Lathe and Experience

[Donny Lawson]

I've been here for a while and have seen some Awsome work from alot of talented people and I was just curious about how much turning experience you have and what kind of lathe you use to make those great looking pieces with? I myself have been turning for almost 3 yrs now and currently have the Delta 46-460 midi. I seem to be getting better every day.
Donny

[Jack Mincey]

I think it is more what one does with both their lathe and experience that is most important. John has done more with his little Delta in a very short time as a turner than a lot of turners do in their life. I am looking forward to what he will create on his new lathe. To answer you question I've been turning some since 1976 and a lot since 2004. I now turn on a Oneway 1640 at home and a PM 3520, jet 1642, and a Delta 46-460 at the school shops I teach at.
Jack

[Keith E Byrd]

I am a newby! I have had an old sears tube model lathe but used infrequently. I started getting more serious and trying to learn about 6 months ago and them my lathe broke down about 2 months ago. I just bought the Nova DVR XP and am rebuilding my bench to set it up. Anxious to get back on the learning curve. Hopefully by next weekend.

[John Keeton]

Donny, there are far more variables than actual turning experience, and I don't think the type of lathe has anything to do with the quality of work one generates. It may permit larger work, or make certain tasks easier, but that is all.

IMO, one needs to consider the type of woodworking the individual has done, for how long, whether it was with hand tools, whether designing was involved vs. working from a commercial plan, what type of art background the individual has, how their mind works, i.e. creativity, etc. There is much more involved than just what happens when one turns on a lathe and puts a gouge to wood. Many folks, me included, have been woodworking in one form or another for decades - in my case, close to 50 years. In that period of time, folks see a lot of wood react to a lot of different tools, and techniques. They also make a LOT of mistakes from which they build a mental library of what not to do.

David D. has a lineage of furniture design, and has worked in that world for years. Design is an integral part of his world, as well as using various woods to achieve a pleasing result. All of that background he brings to the lathe - makes a huge difference.

The short answer for me is that I have been turning since October 2009, first on a HF 34706 for about 3 months, then the Delta 46-460 until Thursday - now the Jet, on which I have just partially completed one bowl.

You are doing great in the progress you are making. I would encourage you to think of woodturning as only a method to create a wood object. When I got into hand tools with furniture building, I began to consider each board in a project as a "sub-project." My work improved considerably. Same with turning. Look at each curve as a separate element of the overall turning, or each collar, each finial, etc. Strive for perfection in each element, and the whole will reflect that.

[Paul Williams]

I build a lathe back in the 70's and turned a few things, mostly between centers. Then I quit for several years while we were busy raising kids. About 15 years ago I found a small metal lathe. I used it for making repair parts and did a few wood turnings including small bowls. Then I started turning pens and that led to desire for a wood lathe so I could turn larger things and so I didn't have to spend so much time cleaning the metal lathe. My wife bought me a Delta 46-460 for Christmas 2009. My activity and quality has greatly improved with the new lathe.

[Kathy Marshall]

I've been turning about 8 months on my Delta 46-612 and probably average about 30-40 hours a week turning.

[Don Alexander]

started turning on a Rikon mini about the beginning of April 2010 last month i moved up to a Delta 46-460 mostly turned pens until november 2010 then a lot of bowls and such for 6 weeks then back to pens going to get back to bowls and HF's as soon as i get past a show at the end of April 2011

[Dennis Simmons]

I learned to use a wood lathe in 1960. I still use the lathe my father bought in 1948, the one I learned on. It is a craftsman, I had a craftsman 1942 model, gave it away, also have a craftsman tube model, I still like the 48 model. Most of my lathe work was reproducing broken or missing parts on furniture and pianos. I turn to please myself, people want things I've turned, but they think for some reason it should be free! I just got a new metal lathe, I'm getting back into that now.

[Jeff Nicol]

Donny, Well I am like John K, I have been working with wood or building or designing something since I was 5 or 6 years old. My Dad was an outo mechanic and woodworker and it was very facinating to me to watch him make something out of nothing! He was always interested in HO trains so we always had a big layout of some sort he was working on, making bridges, mountain scapes and anything else that went with it. He gave me a little yellow handled pocket knife and that was my most prized possesion, I started carving and whittling things and have not stopped since! I first turned something on a little self created lathe made with and "Erector Set" that my Dad had from when he was a kid in the 40's. It was crude and I basically spun little sticks and goofed off but, I was turning! I next got to actually turn on a real lathe in high school shop class in about 1978, I made a pair of wall sconces for my Mom. Them when I was in the Army I got a "Shopsmith" and used that once in a while to turn a few things but mostly flat work. Then fast forward to late 2004 when my Dad brought a cheap knock off of a "Jet" to our little woodworking shop, I was hooked again and still have that lathe along with a Delta 46-460, PM3520B, a Central Machine mini-metal lathe (From HF) and I just picked up a 1947 ATLAS metal lathe to add to the collection!

So a lot of time and different skills go into creating a finished product, I am what one would call a natural artist, I have been able to draw, paint, sculpt, design and build pretty much anything I wanted to my whole life. So I was blessed with that and learned a lot more along the way, and the biggest thing I learned is to never hold back what you can see in your imagination. Pushing your own limits and the boundaries that others have bumped up against will lead you to your own place in this huge world of art and design!

Long winded as usuall!

Jeff

[Jeff Myroup]

I think the type lathe has a lot to do with learning and getting better. I started with a shop smith. It was way to low for me and I developed some bad habits. I turned on that lathe for almost 4 years. I bought a nice jet 1642. Because it was a more comfortable and stable platform, I could concentrate on technique and form, and not whether the machine was going to literally walk out the door on me.

I guess my point is; you have to have confidence in the equipment you use. Once you have that, you can focus on the creative parts

[Alan Trout]

Donny,

I agree with much of what John has said. It is not the lathe as much as the person. I started learning wood working with my father. His first career was as a an Air Force pilot but I was quite young when he retired and his second career was as a Shop teacher. Probably one of the finest cabinet makers I have ever seen. He taught me well but most of my work as an adult has been architectural parts for my old houses that I own with a few pieces of furniture thrown in for amusement.

About 5 years ago I wanted to start turning as I had set ideas on what I wanted to do and thought it would be a natural creative outlet for me. I had to pass it up until about 3 1/2 years ago. I got a Turncrafter Pro mini lathe from my Wife and little boy for fathers day and within about 6 month's I had my DVR XP and Last summer I also picked up a nice shortbed Woodfast lathe. I sold my Turcrafter pro but also picked up an old Nova Comet lathe as I have always thought they were a really cool little mini lathe. So right now I am only use two of my lathes but have 3.

As a teenager I won some art awards for some of my ink drawings as well as my pastels but that was never my favorite media. I had a wonderful art teacher that encouraged me to experiment and to try new things. I keep in touch with her to this day more than 25 years since I have been in school. I am a very mechanical person. I had owned an automotive machine shop for several years and sold it as well as working for a machine tool company. I have a love of wood and turning fits my mechanical experience. I feel I have a pretty good grasp on shape and proportion and I think that is key to a nice piece. There are technically many people that are much better turners than I but if you can't get the shape and proportion right in my mind it is not a good piece. When I see a turning I like, I always ask myself "what makes me like the piece" I am probably my toughest critique which I thinks drives me to improvement on each piece.

My best advise is when you are turning do your best, take criticism as an educational opportunity, and practice every chance you get, and above all else have fun!

Alan

[Jim Burr]

Something else to consider are one gifts. I have no artistic talent what so ever, and that's fine...not everyone does. My sister makes amazing pottery that is in galleries in the bay area...I'm blessed to have several pieces. Given my lack of talent, I still turn. Pens for 8 years on a HF PoC and then my Jet 1014. Moved up to bowls and the requisite expansion pieces about 3-4 years ago. Sometimes I can only turn 3-4 hours a week...sometimes, 3-4 days a week!

[Steve Schlumpf]

I have to agree with Jeff Myroup in that I feel using quality tools makes a huge difference in what you do by eliminating the frustration and limitations that surface when using poor quality equipment. Didn't say you couldn't create - just saying by using quality tools, you, the turner, can focus on what it is you want to create instead of fighting the equipment and trying to force it to do what you want!

My first turning experience was in 7th grade shop class - so that was in 1963/64. The assignment was to surface some boards, glue up into a turning blank and then turn a potato masher as per the dimensions in the mimeographed drawing we were given. So, in a way, it was my first segmented turning! I don't remember the type of lathe used - other than it was big, tools used or anything other than the turning experience was a lot of fun and I aced the assignment! I still remember taking the potato masher home and presenting it to my Mother - a trophy of sorts I guess...

The next time I got a chance to turn was in 2004 when a friend of my wife was going to throw out a 1953 Craftsman mono-tube lathe. She knew that I enjoyed woodworking and said I could have it if wanted. I spent the summer rebuilding the lathe and eventually taught myself how to turn. I turned for almost 2 years on that lathe before getting my first home computer and going online. I was amazed that there were other turners out there! I thought I was the only one!!

The Craftsman lathe worked but was a struggle to use. The tool rest, tailstock, and banjo all required you to tighten/loosen nuts to be able to adjust positioning (no cam system) and that ALWAYS resulted in busted knuckles! The slowest speed was 875 rpm and that ALWAYS resulted in a rodeo when trying to rough out a bowl blank! Point being that the lathe allowed me to learn how to turn but it was an uphill battle!

Two years later I upgraded - sight unseen - to a Jet 1642-2EVS lathe. I had researched online and thought that the lathe specs would match what I needed in a lathe. Not wanted - but actually needed. Variable speed, sliding headstock, cam action headstock, banjo and tailstock, larger swing and more mass! The lathe - seriously - allowed my turning skills to improve dramatically because I no longer had to fight the equipment! Instead of reaching too far over the tool rest... now I could very quickly and easily move the rest to be closer to the work - and I didn't skin my knuckles doing it! If the lathe starts to vibration because of the out-of-balance wood - the a slight adjust on the speed brings it under control!

Same goes with my hollowing equipment. Started off with the Sorby hand-held hollowing tools. There is a learning curve but the tools do work! Unfortunately, at least in my case, when I was finished hollowing, I felt like I had been beat up! All that rotational torque had been transferred to my neck and shoulders and that made for some sore muscles! When I finally got tired of fighting the tools - I wanted to upgrade one time. I did. Went with Monster hollowing systems and it was the best decision I made as - once again - using quality tools allowed me to focus on creating and not have to fight for every idea I wanted to turn into the wood!

There is a lot to be said about using quality tools! In my opinion, it allows you to focus on creating... the rest is up to you.

(Jeff N - how's that for long-winded?? :D)

[David DeCristoforo]

There's a really "fun" thread in the "master stickies" folder that is titled "Group Members and Their Lathes". Check it out. As many have already suggested, (and I believe this applies to all areas of life) it's not about what you have, it's about what you do with it. It's also about why you are doing what you do and what you want to accomplish. It's also about realizing that, for most people who immerse themselves in creative endeavors, it's more about the process than the product. To answer your question specifically, I posted my first attempt at turning here in May of 2010 so I'm a bit shy of a year at the lathe. I work on a 1970's vintage Delta 46-450 that I inherited from my dad when he died. He was not very interested in turning so the lathe had seen very light use. It sat unused in the corner of my shop until last year when, suddenly and somewhat rudely, the vortex sucked me in...

[Michael James]

Donny, in a quick read through the replies, everything to be considered has been mentioned. I would suggest turn whatever you want to be good at. For me the SW hollowforms do the trick. Texturing, painting, carving will come and all those skills will transfer over to what I want to do next, if anything. So go for what YOU want to do and don't worry about what anybody else is doing unless it helps you get where you want to be. Trends come and go... at some point you (anyone) needs to stop "visualizing" and focus on "manifesting". Sharp tools on a lathe that runs true and stable will take you where you want to go, but as Jim B mentioned, some will get there quicker. So what? You have tons of beautiful wood at your disposal. Just turn it! :D

[John Keeton]

I guess I should clarify my comments regarding equipment. Goodness knows, I have followed the philosophy of good tools!! My cabinet of expensive chisels and handplanes will attest to that! And, so can Ms. Keeton!:o;)

I do agree with Steve's comment - "...I no longer had to fight the equipment!"

Turning is not whittling. It is done on a machine, and in order to have any degree of accomplishment, that machine must run true, and one's tools need to be sharp. The lathe must have sufficient power to permit the turning to occur, etc.

But......once those basics are covered, I believe much of the rest has little to do with the equipment. The art may come easier because of the ease of use, the rapidity of production may improve, there may be fewer busted knuckles, etc., but creativity defines the end product. That creativity is a composite of one's entire history and talents. One could be born with artistic talent, but raised in a locked room, with no exposure to the outside world, and creativity would be limited totally to the illusions of imagination.

We once owned a hunting store with an indoor archery range. We sold a variety of bows - new and used. There were a couple of archers that could pick up any functional bow - cheap or otherwise, and given 10 minutes, be shooting Xs with it. It was the archer, not the bow!

Actually, I feel some compulsion to write more about this just so my post can be longer than Jeff's and Steve's combined!!:D:D:D But, I won't!;)

[Steve Schlumpf]

Actually, I feel some compulsion to write more about this just so my post can be longer than Jeff's and Steve's combined!!:D:D:D But, I won't!;)

I double-dog dare ya! Could make for an interesting read ... long, yes, but interesting!

[Mike Davis NC]

Whenever people start talking about the quality of the tool making a big difference in their work I am reminded of Alfred Stieglitz the photographer who started with a simple box camera in the 1880s and as he progressed in his art he bought ever larger and better cameras. Until in his later years with complete mastery of the art he decided to return to the simple box camera. So, it is not the equipment so much as the artist that makes the art.

But, it is the beginner who needs better equipment to realize his art.