Alas and AlaK

[Ed Breen]

OH MY!!!
I spent many years as a flat worker, only worrying about horizontals, perpendiculars and angles. One lovely day while Betsy and I were admiring the water gushing out of a cave at Fifty Six, Arkansas we got into conversation with two other watchers. He remarked on my Creek cap and asked if I “turned.” I, of course didn’t know what he was talking about.
When we got to the parking lot he opened this sinister looking case and lo and behold it was full of pens and pencils. WOW!!
A week later, in the woodcraft store she reminded me of the pens and pencils and said that there was a beginners class at the store, so we signed me up.
Alas and alack, the beginning of the end. Someone yesterday was right, the cost of the lathe was peanuts compared to what has evolved. This is not a vortex, it’s a Malestrom. I start turning pens, then I see Jim Kings work and his site next thing I’m ordering wood from Peru??? I turned a chunk of bloodwood, gave it the Peacock treatment, and finished it. As I was cutting it loose it fell and the lip broke into several small pieces. As I turned it in my hand it positively shimmered, it was broken but beautiful. Now as I go down deeper in this maelstrom/vortex I find myself haunting several sites which must be nameless and ordering wood that is unique, gorgeous and expensive.
I dread to think what lies ahead!!:confused:
Ed :rolleyes:

[Julio Navarro]

I turned a chunk of bloodwood, gave it the Peacock treatment, and finished it. As I was cutting it loose it fell and the lip broke into several small pieces. As I turned it in my hand it positively shimmered, it was broken but beautiful.

Ive heard echos in here about "no pictures? didn't happen"

I wanna see!!

[Keith Burns]

Yes Ed, pics are a must !!

As far as turning thing being a money pit, you ain't seen nuttin' yet:D

[Mark Pruitt]

Yup....the lathe seems like pennies compared to all the rest. Expensive chuck, expensive tools, expensive sharpening jig (with expensive attachments!), expensive everything! Then you outgrow your first lathe and guess what....you replace it with an expensive one of course! But ain't it fun!

But don't forget....as long as there are felled trees and chainsaws, there will always be free wood!

Mark

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ed.........did you jump into the Vortex voluntarily? The inmates here PUSHED ME!:p I'm sure glad they did! I haven't found anything that interests me as much as turning!:)

[Ed Breen]

Ken,
It was a fortunate misstep
Ed

[Ed Breen]

Ken, It was a very fortunate mis-step. Pics will be along when I get home and tool up and find where SWMBO put the peice. Ed

[Frank Fusco]

Welcome to both the vortex and Arkansas, Ed. I live not far from Fifty-Six, Arkansas. You came. You saw. You will be back.

[Ed Breen]

Frank,
I have carried an out of state license and tag since 1998. You bet I'll be back.
Ed

[Jeff Myers]

[quote=Ed Breen]
I dread to think what lies ahead!!:confused:

"Vacuums, and Coring Systems and Capture Rigs...Oh MY!!!" :eek:

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Welcome ED. Give that wonderful and caring woman of your a kiss for me. She has opened your eyes to the possibility of "Hidden" beauty in wood. It is a wonderful thing to look at a piece of "junk" wood, put it on the lathe, rough it out and find something "DROP DEAD" Gorgeous inside.

I feel bad for "Flat Boarders" , just like Dean Martin felt bad for folks who don't drink. "When they get up in the morning, it's the best they're going to feel all day." (I believe that is the quote) When flat boarders look at a plank, they pretty much can see what they have. Turners, on the other hand are NEVER quite sure what they're going to find in a piece of wood.

And That's GREAT!

Bruce

[Bernie Weishapl]

Welcome Ed. Wood turning is probably the most beautiful thing I have done in woodworking. You just have a different look at wood. Have fun and enjoy.

[Ernie Nyvall]

Welcome to turning Ed. Aint it great.

Ernie

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Welcome Ed, you have arrived !!!:D

[Andy Hoyt]

We don't turn Sclamacca Wood in Muskogee;
We don't make no buys on Ebay Free
We don’t burn no rim edges down on Main Street;
We like spinnin' right, and bein' free.

I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee,
A place where spin crackers can have a ball
We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse,
And white Mayo’s still the biggest thrill of all

We don't make a party out of spinnin’;
We like corin’ blanks and hollowin’ too;
We don't let our hair grow long and shaggy,
Like the hippies up in Arena, Wis. do.

I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee,
A place where spin crackers can have a ball
We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse,
And white Mayo’s still the biggest thrill of all

Leather strops are still in style for manly skew edges;
Beads and Roman Ogees might be seen.
Flatwork’s still the oddest thing on campus,
And the kids here still respect the MOA dean. ----------- (well, sorta)

We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse,
In Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA.

[Ernie Nyvall]

We don't turn Sclamacca Wood in Muskogee;
We don't make no buys on Ebay Free
We don’t burn no rim edges down on Main Street;
We like spinnin' right, and bein' free.

I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee,
A place where spin crackers can have a ball
We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse,
And white Mayo’s still the biggest thrill of all

We don't make a party out of spinnin’;
We like corin’ blanks and hollowin’ too;
We don't let our hair grow long and shaggy,
Like the hippies up in Arena, Wis. do.

I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee,
A place where spin crackers can have a ball
We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse,
And white Mayo’s still the biggest thrill of all

Leather strops are still in style for manly skew edges;
Beads and Roman Ogees might be seen.
Flatwork’s still the oddest thing on campus,
And the kids here still respect the MOA dean. ----------- (well, sorta)

We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse,
In Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA.


You sir are a nut.

I like it.

Ernie

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Yeh and he's looking for a BOLT!

Bruce

[Ed Breen]

All,
Such erudition humbles this old country boy. Thank you all for your wisdom and support as i slowly spin down the malestrom!
Ed:)

[Tom Sherman]

Welcome to the ruination of your Bank account ED.

[Curt Fuller]

We don't turn Sclamacca Wood in Muskogee;
We don't make no buys on Ebay Free
We don’t burn no rim edges down on Main Street;
We like spinnin' right, and bein' free.

I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee,
A place where spin crackers can have a ball
We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse,
And white Mayo’s still the biggest thrill of all

We don't make a party out of spinnin’;
We like corin’ blanks and hollowin’ too;
We don't let our hair grow long and shaggy,
Like the hippies up in Arena, Wis. do.

I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee,
A place where spin crackers can have a ball
We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse,
And white Mayo’s still the biggest thrill of all

Leather strops are still in style for manly skew edges;
Beads and Roman Ogees might be seen.
Flatwork’s still the oddest thing on campus,
And the kids here still respect the MOA dean. ----------- (well, sorta)

We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse,
In Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA.

Well Ed, what else can be said?