Getting ready to start

[John Branam]

I bought my first lathe off of ebay this weekend. I got this lathe for $37.00 http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=45276

Now I need to get a 4 jaw chuck and some turning tools and I can start making saw dust fly!

What is needed to turn pens? I know I need blanks and pen kits,what elae do I need?

[Chris Barton]

I would take my time about buying a bowl chuck. Get some experience with pens and spindles first. You can buy gouges from HF as well, just make sure that they are HSS. You will want a roughing gouge, parting tool, skew, and a spindle gouge. You can buy pen turning supplies from any number of websites (Pennstate, Berea, Airona Silloutte) and what you will need will depend on what you want to turn. You will need a pen mandrel which can be had for about 8-9 bucks. The bushings and such will depend on the pen you want to turn. Most mandrels come with bushings for the slimline pens (7mm). Past that you will need sandpaper (120, 220, 400, 600 ...) finish (wax, shellac, lac, etc...) and, that's about it. Good luck!

[Rich Stewart]

Dont forget the band saw, drill press, grinder, forstner bits, bowl blanks. You can practice on bowls with the faceplate that probably came with it. Screw a scrap piece of wood onto the faceplate then glue a piece of brown paper bag to that and then glue a bowl blank onto that. Turn the inside of the bowl and then pry the bowl off the scrap piece. Sand the bottom, get all the paper off. makes a pretty decent bowl. I did several before I got a chuck. I still like the way the bottom looks when done like I just discribed. I get blanks off ebay. Already dry, don't have to wait. That will probably turn out to be the most expensive 37.00 you ever spent. Hahaha. Have fun.

[John Branam]

What type of glue do you use for this method?

I have the DP, BS, forstner bits. I am gong to check the pile of wood at a local tree service company to get some wood to turn.

[Ernie Nyvall]

John, congratulations on your purchase.

I've had my lathe since January and have been through two cheep jaws and now one that works... the one way talon. Looking back, I would use the face plate method until I could afford the talon and no in between.

Do you have a grinder for sharpening the tools? If not that should come in conjunction with the tools and face shield, and before the jaws. There are web sites that show building jigs to hold the tools for sharpening and then there is a good ready made jig you can buy.

For bowls, I bought Bill Grumbines video and it shows from the beginning of cutting a blank from a log to finishing the bowl. Look at thet video before you buy a bowl gouge. You will also see how important it is to have sharp tools.

Good turning,

Ernie

[John Hart]

Congratulations John on opening a new world. I wish you luck and happiness in your new addiction.:) I agree with Chris that you should start small. My BIL bought that HF lathe a while back and it served him well but had some power limitations on the medium to large bowl blanks...so he upgraded a few months later. That same lathe is now in the hands of someone else who is turning magnificant pens.

It'll give you many fulfilling hours!!!! Good Luck.... Oh...I'd recommend getting a Pen Starter set from any of the retailers.(Arizona Silhouette, Berea...etc.) They have all the stuff you'll need to get your feet wet without costing you a bundle.

[John Branam]

When using the faceplate what type of glue do you use for attaching the sub base and paper to the blanK?

[Rich Stewart]

I used Elmers glue-all on my first one and it worked well. The next ones I used carpenters glue and that also worked well. I spread it all over the entire surfaces of each piece. Scrap piece, both sides of the paper, and the entire surface of the bowl blank. First one I pried off with a screwdriver and it took some sanding to get rid of the mark it made. Use a flat chisel. Use the parting tool to cut it away from the scrap block. Also make sure the screws that hold the scrap piece to the faceplate aren't long enough that you will hit them with your tools when parting it off.