Can someone recommend a great turning DVD and/or book?

[John Coloccia]

What I'm looking for is something that clearly explains the dynamics of the tools with the various cuts. I'm having a maddening time with some cuts in that they work fine 75% of the time, and the other 25% of the time they catch or skid. I think I'm doing everything right, I think everything that should be rubbing is, but I'm still having some occasional problems with some types of cuts.

Who's got the definitive "here's exactly how the tool interacts with the wood" reference? I'm on a quest for something beyond "you have to ride the bevel", or "a catch happens when you cut with an unsupported edge". I know all that. LOL. That's like saying, "A kickback on a table saw occurs when the back of the blade is allowed to grab the wood", and then never clearly explaining the dynamics of how the wood interacts with the fence, where to place your hands for best control, exactly how to push, the use of splitters or riving knives, proper fence setup, etc.

So help me choose a stocking stuffer for myself!

[John Keeton]

John, I hope someone can provide an answer for you. I have watched several of the DVDs out there, and Grumbine's is probably the best I have seen, but even it may not do what you want. Sounds like you need to spend an afternoon with an experienced turner. I never had that luxury, but I am sure it would have shortened the learning curve considerably.

My guess is that you lack consistency. You may be doing everything right that 75% of the time, and lose the right angle of attack, or lose the bevel, etc. The wood can also move and create issues. It may be that you need to just spend a lot more time at the lathe doing nothing but concentrating on the cuts instead of actually completing a piece.

Don't know - just offering some thoughts. It has to be frustrating for you.

[Tony De Masi]

I'm not sure that book or DVD exists either. As someone who took a two day class last year I can tell you that at least for me it was the little things that I was doing wrong, but not all the time. I agree completely with JK about doing a piece with the sole idea of working on technique and not a finished piece. Also, a hands on with someone with more experience than you would be priceless. There must be someone else here from Conn who would be willing to assist.

[Norm Zax]

I like Jimmy Clewes DVDs for basic instructions. Beyond that I highly recommend you et togethre with anyone with a few years experience and turn a bowl start to finish with him aside. No substitute for that.

[David E Keller]

I don't know of a definitive DVD for all of the various tools. Alan Lacer's DVDs are the best I've seen for using a skew chisel. Grumbine and Clewes are both good for bowl gouge technique. I like Richard Raffan's work, but I didn't enjoy his DVDs from an instructional standpoint as much as the others. I like Mike Mahoney's work, but the DVDs of his that I've seen are not as technique driven as some of the others.

The recommendation to get with an experienced turner is a good one. Several of the big-named turners offer private instruction at what I consider to be a reasonable price... I took a three day course with Jimmy Clewes at his house for $600 which included materials and lunch each day, and I couldn't be happier that I was able to do it.

[Darryl Hansen]

"Ellsworth on Turning" is the best book for explanations that I have read. His videos are good as well. He offers classes that can not be beat and he is close to you. Bill Grumbine also offers excellent classes. Suggest you get the Ellsworth book and if you can't go to class find a woodturning group and ask questions.

[Joe Bradshaw]

John, check out Mike Darlow's books. He really gets into the nuts and bolts of turning and tool use.

[Charlie Stone]

John,
I had very much the same problem. Then I found http://www.youtube.com/user/haydenHD and the guy has TONS of really good videos of him actually turning stuff. He talks all though the videos and is always talking about the various tools he is using and why. Interspersed are the "watch outs". I bet if we all started putting in requests, he would make some tool specific videos.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I will say the most help to me on cuts has been Mike Mahoney's DVD and Bill Grumbines.

[Prashun Patel]

I have the Bill Grumbine video. It's great on many levels.

I echo the suggestion to have someone watch you; or join a local wood turning club.

Last, I suggest you post the specific maddening cut in this thread. I've been able to solve most of my problems with the advice given here.

Give it up for CROWD SOURCING!

[Jim Underwood]

One of the things that really helped me was Keith Rowley's book Woodturning, A Foundation Course - it also comes with a DVD now. I suppose you've already read it though.

[Harvey Ghesser]

Bill Grumbine

[John Coloccia]

re: which cuts
One of the cuts is back cutting. The catches seem to come out of nowhere, and I'm not sure what's happening. It can't be this difficult or fickle so I must be approaching it all wrong. That's an example. Once I figure out a technique by piecing together information from 20 sources, it becomes easy because I can visualize in my mind exactly what's supposed to be going on, instead of guessing and experimenting. It's kind of like using a skew. Once you can visualize in your head what's supposed to be where and when, the skew becomes a favorite tool instead of the "dreaded skew" so many people see it as. Before that, it seems like all it's good for is rubbing without cutting, or catching and ruining your work.

re: books
I picked up one of Darlow's books after thumbing through it at Woodcraft. It really seemed to have exactly the kind of information I was looking for. Very clear and straightforward.

re: taking classes.
Actually, I took a class. I wasn't going to but my wife took the class and she thought it would be nice for me to take it with her. Honestly, I got practically nothing out of the class, I'm afraid. There just wasn't enough time for one on one instruction. The real beginners got a lot out of the class, but I'm at the point that I really need specific help to get better, not necessarily instruction on sharpening, finding the center of a piece of wood, how tight to make the tailstock, etc. I got a lot of "you have to rub the bevel" when I was having problems. LOL. It was a fun class and I did get some good pointers. My wife loved it.

Maybe I will join a club.

[Sean Hughto]

I find myself using cuts i first saw in Grumbines and Ellsworth's videos a lot in my bowl turning. Raffan and Del Stubbs too now that I think of it. Raffan was good on spindle stuff as well.

[Lee Koepke]

Maybe I will join a club....

That, or take another class. The bowl turning class I just took only had 8 people there. I was slightly more experience as a woodworker in general than most of the class (albiet mostly flatwork) so I didnt get the 'close' attention by the instructor at first. I wandered around watching him help others, then he helped me ... an ever so slight lean of the body/arm made all the difference and he stuck around until I got it right, then checked back. Alot of the time was spent early talking about turning, but the handson time was good.

Find a smaller class and that helps. Its real difficult to talk about the angles, presentation, and things to avoid ...

[Jake Helmboldt]

John, I am partial to Raffan's Turning Wood DVD and book. They complement eachother nicely, but I really like the video since it covers spindle and faceplate work. He intentionally shows some catches and describes what happened. The quality is very good and he covers a lot. He does cover back cutting as well. Here is my guess (from having run into the same issue)

1. there is a fine line between bevel up and going too far and catching the wing. You may have the bevel too upright and catching the wing/losing bevel contact. Or you may not be following the curve (and losing bevel contact). The grind/sweep of the wing might be an issue to consider as well.

2. the other issue is; are you pushing too hard? I found that I would get catches when back cutting (not to mention a lumpy surface) if I didn't relax and let the tool cut vs. pushing too hard into the wood. Raffan refers to "letting the wood come onto the tool". This can especially be an issue if there is any sapwood and/or due to end grain/face grain hardness differences.

[John Coloccia]

John, I am partial to Raffan's Turning Wood DVD and book. They complement eachother nicely, but I really like the video since it covers spindle and faceplate work. He intentionally shows some catches and describes what happened. The quality is very good and he covers a lot. He does cover back cutting as well. Here is my guess (from having run into the same issue)

1. there is a fine line between bevel up and going too far and catching the wing. You may have the bevel too upright and catching the wing/losing bevel contact. Or you may not be following the curve (and losing bevel contact). The grind/sweep of the wing might be an issue to consider as well.

2. the other issue is; are you pushing too hard? I found that I would get catches when back cutting (not to mention a lumpy surface) if I didn't relax and let the tool cut vs. pushing too hard into the wood. Raffan refers to "letting the wood come onto the tool". This can especially be an issue if there is any sapwood and/or due to end grain/face grain hardness differences.

I have Raffan's DVD and book and I agree that they're very good.

Hey, on a happy note, I delivered my first commissioned turning to a gentleman tonight. It was a replacement finial on a newel post that he had broken. I'm pretty sure that's the first time I actually had to duplicate a turned item as opposed to just making something that looks nice. It took a lot of self control to dig back into an item that looked perfectly nice but needed just a bit more sweep here or a bit more contour there. No fudging allowed. I guess you can't really ask for a better lesson than that.

[Kathy Marshall]

I like Jimmy Clewes DVDs for basic instructions. Beyond that I highly recommend you et togethre with anyone with a few years experience and turn a bowl start to finish with him aside. No substitute for that.

I agree! I've watch 4 or 5 of Jimmy Clewes videos and it really helped me when I started. I'd love to be able to take one of his weekend sessions!