First time turning in 25 years

[Sam Beagle]

Title says it all. I ended up buying a delta 46-715. I read mixed reviews, but it's a starter lathe for me. I have been watching tons of videos to try And learn techniques again. So I mount up a piece if walnut yesterday. I am assuming it was way out of balance because the lathe literally starting walking across the floor. So I kept cutting it to make it more balanced.
My question. For a rookie like me, should I be using the tail to get a safer cut, I simply used a faceplate yesterday. I thought about it last night, to start roughing out the end of the bowl, should I have the tail chuck and the faceplate used to rough out the bowl.
Any other starting tips would be greatly appreciated. Like start to finish for a rookie like myself. I am so excited to start turning, I can't even stop thinking about it.

[Sam Beagle]

Also, I'm using the delta lathe tools that came with it. Can I also get advise on what tools to buy and what chuck to buy. I mostly wanna do bowls.

[Thom Sturgill]

The normal rule is to use the tailstock any time you can. On the other hand, the faceplate is potentially the safest holding method.

Personally, I start between centers, then balance the load and create a place for the faceplate (or chuck) to attach securely. Working between centers give a last option to re-orient the wood for better end results - once on a faceplate your options are pretty much gone.

[Sam Beagle]

Thom, thank you. But can you tell more about different tools to start with. Also, what chuck should I buy

[Roger Chandler]

Thom, thank you. But can you tell more about different tools to start with. Also, what chuck should I buy

I am not Thom, but with a 1x8 tpi thread on the spindle, you could use most chucks that would fit a midi lathe. The Nova G-3 chuck would be a good choice for your lathe or even the SuperNova2, both by Teknatool. Just make sure you get the right adapter for the 1x8 tpi threads. The G-3 does come with a direct thread in that size, but if you think you might ever upgrade to a better lathe, then you only have to change out the insert when your spindle size increases, and the chuck will still work just fine on your new lathe.

[Doug Herzberg]

Sam, if you want to do bowls, the main tool missing from most lathe sets is a bowl gouge. An alternative is a carbide cutter, such as the ones made by Easy Wood tools. A bowl gouge has a steeper learning curve and you'll have to learn how to sharpen it if you don't know. I use a Wolverine jig and an 8" slow speed grinder, as many here do. A set of carbide cutters has replaceable tips. You can rotate the tips until you no longer have a sharp edge, then you replace them. They are basically scrapers and you use them like one. I don't have any experience with these, but I understand they are a lot easier to learn. You can rough with a bowl gouge or a carbide scraper.

Keep watching the videos and keep practicing. I try to get free wood when trees are being cut down. If nothing else, it's something to practice and learn on without paying $7 bd. ft., and you can get larger pieces than most dimension lumber. Good luck and hold onto your wallet.

I have Super Nova 2 chucks. They are decent quality for the price. You can often get a factory reconditioned one directly from Teknatool for around $100, plus $30 - $40 for the insert to match the threads on your spindle. It's been awhile, so my prices might be out of date.

[Thom Sturgill]

The other aspect of the Nova line is that jaws fit across the line - well used to, the largest chuck they make - the titan - has some jaws that only fit it, and they just came out with a new chuck that has jaws that change without un-screwing. The SN2 can be upgraded to use those jaws, but so far only the SN2.

As to tools, that is a big can-o-worms, both in type man manufacturer. D-Way and Thompson are probably the most popular top-of-the-line brands. Both are excellent though I prefer D-Way. Both use 'crucible' or 'Powdered Metal' steels. These are harder, more durable than the standard M2 HSS. They also require CBN to properly sharpen IMHO. There are numerous '2nd Tier' makers that make very good HSS tools. Sorby, Henry Taylor, P&N, and Crown come to mind. In what I consider third tier is Benjamin's Best and the best Harbor Freight set.

As to which type of tools - that depends on what you want to turn. I would recommend a 3/8" spindle gouge, 1/2" bowl gouge, parting tool, skew (with one rounded edge), Spindle roughing gouge (if you are going to do spindle work), and some heavy scrapers. Bundles usually have at least a few tools that you may never use and the scrapers are generally too light. Expand from there as you see the need.

A good 8" grinder and sharpening setup is a must too.

The old tools from 25 years ago are possibly carbon steel and while they get sharp, CS will not hold an edge for long when used for turning.

[Reed Gray]

First, try to find the nearest club and go there. Best and most readily available information system. Most clubs will have mentors. Sharp tools are first, then turning techniques. I would suggest, along with others having the tailstock on the bowl. It may not keep the lathe from walking across the floor, but it does help keep things in place. I would also suggest starting on slow speeds. I am not familiar with your lathe, so don't know if you have pulleys or variable speed. 500 rpm is fairly safe for most blanks as a starting speed. I have a bunch of bowl turning clips up on You Tube, just type in robo hippy.

robo hippy

[John Beaver]

Beware internet videos. There's a lot of guys posting videos who are doing it wrong.

Yes I recommend using the tail as long as possible. For a lathe that size, rounding with a bandsaw or chainsaw would be helpful.

Bowl gouge is a must. Make sure you don't use a Spindle Roughing Gouge on a bowl.

Taking a class will save you money on tools, as you will know how to use them better and need fewer.

[Thom Sturgill]

Beware internet videos. There's a lot of guys posting videos who are doing it wrong.


I want to second this. I often review and collect videos for the club I belong to. Many are horrendous. Many are quite good. Without experience it is hard to tell which are which sometimes. There are some major names with videos and DVDs out there that are definitely worth a watch. Some I have shown to the club just so we could discuss what the presenter did wrong.