How slippery is the slope

[Jay Jolliffe]

when you start turning. I've always wanted to learn but never had the time. So my wife decided to sign me up for a two day course at a woodworking school near by In November.I told her this may cost more than she bargain for. Looks like I'm in store for new tools. :D

[Scott Hackler]

Dont walk.....run.!!! This is one of those money pit hobbies where you can NEVER have enough tools, fancy enough lathe and wood!

Let us know how your class goes (and when your lathe and tools are going to be delivered!) :)

[Michael James]

Very diplomatic response there! It really depends on what you want to do. Some of us wandered into it quite innocently,you know...just make a few pens and stay busy in the winter. And well, one thing leads to another and yeah, it can get expensive.
My advice is make her something beautiful ASAP......:cool:
Welcome to the vortex!
mj

[David E Keller]

Perfect, you have a mandate from the misses to develop a turning habit! I'm afraid she knows not what she's done. Welcome to the vortex!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Let me tell you a story.

Some years ago I began.....key word....began building a woodworking shop and discovered the Creek.

Nearly 4 years ago...I accidentally stumbled down to the Turners Forum. They were having a "Itty Bitty" turning contest and were having so much fun! I made the mistake of joining in the jocularity. I didn't turn. The idiots took up a collection and sent me a Jet VS 1014 and an SN2 chuck....tools...wood. Near as I could figure I got around $1000-$1200 worth of stuff. 2 years later I had spent $3,000 of my own money BEFORE I upgraded my lathe. It set me back over $3,000 more... It changed my life...

The lathe really is the cheapest thing....it's the accessories that cost.

The slope is steep and there ain't no bottom!:eek::rolleyes:


BTW...I finally stopped turning long enough to almost....ALMOST finish the shop.

[alex carey]

slope is truly misleading once you make that first dive your truly in free fall.

[Curt Fuller]

"Come on in, the water is fine" said the crocodile to the bunny!

[Jay Jolliffe]

Can you recommend any good books for the beginner....So I can have an idea of what I'm getting my self into

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jay,

Here's one I use: Woodturning: A Foundation Course (New Edition) - Paperback (Dec. 31, 1999) by Keith Rowley

It sells for $14.36 at Amazon. It is well illustrated and is written for the beginner.

Any of the books by Richard Raffan are good.

There is a tremendous number of videos....free on the Internet if you have a fast Internet connection.

[Don Alexander]

theres a slope? heck as far as i can tell its a CLIFF and i can't see the bottom of the canyon :D

[Baxter Smith]

It can be rather slippery Jay!:)
Just wondering if your class would be at the Center For Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport? Walked through there last spring after starting my slide last winter. Lots of nice Oneway lathes and they have weeklong classes as well.
As long as you have no other woodworking projects you need to finish or someday try, I would say go for it!

[Mark Patoka]

How slippery? Remember that scene from Christmas Vacation where Chevy Chase uses the special wax on his sledding saucer? Kinda like that....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rMcRJVY1-0

[Prashun Patel]

I'm falling down the slope.

The lathe is the cheap part.

Every piece of scrap wood I look at now looks like a turning blank. It's been addictive for me bkz even a novice like me can turn out a finished piece in one evening. Plus, I find turning mistakes in general more easily correctible than flatwork ones. After an initial learning curve, the lathe is actually soothing to work on - unlike flat work machines which always continue to have me on edge.

[Tim Rinehart]

Whenever my wife and I take a walk, and look around at the trees changing colors this time of year or just at their beauty all year long...I can't help but to look at them and think what parts of it would yield the nicest parts to turn.
I walk my driveway every day (about 150' long) to get the paper, and look up to see cherry burls in a tree that my wife says I should take down...but I just keep thinking... grow burls, grow. I have a maple, a plum and a dogwood also with burls that I really like, and would not cut down needlessly, but know that when it's their time...I'll have some beauty of wood from them.

Until you've started taking that journey...take a last good look at the beauty of trees for what they are...just trees and nothing else.

It's slippery alright! Enjoy. It's good that you're starting with a class, that's a good start to get hooked solid!

[Ken Hill]

It is mind over matter...period















If your wife doesnt mind it doesnt matter:eek::D

[Jay Jolliffe]

It can be rather slippery Jay!:)
Just wondering if your class would be at the Center For Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport? Walked through there last spring after starting my slide last winter. Lots of nice Oneway lathes and they have weeklong classes as well.
As long as you have no other woodworking projects you need to finish or someday try, I would say go for it!
Yes it is....I've taken the 12 week woodworking course & a two week furniture finishing course so far. I really wasn't planing on this course until my wife suggested it or sorta of pushed me to do it. I tried to tell her this going to cost more than she realizes if I like doing it.

[Rob Cunningham]

Jay, if you're even thinking of turning, it's too late. The vortex has you in it's grip. Just hang on and have fun.

[Baxter Smith]

Yes it is....I've taken the 12 week woodworking course & a two week furniture finishing course so far. I really wasn't planing on this course until my wife suggested it or sorta of pushed me to do it. I tried to tell her this going to cost more than she realizes if I like doing it.
I watched some of those in the 12 week course when I was given the drop by tour of the place. Looked like it would be neat to do.

What kind of cost are you talking about? Time, money, or never again using most of the things you learned in those first two courses to complete the projects you thought you wanted to do? It can do a number on all three!:D

[Mike Rushing]

The slope is very slippery and steep it has no bottom. I have over doubled the cost of my lathe in about a month and still do not have everything I need (want) and I said I was just going to do pens.

[Jay Jolliffe]

I know this is kinda a vague question since I don't really have an Idea what I want to make with a lathe. I have used one a few times before to make some small drawer pulls. Just messing around. What I want to know what would a good all around lathe be & what tools would I need to get started. I see a older Delta lathe 1 hp with some turning tools & a few other pieces for the lathe for 500.00 on Craig's list in my area.....Stand & all.....I don't know if that's a good price or not. I just spent 3800.00 for a new table saw so forking out another 3000.00 for a lathe I don't think will happen right now.

[Tim Rinehart]

If it were me starting all over...I would start with a smaller lathe, 12" table top variety, as they seem to hold value really well. The better ones will have 3/4 to 1 HP and variable speed, perhaps even reverse.

Lathes like the Delta 46-460 at the top of that category at around $600. Jet has a comparable featured lathe also at this size and price.
Rikon 12" lathes are on sale at many places currently, and I like them. We have several as 'club lathes'. They get alot of use/abuse and come back for more.

Try not to get anything that doesn't have a 1"-8tpi or 1 1/4" - 8tpi spindle, or you'll have more effort and $$ equipping with a chuck and other stuff.

Tools: I like a 5 piece set of Benjamins Best that I got for about $70. Has most of what you need to start, but I've heard Harbor Freight sets are good starters too. Other thing you'd want is a slow-speed grinder and sharpening kit, Wolverine is typical popular approach. You 'can' do it by hand...but difficult if you're not the type who also sharpens his drill bits by hand.

If you get hooked...you may opt to get a larger lathe and keep the smaller lathe to take with you for demos or other times when nice to have a portable lathe.

[Mark Hix]

Just like one of my custom funnels, the vortex has no bottom!

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have been falling down that slope now for 5 yrs now. My wife bought me a lathe and I fell in love with turning. I have never looked back. Mainly for the instant gratification.

[William Hutchinson]

Slippery slopes, vortex, sucking black holes and the like are words to describe the truly captivating experience of wood turning; one of endless possibilities and thus endless tool and accessory choices. It weaves art and utilitarian forms which can stand in natural splendor or with embellishments. Turning is a brilliant aspect of woodworking that unleashes the creative process and a sharing among a fantastic group of folks. What better way to enrich ones life experience; take your classes and know that you're on your way to a great time.

[David Epperson]

Let's put it this way.
How "Slippery" is the "slope"?
If you have reason to ask -
It's probably too late to avoid it. :D

[Lee Koepke]

I, myself, just started .... and manage a chuckle (now) at some of the responses ... like being able to finish a project virtually in one evening... even my simplest flatwork would take a couple of days to finish.

Also Tim mentioned looking at trees .... even my wife was doing that during our visit to Charleston this past weekend "oh, I bet that would be neat", and I havent even turned a bowl or anything with a burl to it yet !!!

She walked with me back to the property behind ours too this week to see if the logging company left anything interesting behind that would be useful.

Its fun, and I am enjoying it!! Find a Turners Club in your local area too, they are good people to be around.

[steven carter]

when you start turning. I've always wanted to learn but never had the time. So my wife decided to sign me up for a two day course at a woodworking school near by In November.I told her this may cost more than she bargain for. Looks like I'm in store for new tools. :D


Are you familiar with "terminal velocity" ......... you will be!:cool:

[Matt Evans]

See, the slope won't always grab you in the ways you think it will.

I bought a lathe a little while back, but still really like flatwork.

The lathe became the go-to machine for chisel handles, mallets and such, as well as dowels and pegs.

While I enjoy turning, what getting the lathe sucked me into was thinking more seriously about toolmaking. So now I am looking for machinist tools as well as woodworking tools, rather than a bigger and better lathe, or a new one-way chuck, vacuum system, etc. . .

So, take the class, tell your wife you may have to spend a bunch of money on the vortex, and have fun with it.