First Time...How aggressive?

[Fred Conte]

I tried my new Rikon today...what a blast!!!:D

I tried a piece of 2x2x12 pine and experimented with the various tools. The only one I seemed to have difficulty with was the skew which may have been due to the rest beng a tad too high. I will get the various books and videos I ordered next week so hopefully alot of questions will be answered.

I was surprised at how fine the shaving were which leads to me to my question. How aggressive should you be cutting? I was focusing more on control and movement along the length of pine as opposed to creating alot of chips. Are the size of the shavings a function of the type of wood being turned?

Thanks for your input!

Fred

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Fred....the shavings/curlies are a function of the sharpness of the tool and the aggressiveness of your cut and the type of wood and it's moisture content. Keep practicing....remember the mantra...Ride that bevel....Ride that bevel.......Ride that bevel......

[Fred Conte]

Yes Ken that's what I was focusing on, that's why my shavings were so fine...
Can you be more specific on aggressiveness?

Thanks...

Fred

[Bernie Weishapl]

Sounds like you are on the way Fred. If you ordered Alan Lacers DVD on the skew you will do fine. What Ken meant by aggressive is how deep a cut you take. The other day I was doing a bowl. I started a cut at the bottom with a 5/8" Ellsworth gouge and ended up with a curly about 6' long and almost a 1/2" wide. Thats what Ken meant.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Fred......Sorry I didn't get back to answer your question. Bernies right....depth of cut is what I meant by aggressiveness. I've seen apparent endless curlies when turning acrylic bottle stoppers......several fee long when turning wet wood. They fly by so fast that they do appear to be endless.

[Fred Conte]

That's incredible! How is that done? I have tons of oak - wet and dry - would this be better than pine to pracice on?

Thanks for everyones input!

[Fred Conte]

Lacers DVD is on my list but it will have to wait 'til next month or two - blew my toy budget.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Dry pine is softer and easier to turn than dry oak. Oak....a lot of folks don't like to turn it. Because of the coarser grain my experience has been that it doesn't take detail quite as well and it's harder and will dull your tools quicker. Pine, how ever, has more pitch and therefore it's hard on tools too......Chuck up a piece of the wet stuff and ride it.

Since you're a beginner, I'll give my speal based on my learning. I was the recipiant of the first "bombing" run here. I teased the turners and they took up a collection and gave me a Jet VS Mini, SN2 chuck, tools, videos. The nearest turning club is 110 miles away in Spokane, WA. So I learned to turn via books and videos.

A book that I highly recommend..."Turning Wood - A Foundation Course" by Keith Rowley. It is well written and illustrated for the beginning turner. I have others but this one is my "go to" reference.

Videos......"Turned Bowls Made Easy" by Bill Grumbine...go to his profile in the members list here and you can go to his homepage and buy it directly from Bill. Excellent video

Any of the Richard Raffan videos ....."Turning Wood" ...."Turning Boxes"

Woodcraft has some online videos if you have a fast internet connection...go to their education area ......free videos......Most of them are made by Robert Sorby tools company........


The main thing....turn as much and anything you can......tree limbs...2x4s....

Make sure your tools are sharp.....If you don't have a grinder get one...turning with dull tools is the pitts!....If you don't have a grinding jig get one. Grinding by hand is a learned art just like turning. Grinding with one of the jig systems (I have the Oneway Wolverine System) allows you to spend more time learning to turn and less time learning to sharpen...

It's a never ending learning process....I've spent the last 18 months learning and I'll continue to learn until I die...I'm sure!

Good luck Fred!

[Reed Gray]

Big heavy cuts are for roughing work, the basic shaping cuts, to get what you don't want off the piece of wood you are turning. You will get more tearout with heavy roughing cuts. The fine cuts are for finish work, and details, and done with a freshly sharpened tool. The better you get at this, the less sanding you will have to do.
robo hippy

[Fred Conte]

The nearest turning club is 110 miles away in Spokane, WA. So I learned to turn via books and videos.

A book that I highly recommend..."Turning Wood - A Foundation Course" by Keith Rowley. It is well written and illustrated for the beginning turner. I have others but this one is my "go to" reference.

Videos......"Turned Bowls Made Easy" by Bill Grumbine...go to his profile in the members list here and you can go to his homepage and buy it directly from Bill. Excellent video

Richard Raffan videos ....."Turning Wood" ...."Turning Boxes"

Woodcraft has some online videos if you have a fast internet connection...
Make sure your tools are sharp.....

It's a never ending learning process....I've spent the last 18 months learning and I'll continue to learn until I die...I'm sure!

Good luck Fred!

Thanks Ken for your advice...

I had ordered Rowley's book, Raffan's 3 book set and Bill's video last week and am anxiously awaiting their arrival - hopefully next week.

Unfortunately I have a very slow internet connection being in the boonies, I get alot of dropped connections:(

I had gotten the slow speed grinder and wolverine system from woodcraft unfortunately the left drive shaft was bent a good 1/2" - another is on the way.

I'm in the same boat as you with regards to clubs and stores - all are 2+ hours from me. I'm hoping there are some more experienced turners here that are within a reasonable drive that I might hook up with. I live roughly 20 miles north of Ocala, FL.
Did you find it difficult learning from books and videos? I have found listening to the machine, the tool and my sense of touch to be key factors in turning smooth finishes.

There is a sawmill about 5 min drive from me I will see if they have a hardwoods there, I know they have huge cherry mantle slabs and hopefully they have some smaller cutoffs.

Once again thank you.

Fred

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Fred.........Read Rowleys book. Start at the front and work to the rear. He takes you through his step by step process and explains the the physics....the why and the how. Looking back it was a natural progression. It would have been easier for me to learn 1-on-1 with a talented turner but no it wasn't that difficult learning the extreme basics from books and videos. Of course, it's a journey and not a destination!