Tom Sweeney
11-01-2003, 10:09 PM
I went to the Woodworks 2003 show yesterday ostensably to help out at the Ellis Island Sawdust Cafe'. I've been getting a bit frustrated with my turning equipment lately. Since I took my lesson with Bill Grumbine (If you are a new or even intermediate turner near the SE PA /NJ area you really ought to do this) I've been happy with my turning skills - not that they couldn't be a lot better. But I'm being held back from improving by my equipment. I'm in desperate need of 2 things a scroll chuck & a tool grinding system. Seeing as how the budget is very tight right now I can't get both so I tried to figure out which one I needed more. The answer was the scroll chuck. So at the show I bought me a talon chuck for my lathe. I turned my first bowl with it today & man what an improvement over turning right from a 4" faceplate for the whole bowl.
The only problem is I really butchered my "good" bowl gouge while trying to put an edge on it towards the end of turning the bowl. Now I've got to either figure out how to swing a wolverine grinding system or find the time to make a shop made version. Of course then I'll need to figure out how to swing a real lathe, some better turning tools, a hollowing system, well you get the idea. But I really needed the chuck :D
The only problem is I really butchered my "good" bowl gouge while trying to put an edge on it towards the end of turning the bowl. Now I've got to either figure out how to swing a wolverine grinding system or find the time to make a shop made version. Of course then I'll need to figure out how to swing a real lathe, some better turning tools, a hollowing system, well you get the idea. But I really needed the chuck :D