Here is a trip to the hospital waiting to happen

[Dick Wilson]

You had better sit down, get a bowl of popcorn and be prepared to have chills run down you spine. It is a three part journey into the unbelievable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM3QV8AJXMk

[Jon McElwain]

You mean I've spent all that money on various chucks, vacuum chucks, bowl steadies, etc. etc. and I didn't need to???? Man do I feel dumb...

[Scott Hackler]

Someone needs to spend some time teaching this fella about tool technique. At most points, regardless of the tool he was using, it was akin to watching someone turn a bowl with a dull piece of rebar. If I had to turn a bowl like that..... I wouldn't turn any bowls. Heck a faceplate with a glue block is a cheap enough fix. Scarey.....

[David T gray]

guy loves his skew ...

[John Keeton]

Doesn't everyone leave their tool rest loose enough to just move it where you want?!?!?!!?

[Dick Wilson]

Yea, and I beat my turnings into submission.

[Fred Perreault]

I would imagine that there aren't many of us who cannot recall committing a crime or two in our early turning years, but I know that mine were misdemeanors. This guy was guilty of numerous felonies. The odd thing is that if he can get done what we saw, and repeat it, whaddya suppose he could do with proper equipment? He might be a budding genius in his own universe. How he didn't injure his fingers, hands, chest or face is beyond me, to say nothing of breaking tools. However, I don't think I'll be using that video to teach my grandkids.

Of course, one benefit of his method is that he doesn't have to clean up any shavings...... he can just inhale all of his mess. :) :)

[David E Keller]

That's awesome... What are the odds that he and I would develop the same bowl turning style in different parts of the country?

[John Keeton]

That's awesome... What are the odds that he and I would develop the same bowl turning style in different parts of the country?Now that there is funny!!!

[Curt Fuller]

What I found kind of weird was that he was savvy enough to post the 3 videos on youtube but didn't have the sense to watch some of the thousands on there that could show him the proper technique. I do have to admit that I did some similarly stupid things when I first tried turning. Kind of reminds me of the old Will Rogers quote.....
There are three kinds of men,
The ones that learn by reading
The few who learn by observation
The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.

[Bernie Weishapl]

What I found amazing besides dull tools making dust and sanding with the tool rest in place was he told one guy in his comments he had been lathing one month. That is a accident waiting to happen.

[Dan Hintz]

I thought the comment was from someone else with 1 month of turning experience telling this guy he was nuts... I'm too lazy to go back and reread.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Looks like he could use an "Easy Rougher"

[Brian McInturff]

Wow!! Just Wow!! Can't say I've ever seen anyone do what he did. Did you see are those tiny tiny curls flying? Didn't he say Green wood. I'd have to say I've never seen anyone turn a whole piece of green wood into a bowl and not create at least 1 curl. And did you read his arrogant comments. The really sad part is he doesn't see anything wrong.

[Ron Stadler]

I would imagine that there aren't many of us who cannot recall committing a crime or two in our early turning years, but I know that mine were misdemeanors. This guy was guilty of numerous felonies. The odd thing is that if he can get done what we saw, and repeat it, whaddya suppose he could do with proper equipment? He might be a budding genius in his own universe. How he didn't injure his fingers, hands, chest or face is beyond me, to say nothing of breaking tools. However, I don't think I'll be using that video to teach my grandkids.

Of course, one benefit of his method is that he doesn't have to clean up any shavings...... he can just inhale all of his mess. :) :)

I have to totally agree with your comment here, quite amazing he hollowed that bowl out with a skew and obviously done it on more than one occasion. The parting off in the end is just great though, I could here the director yell "Cut".

[Lee Koepke]

I feel better about my technique .....

[Steve Vaughan]

I saw myself there. Started off on that cheapo craftsman 12" that danced all across the floor and turned stuff and had no idea what I was doing...and the skew, I gotta tell you, this dude was an expert with it! I never had such luck, nearly killed myself a few times. Turned a bunch of bowls with the standard craftsman 3/4" spindle gouge mostly, and occasionally used some of the others in the set. But, I did have the faceplate, so I thought I was pretty cool. Just parted the bottom of the bowl and carved a nice bottom. Great video, brought back lots of memories!

[Michael James]

The really sad part is he doesn't see anything wrong.

When it goes south, he's definitely going to move from "unconscious incompetence" painfully into "conscious incompetence"

[Wally Dickerman]

Hey do you think that he might be self taught?:).. When I started out turning bowls 100 years before the bowl gouge was invented and when there were possibly 3 other turners in the world, I had to use tools that weren't designed for bowl turning...because there weren't any. I used scrapers mostly. But I used the faceplate that came with the lathe, and I had a grinder so I sharpened my tools when they got really dull. I don't remember that I've ever owned any 60 grit paper. I hope that I had enough sense to not reach inside over the toolrest with a large piece of heavy sandpaper.

His use of a skew as a scraper was okay. Fact is, how many of you use a negative rake scraper in your turning? That's what a skew used as a scraper is. Of course the proper use of a neg rake requires frequent sharpening to raise a burr. That skew lost it's edge in the first 30 seconds of turning.

There's nothing wrong with being a beginner and feeling your way, but to put his lack of any skills out there where the world can watch is hard to believe.

I do have the first bowl that I ever turned...in 1936. It's walnut and I don't see any tool marks or even any sanding marks. The wood is smooth with no torn grain so I must have been doing something right.

The difference is that that this guy has available books, websites, tapes or DVD's and woodstores where he can find someone who can pass off some instructive help. He doesn't seem to want any.

I did watch the last couple of minutes of #3. I cringed when I saw him reach inside the bowl over the toolrest with a large piece of heavy sandpaper. I guess that the end was fitting when he parted off inside with the skew and the piece went flying.

Wally

[Matt Ranum]

My biggest question is...

Why would you want to even make a video, let alone a 3 part one, to show the world what you are (in)capable of? There is so much information on the site he posted the videos on let alone how much else is out there free for the taking.

I've been playing with turning for a little over a year now, still don't consider myself an accomplished turner by any stretch, but there is no way I would put out a video like this.

[David E Keller]

I do have the first bowl that I ever turned...in 1936. It's walnut and I don't see any tool marks or even any sanding marks. The wood is smooth with no torn grain so I must have been doing something right.

I can't be the only one who would really like to see that bowl.

[Peter Fabricius]

Fantastic Scary!!!!!
Here we are on page two on this thread and no-one has gone to help this poor fellow.
I sure hope someone knows him and runs over to help.
The ripping of wood with dull tools, sticking fingers inside the bowl with the toolrest in place, using a skew as a scraper etc. etc. I hope he does not have an accident before he gets some help.
All the above comments are great, but we should be helping and not just reminissing about our own start in woodturning.
I too turned for 30 years with only a faceplate (two actually) and a dead centre. Had a full set of Marples tools and never used the scary skew till two years ago when I had help learning how.
The wood did not sound like wet wood, just very dry wood being ripped into sawdust.
Someone help him.
Peter F.

[Jeff Myroup]

If you read his comments under the video, he does not seem to want help. Granted everyone was saying how dangerous it was, but he just kept telling everyone to make their own video. You tube really should remove the videos. They are dangerous

[Dick Wilson]

Jeff, On YouTube, there are thumbs up/thumbs down icons in the comments area. If you hit the tumbs down it gives you chance to report unsafe or dangerous videos. I did. What amazes me is this video has been on the web for six months with extremely limited response.

[Brian McInturff]

Did anyone catch where the guy is from? I didn't. If he's around me I'd gladly go help him. And if he turned down the help I'd take my belt off and give him a few thrashings.

[Matt Hutchinson]

At the beginning of the first video he seemed to be implicating that the blank was a 3" thick section of a log. If it truly was an "end grain" bowl, then his tool usage was acceptable (although they seemed terribly dull). In fact, I have used the skew in much the same manner on smaller endgrain work. It's just like taking scraping or peeling cuts (depending on your angle of approach) on a normal spindle turning, but coming in from the end of the workpiece.

That said, I agree that he certainly exhibited several dangerous techniques (i.e. the sanding). I can see how as a beginner he would be excited about meeting with success in his first attempts at bowl turning, but to post a video while not even being aware of these dangers is certainly cause for concern.

[Jason Roehl]

I can't be the only one who would really like to see that bowl.

You're not. 65 years of turning....wow.

[Wally Dickerman]

I can't be the only one who would really like to see that bowl.

Okay, I don't actually have the bowl, my daughter does. You're right, I should probably post a pic of it. I'll try to remember to take a photo when I get a chance.

Wally

[BILL DONAHUE]

Good post! I've always wondered exactly what a "bejusus" was and I although I still don't know, I think that video just scared it out of me.

[lynn smith]

What on earth did I just observe??????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????
Wonder if the fella still has all of his digits???????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????
I actually found my hands flinching and pulling back...................yikes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bill Boehme]

Still shaking my head in disbelief.

Apparently, every tool is a scraper to this guy. I can see why he touched up the surface with his 25-grit gouge to take out a few slight tool marks. I have turned a bowl between centers, but it takes considerably more delicate touch than this ham fisted guy exhibited ... and I would not recommend turning between centers as a good way to turn a bowl beyond initial shaping and turning a foot to mount in a chuck.

[John Coloccia]

I didn't know this guy started turning...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp-bQQl3FWY&feature=player_embedded


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsEGTzKnlbs

[Chip Sutherland]

Wonder if the copays will exceed the cost of the appropriate tools/training he wouldn't purchase to be safer. He's probably going to get taxpayer-funded healthcare and taxpayer-funded occupational rehabilitation after he seriously hurts himself. Let's all hope he doesn't actually try to teach a neighbor or friend, either.

[Brian McInturff]

The video was from 6 months ago. I tried to see if he posted anything since. Nothing. I'm wondering if his next attempt AFTER those 3 videos was his last and if one of the major flaws of his "technique" caught up with him. Kid seemed like he wanted to turn but was too lazy to do a little research in how to turn.

[Jerry Marcantel]

I didn't know this guy started turning...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp-bQQl3FWY&feature=player_embedded


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsEGTzKnlbs

Holy cow!!!!!!! That guywith the table saw just about scared the stuff out of me. If there's a book on safety rules that says, "Don't do it that way", this guy is making a point that you can get away with it. I guess using a bucket and a 2x4 might be ok to raise the motor, but at least "hang" the bucket.... He obviously never had any instruction on not putting your fingers between pulleys and belts either. And, cross cutting without any support for the cut off is asking for trouble.
When OSHA started the "Hard Hat" thing for woodworkers working in a cabinet shop or such, they had an example of someone using a table saw cross cutting a 2X4 with the mitre guide on the left side of the blade. The wood kicked back, hit him in the head, and killed him. They, OHSA, then jumped in and said if he was wearing a hard hat, he would still be alive... Jerry (in Tucson)

[Brian Kent]

When I use a bucket and a board and my foot to start my old table saw, I get my baby daughter out of the kick-back zone first.

Seriously, I have never turned, but this thread is why I will never just go out and buy a lathe and try it out. I'll take some lessons first to find out what I don't know.

When I first used my little Ryobi benchtop table saw, I made sure I used both the miter and the fence on my cross-cuts in order to be safe. Of course I had removed the guard and splitter because the wood always got caught in them. That was how I learned about kickbacks. The second one gut-punched me and bent the fence almost into a right angle.

[Gary Conklin]

Wow they didn't even do it this way in Germany IN 1926.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z_Ph6nZfGE

[Dick Wilson]

All I say is that I wish him the best and pray that he has not been hurt and won't get hurt.

[Jon McElwain]

Wow they didn't even do it this way in Germany IN 1926.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z_Ph6nZfGE

Now THAT was a fantastic video! Sure, we've got some pretty sweet lathe gadgets available and there are some innovative turners out there, but that guy could teach a class on all the "latest" techniques. Thanks for posting that.

[Ryan Baker]

That was difficult to watch.

[Jim Burr]

I guess some of us started out like that...ummmm...no names please. I loved the comment like If you can do better with out a chuck or faceplate? Really? A $4 face plate is cheaper than a trip to the ER....really...it is.

[Bruce Smith]

I could only watch it for 5 minutes, made me sick, this fellow certainly should have his head read. If he doesn't get a chance to experience the ER at the local hospital it certainly will be a miracle. Really, I think some of this stuff that is on you tube should be checked over before publishing it. Some poor sole might just try it and have a real bad accident.

[Kirk Miller]

I can honestly say that I have made quite a few of his mistakes and then some. One morning in particular comes to mind, I had gone down to the garage for my morning smoke....bathrobe and all that darn vortex sucked me right in...I couldn't fight the pull...I had to turn. Luckily I lived through that, I almost wasn't that lucky when my Girlfriend saw the woodchips hanging off my bathrobe....LOL

[Cathy Schaewe]

Okay, I don't actually have the bowl, my daughter does. You're right, I should probably post a pic of it. I'll try to remember to take a photo when I get a chance.

Wally

I'd love to see it too ...

[Jeff Fagen]

They walk among us and yet they appear indestructible! LOL!!

[Keith Christopher]

Well I see it as the guy has no excuse. He *IS* posting to you tube, and there are TONS of videos on bowl turning so. Seriously, he should have saved money on the camera and bought some decent tools. The amount of vibration and the death grip he has forcing the dull tools into the wood is SCARY !!! I hope he is not hurt, but if he continues working this way he will end up hurt.

[Tim Hughes37]

If you look at the page you can subscribe to, he is a 30 year old from northern Ontario. I sure hope that his mistakes haven't caught up with him. Scary dangerous!!