where do I start?

[Jeff Borges]

two things.. I'll keep it simple.. after reading the itty bitty thread, I am wanting to try this stuff.. you all do such beautiful work.. bringing beauty out of chunks of wood and more..

Question 1: I have an old craftsman lathe.. cast iron..works.. a little rusty..not sure if I even have the parts to stick a piece of wood in it..so..can y'all point me in a direction? I know this is broad, but.. I am not sure where to begin

Question 2: tools for the lathe? brands.. starting place? I do know good tools always pay in the long run.. so if I have to buy one at a time or something thats fine..



HELP!!!!

thanks
maybe the 2nd annual itty bitty contest will have my work in it!

[Keith Christopher]

Well if you have a old sturdy one, I'd refurb it. Look over for rust. clean up the motor and the bed.


Keith

[Chris Barton]

Hi Jeff,

There have been several threads lately about begining turning. A little searching will turn up a lot of advice. Most any lathe can produce results and there are many great turnings out there from old craftsman lathes. Best thing to do is to find a local turners club and attend some of their meetings and find someone to mentor you into this addiction.

[John Hart]

I'd like to see pics of your old lathe Jeff....now that you've been sucked into the vortex!:D Rusty or not, it will probably clean up fine. Mine's a mess all the time!!!;) But, with a picture, we can see better what's missing.

[Joe Judge]

I like the older, heavier lathes.
From my background ... here was the plan:


Start with pens -- quick turn around, instant gratification.
You also have a safe/low-risk way to learn about
finishes (pros/cons of the few you try),
wood (pen blanks are cheap wood samples),
tools
sharpeningand people give you feedback. Get to know Ryan @ woodturningz and Arizone Silhouette, Beara, PensOfColor(Sheila?), PSI, CSA and other pen/turning supply sites. Consider Int. Assoc Penturners forums, etc.

Buy cheap tools ---sharpen them wrong, until you learn how to do it quick and correctly. Build a jig (King's is nice).
Then, slowly accumulate GOOD tools you actually know you prefer and use.

Do this obsessively for 6mos to a year, then taper off ... because you get wierd and people start looking at you differently.

*Hmmm... I bet I could make 249 pens from the chair in the trashdumpster* Oh, did I say that out loud?

Then get a chuck and look for FREE wood

This moves you on to scarier things ... things that CATCH, things that hit you in your chest or fly past your shoulder (then learn to mount your wood better, and use better tool technique :-)

You need a chainsaw for this ... start with a cheap/used electric. If you have a local craigslist website, keep watching the FREE section for downed trees and free wood. Make segmented pieces with scrap wood when you don't have free wood. Curse the cracks in your green wood turned items.

Get tired of the cheesy electric that you never sharpened, then go buy a real chainsaw and the dremel tools chainsaw sharpening jig.

From here on ... you are pretty much addicted. To me, it becomes a balance between:
Look for interesting projects or methods (open seg, threading, mixed media, decorating turned objects, etc);While ...
Continuing to just grow basic skills (form, materials, balance, technique, finish, quicker drying of green wood, etc.)Find what turns you on, make a lot of them ... build up a "portfolio" of items you feel good about. Give presents :-)

-- joe

[John Hart]

Great response Joe! That about sums it up! ;)

[Bernie Weishapl]

Thanks Joe you just answered some of my questions. I just fell into the black hole as Andy and Bob call it or the vortex as John calls it. Anyway I just got my lathe last night and will pick it up Sunday. I am hoping to use mine to make column spindles for grandfather, wall and mantle clocks. This will be along with others like pens, bowls, etc. I have a lot to learn. Thanks again.

[Jeff Borges]

grins..well..first off.. I see 6 inch lathe twelve inch lathe.. where are they measuring from?

I don't have a digital camera as of yet.. so as sooon as I can borrow one.. I will post pics...this week hopefully.. I "think" its all there..but rather than speculate I will take pics..the lathe definitely needs bearings.. no biggie there for me, other wise its got a 1.5 hp motor and i think 8 speeds.

Joe, is that picture really you? Or is it someone you hired for the picture..........thanks for your help// looking forward to this wild ride..hands in the air!!!!!


and BTW wood don't scare me flying at me like that..:eek: I frame houses..lol... Customers are scarier!!!


John.. I have looked at your work.. all I can say is WOW..

[Tony Sizemore]

Hey Jeff
One thing you can is try to find a mold number and search on the web for a Manuel. There are a lot of older manual floating around out there in cyber space. That way you may get a better idea of what you have and or may need to set up your girl.
As for the 6, 8, or 12 inch portion that comes from the measurement you get at the center of head stock (the thread part where the wood attaches) to the Bed. So for instance my lathe is a 12 inch swing over the bed and the measurement is about 6 inch from the head stock to bed. I can turn a 12 inch circle.