I Made A thing!!

[Steve Russell tucker]

This is the very first thing Ive ever turned on my very first lathe! I know it is total crap compared to the Artwork you all do on here but I could not have done this baby step without all your help and advice ! thank you all so very much331187331188

[Roger Chandler]

Congrats on your first "thing!"

[Allan Speers]

Clearly, that is not a "thing."

It is a finely crafted, supremely precious, gate-key to an entirely new slippery slope!




Best of luck to yoooooooooo........... :)

[Tim Boger]

Sign it, Date it so every now and then you can take a moment to remember your first .... well done!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Congrats! Your thing is a nice looking first "thing"! My first "thing" was an Idaho fish bonker. I still have photos of it.

[Aaron Craven]

Excellent fist "thing" :D

And nothing is crap... even the worst results are successes when you learn something from them... and everyone starts somewhere (we also all make plenty of firewood).

Here's one of my first (though not my very first which I don't have a picture of... it was a "mushroom" that ended up looking like... well, something very different than a mushroom. We'll leave it at that...)

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[Steve Russell tucker]

Thank you all so much !!!! I would love to stay and chat more but ...I have to look at my stuff to buy for my new hobby ...:) and watch more you tube videos about Wood lathe tools and sharpening and techniques and wood I really Love this thing I don't know why it took me this long to get one !, I did learn that I need a different gouge or tool to hollow out bowls ...I used a very old spindle gouge to do this "thing" and I'm certain there is a better way :) now to convince the Boss ... thank you all so much!
S.

[daryl moses]

I like it. Looks like you got a lot of practice making it.

[David Delo]

One more falls into the vortex..........ain't it great! Nice first Steve

[Ray Vivian]

Steve the first is the best (at first). Keep doing the best you can do and remember to have fun learning. Looking forward to seeing more.

[Charles Wiggins]

Nice "thing." It looks like you're well on your way.

These were the first "things" I ever did involving the lathe.

The first one is a table-top piece that I constructed out of foam insulation and turned, the sliced and diced, reassembled and then cast in aluminum.

For the other two pieces, the smoother metal parts are just steel tubing, but the rougher metal parts were constructed from that white-bead type foam insulation sheets and turned on the lathe to round them out. I had to invent a system for chucking hollow foam forms so they could be turned into cylinders. I made a few modifications after the turning to add interest, then cast them in aluminum. The one wooden cylinder is hollow and made out of birch.

That was in grad schools, about 24 years ago. I had a lot of fun, but never really got into turning. I don't even own a lathe.


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[john snowdon]

One down, thousands to go! Happiness abounds, Steve!

Just imagine what you will make when you have the right tools.

"Sir"

[Wayne Kuhn]

My first thing gets used at least twice a day, take my keys out and put them back when I return.

[Thomas Canfield]

You need to give the size, material, and finish. It looks like you had fun and the beads look good. Congratulations and Welcome.

[Steve Russell tucker]

Thank you very much Sir I am officially way too deep in the Vortex now ! its made from scrap maple i glued together about 4 1/4" x2 1/2 and the finish was some cutting board conditioner i had near me when i took it off the lathe :) thank you thank you all

[Terry Hatfield]

The force is strong with this one. :)

Glad you are having fun Steve. Enjoy.

[Tom Albrecht]

This reminds me, I once made a "thing" about 40 years ago. Then I made a few more. Then I made some more and I even gave them away to family and friends. Then, I don't know what came over me, I was standing at the counter in the local neighborhood lumber yard one day when another customer came in with a "Thingy that hangs upside down from the end of the exposed rafters on our Coach House", I need 18 of them". Now, have you ever blurted? As in, say (something) suddenly and without careful consideration. Well, that's exactly what I did when I suddenly said, "I can make those for you." It's a really long story, and I'll spare you the details, but I've had a long and fruitful existence as a part time architectural wood turner.
I did make the 18 finials, but I didn't make much money on that first sale.

Keep making things!

[Rick Bailey]

Welcome to the Dark Side!! :D

[Steve Russell tucker]

Thank you very much Sir , It is much better on the dark side I hear there's cookies....Mr.Albrecht I hope when I'm better at making "things" I have the chance to blurt my self into making "things" for someone else I also hope I can contain my excitement enough not to blurt out something like "oh yea I can make those for free " ....perish the thought (shudders) Thank you all again for your encouragement and advice !
Thank you very much , S.

[John K Jordan]

Steve,

It is fun to read about your enthusiasm. I'm afraid you are hopelessly entangled now as are most of us.

I got started when I wanted to make a big tracing paper dispenser for my son in architecture school - bought a lathe from Home Depot and some tools from Sears. Some time after that project I look at the lathe gathering dust and said "I'm going to make another thing." I looked around, found a piece of oak board, cut and glued it up, mounted on a faceplate and made a bowl. I have no idea how I got it done but I was so excited! I gave it to my sister who cherished it always.

I soon realized I needed a better lathe and that kicked me off the cliff. Now, I have 4 lathes and about to buy another, so many tools I've been giving them away, and love to teach one-on-one (or two) and give occasional demos. Good clean fun!

I don't remember if this was mentioned in one of your earlier threads, but if you don't have a good way to sharpen that should be your next goal. Any cheap grinder and a Wolverine or home made jig will get you going.

Also, I may have mentioned this too and don't remember (I am elderly and feeble minded!): When I started I knew nothing of the resources available except for books. I very highly recommend a few, first is Turning Wood by Richard Raffan, then Woodturning, a Foundation Course by Keith Rowley, then for extra credit, the more technical Fundamentals of Woodturning by Mike Darlow. These and some others are long-term references, I show beginners passages to explain things, and bought some extra copies to lend. In fact, I was re-reading Darlow's Woodturning Methods just last night.

And my offer is still good - if you can take a road trip to TN you could visit the farm and spend a day or so in my shop. Bring the wife and kids! If you are interested here are some pictures of things I like to make, mostly small but sometimes large: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.101238256567388.2825.100000436434935&type=1&l=7913a23da6

JKJ

[Peter Luch]

Way better than my first "Thing" !!!

[Ken Glass]

Steve,
You have taken the first big steps to a great hobby that can be as additive as drugs. Now every tree or piece of wood you look at, will have a bowl or vase or Hollow Form in it. Great first turning..no matter what you might call it. Welcome.