First project ideas...and a stupid question...

[Aaron Buys]

Well the new lathe is up and running and I've been turning some bonkers with some pine scraps I have for starting campfires. They aren't pretty but I'm getting a feel for the tools. I'm looking to actually turn something official but I'm not sure what to make. I have a pen mandrel and a bunch of pen blanks but no drill press that is easily accessed (grandfather has one.) I'm also considering a baby rattle but I'm not sure if that will be over my head (I like the captured ring rattles). Are there any other projects I should consider or should I make an effort to get a bunch of pen blanks drilled? Suggestions are welcomed! (Also no chuck yet so I'm limited to what I can turn between centers or mounted on a faceplate.)

Also, how does one actually finish the ends of a piece mounted between centers? Do you work the piece down as close to the head and tailstock and then remove the piece and sand the ends or is there a better way?

[Mike Vickery]

Pen are great first projects for you to learn basic spindle tools. You might want to wait on doing captured rings until you get a little more experience. A useable mallet is also a great beggining project along with bottle stoppers. I am sure their are many more but those were some of my first project.
Yes for finishing the ends of things turned betwean center I work the wood down to a small nub, get as good a surface as I can then part it off and sand the ends. Much of the time I will use a carving knife or chisel to carve away as much of the nub as possible before sanding.

[Aaron Buys]

Yes for finishing the ends of things turned betwean center I work the wood down to a small nub, get as good a surface as I can then part it off and sand the ends.


So by saying "parting off" are you actually using a parting tool to cut the piece free from the lathe or just stopping the lathe and removing the piece?

[Jonathon Spafford]

Like Mike said, a mallet is a good project, a gavel, you might be able to manage a top between centers (it is easier with a chuck, but certainly manageable without one), spoon, spatula, rolling pins, honey dipper, balls, eggs, mushrooms, unhollowed christmas ornaments, chess pieces, magic wands, etc. You could even do a bowl or platter if you just screwed it to the faceplate. Now if you were really determined to do a pen you could mount the pen blanks between centers and using calipers measure the taper of your stebcenter. After turning the taper on the blanks you could tap them into the spindle drive and drill them out with a jacob's chuck mounted in the tailstock. You can get a cheapo jacob's chuck for less than 15 bucks at Harbor freight. So that might get you going!
To finish off then end you usually just need to take it off and sand off the ends. Often with bowls and platters though, they are vacuum chucked or chucked up with jumbo jaws and the bottoms are actually turned to get rid of chuck marks and finish it up! With small items it is unnecessary and usually quite hard to do so they are usually finished by hand... that's the fastest way!! Anyway... have fun and post lotsa pix!

[Paul Zerjay]

Garden dibblers are good first projects. Doorstops too.

[Mike Vickery]

So by saying "parting off" are you actually using a parting tool to cut the piece free from the lathe or just stopping the lathe and removing the piece?

I usually dont part it all the way but some do, if you work the nub down so that it is tapered away from your work piece it will twist right off with out damageing your piece. Usually the nub is under 1/8th but may be a little bigger depending on the size and balance of the piece.

asci art diagram ]<MMMMMMM>[


] = waste wood
< = nub at the end of your piece
MM = your work
Sorry to lazy to draw it in paint obviously the nub and work are not to scale.

[Bob Opsitos]

MIke wouldn't you want to do this instead?

]>MMMMMMM<[

I'm thinking that would leave you with less work to remove the nub from the work peice.

bob

[Mike Vickery]

MIke wouldn't you want to do this instead?

]>MMMMMMM<[

I'm thinking that would leave you with less work to remove the nub from the work peice.

bob
When you twist off the nub that way you can damage the end of the workpiece . Others mileage may vary, I would rather carve off a little bit than have a hunk break out of the end of the piece.

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Aaron, welcome and Glad to hear you are started! First off, There is only ONE "Stupid Question", It is the one you don't ask. Now that that is out of the way let's get to the good stuff...Turning... This is my philosophy, understand that doesn't make it of value to anyone but me, I believe in trying to do something that I will use. That way the pressure is on to perform to the best of my ability. I started with an item that I knew I could use, a Wooden Mallet. It wasn't fancy but faced with the very same questions and limitations you have now it forced me to learn and have fun making something I could use.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=34039&d=1142527427
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=34042&d=1142527522
I still use it to this day. The next suggestion would be tool handles: Trust me, you are going to need them. Let us see how you do and oh by the way, if there is not Pic...It didn't happen.:D :D :D

[George Tokarev]

Get one of those flexible Japanese saws with no set in the teeth and keep it for final seperation. You can even work it around a bit of an undercut without scarring the piece. Part down close - I don't like less than 1/4 on long grain and twice that on face configurations - then trim off with the saw on a non-rotating piece. I keep a curved knife ready for nubs in undercuts. Allows me to trim against the thumb hold. After that, paper.

Make Shaker pegs. Good useful items that have the four basic moves incorporated in their design. Hold coats real well, too.

[marcia ellen]

Mike, You have given me some added confidence to start. I have tools to buy and a lot more to read, but thanks for the advice.

[Scott Hackler]

I second the small Japanese style push pull saws. I use mine all the time.