What was your "Ah-Ha" Moment?

[Russell Neyman]

It seems to me that, for most of us, this craft starts as a passing interest -- something we see as practical or an occasional recreational activity -- and at some point it blossoms into a passion. I'm interesting in hearing about your "Ah-Ha" moment, the turning point for your life as a woodturner.

Was it a specific piece of wood? Your first natural edge piece? A green-wood turning? Gluing up a segmented bowl?

Or was it spending a few hours watching an experienced woodturner spin something in a lathe? A live demonstration, perhaps? The purchase of a top-notch tool? Or, just a moment of realization you had one afternoon trying different techniques in your shop?

I'm betting this discussion will develop into some truly amazing, insightful anecdotes and observations.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I came home for lunch and while I was here, the FedEx guy delivered "The Bomb". My nearly finished shop waited nearly 2 1/2 years for completion. The idiot turners at SMC got their revenge.

[Russell Neyman]

I remember the exact moment things changed. For two or three years I "tinkered" with turning on a Shopsmith Mark V quasi-lathe I inherited, using a cheap set of Craftsman tools that came with it. The results were so-so, and I got just as much gratification from making conventional gift boxes and furniture for the house.

The first day I moved into this neighborhood, a passerby who was walking his dog -- Dave Masters -- stuck his head in to look at my equipment and welcome me. He noted my somewhat crude turnings, and invited me to join him at the Olympic Peninsula Woodturners meeting. I didn't know many people in the area, so I said sure. What I saw on the club's Show & Tell Table made my head spin! I was, truly, impressed. I could see the possibilities but had no idea how to get to that level. I imagine that is the same sensation most neophyte woodturners have. But that wasn't the turning point.

I struggled along for another few months, realizing the shortcomings of the Shopsmith. I did, for awhile, get my hands on a Central Machinery copy lathe, but it was still too lightweight and undersized.

Then I stumbled upon a deal I couldn't pass up: A 14-inch variable speed Jet that was being sold for almost nothing, and the deal included a large One-Way chuck and plenty of bowl blanks. One piece of wood was a large piece of freshly-cut madrone. A very sharp, well-shaped fingernail grind Sorby bowl gouge was also in the deal.

So that was the moment: I couldn't wait to get the machine home and set up. I mounted that soaking wet blank into my new chuck and, using my first-ever bowl gouge, sent ribbons of pink-and-yellow shavings flying across the shop. It was fun, graceful, and magical. It was like I was flying and I was hooked! Haven't looked back since.

[Russell Neyman]

I came home for lunch and while I was here, the FedEx guy delivered "The Bomb". My nearly finished shop waited nearly 2 1/2 years for completion. The idiot turners at SMC got their revenge.

That wasn't the sort of "ah-ha" I was looking for, Ken, but I'll make note of it.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

It was then I started turning. I do enjoy and don't do enough of it recently Russell.

[Bill White]

Learning how to sharpen my tooling. What a difference.
Bill

[Russell Neyman]

It was then I started turning. I do enjoy and don't do enough of it recently Russell.

Me too! Since I became president of one of the larger AAW chapters, the majority of my "allotted" lathe time is taken up dealing with club issues. Don't get me wrong -- I love the club and the role I play in elevating the craft -- but I can't wait to get back to having more time spinning things.

[Wally Dickerman]

I'm sitting here looking at my first ever bowl, a walnut nut bowl,...turned 79 years ago in high school shop. That was in 1936 and I was 15 years old. That started a spark that is still there at age 94. That summer I bought a cheap Sears lathe and a couple of tools after making a few dollars at a summer job. Lots of things happened after that to put an end to my turning. After high school I went to Alaska. When WW2 started I joined the Navy. Couldn't pack a lathe in my sea bag. I never forgot my strong desire to turn more bowls but it wasn't until around 1950 that I bought my 2nd lathe. After that it was on to bigger and better lathes. My present lathe is my 9th. I've just finished getting it set up in my new shop. Yesterday I applied the first coat of finish to my first HF turned in my new shop. I'm just as enthused now as I was 79 years ago after my first bowl. What a wonderful lifelong hobby woodturning has been.

[Russell Neyman]

I'm sitting here looking at my first ever bowl, a walnut nut bowl,...turned 79 years ago in high school shop. That was in 1936 and I was 15 years old. That started a spark that is still there at age 94.... What a wonderful lifelong hobby woodturning has been.

That's a great story, Wally. Do you think you could bring that bowl with you when you come to our 25th Anniversary Party in October?

[John K Jordan]

Knowing nothing about turning and with no research, I drove to Home Depot and Sears to get what I needed to make something round to help my son, a first-year architect student. That done, the lathe sat unused for maybe 6 months until I noticed it and thought "Hmm, I'm gonna make me a bowl." With no turning wood at hand and no idea where to find some, I glued up four pieces of rock hard 4/4 red oak boards and made me a bowl! It was ridiculously quick and easy and so instantly gratifying I was hooked.

(Didn't take two weeks before I realized that lathe would not "cut" it and started sliding down the slope towards today with four lathes and a new shop full of tools and two lifetimes worth of wood on hand. I infected a friend with a gift of the first lathe so the saga continues.)

John K Jordan

[Bob Bergstrom]

I was at a Chicago wood show somewhere back in the 1980's. I just watched Nick Cook demoing and started down the vendor isle. There were four guys sitting at a table representing a wood turning club which would become the Chicago Woodturners. I believe I was the 13 th member. We would sit around A large table and each member would critique your work. It was brutal, but made everyone work hard to present their best. I was hooked. I'm now on my sixth lathe an long bed American Beauty.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Started many years ago, with a Craftsman cheap lathe I got on sale, along with the set of tools they sold. I turned hundreds of pens, because the lathe was such a piece of junk, I couldn't turn anything bigger than a pen. For years I unknowingly suffered with the POJ lathe, and you know what? I was happy as a clam because I was turning stuff that people just loved. The lathe motor finally blew, and a replacement was 90 bucks. Um no. Not buying a 90 buck motor for a 120 buck lathe. Few months lather I had to buy a Jet mini that was on sale (199) at the local Woodcraft. Anything else was just not in the budget. Took it home turned it on and WOWEEE. This is nice! Is it really running? So smooth. Everything I turned was a true joy. I actually could turn a small bowl. It's been down hill ever since. (Into the vortex)

[Roger Chandler]

Always loved working with wood since the Jr. High days in woodshop where I made a footstool with curved legs and joined with dowels. Fast forward a few years, and the accumulation of a number of woodworking tools, and a garage shop. Always loved to watch Norm Abrams build beautiful furniture on New Yankee Worshop TV series.

One day he made a table with turned legs........I had never used a lathe in my life, but seeing him turn the legs, I said to myself........."I can do that!" So along about 2006 I bought my first lathe, and turned two sets of table legs........the lathe sat silent in my smallish shop for the next two years. One day I said to myself, I don't have room for a machine that is not being used, so either sell it, or learn how to use it!

I am a tool guy........I hate getting rid of any useful tool, so I found out that there was a local AAW chapter fairly near where I live, and made arrangements to go with the club president to my first meeting there in January of 2009.......I had made my first bowl, even without a bowl gouge, and it was not bad............went to the meeting and got hooked on turning.

Now, I am about to get my 4th lathe delivered next week, am vice president of that club, and a member of another club, do demos and have my turnings in two galleries, and have my own website........wow, Norm Abrams did not know what kind of influence he was having, huh? Looking forward to what lies ahead and to the opportunities that will present themselves as I go forward!

Sawmill Creek has been a great influence and such a great place to meet, albeit virtually, many people I now consider friends in the spinny side of the wood working vortex. Thanks to so many of you here for your guidance and encouragement along the journey! :)

One of my "ah-ha" moments was when, all on my own, I figured out riding the bevel........that was before I found SMC, or the local club..........it was the sweetness of the results and the ease of making curlees fly that turned me from frustration to joy in turning.

[David Cramer]

I'm sitting here looking at my first ever bowl, a walnut nut bowl,...turned 79 years ago in high school shop. That was in 1936 and I was 15 years old. That started a spark that is still there at age 94. That summer I bought a cheap Sears lathe and a couple of tools after making a few dollars at a summer job. Lots of things happened after that to put an end to my turning. After high school I went to Alaska. When WW2 started I joined the Navy. Couldn't pack a lathe in my sea bag. I never forgot my strong desire to turn more bowls but it wasn't until around 1950 that I bought my 2nd lathe. After that it was on to bigger and better lathes. My present lathe is my 9th. I've just finished getting it set up in my new shop. Yesterday I applied the first coat of finish to my first HF turned in my new shop. I'm just as enthused now as I was 79 years ago after my first bowl. What a wonderful lifelong hobby woodturning has been.

One of the coolest woodworking stories that I've heard in a long, long time:) Thanks for sharing and congrats on getting a new shop!

David

[Thom Sturgill]

I grew up with my dad having a basement shop where he made violins and gun stocks along with some gunsmithing. I have worked with my hands most of my life either for work or play. I knew that I wanted to get back into woodwork when I retired as you need to keep active mentally and physically. I was going to make furniture and started equiping a shop. My first project convinced me that I was on the wrong track - furniture needs two people at least at times.

Then I found a magazine promising that I could get into wood turning for $600. I bit and got a Jet 1220 (the magazine recommendation) and a set of Harbor Freight tools (the better set, again the magazine's recommendation). I turned the spindles for a shaker table and was hooked. Easy projects that I could do despite my health with almost instant reward. Plenty of problems to solve to keep the engineer in me happy.

I'll never be a production turner, I just want to learn and grow and express my art.

[Mel Fulks]

Wally, I would not bring that antique bowl ...unless the club will buy insurance!

[robert baccus]

WALLY, you are an inspiration to us old grey beards. Proof that age is more important than smart or youth. By the way, what is your #9 lathe. I'm on my third big one.

[Dale Gillaspy]

When I was in College, my dad told me I needed a hobby and bought me a small lathe from Penn State Ind. along with a basic set of tools and some pen kits. I set the lathe up on 2 milk crates on the patio of my studio apartment with a third for a stool. Not exactly an ideal set up, but I was hooked. Unfortunately, this was before the internet was so prolific, and no one told me you weren't supposed to scrape a bowl out of purple heart with dull tools. I still have the scar over my eye to prove it. Life go tin the way and I put it down. Some years later, I was struggling with flat work and not doing very well at it, when I ran into a turner at a local wood store. He invited me to the club meeting, and the next month, Jimmy Clewes was the demonstrator. That is pretty much all it took.

[nelson lasaosa]

Hi Wally, very inspiring and interesting story. I am new to woodturning and here in this great fórum. Just bought a good size old lathe, probably one like those you guys have discarded long time ago...LOL Have to do a bit maintenance on the critter and buy some goodies like chucks and so on before I get turning. I do love woodturned stuff, and have not started yet .... Sure you have piles of advice on the subject, but beyond that, I find it reconforting to see people like you who´s dedicated so much to this trade and still going ... amazing. Congratulations. God bless you. Darn it, almost forgot this is an "Ah-ha" topic , LOL. A few years back a came across images of nice turned objects here on internet. After doing research on the topic, I knew I wanted to do stuff like that, so I said: "ah ha" , so that was my first one, now bought the lathe, and I´m sure more exciting moments shall arrive as I get my hands on Wood turning....

[nelson lasaosa]

good disease....LOL

[Scott DelPorte]

I think a early turning point for me was reading James Krenov's books in high school. His passion was infectious.

[Wally Dickerman]

WALLY, you are an inspiration to us old grey beards. Proof that age is more important than smart or youth. By the way, what is your #9 lathe. I'm on my third big one.

Thanks Robert.....My present lathe is a Oneway with an outboard bed where I do my hollowing. Before that I had a big heavy Nichols custom bowl lathe. 26 inch swing and plenty of power. Not too good for spindle turning. I don't do big stuff anymore so I don't need more than my Oneway gives me.

[Wally Dickerman]

Hi Wally, very inspiring and interesting story. I am new to woodturning and here in this great fórum. Just bought a good size old lathe, probably one like those you guys have discarded long time ago...LOL Have to do a bit maintenance on the critter and buy some goodies like chucks and so on before I get turning. I do love woodturned stuff, and have not started yet .... Sure you have piles of advice on the subject, but beyond that, I find it reconforting to see people like you who´s dedicated so much to this trade and still going ... amazing. Congratulations. God bless you. Darn it, almost forgot this is an "Ah-ha" topic , LOL. A few years back a came across images of nice turned objects here on internet. After doing research on the topic, I knew I wanted to do stuff like that, so I said: "ah ha" , so that was my first one, now bought the lathe, and I´m sure more exciting moments shall arrive as I get my hands on Wood turning....

Hi Nelson....Restoring old iron can be very rewarding. Your old timer probably has a 12 inch swing as most large lathes did in the old days. That's plenty for most turners.


good luck and have fun with your turning.

[Russell Neyman]

So what about you woodturners who struggled at first, WANTING to be a good artisan but unable to find success? How did you get past that obstacle?

[Marvin Hasenak]

I had been woodworking since I was a young child, the lathe was just another tool in the shop until 1999. I had a spinal compression and could no longer walk, the table saws, and most of the other power tools were put off limits because I couldn't safely use them. What was left was the lathe, I sat it on a desk, got a bar stool to partly sit on and to keep myself propped up. I went from doing everything with every tool imaginable to the lathe while under going surgery, and more rehab than should be allowed. I now use a walker or a cane to get around, and the lathe still on the desk and me propped up by my barstool.

I have no visions of being an artist, I am game callmaker, my art is in the sound of the calls I make, pretty doesn't count, it doesn't hurt, but without the sound the prettiest call in the world is useless. The sound makes or breaks the call. Today I would rather spend my time teaching some new guy how to make a good duck, predator or turkey call. I have over 50 years of callmaking experience, I would hate for that "art" be lost to the next generation.

I still have all of those "dangerous tools", those that the Doctor told me I should retire, I kept them, but I get other people to use them for me when I need something done with them. But with several lathes I don't need them.

[robert baccus]

My magic moment occurred when I saw Woodcut's first picture and offer of their new deep boring bit with the adjustable brass limiter. A virtually indestructible hook tool which was the final critical part for the controlled boring system I was making. It is very fast cutting and catch proof and made vase turning easy. I do very few bowls since then. All hollow forms, vases and urns. Also I never have to sand or finish bowl bottoms--lazy yeah.

[Bob Dupras]

I got into turning because I was shopping got some exotic wood to make 1911 gun grips. One of the best places (back then) was on IAP. So I would go and look for wood, but every time I signed on, I saw these amazing pens. I hadn't turned anything since high school shop (about 40 years in the past), but I remembered that I really liked the small project I did back then. So I started shopping, and ended up with a Delta 46-460. The last lathe I'd ever own (or so I thought). My 1st pen was a walnut slimline. I cracked the barrel on assembly, put the transmission in backward, and made a complete joke of it. But the 2nd was much better. Still just plain walnut, but it got Ooos & Ahhhs from my family. I never finished another set of grips, and that was almost 5 years ago.

I recently made a bowl for my daughter that's about 10 inches. Right in front of my wife, she said. "Dad, can you make anything bigger?". So, the next time Powermatic has a sale, I'm getting my next "last" lathe.

[Scott Lux]

In 2001, My wife and I lost a newborn daughter. Definitely the toughest period in our lives. One of the memorial gifts we were given was a flowering pear tree. Three years later, it was time to prune the first branch off it. It was about 2" diameter. I knew I had to make something from it, but I had no idea what.

Looking online, I found you could make a pen out of wood. So I went to woodcraft, bought a mandrel, bushings, a blank trimmer, and 3 kits. I figured I better get three since I'd screw up at least one.
I didn't have a lathe, so I got a live center from a neighbor and used my drillpress as the lathe. I used all the wrong tools since I didn't have the right ones. I made the prototype out of some scrap mahogany I had. It was awful. But I knew how to do it now. So I made hers out of pear using HUT Crystal Coat for the finish.
Looking back at the way it came out, I'm really glad she lost it a few years ago. It was fat, with the skinny waist at the center band, typical first pen.

I made a few more pens on the drill press and decided I liked it. I bought a tiny Wilton VS lathe, and then a bigger Excelsior (Rockler house brand), Finally a Delta 46-260. At one point I had a Jet 1442, But I never liked that one. I guess evs spoiled me from the beginning.
Since then I have turned a few hundred pens, several hundred bottle stoppers, many pendants, earrings, and some bowls. I think I might be almost to 200 bowls. I try not to keep track. I want this to stay a hobby.

[hu lowery]

I got into turning because I was shopping got some exotic wood to make 1911 gun grips. One of the best places (back then) was on IAP. So I would go and look for wood, but every time I signed on, I saw these amazing pens. I hadn't turned anything since high school shop (about 40 years in the past), but I remembered that I really liked the small project I did back then. So I started shopping, and ended up with a Delta 46-460. The last lathe I'd ever own (or so I thought). My 1st pen was a walnut slimline. I cracked the barrel on assembly, put the transmission in backward, and made a complete joke of it. But the 2nd was much better. Still just plain walnut, but it got Ooos & Ahhhs from my family. I never finished another set of grips, and that was almost 5 years ago.

I recently made a bowl for my daughter that's about 10 inches. Right in front of my wife, she said. "Dad, can you make anything bigger?". So, the next time Powermatic has a sale, I'm getting my next "last" lathe.


I used to ride by a big offshore fishing boat parked at a business. The name on the back of it was "Last One IV". Either a very brave man or divorced!

Still waiting on my "Ah-Ha" moment. I have had some exciting times with my old Craftsman but they have mostly been of the "Oh No" variety! Have to admit it was fun when I had some very wet green sycamore that was piling up close to one inch wide curls in a need pile, one curl per pass. Hard to believe that stuff turned into solid rock a few weeks later. Still have a piece I pass by in the shop and give a dirty look now and then.

I have gathered most of the tools I need to work with and a new lathe is coming soon. Not a great lathe but should be a huge leap from where I am at. Hopefully my third lathe will be one I really want. The first lathe was an impulse when I was picking up an NC router I had bought from a man. The second is the best money can buy, at least the money I have at the moment! Hopefully the next lathe will be my long term lathe. Not that the one I am buying now couldn't be, but more is always better.

Planning that "Ah Ha" moment before snow flies. Living in South Louisiana that is a moderately safe prediction.

Hu

[Geoff Whaling]

I don't think I have really had one "ah-ha" moment but many. I was fortunate to have a father, who was a carpenter, wood machinist & house / light commercial builder. In those days Cairns FNQ was a small community so we did everything including joinery & cabinet making. Dad taught me how to use hand tools from an early age & I was using power tools and DeWalt radial arm docking saws with 2" wide trenching (dado) heads by about 13 to 14 yo. Tool control on the school lathe came easily to me and I had found a little niche market for hand fishing reels made on the lathe. I found and read every book I could on wood turning at school and in the local libraries including Stephen Hogbin's "Wood Turning - The Purpose of the Object" in the mid 1970's - that was another "ah-ha" moment realizing the lathe could also make impractical objects. Through Dad's influence I never went through the "inferior tools" or "poor sharpening" stages as Dad would never accept crap tools or a hand plane or chisel as sharp unless the blade was capable of shaving the hairs off the back of your hand or arm. Maybe that was an "ah-ha" moment that I never realized that I had.

I suppose the real "ah-ha" moment was making / finding the time in my mid 40's to share the joys of the lathe with my son. Through the local wood turning club we set about refining our skills by seeking out local mentors. Fortunately we had some very good local turners who were prepared to share their knowledge with us and encouraged us to enter the local competition. I guess another "ah-ha" moment was attending my first Wood Turning Symposium - Turnfest and meeting turners such as Andi Wolfe, Terry Martin, Hans Wiesflogg etc. I haven't missed a Turnfest event since. I keep discovering new "ah-ha" moments, while developing multi axis or linear laminated turnings.