Fairly new turner, progress pictures (lots), some kind of vortex thing

[Jeremy Leasure]

Summer of 2010 I restored and old Delta Rockwell gap bed lathe. It had a 10" swing, manual (bolt tightened) tailstock and toolrest. It looked pretty after fixing it up but it was very annoying to use.

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/pen3.jpg

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/pen2.jpg

So I traded up to a Delta 46-460. Much better. Turned a few more pens, some bottle stoppers and even a bowl...Thing. Then more bowls. More stoppers, lot's of pens. A couple keychains. A platter. All during this, my turning time is very limited due to working 80+ hour work weeks for 8 months out of the year. I warned you it was a synopsis in picture form.

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/keychain1interior.jpg

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/pen13.jpg

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/penmidtitgold.jpg

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/pensizecomparison.jpg

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/bowlNEoak2.jpg

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/stopmapleburl.jpg

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/stopspaltmaplecomp.jpg

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/penkay1.jpg

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/stopmapspaly2.jpg

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/penshot2.jpg

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/penshot4.jpg

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/stopcelt2.jpg

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/christmasbowls.jpg

Continued (I know, I know, this is highly condensed though.)

[Jeremy Leasure]

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/christmasbowls2.jpg


http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/christmasbowls3.jpg


http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/platter1.jpg


http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/platter2.jpg


http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/platter3.jpg


http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/2ORFIN.jpg


Did this today along with a few more rough outs that were done a few days ago:


http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/figuredbowl.jpg


http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/figuredmaplebowl.jpg


http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/roughbowls.jpg


Which leads me to...

Yesterday I decided I needed a little more swing. I've been wanting this for years, wanted it when I bought the 46-460. The Delta is a very capable lathe, you can turn right up to it's capacity with care. I just...Wanted more. So like I said, yesterday I called and ordered a 3520B and 18 inch extension. He said it would probably be here midweek since I'm so close to where they ship from...Can't wait to try it out. I went out scavenging for wood today and rounded up these hackberry logs in preparation of the new tool:

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae190/Chaoticfree/bowlblanks.jpg

So, anyone have any tips for large turnings? What exactly do I need to do hollowforms? No huge ones as of yet, just "normal sized" ones. I have a Supernova 2 and ordered the 75 MM jaws to step up from the stock 50mm ones. I also ordered the 1 and 1/4/8 insert for it to go with the new spindle size. Anything else. Tips? Critiques? I still don't really have an eye for form with bowls and things yet. Technique is of course lacking but I'm working on it almost daily. The largest bowl I've turned so far is 10.5". Does anything much change when scaling up in the 16"+ range besides slower rotation speed?

[Fred Belknap]

Well I'm not buying the new turner thing but I enjoy looking at the nice things you have created. Maybe you are just a fast learner;)

[Bernie Weishapl]

I gotta agree with Fred. Those are some very nice turnings. Pens are top notch.

[David E Keller]

Congrats on th upgrade! Nice collection of turnings you've shown there... I particularly like that platter.

For hollowing, I'd give some thought to making a few homemade tools from cold rolled steel and HSS cutters. A swan neck tool like the sorby hollowmaster or swan neck Easy tools would be a great help as well. There are tutorials online for making your own tools, and there's not much to it. Start with larger opening initially until you're comfortable with the techniques. The Ellsworth and Mahoney DVDs on hollowing are both helpful, and of course, a local club or experienced turner would be a big help. Looking forward to seeing more of your work!

[Nathan Hawkes]

Congrats on the new purchase, and welcome to the "Mustard Club". I started with a Rockwell 46-111 and upgraded to the 3520. The next upgrade will take a while, lol. Those are some big hackberry pieces! I haven't seen any quite that size in Virginia.

[Bill Bolen]

Beautiful work you've posted! Gotta agree with Fred, your work sure doesn't like like my Neewbie stuff. Be sure to set some of that Hackberry off to spalt. You will be glad you did. Oh! and congrats on the new Mustard too!

[Donny Lawson]

It sure looks to me like you have turned before. Those are some fantastic pieces. Love the Curly Maple platter. What finish did you put on the stoppers and pens? They shine like new money. Great job.

[Jeremy Leasure]

Thanks for the compliments, tool and dvd suggestions. I really am pretty new to this, just really persistent. Plus, there's always sandpaper :) The finish on pens and stoppers is CA. The bowls are all Beall buffed.

About spalting the hackberry, what is the best way to get some wild and vivid colors in there? What if you roughed out your bowls THEN spalted them? Seems like you might get more "penetration" throughout the bowl that way.

[Allan Ferguson]

100 mm bowl jaws would be a great addition to your chuck. The 75 mm has the same compression grip as the 50 mm. Great pens and fine other turnings as well.

[Richard Allen]

Great looking turnings!!

Large bowls are a slightly different animal. You want to leave an inch for every 10" of diameter for the roughing stage. So a 20" bowl should be left 2" thick when you are done roughing the bowl. Give the bowl 6 months to a year to dry before doing the finish turning. Work the bowl 1 inch at a time from the rim to the bottom. This is to say that make the outside round for the first inch and then the inside for an inch. Do your finish cuts before moving on to the second inch... Do not make any finish cuts after you have turned to bowl down. There will be to much flex at the rim and you risk blowing up the bowl.

[Mike Cruz]

Very nice turnings, and man, you learn quick! While I don't have a hollowing system, I've seen the Monster articulated arm in action and am totally sold on it. Now, parting with the money is another issue... Keep posting pics of your work.