Why am I here?

[Rick Markham]

I keep finding myself here... I have no lathe, I have very little room in my shop. I have never spun anything... what are "you people" doing to me? :eek: I have so many more tools I "should" (using that term very loosely) be utilizing my money on. Why do my carpal tunnel hands already hate me for even pondering the thoughts in my head... I better get out of here... while the getting is still good!:rolleyes:

[Cathy Schaewe]

Can everyone else hear the giant sucking sound??? :D

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Relax Rick. This won't hurt a bit. Come on in and play with us. You'll enjoy yourself. This won't hurt. Trust me......this won't hurt a bit.














Take a photo of any money in your wallet.....get a 12x10 print and frame it and place it on the wall above your new lathe so you can remember what cash USED to look like! But hey....relax...this won't hurt a bit.:eek::rolleyes::D

[Alan Trout]

I know this is all in jest but I can tell you what brought me to the turning world from the flat world was, the length of project time. I could make a beautiful bowl or vase in less than a day versus a month or more. It is also to me purely creative outlet that flat work does not do for me. I like both but if I could only do one type of woodworking it would be turning for sure.

So what this brings us to is that you need to go pic of that lathe as soon as possible you have been indoctrinated into the dark side and resistance in futile.:D

Alan

[Steve Schlumpf]

Welcome Rick! Looking forward to seeing photos of your new lathe!

[Prashun Patel]

Rick-
Getting the lathe is the easy part. The hard part is figuring out which tools to get. Nightmare Smorgasbord.

[bob svoboda]

Don't try and fight it. Just get in the car and go for a ride...I promise there's candy..:D

[Paul Douglass]

Rick, don't resist, just jump in. This place made me remember how much I enjoyed turning on the cheap little lathe my Dad had when I was a kid. I started by buying a HF lathe when it was on sale for under $200. Used it a few years that moved up to a Nova 1624. Now I want a better lathe. I find lathe work very relaxing. I like flat work also, but there is just something more relaxing about lathe work.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Welcome Rick. Resisting is futile. I can already here the sucking sound. Really we all look forward to pictures of that new lathe.

[Brian Brown]

Resistance is Futile… You will be Assimilated, Bwaaahaahaaa :D

[David DeCristoforo]

I have only one word for you... Run! Before it's too late...

[Brian Effinger]

Come to the dark side.






We have cookies! :D

[Thom Sturgill]

I have only one word for you... Run! Before it's too late...

He's posted in the forum, we smell fresh meat, it IS too late !

[Bill Bolen]

We have cookies!!

[Mike Minto]

Can everyone else hear the giant sucking sound??? :D

oh, it's this place - i thought that was just the sound of my life :rolleyes:.

[Pete Jordan]

Welcome Rick,

You should start thinking about upgrading that lathe you are about to buy.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Welcome Rick,

You should start thinking about upgrading that lathe you are about to buy.

Shhhhhh! Let him buy one first!:rolleyes:

[Norm Zax]

Time to xerox those bills in the wallet... [wont be seeing them much longer].

[Tony De Masi]

Could be another John Keeton ready to take the hook.:D

Tony

[alex carey]

Rick, I'd start with the delta, and then in about 30 days you can post it on craigstlist and get most of your money back, then Id recommend the powermatic 3520b. That should suit you for atleast 6 months. Then you'll realize you wanna turn REALLY big, in which case you'll decided to build you own lathe. GL, see you on the otherside.

[Scott Hussey]

I predict you will have the following:



A lathe that you NEED to upgrade because you NEED to do a bigger bowl for a friend
A couple of chucks - cause you can't do everything you need to do with just one
A handful of faceplates - one size for every occasion
A set or 2 of forstner bits - for your pepper mills and other drilling you need to do
A jacobs chuck to hold your forstner bits - yes the one from harbor frieght is ok!
A home-made donut chuck - cause you hear great things about them here and you can't figure out how to turn that damn tenon off otherwise
any number of turning tools - bowl gouges of various sizes, skews of various sizes, some spindle gouges(because they came with the set you will buy and you won't use them), a really cheap set of tools cause your worried about screwing up the nice Sorby's when you sharpen them
A grinder, new grinding wheels and a sharpening "system"...you will try to live with the store sharpening for way, way too long, get frustrated, then go buy your sharpening system.
A sorby hollowing tool cause those hollow forms are so much cooler than a bowl
Some "roll your own tools" because the internet makes it look easy. You will have limited success with your home-made tools and pick them up occasionally to see if you can make them work.
A new power drill - cause your just can't get all the scratches out of your bowls with hand sanding...powersanding
A set or 2 of sanding arbors - 2" and 3" and a starter set of sanding discs from Vince's
A beal buffing system - you gotta make them shiny right?
A variety of finishes/waxes, potions and lotions to finish your treasures
A bunch of pen kits - cause you gotta build you a pen or 2
A chainsaw to cut up the wood you find on craigslist
Annoyed neighbors cause you gotta store your wood somewhere and they don't like to look at "a bunch of old logs" in your yard
Bill Grumbine's videos -they are great
A membership to your local AAW club
A 5 gallon Home depot bucket and 2 gallons of DNA to soak your rough turned bowls
A bunch of friends here!


That's the short list...and yes ..I think I remember what money used to look like, but making shavings is more fun!

[Frank Kobilsek]

Rick

I wrote the follow a few years back. If you wish to be describe this way I suggest you sell all the big tools in your shop except your band saw and go buy that Powermatic mentioned above.

Woodturner – A dusty but kind individual prone to long hours in solitude. May be often found doodling shapes when not in his shop. Likely to stop suddenly for downed trees. Car smells like gas from the chainsaw in the trunk. May drive mini-van despite not having children and/or dreams of a full size pick-up truck. Seldom purchases gifts for friends or family but would rather offer items he has created. He vacations in less popular American cities such as Louisville, Portland, Richmond, Brasstown or Provo. When his wife asks what he is doing on the internet and he answers ‘Looking to get wood’ she doesn’t worry about their marriage.

[Aaron Wingert]

Your carpal tunnel hands are definitely not strong enough to allow you to hang on and resist the sucking of the vortex. Just give in. Your hands won't hurt as much that way.

(On a side note, you can turn with carpal tunnel fairly well. I've had it as long as I've been turning and just got the first hand fixed last week. The inability to use the lathe for a couple weeks is much more traumatic than the surgery itself.)

[Richard Madison]

Rick, Why not find a local turning club and visit a couple of their meetings. Lots of turners in your state so there should be a few nearby. Lots of great wood grows in your state also.

Whooooosssh! Got 'im.

[Cody Colston]

In case you didn't realize it...

[Van Huskey]

Rick you are not the only one, I seem to lurk around here more and more...:confused:

[Cathy Schaewe]

I predict you will have the following:



A lathe that you NEED to upgrade because you NEED to do a bigger bowl for a friend
A couple of chucks - cause you can't do everything you need to do with just one
A handful of faceplates - one size for every occasion
A set or 2 of forstner bits - for your pepper mills and other drilling you need to do
A jacobs chuck to hold your forstner bits - yes the one from harbor frieght is ok!
A home-made donut chuck - cause you hear great things about them here and you can't figure out how to turn that damn tenon off otherwise
any number of turning tools - bowl gouges of various sizes, skews of various sizes, some spindle gouges(because they came with the set you will buy and you won't use them), a really cheap set of tools cause your worried about screwing up the nice Sorby's when you sharpen them
A grinder, new grinding wheels and a sharpening "system"...you will try to live with the store sharpening for way, way too long, get frustrated, then go buy your sharpening system.
A sorby hollowing tool cause those hollow forms are so much cooler than a bowl
Some "roll your own tools" because the internet makes it look easy. You will have limited success with your home-made tools and pick them up occasionally to see if you can make them work.
A new power drill - cause your just can't get all the scratches out of your bowls with hand sanding...powersanding
A set or 2 of sanding arbors - 2" and 3" and a starter set of sanding discs from Vince's
A beal buffing system - you gotta make them shiny right?
A variety of finishes/waxes, potions and lotions to finish your treasures
A bunch of pen kits - cause you gotta build you a pen or 2
A chainsaw to cut up the wood you find on craigslist
Annoyed neighbors cause you gotta store your wood somewhere and they don't like to look at "a bunch of old logs" in your yard
Bill Grumbine's videos -they are great
A membership to your local AAW club
A 5 gallon Home depot bucket and 2 gallons of DNA to soak your rough turned bowls
A bunch of friends here!
That's the short list...and yes ..I think I remember what money used to look like, but making shavings is more fun!

I started turning less than 3 months ago ... have you been looking in my shop??? :D



I could add a few more items from my own wishlist - the deluxe bandsaw, the vacuum chuck system that is absolutely crucial, the photo tent to take pictures, maybe an upgrade to your digital camera .... the sucking sound continues!!!!

And how can I already be surfing the web in my spare time, looking to upgrade to a lathe with a bigger swing??? How does this happen?

[John Keeton]

Rick, lurking silently is dangerous enough, but posting a self-doubting thread is proof positive that you have already jumped off into the deep end, but are still in self denial.

Not to fear, however, we are your friends and we want what is best for you. That would include, among other things, the finest lathe that you can't afford, and all the goodies mentioned by Scott!

BTW, ToolNut has Nova chucks on sale, and I would go ahead and grab 2 or 3 - you are going to need them!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Rick, lurking silently is dangerous enough, but posting a self-doubting thread is proof positive that you have already jumped off into the deep end, but are still in self denial.

Not to fear, however, we are your friends and we want what is best for you. That would include, among other things, the finest lathe that you can't afford, and all the goodies mentioned by Scott!

BTW, ToolNut has Nova chucks on sale, and I would go ahead and grab 2 or 3 - you are going to need them!


Hey Bernie..........did you see this from "I ain't gonna turn anything but table legs" John?

[Donny Lawson]

Scott, I think you hit the nail on the head.It won't be long now.I can hear it now,"New Thread"(Look at my new Lathe). He's already sucked in but just hasn't admitted it to himself yet.Remember, Once you start there is no turning back.Your hooked. You will be driving around looking at all the nice looking trees in your neighbors yard.
Donny

[Rick Markham]

Yeah Van... I am doomed! Thanks for the welcome... I think. Won't be long now before I won't be able to be here anymore, I'm sure I will be pawning my computer for that long handled gouge with lead shot in the handle... Oh brother! I already can't afford any of this so I might as well be farther in the hole. I know nothing about any of this. But playing with chainsaws, cookies, and candy does sound awfully appealing :D

[Brian Effinger]

Hey Bernie..........did you see this from "I ain't gonna turn anything but table legs" John?

Ken, you made me LOL! :D

[Andrew Gibson]

Holy Cow I am doing better then I thought I was...
I got my little lathe for free (it needs a new motor but it still works, and it belonged to my Fiances grandfather)
I have a chain saw.
I have only been compelled to turn tool handles and the like to this point.
I don't know enough yet to know what I can't live without.
I am still obsessed with eliminating the need for a router. (I can't wait to not have to use that noisy beast)
Stringing Inlay and any other inlay using only hand tools are next up for me on my next couple projects... though I do expect to turn some small spindles for an upcoming dresser/changing table... Ooh No, I think I hear it!

[Rick Markham]

My thoughts were to get a small lathe, to do tool handles too. But then I started looking in here... all the awesome bowls and watching videos of people turning... ugh... I haven't even drank the Kool aid yet. I have this really nice Bandsaw with an unused 1" 1 TPI blade for green wood, thats begging for me to use it on some of the Oak trees that get cut down around here. I seriously need some sort of professional intervention. Hand tools, power tools, turning... and I am going to Woodcraft on Saturday with money in my pocket. My only hope is that the Delta 46-460 (crap I know model numbers now) is out of stock, and I can leave with some sort of self respect/ lunch money :o

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Rick,

I'm sure WoodCraft will have a PM3520B in the event they don't have the Delta 46-460. Buy it and you won't need to upgrade later.:D

[Tom Giacomo]

Cast all hope aside, you are being sucked into the vortex.

[Brian Brown]

Dearly Beloved, We are gathered together to celebrate the passing of Rick from the flat world to the round spinny vortex. Ashes to ashes (or oaks, walnuts etc.), Sawdust to sawdust (or curlies, chips whatever.). May he segment in pieces.

[Rick Markham]

Ken, that's exactly what I am afraid of!

[Dave MacArthur]

LOL... As soon as I saw your post, I was thinking, "Hey! Rick Markham has been lurking here too!"

I've been reading every thread in here for a month, and LITERALLY checking CraigsList for lathes 3-5 times a day! That list by Scott Hussey is so accurate, I spent last night researching all the stuff I NEED to buy for the lathe I don't even have, and dang is his list isn't close to what I came up with!

I'm right there with you, I haven't turned in 20 years and then just a few times with my Dad... I have no idea why this place is luring me every night, I have way too much to do and no NEED for any turnings...

When I saw David DeChristoforo post last week, and now you, and Van Huskey, my first reaction was, "YES! Someone else is getting addicted in here with me!"... I seem to recall that as being a warning sign of addiction hehe, and we don't even own lathes!

Wow... I just realized I convinced my wife we should cut down our Dalbergia Sissou (Indian Rosewood) tree, yesterday... because it's now a threat to our pool... but mostly because I want to cut it, and wax it, and care for it for years, and turn it into bagpipes... And I pointed out a dead tree on the side of the road and tried to explain how it was probably just perfectly spalted in there... No wonder she's looking at me funny.
This really is a problem, isn't it?

[Rick Markham]

LOL Dave, I haven't even begun to make a list of things I am going to "need"! Looking at that list makes me sick, because I know it is just the "short list" I've been allured to lathes since I started woodworking, but have never really had a "need" for it so to speak.

I've been watching craigs list forever, and it always is junk around here that is being sold. Except one day, I saw one of those Shopsmith Mark 5's showed up on there for $400 bucks. I am kicking myself for not getting it. I couldn't justify the space for it. But now that I have a Festool TS55 I don't have to worry about large crosscuts and breaking sheet goods down in my small shop space. (that's what the car port is for LOL) Well regardless, I am waiting for another good deal to show up. In the mean time I will just have to drool over all the new ones.

I did notice that Laguna has free shipping on the PS 16/43 lathe this month, at $995. (manufacturers bargains/ email alerts aren't helping this any) But I don't know anything about these things. Could be entirely wrong for me. The Delta is tempting, but I know I will want something bigger eventually. I don't and won't have $3000 to spend on a Powermatic. I don't even know where to start LOL

Nova chuck, donut thingy (I know this one now) Vacuum chuck, 3 jaw, 4 jaw, G3, whosa jamawhatsits, and what nots. It's more than enough to make my head spin :eek:

[Roland Martin]

I hear it loud & clear:D

[Bob Haverstock]

Rick,

Unless you buy a larger lathe for your first lathe, you WILL buy a larger one later. With a large bandsaw setting in the shop to help balance your blanks, you are in a good starting position.

I think Mr. Keeton had the right approach. By a Harbor Freight "Reeves Drive" lathe and a set of their chisels. Learn on this lathe, If you want a larger lathe in the future, send the HF down the road. Plan ahead, cut your loss.

If you buy a chuck spend a bit more and get one that has replaceable spindle adapters. If you upgrade to a larger lathe, you can purchase the appropriate adapter to use your existing chuck.

If you really want to fight the "Vortex" , you can take a laxative and see if it passes in the morning. You will feel better in the morning knowing you tried to resist.

Bob

[Steve Braman]

Too bad there isn't a HF lathe in my garage, I would ship it out to set the hook deeper. We should all pitch in $5 and buy a "vortex starter kit" to pass from lurker to lurker. Just pay the shipping to the next guy. Kind of like the DVDs. Now if I could just figure out how to finish chores on the honey-do list and still get in quality shop time.

[Harvey Ghesser]

We have cookies!:D

[Jeff Willard]

I seriously need some sort of professional intervention.

Wrong place, dude. Nuttin' but enablers here:eek:.

[Matt Ranum]

Come on in the waters fine!


I am now where near the level of most here but it is a joy to play on just the same. Make sure you get head protection though. You'll learn the intricacies of launching objects from the lathe to achieve maximum distance and possible injury. :p

[Rick Markham]

So I went to Woodcraft today, and spent a little time looking at the lathes. My primary purpose was to exchange something ;) The Delta 46 460 almost went home with me ;) However I wouldn't have been able to bring home any cutting tools with it to have fun. I also couldn't tell if the one they had on display had reverse on it. I also didn't bring it home, because I want to learn some more about them. I have a sneaking suspicion that I might want to save up some more cash and get one with a larger swing. (I'm hoping one of those spectacular deal on craigslist pops up sometime) I can't justify the price of the PM, but that sure is a snazzy rig. Maybe Y'all can give me some direction on how I should go about researching what are some good setups for different turning tasks, I.E. I am extremely interested in being able to turn bowls, hollow forms, etc. slightly less interested in turning bedposts, table legs etc. (I would like that option, but it wouldn't be my primary interest in turning.) Any input or guidance I would greatly appreciate. I know y'all are wanting to set the hook deeper, well here is the chance :D

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Rick,

The first thing I would look at in a lathe is "throw"...the maximum size you can turn.

The 2nd thing I 'd look at is low speed. Often when you start to turn a bowl blank, it's out of balance until you get it somewhat roughed into shape. If the low speed is too fast, you can end up chasing your lathe across the room. I would prefer something with a low end speed say...200-300 RPMs.

The next important thing is HP. Obviously you don't want a lathe with a 36" throw and a 1/4 HP motor. What could you turn with that? 35" of styrofoam?

I would recommend a headstock and tailstock spindles with a #2 morse taper. This is the most common taper on lathes today and thus any accessories you buy would be useable should you upgrade or buy another lathe in the future for any reason.

Then I would consider lathe bed length....but if you aren't going to do a lot of spindle turning this won't mean much.

Next I would be concerned about the banjo. Some banjos have what I consider an inferior design for strength, though you are seeing fewer of them. They are articulated and that creates the inherent physical weakness. There are several Creekers who have bought lathes with articulating banjos on the tool rest and had them break. Then the solution is buy another articulating banjo and wait for it to break, buy a different banjo or have one built.

The next worry would be the alignment between the spindle and the tailstock.

There's my short list for now.

Good luck and research it carefully!

[Jeff Nicol]

Rick, Hope in the car and head north to Wisconsin and I could give you the Woodennicol beginners class on anything that you can think of, from cheap lathes to big upgrades to the PM3520b, to getting a mini for demos and then upgrading the mini to a Delta 46-460 Midi for demos and darn right great turning fun! I make lots of tools and can give you pointers on what to do on making things you need and tools you never thought you might need! I have more wood than any one man should have and a sawmill to get more if the need ever arises!

The VORTEX is strong but the souls you will meet in it will be there to help you through all the trials and tribulations of the wonderful addiction!

The 46-460 has reverse the 46-455 has a 5 speed belt change configuration with out the reverse.

Welcome and keep us up to date!

Jeff

[Rick Markham]

Rick, Hope in the car and head north to Wisconsin and I could give you the Woodennicol beginners class on anything that you can think of, from cheap lathes to big upgrades to the PM3520b, to getting a mini for demos and then upgrading the mini to a Delta 46-460 Midi for demos and darn right great turning fun! I make lots of tools and can give you pointers on what to do on making things you need and tools you never thought you might need! I have more wood than any one man should have and a sawmill to get more if the need ever arises!

The VORTEX is strong but the souls you will meet in it will be there to help you through all the trials and tribulations of the wonderful addiction!

The 46-460 has reverse the 46-455 has a 5 speed belt change configuration with out the reverse.

Welcome and keep us up to date!

Jeff

Now that's what I call an enabler :D!!! I wish I was close to Wisconsin, that would be exceptionally helpful, thanks for the offer Jeff.

Ken thanks for the short list! That's an excellent place for me to start.

[Harvey Ghesser]

"I have more wood than any one man should have and a sawmill to get more if the need ever arises!"

Bill Grumbine states on his website that you can see his woodpile from outer space!:D