Jon Eckels
08-17-2006, 4:20 PM
Herlo all!
I've been lurking around for a while here, and now that I'm starting to have some free time, I've been itching to try turning something, and I was hoping that you'd be able to give me some newbie advice.
I've inherited a MarkV Shopsmith, that's never been used, but has all the parts (my grandfather had bought it as a tax write-off or something... ended up being a 15 year early present for his grand-son :) ). I've read through the instructions and I've figured out how to run the machine pretty well. I've not yet used it as a lathe, but like I said i've been itching... so hopefully in the next few weeks i'll be ready. I'm sure many of you will probably scoff at my amateurness by thinking about a Shopsmith as a "proper" lathe (or something), but it's what I have to work with, so bear with me.
There's been a huge pile of maple wood outside for about a year now - Some of it was cut up as fire wood, but a lot of it was left, only being sectioned, but not cut into wedges... so i've got some pieces that are 16-20" wide, and maybe 18" long or so. No rot, but there's some surface checking (I can't tell how deep it goes, but these are big thick pieces) I was wondering if you think that any of this might be useable. there's also a recently fallen tree that came down in a storm about two months ago. It's not as big as the first tree was, but it also hasn't been cut up yet. They're both maple trees, and I think they'll yield some nice wood if I take care of it right. I can see some definate curls on the surface of the bigger piece. It's gotten me excited, but I don't know how salvageable it is...
Anyways, I tend to ramble... But I'd like some advice on where to start with this. I've always admired woodturners, and now that I've got the tools and the time, I'd like to give it a shot myself.
Also- are there any really good books that you'd recommend that are specifically for the beginner turner?
I look forward to your replies, and I hope to be showing you a bowl or two soon. :)
I've been lurking around for a while here, and now that I'm starting to have some free time, I've been itching to try turning something, and I was hoping that you'd be able to give me some newbie advice.
I've inherited a MarkV Shopsmith, that's never been used, but has all the parts (my grandfather had bought it as a tax write-off or something... ended up being a 15 year early present for his grand-son :) ). I've read through the instructions and I've figured out how to run the machine pretty well. I've not yet used it as a lathe, but like I said i've been itching... so hopefully in the next few weeks i'll be ready. I'm sure many of you will probably scoff at my amateurness by thinking about a Shopsmith as a "proper" lathe (or something), but it's what I have to work with, so bear with me.
There's been a huge pile of maple wood outside for about a year now - Some of it was cut up as fire wood, but a lot of it was left, only being sectioned, but not cut into wedges... so i've got some pieces that are 16-20" wide, and maybe 18" long or so. No rot, but there's some surface checking (I can't tell how deep it goes, but these are big thick pieces) I was wondering if you think that any of this might be useable. there's also a recently fallen tree that came down in a storm about two months ago. It's not as big as the first tree was, but it also hasn't been cut up yet. They're both maple trees, and I think they'll yield some nice wood if I take care of it right. I can see some definate curls on the surface of the bigger piece. It's gotten me excited, but I don't know how salvageable it is...
Anyways, I tend to ramble... But I'd like some advice on where to start with this. I've always admired woodturners, and now that I've got the tools and the time, I'd like to give it a shot myself.
Also- are there any really good books that you'd recommend that are specifically for the beginner turner?
I look forward to your replies, and I hope to be showing you a bowl or two soon. :)