Mike Holbrook
06-21-2015, 2:53 PM
I have made several posts regarding various types of Lathes. A comment I have often seen suggests that the cost of a lathe is a small part of the cost of "turning". I am curious about the other items I might need in the pursuit of wood turning.
What Do I want to make:
Being a long time poster on these forums I am relatively certain that respondents to such a post will immediately say, well it depends on what type turning you may want to do... The answer to this question often leads us off topic:
Being new to turning but not so new to woodworking I find my answer to this question relates to two time frames, immediate interest and future interests. Rather than bore all respondents with information they may not care to read about I have tried to label personal sections that some may want to skip. I include those sections though because there is a tendency on some posters part to move the discussion off-topic in an attempt to help me with... chair making issues or health issues. I hope the information on why I have my particular interests may keep us more on topics of interest to a greater number of turners and off my less interesting personal issues. On the other hand, most discussion regarding woodworking/turning may have little significance unless it relates to a particular woodworker's more restricted environs, a classic catch 22.
Immediate Work, turning for Windsor chairmaking:
I got interested in turning as an adjunct to my interest in building Windsor chairs. All the chair builders I have taken courses from or studied have some sort of lathe: Peter Galbert, Curtis Buchanan, Drew Langsner. My initial interest was in turning relatively small spindles and making more precise chair tenons. In his new book "Chairmaker's Notebook" Galbert says he uses a 36" (between centers) lathe but mentions that for the work he does a lathe that can handle 24" would be sufficient. He also points out a confusing terminology issue with chairmakers. Galbert and apparently most other chairmakers, including myself, do not make what chairmakers call spindles with a lathe. The long thin "spindles" in Windsor chair backs are typically made with a drawknife and spokeshave. A spindle made "correctly" with a drawknife orients the grain of the wood straight through the entire piece. The grain orientation on these chair spindles is very important because they need to be very thin but also very flexible. Most chairmakers, however, make chair legs and chair rungs with a lathe. These chair parts are frequently made of hard maple making them less sensitive to grain direction, less fun to work with the hand tools... So before other chair makers start telling me I shouldn't make chair spindles with a lathe.....When I talk about making chair "spindles" I am talking about chair legs and rungs. Sure chair legs and rungs can be make with hand tools too. I have several sets in my shop now. However, the design of the traditional Windsor chair calls for a light chair with smaller pieces. Turned maple legs are traditional on these chairs.
Other/future Work & possible interests:
I started my lathe search thinking mostly about turning parts for chair legs. The more posts I read the more interested I became in turning bowls, platters...and the many other objects turners on the Turner Forum post about. I have easy access to lots of green wood on our 12 acres.
Off Topic personal issues:
Work I am trying to avoid due to health issues...at least for a while
I have had some allergic or stress reactions on my hands which have kept me from using the hand tools I love using. My experience with all the substances I touch and the stress my hands are put through make me think my hands might "handle", at least for the near future, turning better than heavy hand tool usage. I am relatively certain that I can reduce stress to my hands by turning some wood rather than doing heavy work with hand tools. Yes, I realize I may still be touching lots of woods...that may be a source of allergic reactions. Thus far though, I believe my issues relate more to heavy physical stress to the skin on my hands. Certainly, after loosing large amounts of the skin on my hands quite a few times over the last two years the skin on my hands is relatively thin and extra sensitive. I no longer have any significant calluses on my hands. Wearing gloves helps and will keep many foreign substances off my hands. Major problems I have had followed specific heavy, prolonged physical stress to the skin on my hands. Examples of hand work activity that have caused me problems are ... I took two chairmaking classes in which there was heavy pressure to get lots of hand tool work done in long days during week long classes. I had problems after both classes. I think another issue presented after a long day of using a chain saw, limbing axe, splitting axe....The original issue I had may relate to over use of specific medications used to combat Issues I and my doctors miss diagnosed. The continuing issues may relate to stressing hands which have never entirely healed.
The real topic...Turning tools Discussion:
Galbert's suggestion for chair leg turning: 3/4" Roughing gouge, 1/8" Diamond parting tool, 3/4" Oval skew, 3/8" Detail gouge. I actually got my chair leg turning experience with Drew Langsner at Country Workshops. Langsner used almost exactly the same tools as Galbert suggests. I am interested in suggestions regarding other turning tools posters find helpful, especially any tools unique to bowls, platters...
Chucks:
I watched a YouTube post Robo Hippy/Reed Gray did on mounting bowl blanks which was helpful but raised more questions regarding which chucks, drive centers, live centers I might or might not need. I believe more complicated/larger chucks are often used for the larger pieces where the smaller live centers are typically used for spindles.
I am assuming that many turners end up buying a larger selection of turning tools, chucks, live centers, tool rests....which wind up costing them more than their lathe? I am trying to get a better idea of specific additional tool, chuck...needs I may need to consider, other than the four basic turning tools and basic "live centers", usually delivered with a new lathe, which I might need/want.
What Do I want to make:
Being a long time poster on these forums I am relatively certain that respondents to such a post will immediately say, well it depends on what type turning you may want to do... The answer to this question often leads us off topic:
Being new to turning but not so new to woodworking I find my answer to this question relates to two time frames, immediate interest and future interests. Rather than bore all respondents with information they may not care to read about I have tried to label personal sections that some may want to skip. I include those sections though because there is a tendency on some posters part to move the discussion off-topic in an attempt to help me with... chair making issues or health issues. I hope the information on why I have my particular interests may keep us more on topics of interest to a greater number of turners and off my less interesting personal issues. On the other hand, most discussion regarding woodworking/turning may have little significance unless it relates to a particular woodworker's more restricted environs, a classic catch 22.
Immediate Work, turning for Windsor chairmaking:
I got interested in turning as an adjunct to my interest in building Windsor chairs. All the chair builders I have taken courses from or studied have some sort of lathe: Peter Galbert, Curtis Buchanan, Drew Langsner. My initial interest was in turning relatively small spindles and making more precise chair tenons. In his new book "Chairmaker's Notebook" Galbert says he uses a 36" (between centers) lathe but mentions that for the work he does a lathe that can handle 24" would be sufficient. He also points out a confusing terminology issue with chairmakers. Galbert and apparently most other chairmakers, including myself, do not make what chairmakers call spindles with a lathe. The long thin "spindles" in Windsor chair backs are typically made with a drawknife and spokeshave. A spindle made "correctly" with a drawknife orients the grain of the wood straight through the entire piece. The grain orientation on these chair spindles is very important because they need to be very thin but also very flexible. Most chairmakers, however, make chair legs and chair rungs with a lathe. These chair parts are frequently made of hard maple making them less sensitive to grain direction, less fun to work with the hand tools... So before other chair makers start telling me I shouldn't make chair spindles with a lathe.....When I talk about making chair "spindles" I am talking about chair legs and rungs. Sure chair legs and rungs can be make with hand tools too. I have several sets in my shop now. However, the design of the traditional Windsor chair calls for a light chair with smaller pieces. Turned maple legs are traditional on these chairs.
Other/future Work & possible interests:
I started my lathe search thinking mostly about turning parts for chair legs. The more posts I read the more interested I became in turning bowls, platters...and the many other objects turners on the Turner Forum post about. I have easy access to lots of green wood on our 12 acres.
Off Topic personal issues:
Work I am trying to avoid due to health issues...at least for a while
I have had some allergic or stress reactions on my hands which have kept me from using the hand tools I love using. My experience with all the substances I touch and the stress my hands are put through make me think my hands might "handle", at least for the near future, turning better than heavy hand tool usage. I am relatively certain that I can reduce stress to my hands by turning some wood rather than doing heavy work with hand tools. Yes, I realize I may still be touching lots of woods...that may be a source of allergic reactions. Thus far though, I believe my issues relate more to heavy physical stress to the skin on my hands. Certainly, after loosing large amounts of the skin on my hands quite a few times over the last two years the skin on my hands is relatively thin and extra sensitive. I no longer have any significant calluses on my hands. Wearing gloves helps and will keep many foreign substances off my hands. Major problems I have had followed specific heavy, prolonged physical stress to the skin on my hands. Examples of hand work activity that have caused me problems are ... I took two chairmaking classes in which there was heavy pressure to get lots of hand tool work done in long days during week long classes. I had problems after both classes. I think another issue presented after a long day of using a chain saw, limbing axe, splitting axe....The original issue I had may relate to over use of specific medications used to combat Issues I and my doctors miss diagnosed. The continuing issues may relate to stressing hands which have never entirely healed.
The real topic...Turning tools Discussion:
Galbert's suggestion for chair leg turning: 3/4" Roughing gouge, 1/8" Diamond parting tool, 3/4" Oval skew, 3/8" Detail gouge. I actually got my chair leg turning experience with Drew Langsner at Country Workshops. Langsner used almost exactly the same tools as Galbert suggests. I am interested in suggestions regarding other turning tools posters find helpful, especially any tools unique to bowls, platters...
Chucks:
I watched a YouTube post Robo Hippy/Reed Gray did on mounting bowl blanks which was helpful but raised more questions regarding which chucks, drive centers, live centers I might or might not need. I believe more complicated/larger chucks are often used for the larger pieces where the smaller live centers are typically used for spindles.
I am assuming that many turners end up buying a larger selection of turning tools, chucks, live centers, tool rests....which wind up costing them more than their lathe? I am trying to get a better idea of specific additional tool, chuck...needs I may need to consider, other than the four basic turning tools and basic "live centers", usually delivered with a new lathe, which I might need/want.