First turning, be gentle!

[Jim Kountz]

Well its not much to look at but after finally getting the old lathe on a new stand I have made my first, er well sort of turning. Im not quite sure what it is really but its a start! My LOML says its a trophy for Barbie and Ken....hhhmmmm

What can I do to improve the quality of cut? I smoothed everything I could with the skew and the curved parts with a round scraper but its still rough. Is this just the nature of pine and damp wood??

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jim.....very nice first turning! Using a skew on your first turning?....the evil skew?.......The skew is my favorite turning tool.

Nicely done Sir!

[Jim Kountz]

Well Ken Im trying to but that nasty thing keeps wanting to take bigger bites than I want. I practiced for over 5 hours last night just smoothing spindles from end to end with nothing but the skew. Some were good, most were not!!

[Bonnie Campbell]

I think you did a great job. I can see myself incorporating 99% of that pattern into a goblet, with just VERY minor adjustments.

Keep on spinning :)

[Dean Thomas]

Very nice first turning. I remember mine all too well. :rolleyes:

Some of the tech comments you'll get will be pretty much rule of thumb stuff (see comments about pine). Most comments about design can be taken with at least a grain of salt, maybe more. Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder, er beholder! There are so many schools of design as to be ridiculous, so understand that again, if you have three turners, you'll probably have at least 4 opinions or thoughts.

Scraping is not the best way to finish pine. Pine is a creature unto itself and is generally better cut than scraped for the best possible surface, IMO. Doing any sort of a cove with a skew is not for the faint of heart. You've done pretty doggone well, Grasshopper.

You've achieved a nice finish on the wood, considering that it's pine or not. There is no noticeable tearout in the photo. The curves, over-all, are pleasant. No bumps or wierd spots in them. The beads look to be pretty well formed as well. All of your details seem pretty nicely defined. That's not something seen in most first pieces.

Thoughts on ways you might improve upon your design (again, OPINIONS, not set in concrete, okay?)

The curve on the main part of the cup itself comes down, visually finds a bead, and then starts to curve again, but it's not in the same line as the curve above the bead. If you mentally connected the two curves, it would make for one line instead of two.
To my eye, the goblet is a bit top heavy. Using the "connect the curves" thought above would thin out the pedestal-like area just below the second bead, might raise thin diameter of the stem, and make it even more graceful.
What would happen if, in your own eye, you flipped the current stem & swapped the two flares? The base, both of the other beads, and the cup itself would remain the same, but if the shapes on both ends of the stem were switched? Not a suggestion, just a thought, taking existing elements of your creation...
What would happen in your own eye if the base were a touch wider? Maybe closer to the width of the mouth of the goblet?Not trying to redesign your piece, just looking at it through a different set of eyes with my own filters. One of the things that is discussed regularly at turners gatherings is "How big should the foot of my _______ be?" Bowls, plates, hollow forms, goblets, vases, weedpots, boxes, and everything else that sits on a table or shelf. It's a HUGE sticking point with some folks. Some of it is a matter of practicality. For me, I don't dare make an 8" wide vessel with a 1" foot. I live in an old 1911 house and in some rooms the floors are not rock solid. Stuff shakes! It would fall over in a minute except in the basement on the concrete floor. :) Again, there are many schools of thought. Ask a bunch of turners what the right ratio of lid to box is sometime and stand back. You can grin while they go through their favorite ration and defend it. I've seen faces and necks get read while defending their pet solution to the Lid to Box Height dilemma.

Another example, but one that does not relate directly to your piece, just one that causes turners' eyes to roll into their heads sometimes. :p It's like dealing with curves. Again, there are LOTS of thought patterns. Putting a curve on a bowl. Where does the curve end? Does it "clunk" onto the surface on which it's sitting? Does it disappear under the vessel? Does it seem to want to carry your eye through the surface of the table on which it's sitting? Does vessel curve gracefully, too abruptly, or too subtly? Does it look like it's glued to the table? Does it look like it's floating above the table??

Ultimately, it's what suits your fancy, what sells in your booth at the show, or what school of design you want to subscribe to as the basis for your creations. Figure out who "thine self" is and then, "To thine own self be true."

Hope it helps spark some "hmmmmmm" time. It's a very nice piece.

[Neal Addy]

This is a fantastic first turning, Jim! You should be proud. The design is good, has interesting elements, and looks really well proportioned. Keep it! You'll be glad you did later.

Don't sweat the quality of the cut on this. First, pine is very soft and tears out easily. Second, if you made it look this good with a skew then my hat is off already! You should do great on harder woods.

Besides, an 80 grit gouge can often absolve a dozen sins. ;)

[Steve Schlumpf]

Jim - for a first turning it looks pretty good! Your designs will change with experience and so will your challenge with getting a smooth surface. To improve the quality of cut - just work on making light cuts with very sharp tools. When you get the chance try turning some hardwood and you will find a big difference in the surface quality when you are done. Meanwhile - have fun with turning and be safe!

[Jim Becker]

I've been turning for a number of years...and I couldn't pick up a skew and make anything close to as nice as your "first"...very nice!

[Jim Kountz]

Wow, thanks everyone I really feel a sense of beginners accomplishment here. I know I have a very long way to go but this is the most fun Ive had in the shop for a long time now.
Dean thanks for the very in depth response, I really appreciate your insight.
Mr. Becker where in the world have you been all week anyway? I havent seen a post from you in a while now!!
I think all of you are too kind and to be honest the picture makes it look better than it is. However Im already going to sleep at night with all kinds of visions of things spinning in my head!! HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL

[Jim Becker]

Mr. Becker where in the world have you been all week anyway? I havent seen a post from you in a while now!!

Nashville...major fiscal year sales/technical kick-off conference and I was part of the "entertainment". (four presentations in three days) I did check in via my hand-held once in awhile, but posting from that is tedious due to all the scrolling.

[Jim Kountz]

Ahh the real world got in the way again. Dont ya hate that?? Glad to see you made it back to the Creek!

[Dennis Peacock]

Very nice 1st Jim..!!!!!!

Skew hugh??!!!! Takes a lot of practice and a LOT of patience to do well with a skew. My hat is off to ya. ;)

Right now, don't worry about "f o r m". Just practice with each of your turning tools to see what each one does and how it cuts. Get good at sharpening your turning tools. Knowing each tool and how to sharpen well is 60% of the battle.

Now....if you have a piece of 1" thick Poplar laying around AND you have a scroll chuck, this would be some nice wood to practice with. Cuts like medium hard wood and takes a finish very well. Poplar is a very nice wood to learn to turn most anything on.

Using the Skew....don't just practice make a spindle round.....practice the various cuts with it....V-grooves, small beads, and practice using it to cut end-grain nice and clean (no sanding required for the end-grain when cut well with a skew).

One thing about the skew.....rub the bevel of the tool for better tool and cut control. :)

[Jim Kountz]

Thanks for the tips Dennis, that skew sure is an interesting beast to say the least. It seems like every third of fourth pass it goes real smooth then CHUNK!! It digs in and makes a huge mess. Im going Monday to pick up some hardwood scraps from my local hardwood supplier. They have a huge pile of shorts and left over cutoffs from bigger orders they fill and she sells me the stuff for pennies on the dollar. I will make sure to get some poplar. I dont have a chuck yet but cant wait to have one after seeing all the stuff one can do with it.
I have a "V" shaped scraper and that stupid thing gives me more grief than a skew at this point. I just cant seem to see what its job is yet. The only way I get anything at all from it is to just use the one side of the V like a skew if you will and make cuts like that. Is there a reason for this thing?

[Neal Addy]

I have a "V" shaped scraper and that stupid thing gives me more grief than a skew at this point. I just cant seem to see what its job is yet. The only way I get anything at all from it is to just use the one side of the V like a skew if you will and make cuts like that. Is there a reason for this thing?
Are you sure that's not a parting tool?

[Jim Kountz]

Nah its not my parting tool. It came in the cheap and I do mean cheap set of starter chisels I bought a couple of weeks ago at a sale. These things are total junk now mind you but its just a pointed tool perfect V, double bevel on the bottom. Its a stupid stupid tool! LOL

Looks like this one on the far right.

[dave barnhart]

That is an excellent job for a first time. How even is the inner wall of the cup down to the base? Right now, that can be a challenge to me.

David, Still In Iraq

[Tom Sherman]

Jim that is not a bad first turning at all. Pine can be a real PIA to work with sometimes. That 'V' shaped tool is a spear point scraper, not a cutting tool. Can be used to smooth surfaces, just be sure that your scrapers edge is below center and the handle is elevated some.

Jim you should check into turning clubs in your area, I know there is one in Lewisburg only about a year old, could be a great help to you.

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Be Gentle? Are you totally nuts? Don't you know that your first must be shattered? It's a right of passage to the really dark side. So, here goes...:eek: ...I can't find anything, this is a real beauty and I love it!!:)

[Bernie Weishapl]

Jim that is a great first piece. Like Ken the skew is my favorite tool. If you want to learn more get Alan Lacer's The Skew Chisel. He takes you thru almost all cuts using spindles. I would watch a cut and go practice it, then watch another cut and more practice. I did this almost every night for a week. He show you how to sharpen and hone. Well done Jim.