I am new, I am confused, and I need help.

[valerie williams]

OOPSIE, I posted this in the wrong place the first time, so I jsut coppied and pasted from the origional post. I dont know if that is "legal" here but moderators feel free to handle it as you need to:)

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HI
Ok, a little background first I guess.
I have 4 kidos, and a hubby. I am 25 and I live in tennessee. I am a stay at home mommy, hubby is the menager of the local advanced auto parts. I love to crochet but I have large hands and the metal hooks are to short to be comfortable for me. I got this idea that I would make my own out of wooden dowels from wally world. It didnt would out the way I thaught it would! In the meantime my hubby comes home and freaks out because I am trying to do this with my kitchen knife, and while I was cooking supper he made me one! I had no idea that he could do this stuff! He did it with a pocket knife and sandpaper. here are some pics, these are his first hooks ever! http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...n22/DWW045.jpg (http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/shelain22/DWW045.jpg)
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2.../mikeshook.jpg (http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/shelain22/mikeshook.jpg)
So I started looking into getting some meterials that we could use to make some nicer ones with. I think all I need to start is a mini lathe, right? The wood blanks I am finding are all to short though! How do I find blanks that are at least 8 inches or so? Any advice for a newbie
huggs
Val

[RL Johnson]

Val
The Jet variable speed mini is the way to go and you can get longer blanks in a variety of woods from Craft Supply/
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/
Welcome to the addictive world of turning:D

[Bill Stevener]

Hi Valerie,

Well I see, and am glad you found the turners forum.

First things first, Welcome to the Creek, The Wooden Encyclopedia, Great folks and a world of Crazy turners..

As noted in the post above, a Jet vs would do you just fine. That's a start. :eek:

As far as blanks go. The internet is a big world. Various auction pages are a great place to start. However, the best place is your local wood lot, until one is confident enough to purchase some of the more expensive exotics.

I don't do the crochet thing, however do enjoy turning the hooks. I have included a photo of some. Some have the hook carved, some do not.
They sell quite well, many with out the time to carve the hook I sell as hair picks.

The hooks shown are Holly, which should be abundant in your area?? and make a great hook, well that's what some of the gals tell me. The others are of Blood wood and Ebony.

Took me some time to understand the sizes, but if that's your thing, you should have no prob. very exacting, down to the O.010"

Best of luck in your adventure, hang around, love having you on board.

Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>:)

[Ernie Nyvall]

Welcome to the Creek Val. I don't know anything about the mini lathes, but there are several here that will have that info.

As far as the wood... yep the dowels at Wal mart are probably not the best. Actually I haven't seen a good dowel at any lumber yard lately. If you can find a hardwood lumber store, Woodcraft, or Rockler in your area, they will have dowels of various hardwoods that would be good for this application. They also have flat stock that you can rip up and put on that mini. If you don't have any of these stores in your area then you can get oak boards at most of the lumber yards which you can cut up and turn. Hope this helps.

Ernie

[valerie williams]

Thanks guys! Bill, I had to do a double take at your hooks, they look alot likt bill's at turn of the century. They are beautiful! I think that we are going to go out in tho woods and find some stuff to work with, for now anyway. my husband has it in his head to make one out of a deer antler, lol. Bill, how much do your hooks sell for, just curious. check these out, http://www.dodos-design.com/listings/picture/dodo/ I will probably never be able to do anything like that, but arent the nice!

[Ernie Nyvall]

Took me some time to understand the sizes, but if that's your thing, you should have no prob. very exacting, down to the O.010"

Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>:)


What do you mean by this Bill.

My daughter just this morning gave me something she crocheted... something she just started. Funny how this thread came up when I was thinking of making her some nice sticks... sorry I have no clue what they are called:o

And Val, I'd like to know what size you come up with as comfortable.

Ernie

[Dennis Peacock]

Thanks guys! Bill, I had to do a double take at your hooks, they look alot likt bill's at turn of the century. They are beautiful! I think that we are going to go out in tho woods and find some stuff to work with, for now anyway. my husband has it in his head to make one out of a deer antler, lol. Bill, how much do your hooks sell for, just curious. check these out, http://www.dodos-design.com/listings/picture/dodo/ I will probably never be able to do anything like that, but arent the nice!

Valerie,

First of all Welcome to SMC.!!!!!!!!! It's a great place to be.

Jet mini is a very good choice of lathe for doing what you are desiring to do. But, be aware....it's adictive!!!!! Don't Ask Me How I Know This!!!!!!

Now...don't pay no attention to Bill....he's just showing off again. :p :D

[Jim Becker]

Valerie, I do have to warn you that once you have the lathe, you may not get any more time for crochet work...turning is the "crack of the woodworking world"...very addictive! Welcome to SMC!

[Ian Abraham]

Hi Val

A little benchtop bandsaw might be a good option, let you cut your own blanks out of a normal sized board. They aren't ideal for serious resawing, but for making 1/2" wide blanks it would be ideal, and you could use it for roughing out the shape of the hooks too.

Next question of course is what wood to use, it has to be something strong and resistant to splitting, but I'll let the locals advise you there, our timbers are very different. So sending you out looking for a piece of manuka or pohutakawa would be a wild goose chase :D

Cheers

Ian

[John Hart]

Welcome to the Creek Val! Yup...Turning is addictive...but this place has the friendliest, most helpful people on the planet. All your questions will be answered....correctly hopefully! :D

[Dale Thompson]

my husband has it in his head to make one out of a deer antler, lol. !

Valerie,
If you have deer in Tennessee with racks large enough to make crochet hooks, they are a LOT bigger than the whitetails that we have up here in northern Wisconsin. :eek: I am already drooling over the pens, letter openers, bottle openers, etc., that I could make out of a rack that size. :D :D We have a local guy who raises a few elk. Unfortunately for me he gets about $1600 for the rack from his biggest bull. :( Whatever, that rack HAS to be 6' across the points but that's a LOT wider than the discretionary margin in my tool fund. :( :cool:

One caution: Larger racks, even with Whitetail, sometimes have a tendency to be rather "punky" in the center. :( That is where your crochet hook is going to be coming from so check before you spend all the effort preparing the blank. :) :D Good Luck!

Dale T.

[John Hart]

...One caution: Larger racks, even with Whitetail, sometimes have a tendency to be rather "punky" in the center. :( That is where your crochet hook is going to be coming from so check before you spend all the effort preparing the blank. :) :D Good Luck!

Dale T.

Don't forget the smell.:eek: :D

[Andy Hoyt]

Valerie - All of us are confused and need help.

That's why we hang out here.

Welcome.

[Bill Stevener]

What do you mean by this Bill.

My daughter just this morning gave me something she crocheted... something she just started. Funny how this thread came up when I was thinking of making her some nice sticks... sorry I have no clue what they are called:o

And Val, I'd like to know what size you come up with as comfortable.

Ernie

Ernie, size chart for ya, if this doesnt get confusing, nothing will.:confused:
The size depends on the yarn thickness and what one is crocheting.

http://www.turn-of-the-century.com/knitsize.htm

Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>:)

[Dale Thompson]

Don't forget the smell.:eek: :D

John,
I take umbrage at that statement. ;) :p Have a "heart", bud. ;) I've got a bar of Lava soap and I'm waiting for the next rain. :) When that happens, the "smell" will be "reduced". :D I'm just handicapped by the fact that all of our rain comes down in the form of that cold wet stuff. :cool: It's not that I have a vendetta against society. It just seems to turn out that way!! ;) :D

Dale T.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Valerie,


Welcome to the Creek! A neat place to exchange information!


Now...............Listen to these guys and gals here in the turner's forum. I started out as strictly a flat lander..........arguing with these guys that the world was indeed flat! Do Not upset them! They sometimes go off their meds and then they can do unbelieveable things! I'm still in awe of what they did to me recently! The Jet mini VS!..........I love mine! Just started using it about 2 hours ago...........Love it! I'd never turned before...........still don't have any talent but it sure has been a quick learning experience! What a kick!

Again.....Welcome to the Creek!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Welcome Valerie. Might as well join the crowd. You got some good info.

[Paul Douglass]

Welcome Val and thanks for bringing this subject up. My wife knits and belongs to a little group of little old lady knitters. Maybe I can surprise them one of these days with some needles.

Please post pictures of your results when you get some and good luck.

[tod evans]

welcome valerie, not only am i confused but i wake up in a new world every day......02 tod

[Pat Jeddy]

Hey Valerie, Welcome. My great aunt crocheted beautiful throws, etc. I still have two of them. But beware....woodworking is addictive. And like the guys say, turning is the crack of woodworking. I could never knit or crochet very well. I didn't have the patience for it. But turning,...well.. the smell of cut wood with the sound and feel of a tool on the spinning blank, well, it's different but very fun. If you do get some good hooks, please post your crocheted work here. I'd love to see it!

[Jim Dunn]

Valerie - All of us are confused and need help.

That's why we hang out here.

Welcome.

Valerie Andy is the reason most of us are confused:eek::eek: We hang out here cause were waiting for his next statement so we can try to figure it out:D:D

[Sparky Paessler]

Valerie, Welcome from another Tennesseen. The hooks look interesting to make. I might have to try some. If you have a hard time finding some blanks just holler and I'm sure I could come up with some scraps of maple, walnut, maybe cherry and Mahogany that would be big enought to make them from.

Sparky

[valerie williams]

Wow, you guys are fast! LOL. Ok, first off, you wanna see my work? I have to tell you, I am giong to toot my own horn here, I have a talent for yarn crafts! here we go....
This little angel is the reason I started crocheting...
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/shelain22/Mybear.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/shelain22/MammaandAnna2.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/shelain22/Readytogo.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/shelain22/anna.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/shelain22/01010105.jpg
This one fell apart, it has since been fixed, it was annas first halloween costume, she was candy corn!!!
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/shelain22/01010003.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/shelain22/ponchoforconnie.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/shelain22/rug2.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/shelain22/therug.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/shelain22/feltedpurse.jpg
This is my current work in progreess, let me tell you, it is a labor of love! I have about 30 hours in it and im not even half way through it!
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/shelain22/lb.jpg

Ok, I know you guys probably wont even look at the crochet stuff, lol, so here is one for yall, my hubby made anouther hook last night. this one is made from an oak dowel, it was about 3 times as large as I needed for my curent project, so mike cut it down and sanded it smoothe, He made the nonworking end a little bigger, kinda like a baseball bat. Thats about as decorateive as we can get tilll we can get a lathe. This was anouther pocket pocket knife and sandpaper project!lol.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/shelain22/newhook3.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/shelain22/newhook1.jpg

Hey sparky, so you ever come to the river run? You should (derryl worley) Its a blast! My hubby and derryl are 1st cousins, you know that song awful beautiful life? There is a line in there about cousin mike, thats my hubby. If you have any scrap wood that yuou think we could use for hooks, let me know, I will be glad to buy it from you.
Huggers
Val

[John Hart]

Very Nice Pictures Val. All I can say is...Wood chips and crochet are an enduring mixture.....Unless of course you have patience and tweezers!!!:D

I think you'll enjoy this!:)

[valerie williams]

Very Nice Pictures Val. All I can say is...Wood chips and crochet are an enduring mixture.....Unless of course you have patience and tweezers!!!:D

I think you'll enjoy this!:)
Oh hunny, I have a husband, 2 german shephards, a pekingese, 2 cats, 4 kids and 3 that I babysit, I am so used to picking stuff out of my yarn! Whats a few wood chips with cheetos, animal hair, and sucker sticks? I do make a point to wash it all before it is sold.

[David Fried]

Boy does that bring back memories. My daughter is about turn 18 and it's hard to believe she was ever that small. Then again, it seems like yesterday.


Dave Fried

[Dale Thompson]

Ok, I know you guys probably wont even look at the crochet stuff, lol,

Valerie,
You do BEAUTIFUL WORK!! :) I just lit my shop on fire and am hoping to salvage enough wood to make a few crocheting needles! :eek: :D

Now that you have embarrassed all of us with your skills, can you recommend a "Crocheting Forum"? :confused: I would like to put some of my stuff on THAT Forum and see if I can impress someone with my woodworking. :eek: Come to think of it, that wouldn't work either. :o With MY woodworking skills, the only place that I have left to post on is one of the MANY "Scrap-burning" Forums! :o Well - such is life! :cool:

VERY nice work, Val! :)

Dale T.

[Ernie Nyvall]

Wow, that's incredible work Val... and so is the crocheting. It's funny, the day you posted, my daughter showed me that she was just starting to crochet and I was thinking of making her one of those hooks. Now with the pics of what your husband did and the chart Bill sent, I guess I will make one, or maybe a few.

Ernie

[Pat Jeddy]

Your crocheting is absolutely FANTASTIC!!

But your greatest accomplishment is PERFECT. You and hubby must be so proud. I would be.

Thank you for posting all your wonderful creations.

I will tell you though, if you start turning, you won't quit. I think you might be like me, I came across woodturning via building electric guitars (been playing since I was 10 and I'm ancient now.) Woodworking wasn't something I would have thought of for myself. Except some guy told me a new pickup was 40 bucks but to install it was 80 plus. How hard could it be to solder two wires?? So I went searching on the Internet. Found lots of woodworking, upgraded my guitar, built some more guitars and stumbled on a woodturning site, and that was IT! Bugged LOML for a lathe, then a bigger, better lathe. There's an unfinshed guitar project buried in my workshop right now. It's been a year now, and well...
I'm Patty and I'm a woodturner - this is my story.:)

[Dale Thompson]

Bugged LOML for a lathe, then a bigger, better lathe. There's an unfinshed guitar project buried in my workshop right now. It's been a year now, and well...
I'm Patty and I'm a woodturner - this is my story.

Pat,
Your sad story of the slippery slope into addiction brought tears to my eyes. :( Even after four hours of trying to understand your tragic story, I find that my tri-focals are still stained with the residual salt left from the brimming eyes. ;) :eek:

Pat, you need HELP and you need it NOW!! :D Although I have considered it many times, suicide is NOT the answer!! :eek: It would be FAR too easy! :eek: Besides, I've had some dreams lately that tell me that Sorby, Crown and Taylor are going to have some INCREDIBLE sales in the very near future!! ;) We ALL need something to live for! :cool: :D :)

Dale T.

[valerie williams]

Dale, if you posted crochet hooks, yarn baskets, and hook cases, you better believe they would be impressed and wanting to buy!!!

Earnie, encourage her! I make my liveing crocheting and it has kept me sane! If she needs help, I will give you my e-mail addy or my phone number even, I am also a crochet instructor at as many nurseing homes as I can find time to visit. Some of the elderly have no one, teach them to crochet and it makes life a little nicer for them;)

Pat, thank you for the compliments, right now I find it frustrateing cause there is sooo much I dont know, I hope to be addicted very soon, lol.

[valerie williams]

oh, and dale, if you think your hooks are good enugh, put them on ebay. fo there and do a search for GRAYDOG and take a looksey at what his are sellong for, the highest one right now is up to almoast 200 bucks!:eek:

[Pat Jeddy]

I've been saved! I just found my Lee Valley, Rockler, Woodcraft and Craft Supplies catalogs!! I've been browsing thru them and I feel sooo much better now. This will get me through the difficult times. Thank you for your support!! Remember what they told us at Woodturners Anonymous, it's a HOBBY, not an addiction.....:rolleyes:

[Ernie Nyvall]

Earnie, encourage her! I make my liveing crocheting and it has kept me sane! If she needs help, I will give you my e-mail addy or my phone number even, I am also a crochet instructor at as many nurseing homes as I can find time to visit. Some of the elderly have no one, teach them to crochet and it makes life a little nicer for them;)


Thank you Val. That's really generous of you. I'll let her know.

Ernie

[Don Baer]

Well Val, It looks like your off the hook. Someone bid $151. for that lathe. Now don't let us catch you doing anything that silly again.

[Kurt Rosenzweig]

Check out this thread Val! Seems like a good deal!

MODERATOR NOTE: Link to another forum deleted. Posts with direct links to other forums is not allowed per our TOS. Thanks!