New Turner

[Rob Will]

I just got booted over here from General WW :) . I suppose they realized how little I know about turning and sent me to you guys.

Anyway, I'm a farmer in KY who is new to turning and I just came up with a big ol' lathe (see another thread - Yates American).

Two questions:
1.) What are some common speeds in wood turning?

2.) This lathe has a fairly heavy outboard tool post that stands on the floor (for left side turning ?). I'm totally confused about this. Can this be accomplished by an experienced user?

Thanks,
Rob

[Jim Dunn]

Welcome Rob. It's a hoot in this forum, but every once in a while you just gotta rest your brain and laugh factor.

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Rob Welcome to the Creek; the Vortex; the Abyss. Great to have you aboard!:) What do you bet that big olé Iron will have you plunging into the darkness in no time at all. It sounds like you'll have most of the speeds you'll need. If you could use anything else, it would probably be on the lower end speeds, but it isn't absolutely necessary to do what you see here. It is a nice to have rather than a need to have. The outboard turning stand is usually used when you move the headstock to the far end of the rails and turn off the end or swivel the headstock 90 degrees on the rails and turn off the front of the lathe. If your headstock is fixed you may be able to turn off the back side of it. I couldn't tell from your pics if any of that is possible and I couldn't find an M70 but I did find this that looks similar to yours: http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=2155 if it is like yours you can probably turn outboard of the back side of the headstock. Hope this helps.:)

You may even want to consider putting your lathe on the above site. You've got a great one to share with the turning and old machine communities.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Rob - Welcome to the Turner's Forum of the Creek! Not familiar with the lathe that you have but I am sure you will have fun with it. When you get the chance post some pics.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Rob.....Welcome to the Abyss!..........Speeds.......Low speeds as low as you can go for roughing out bowl blanks is a real boon! Then higher speeds for doing spindle projects and pens......Really the project and material kind of determine what speeds you use.

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Rob.....Welcome to the Abyss!..........Speeds.......Low speeds as low as you can go for roughing out bowl blanks is a real boon! Then higher speeds for doing spindle projects and pens......Really the project and material kind of determine what speeds you use.What? :confused: You didn't mention Knobs?:confused: Knobs Ken... Knobs... Mention Knobs!!!:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :D :D

[Ken Fitzgerald]

What? :confused: You didn't mention Knobs?:confused: Knobs Ken... Knobs... Mention Knobs!!!:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :D :D

Chris....I've entered into a different stage of life and was kinda trying to move on to something different than KNOBS..........:D

Such harrassment!

[Glenn Hodges]

Rob, join a local club, and get some hands on experience. They will be glad to help.