This is sooooo cool. If you made it this far, thanks. I would have given up on this rambling fool a while ago. Here is the part you have been waiting for, the pics. It was getting dark so these aren't the greatest, I'll try to take some better ones tomorrow, if someone can pull me away from the lathe:D
I started with a 2x3, just trying to figure out what each tool can do. Then when it got a little flimsy I cut a 1x1x20 piece off of a ceder scrap I have. It got too thin and started to bow as well. I guess I was tightening the tail stock too much.
I wanted some thing that could hold up a little better so I grabbed a pressure treated 4x4. It was too long so I cut a small piece off the end and had a little fun with the parting tool, then the 1/4" gouge. I was having problems with catches that would stop the wood dead. I figured I should start figuring out a decent sharpening method with my disk sander since I haven't bought a grinder yet. That is when I realized how dull they were to begin with. Wow, what a difference. The parting tool was still giving me bad catches. It wasn't the tool, I over compensated for tightening it too much by not tightening it enough.
Then I put the longer piece in and started a bonker. If thats what one of these pieces is going to be called, I might as well try to do it right. It was going "well." I had it mostly round and straightish. I was even putting a pummel on it that I thought was going to look kinda neat. I was using the scraper to smooth out the transition from the thicker part to the handle and thats when IT happened!!! When I got the lathe turned off and picked up the pieces I saw what IT was. I put the point of the scraper into the wood and a knot in the handle gave out, shooting the whole thing up at me in two pieces.
All together it was a great time and I learned a LOT. This is sooooo cool. If you made it this far, thanks. I would have given up on this rambling fool a while ago. Here is the part you have been waiting for, the pics. It was getting dark so these aren't the greatest, I'll try to take some better ones tomorrow, if someone can pull me away from the lathe:D